Homesteading Mentor Program at City Folk’s Farm Shop

What I love the most about homesteading is that it takes us back to our roots. We live in a fast-paced overly processed world; and frankly, I believe everyone could benefit from slowing down a bit and leaning into more sustainable ways of living. It is easier than you think, and making a few changes to your lifestyle can be enjoyable and also good for the earth. Think of making your own jam, planting a salsa garden, raising chickens or bees – homesteading can incorporate all sorts of activities easily accomplished in an apartment downtown or a home with thirty acres of land.

City Folk’s Farm Shop has started a mentor program called Ground Swell that will teach individuals how to homestead. Rachel Tayse of Harmonious Homestead is one of the mentors, and believe me, you can learn a LOT from her! Her blog has lots of information on preserving food, homesteading, and delicious recipes made with homegrown food. To top it off, she has written guest posts for cbusmom…so I <3 her.

I will grow a garden again this year, probably make jam, and continue learning about ways to use herbs…and, I am excited to try my hand at growing sprouts. My friend gifted me with everything I need to get started from City Folk’s! Wish me luck…

Want to learn more about homesteading – sign up for a workshop or mentor program and go for it! Look:

CITY FOLK’S FARM SHOP LAUNCHES CITY FOLK’S GROUND SWELL

First of its kind homesteading mentor program matches homesteading experts with mentees for nine months of workshops and discussions to grow a sustainable living community.

COLUMBUS OHIO (December 15, 2013) “People come into the shop every day looking for ways to re-skill themselves in gardening, cooking, and home keeping,” says Shawn Fiegelist of City Folk’s Farm Shop. “We want to support this need with a comprehensive educational program.”

Shawn began talking about her idea with experienced homesteaders in the spring of 2013. They came up with a plan to lead City Folk’s Ground Swell: round-table discussions, personal mentoring, hands-on workshops, and classes covering the whole variety of homesteading topics under the pillars of Sustainable Living, Keeping Small Livestock, Growing and Preserving Food, and Home Keeping.

The inaugural class of City Folk’s Ground Swell mentors are:

• Annie and Jay Warmke, builders of earthen structures and sustainable living pioneers at Blue Rock Station
• Rachel and Alex Tayse Baillieul, DIY risk-takers who raise chickens, gardens, and an unschooled eight year old at Harmonious Homestead
• Joseph Swain and Jen Kindrick, innovative urban mushroom and microgreen farmers behind Swainway Urban Farm
• Elizabeth and Milo Neer Petruziello, passionate permaculture and seed saving practitioners

“We wanted to be part of Ground Swell because when we find out how easy (or difficult!) it is to make something from scratch, we always want to share,” commented Rachel Tayse Baillieul. “We want to see the homesteading community grow in Columbus.”

City Folk’s Ground Swell is seeking central Ohio area families who want to take advantage of the mentorship opportunity. Mentees need to be able to commit to 27 credit hours of classes, workshops and time to work on a personal project with mentor guidance over the nine month duration. Their reward will be a dramatic increase in homesteading skills, self-confidence, access to resources and discounts throughout the year, and an opportunity to be certified as a Model Homestead. Potential mentees can find out more and apply online at http://www.CityFolksFarmShop.com/GroundSwell.

The City Folk’s Ground Swell 2014 class of mentees will be announced in mid-February and the 2014 program will conclude in November with a public graduation. Classes and workshops, listed at http://www.cityfolksfarmshop.com/calendar/, are also open to the general public.

About City Folk’s Farm Shop:

City Folk’s Farm Shop was created to connect city-dwellers to goods, services, information and other people who are interested in city farming. Owners Shawn, a former marketing professional and backyard gardener, and Gerry, a builder interested in green design and alternative energy, opened the store in their Clintonville-Beechwold neighborhood. The shelves are stocked with gardening tools and supplies, backyard animal feeds and equipment, and homesteading products from local and small businesses wherever possible.

Contact:

Shawn Fiegelist: shawn@cityfolksfarmshop.com
CityFolksFarmShop.com | facebook.com/cityfolksshop | twitter.com/cityfolksshop
4760 N High St. Columbus OH 43214
614.946.5553