You can grow your own food, and do it well!
If you are you ready to take your vegetable growing to new heights, you are in the right place. Whether you are starting from scratch on a new garden site or finally making an effort to refine your methods after a few years of trial and error, the Seed to Table course is here to help.
Stop repeating mistakes of the past and commit to making steady incremental progress in your vegetable garden.
Spend less time researching, wondering, and doubting your methods, and finally start growing with confidence.
Overcome obstacles within a community of like-minded vegetable growers using proven science-based solutions.
Here's a taste of what's inside...
By the end of this course,
you will be able to...
PLAN
Plan and build a effective garden layout that maximizes your growing season, uses your space to its full potential, and matches the garden outcomes you desire for your family.
GROW
Grow strong and productive plants from seed to harvest by preparing healthy soil, using proper spacing, automating irrigation, and integrating effective weed management techniques.
HARVEST
Preserve the fruits of your labour by harvesting at the right time, storing your crops properly, and incorporating your produce into your meal planning in all seasons of the year.
But above all else...
The Seed to Table course will take the guesswork out of vegetable growing,
and guide you through a process you can use to achieve consistent results in your garden, year after year.
What's included?
The Seed to Table course has everything you need to grow your own food with confidence! Here's a look at the resources you will have at your finger tips as soon as you enroll.
Video Instruction
Every essential subject is covered in depth with a science-based approach and no fluff. When it is best to teach key concepts in the studio, we cover content with photos, tables, and graphs. When it is best to teach methods in the garden, we head out to the field with my video camera.
Course Workbook
We both know that you won't solve all of your problems just by watching videos, so I have created an interactive course workbook with notes and activities to accompany the lessons. This workbook will help you turn key concepts into concrete actions you can apply in your garden.
Customizable Spreadsheets
Years of growing records have been combined to create our comprehensive collection of spreadsheet planners and calculators. With these resources, you'll be able to organize your production planning, seed starting, and plant spacing like a pro.
Garden Planner
Get access to our one of a kind garden planning template that allows you to schedule relay and succession plantings throughout your growing season. This tool alone will take your planning game to a whole new level.
LIVE Q & A Sessions
Access support from me directly through our regular LIVE Q & A sessions. Here, we can meet face-to-face and cover the subjects most pressing to you, one at a time. This is the access to expertise that I longed for when I was getting started!
Classroom Community
Connect with your fellow Seed to Table classmates in our online Classroom area. This is the home for all of our social interactions, LIVE bonus features, and an ever expanding bank of growing resources available to you 24/7.
This course completely changed the way my family gardens and grows food in the best possible way. After implementing some of Jared's top recommended strategies and practices, the results clearly spoke for themselves: best quality and production we have ever had this year for everything from root storage vegetables to leafy greens, to tomatoes, to strawberries.
Carla Dombowsky
Course Curriculum
This course is designed to help you understand the whole process from seed to table, because true success in the vegetable garden depends on a lot more than how you put your plants in the ground.
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Does the Classroom Pass give me access to everything in the Classroom?Almost. There are a some posts at the top of each Module page that specifically addressing questions from Seed to Table course lessons which will not be open to everyone. You will have full access to all other post categories as well as the LIVE Features and Recordings archive.
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Can I cancel my Classroom Pass at any time?Yes. You can log in to your member profile page any time and click on the Cancel Membership button to do so.
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Who is not well suited for the Classroom Pass?I enjoy helping people grow a significant amount of their own food in soil, outdoors, without the use of synthetic fertilizers or toxic pesticides. If your growing space is limited to a few pots or just a couple of small raised beds, you will likely find that a lot of our conversations don't apply that well to your context.
