Part of our store mission is to offer classes in all areas of urban homesteading. Please check this page for updates as we add classes to our calendar. Most of our classes are on Sunday afternoons unless otherwise noted.

Payment is required for registration. Call 651-645-0818 to pay with a credit card or to make some other arrangement. We will also need a contact phone number and email where we can reach you in the event of a change in the schedule. Call 651-645-0818 or e-mail audrey@eggplantsupply with questions.

June 2012 Classes

Worm Composting - Neil Cunningham
Sunday, June 17, 1:00-3:00 pm
Cost: $15 Class only, $45 Class and Worm Bin

This workshop is for beginners, compost enthusiasts, and those wanting to learn more about the ins and outs of worm composting. The cost is $15 for the workshop and $45 if you are interested in leaving the workshop with a fully functional worm bin using the system demonstrated during the workshop.

Neil Cunningham is a writer, working entomologist, urban naturalist, environmental educator, and one of a growing unknown number of advocate/practitioners of the emerging field of urban agriculture.

Backyard Chicken Basics - Bob Lies
Sunday, June 3, 1:00-3:00 pm
Cost: $15, children with adult $5

Taught by Egg|Plant co-owner Bob Lies. Bob and Audrey have kept chickens in their St. Paul backyard for the last five years.  They started their chicken adventures raising chicks for the Student Organic Farm at the University of Minnesota, and have experienced both the joys and troubles of keeping chickens in the city.

This class will cover all aspects of backyard flock management in an urban setting: getting permits, choosing suitable varieties, raising chicks, coop and run requirements, feed and nutrition, common health issues, predators, cold-climate care, chickens in the garden, composting chicken waste, etc.  There will be plenty of time for questions, and hands-on time with live chickens (chickens permitting).

May 2012 Classes

Edible Landscaping for Urban Yards - Theresa Rooney
May 6, 1:00 - 3:00 pm
$15

Learn all about incorporating edible plants into your landscape. This can be as little as one tomato plant in the border or an entire, turfless yard filled with edible vegetables, fruit, nuts, berries and roots. And you can do this with out worrying the neighbors too much!

Theresa Rooney is a Hennepin County Master Gardener who grows as many edible and beautiful plants as she can in her backyard in Minneapolis, where she also keeps a small flock of chickens.

From Chicks to Eggs: A Class for Children and Their Parents - Janice Cole
Saturday, May 12, 1:00 - 2:30 pm
$20 for parent/child together

Introduce your child to the joy of chickens. Together you'll meet the baby chicks and learn the proper way to hold them, how to build a brooder and care for them. You'll also meet grown up hens and make a recipe with your child using fresh eggs. While this class is geared towards children, we'll happily answer any questions along the way from Mom or Dad.

Taught by Janice Cole, author of the beautiful new book Chicken and Egg; A Memoir of Suburban Homesteading with 125 Recipes.  Janice is a St. Paul food writer and blogger (threeswinginchicks.blogspot.com) and we are delighted to have her at Egg|Plant for this event. Copies of Chicken and Egg will be available for purchase and signing.

Backyard Chicken Basics - Bob Lies
Saturday, May 19, 1:00-3:00 pm
Cost: $15, children with adult $5

Taught by Egg|Plant co-owner Bob Lies. Bob and Audrey have kept chickens in their St. Paul backyard for the last five years.  They started their chicken adventures raising chicks for the Student Organic Farm at the University of Minnesota, and have experienced both the joys and troubles of keeping chickens in the city.

This class will cover all aspects of backyard flock management in an urban setting: getting permits, choosing suitable varieties, raising chicks, coop and run requirements, feed and nutrition, common health issues, predators, cold-climate care, chickens in the garden, composting chicken waste, etc.  There will be plenty of time for questions, and hands-on time with live chickens (chickens permitting).

Shiitake Mushroom Cultivation - Jeremy McAdams
Sunday, May 20, 1:00-2:30 pm
Cost: $45, includes shiitake mushroom log kit

Growing your own shiitake mushrooms can be easy and nearly maintenance free - perfect for backyards and community garden plots! Learn how to start and care for your own shiitake mushroom logs. Each participant will take home a shiitake mushroom log kit – which is ready to fruit mushrooms right away!

