From Soil to Scent: Regenerative Farming for the Future 04/29/23- 10 am t0 4.30 pm
Come and delve into principles of soil health, wild gardens, medicinal aromatic cultivation, biodynamic principles and weather wisdom. Michael Presley, inspiring ambassador & soil keeper will invite you to dig into the soil and practice the art and science of compost making for high quality and integrity medicinal, food and aromatic farming.
As we explore this relationship we create, we reveal to ourselves the infinite beauty and functional relationships of the microcosm. The elements of minerals, atmosphere, water and light (heat) are teaming with microbes eating and digesting, making nutrients available to higher orders of plants and animals. Just as in our own bodies, the balanced microbiome gives health, vitality, immunity, and evolutionary potential to the whole ecology (body) of organisms in a given place.
Wild gardens exemplify this collaboration between species in Nature. Guided by relationships, associations, mutual exchange of elements, the biology builds a community of beings supporting one another. Always changing and adapting to outer change, the power of creation is tangible and beautiful to behold, seeking balance through regenerative dynamics.
Through the understanding of weather, the behavior of air, water, heat and land, we become more aware of our own breath, the molecular exchange of energy, life giving forces. Opening out minds and hearts to this beautiful and extensive knowledge enables us explore the inner thoughts and feelings and outer practices and applications leading to a higher state of creativity with the elements and abundant nature.
The healing effects of aromatic plant essences are the refinement of all these levels of activity in soil, gardens and weather. As we weave a creative community of growers, practitioners, healers as well as thriving ecosystems of plants and animals together we contribute to the planetary healing and balancing needed at this time.
Come learn and build soil, community and enchanting aromas and medicine!
Bring water, lunch, layers and notebook. Class location will be given once you sign up. Takes place in Sonoma County farms and gardens.
Michael Presley was born and raised in Los Altos California. His family owns a small Apricot farm homestead where his mother Jan, a prolific gardener and artist nurtured a creative lifestyle. Michael studied Atmospheric Sciences at UCLA, BS, 1981, and did graduate work on Ocean Weather for JPL/NASA. During an apprenticeship at the Farallones Institute in Occidental,Ca., Michael changed his carreer path to Biointensive gardening. Designing and initiating gardens in Farm and Wilderness centers, commercial herbal tea production, wineries and healing retreat centers has occupied Michael for four decades in West Sonoma County. Michael currently lives and works with his wife Katherine on DaVero Farms and Winery in Healdsburg, Ca. as ‘Soil Keeper’ in gardens, vineyards and Olive orchards.
Alice Encinas Duvernell, Ma, is a French Ethnobotanist who specializes in restorative community, herbal aromatic therapies and product design for healing, culinary and cosmetic purposes. Her formal ethnobotany studies at the Sorbonne in Paris led her to travel to South America where she first started distillation and botanical extractions. She now specializes in natural and organic based cosmetics, home products and aroma edibles. Alice lives in the hills west of Petaluma and tends a diverse herb garden from which she teaches and creates plant products through her business Biophilia Botanicals.