Photo: Farmer/educators Jena Hood and Will Delacey talk about the importance of using the right soil for starting seeds during Spring Training Starting from Seed 2024, the first hands-on class. At left are participants Lashonda Lockhart and two of her children, who participated in the class with her.
By Jess Coffin
North County residents Lashonda Lockhart and Evelyn Adrian, both of Florissant, are proof that a little guidance can go a long way in transforming backyard gardening into a bountiful success. Both attended the Spring Training for Gardeners classes offered by EarthDance Organic Farm School last year, and they couldn’t be happier with the results.
“My kids and I learned so much in such a short time,” said Lashonda. “We did a salad garden this season with cucumbers, basil, kale, cabbage, and tomatoes. The cucumbers were the star of the show! We had so many that we gave some away and even made pickles. When life gives you cucumbers, make pickles!”
Lashonda discovered the importance of plant placement and sunlight. “I didn’t think about the height of plants or the direction of the sun before class. Now I know better! I even grew squash and cucumbers outside the box to maximize my space,” she explained.
Evelyn also experienced a transformation in her garden. “I learned so much about how to plant and when. We learned how to do companion planting for things that grow well together and what plants interfere with each other,” she shared. “I learned to deter pests without insecticides or traps using that companion planting, with light mesh, or just plain vigilance to remove the larva as they appeared. Since bugs and squirrels had played havoc with my garden in years past, I was especially happy with this new knowledge. Guess what? It worked!”
Evelyn is also looking forward to a prolific strawberry garden this year. “Last year, on [instructor] Will’s recommendation, I got Honeoye because they send out runners, which establish new plants, “ she said. “Boy did they! I started with three. I had so many new plants, I didn’t transplant all of them and still have a dozen in my greenhouse.”
The five-week Spring Training course, designed for beginners and seasoned gardeners alike, combines online classes with hands-on workshops. The program covers everything from soil health and seed starting to plant placement and organic pest control (and more!)
Both Lashonda and Evelyn would recommend Spring Training to anyone ready to work at making their gardens more beautiful and bountiful. “Spring Training gave me confidence and results. I can’t recommend it highly enough,” Evelyn said.
Spring Training is available as a Full Course (5 online classes + 3 hands-on workshops), or anyone anywhere can learn and grow remotely with the 5 live-online course option (you can pick and choose or take ‘em all!)
Spring Training veteran coaches Jena Hood, Will Delacey, Jo Phillips, Kaitie Adams of the Savanna Institute, and Ro Kicker of Ro’s Wigglers and Grow with Ro are back for another
banner season. And, new to Spring Training in 2025 is Seed St. Louis Chief Programs Officer Dean Gunderson!
EarthDance team members shared it’s a joy to work with these brilliant collaborators. “Talk about fruitful cross-pollination,” Jena, who is EarthDance’s Director of Agriculture and Education said. “We’re especially happy about this new partnership with Seed St. Louis for Spring Training. EarthDance’s demonstration garden and the Oscar Lee Orchard are Seed St. Louis Community sites, and our organizations are mission-aligned. We’re looking forward to co-hosting workshops at several other Seed St. Louis Community Gardens, and co-coaching with Dean – he’s a very knowledgeable and engaging teacher. ”
For anyone dreaming of fresh produce from their own garden, Spring Training offers an accessible way to grow (use their Pay What You Can model to take any of their classes and workshops) that also inspires. Visit earthdancefarms.org to learn more about this mid-March through mid-April class, and sign up for the upcoming season.