Jeremy McAdams runs Cherry Tree House Mushrooms, LLC, an urban farm in south Minneapolis and Maplewood that provides log-grown shiitake and oyster mushrooms to Twin Cities restaurants, markets and grocery stores.

April 2012 Classes

Backyard Chicken Basics - Bob Lies
Saturday, April 7, 1:00-3:00 pm
Cost: $15, children with adult $5

Taught by Egg|Plant co-owner Bob Lies. Bob and Audrey have kept chickens in their St. Paul backyard for the last five years.  They started their chicken adventures raising chicks for the Student Organic Farm at the University of Minnesota, and have experienced both the joys and troubles of keeping chickens in the city.

This class will cover all aspects of backyard flock management in an urban setting: getting permits, choosing suitable varieties, raising chicks, coop and run requirements, feed and nutrition, common health issues, predators, cold-climate care, chickens in the garden, composting chicken waste, etc.  There will be plenty of time for questions, and hands-on time with live chickens (chickens permitting).

Backyard Mushroom Basics - Jeremy McAdams
Sunday, April 15, 1:00-2:30 pm
Cost: $38, includes oyster mushroom log kit

Shiitake logs also available for purchase $24

Growing your own gourmet mushrooms can be easy and nearly maintenance free - perfect for backyards and community garden plots. Learn what mycelium is and how to start and care for garden mushrooms and large-diameter mushroom logs. Each participant will inoculate his or her own oyster mushroom log to take home – which should fruit mushrooms in a matter of months!

Jeremy McAdams runs Cherry Tree House Mushrooms, LLC, an urban farm in south Minneapolis and Maplewood that provides log-grown shiitake and oyster mushrooms to Twin Cities restaurants, markets and grocery stores.

Making Friends with the Pollinators - Laura Domyancich
Sunday, April 22, 1:00-3:00 pm (Earth Day!)
Cost: $15

Taught by Laura Domyancich of EnergyScapes, Inc., our Selby Avenue neighbor. Laura is entering her fifth season as an ecologist at EnergyScapes: a full-service native-plant landscape design / build firm.

This class will offer ideas about which plant species and landscape features will bring valuable pollinators to your garden, while adding beauty and interest to your landscape. Participants will leave with a greater understanding of how much we depend on pollinator services, and simple ways to add specific plants and elements to the yard to attract and support these important bees, butterflies, and birds within the landscape.

Backyard Chicken Basics - Bob Lies
Sunday, April 29, 1:00-3:00 pm
Cost: $15, children with adult $5

Taught by Egg|Plant co-owner Bob Lies. Bob and Audrey have kept chickens in their St. Paul backyard for the last five years.  They started their chicken adventures raising chicks for the Student Organic Farm at the University of Minnesota, and have experienced both the joys and troubles of keeping chickens in the city.

This class will cover all aspects of backyard flock management in an urban setting: getting permits, choosing suitable varieties, raising chicks, coop and run requirements, feed and nutrition, common health issues, predators, cold-climate care, chickens in the garden, composting chicken waste, etc.  There will be plenty of time for questions, and hands-on time with live chickens (chickens permitting).

March 2012 Classes

Home Cheesemaking - Jodi Ohlsen Read
Sunday, March 4, 1:00-3:00 pm
Cost: $25, limit 15

This class will cover the basics of home cheese making, focusing on fresh cheese and including a demonstration of ricotta. Jodi produces artisan cheeses and does outstanding half-day cheese workshops at Shepherd's Way Farm in Nerstrand, MN. She taught our first cheese-making class in September 2010, and we are honored to have her make another trip to Egg|Plant.

Backyard Chicken Basics - Bob Lies
Sunday, March 11, 1:00-3:00 pm
Cost: $15, children with adult $5

Taught by Egg|Plant co-owner Bob Lies. Bob and Audrey have kept chickens in their St. Paul backyard for the last five years.  They started their chicken adventures raising chicks for the Student Organic Farm at the University of Minnesota, and have experienced both the joys and troubles of keeping chickens in the city.

This class will cover all aspects of backyard flock management in an urban setting: getting permits, choosing suitable varieties, raising chicks, coop and run requirements, feed and nutrition, common health issues, predators, cold-climate care, chickens in the garden, composting chicken waste, etc.  There will be plenty of time for questions, and hands-on time with live chickens (chickens permitting).

Intro to Beekeeping - Jacquelynn Goessling
Sunday, March 18, 1:00 - 3:00 pm

Cost: $20

Become one with the hive mind with this informational overview of backyard beekeeping. This short class will answer all of the questions you want answered before you register for the weekend class at the U: hive boxes and equipment; rules and regulations; seasonal care; lifecycle of the honey bee; breeds; apiary suppliers and more.

Jacquelynn Goessling runs United Nectar, an urban apiary in its fifth year with 14 urban hives throughout the Twin Cities.

Backyard Chicken Basics - Bob Lies
Sunday, March 25, 1:00-3:00 pm
Cost: $15, children with adult $5

Taught by Egg|Plant co-owner Bob Lies. Bob and Audrey have kept chickens in their St. Paul backyard for the last five years.  They started their chicken adventures raising chicks for the Student Organic Farm at the University of Minnesota, and have experienced both the joys and troubles of keeping chickens in the city.

This class will cover all aspects of backyard flock management in an urban setting: getting permits, choosing suitable varieties, raising chicks, coop and run requirements, feed and nutrition, common health issues, predators, cold-climate care, chickens in the garden, composting chicken waste, etc.  There will be plenty of time for questions, and hands-on time with live hens (hens permitting).

February 2012 Classes

Backyard Chicken Basics - Bob Lies
Sunday, February 26, 1:00-3:00 pm
Cost: $15

Taught by Egg|Plant co-owner Bob Lies. Bob and Audrey have kept chickens in their St. Paul backyard for the last five years.  They started their chicken adventures raising chicks for the Student Organic Farm at the University of Minnesota, and have experienced both the joys and troubles of keeping chickens in the city.

This class will cover all aspects of backyard flock management in an urban setting: getting permits, choosing suitable varieties, raising chicks, coop and run requirements, feed and nutrition, common health issues, predators, cold-climate care, chickens in the garden, composting chicken waste, etc.  There will be plenty of time for questions, and hands-on time with live birds (birds permitting).

Tapping Your Backyard Maple
Sunday, February 19, 1-2 pm
Cost: $10, $5 children 12 and under, $20 per family

This one hour class will cover basics of backyard maple tapping and simple instructions on how to process sap at home to make your own maple syrup. The class includes a hands-on demonstration, placing a tap in the boulevard maple tree at the Egg|Plant store.

Seed Starting Basics- Courtney Tchida
Sunday, February 5, 1:00-2:30 pm
Cost: $15

It's time! Starting your own seeds allows you to pick varieties you love, grow many plants for less money, and brighten up late winter days with the promise of summer gardens. Learn about seed selection, seed starting soil mixes, flats and pots, lighting, temperature and fertilizers for optimum growth.

Courtney Tchida is currently the Student Program Coordinator for the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture at the University of Minnesota where she coordinates the graduate and undergraduate minors in sustainable agriculture and the Cornercopia Student Organic Farm. She is a member of the Teacher's Guild of the Permaculture Research Institute - Cold Climate.

January 2012 Classes

Backyard Chicken Basics - Bob Lies
Sunday, January 29, 1:00-3:00 pm
Cost: $15

Taught by Egg|Plant co-owner Bob Lies. Bob and Audrey have kept chickens in their St. Paul backyard for the last five years.  They started their chicken adventures raising chicks for the Student Organic Farm at the University of Minnesota, and have experienced both the joys and troubles of keeping chickens in the city.

This class will cover all aspects of backyard flock management in an urban setting: getting permits, choosing suitable varieties, raising chicks, coop and run requirements, feed and nutrition, common health issues, predators, cold-climate care, chickens in the garden, composting chicken waste, etc.  There will be plenty of time for questions, and hands-on time with live birds (birds permitting).

Worm Composting - Neil Cunningham
Sunday, January 22, 1:00-3:00 pm
Cost: $15 Class only, $45 Class and Worm Bin

This workshop is for beginners, compost enthusiasts, and those wanting to learn more about the ins and outs of worm composting. The cost is $15 for the workshop and $45 if you are interested in leaving the workshop with a fully functional worm bin using the system demonstrated during the workshop.

Neil Cunningham is a writer, working entomologist, urban naturalist, environmental educator, and one of a growing unknown number of advocate/practitioners of the emerging field of urban agriculture.

2011 Classes

2010 Classes

For a listing of classes held last year at Egg|Plant, click the heading above.