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Who is best suited for the Classroom Pass?Going forward, the Classroom space will primarily be a suplemental learning space for Seed to Table course members and alumni. However, it pains me to close the doors to all of the wonderful and enthusiastic growers who have joined the Classroom in our early years and supported its development. Therefore, I am making this Classroom Pass option available to all site members for a limited time. So, will you be a good fit for our growing community? Well, our Seed to Table members include first year growers and others with decades of experience under their belt, so your level of experience shouldn't be a factor. If you have at least a few hundred square feet of soil to work with and you are ready to learn, I would be delighted to work with you and help you make the most of your growing space.
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What do I have access to with the Classroom Pass?The Classroom Pass gives you access to a growing collection of resources for each stage of the growing cycle and monthly Q & A sessions to help you address specific challenges in your vegetable garden. You will also be able to access the past recordings of LIVE sessions which include member spotlights and plot tours from our own gardens demonstrating our growing techniques firsthand.
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Will this monthly membership price ever change?No. Once you sign up, your monthly price is locked in so future price increases will not effect you.
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If I get a Classroom Pass now, can I still enroll in the Seed to Table course at a later date?"Yes. The Seed to Table course will still be an option for you. Course enrollment comes with one year of free support in the Classroom, so when you do enroll, we will just pause your monthly Classroom Pass membership for that year and you will have the option to restart it once your period of free access ends.
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Why is Classroom access no longer free?The Classroom content and membership have grown to a point where they require a significant amount of time to manage. Additional features are also now included in this paid Classroom Pass so members will have access to much more support than they had with the free version.
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When are the LIVE Q & A sessions?I will host a LIVE Q & A session on the first Saturday of every month at 10:00am CST. Replays are always available and questions can be submitted in advance if you are unable to attend.
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Will this monthly membership price ever change?No. Once you sign up, your monthly price is locked in.
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What do I have access to with an active Founder membership?Everything. No features of the site will ever be restricted for you. If I ever offer another course or smaller workshop, you get free access with your Founder membership just as you did with the Seed to Table course. All supporting features of the online Classroom are also included.
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Can I cancel my Founder membership at any time?Yes. You can log in to your member profile page any time and click on the Cancel Membership button to do so.
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Will there be another opportunity to restart my Founder membership?No. The only reason for this Founder renewal opportunity is the accidental cancellation of your subscription to the Monthly Training channel in August. That cancellation was caused by me as I was making some adjustments on the back end of the site so it's only fair to offer you a chance to restart your Founder membership at the same original price.
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What features will I retain if I choose not to renew?You will retain full access to all of the Seed to Table course material. This includes the recordings of the lessons and all of the associated worksheets. Any time the course lessons are updated, you will have access to these updates as well.
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What features will I lose access to if I choose not to renew?By the end of this month, there will no longer be any free access areas of our online Classroom. Without a Founder membership, you will lose access to all LIVE features including Q & A sessions, Member Spotlights, and Showcase lessons, along with their recordings. The entire Classroom forum area will also be restricted to you.
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Can I cancel my Classroom Pass at any time?Yes. You can log in to your member profile page any time and click on the Cancel Membership button to do so.
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Why is Classroom access no longer free?The Classroom content and membership have grown to a point where they require a significant amount of time to manage. Additional features are also now included in this paid Classroom Pass so members will have access to much more support than they had with the free version.
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If I get a Classroom Pass now, can I still enroll in the Seed to Table course at a later date?"Yes. The Seed to Table course will still be an option for you. Course enrollment comes with one year of free support in the Classroom, so when you do enroll, we will just pause your monthly Classroom Pass membership for that year and you will have the option to restart it once your period of free access ends.
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Who is best suited for the Classroom Pass?Going forward, the Classroom space will primarily be a suplemental learning space for Seed to Table course members and alumni. However, it pains me to close the doors to all of the wonderful and enthusiastic growers who have joined the Classroom in our early years and supported its development. Therefore, I am making this Classroom Pass option available to all site members for a limited time. So, will you be a good fit for our growing community? Well, our Seed to Table members include first year growers and others with decades of experience under their belt, so your level of experience shouldn't be a factor. If you have at least a few hundred square feet of soil to work with and you are ready to learn, I would be delighted to work with you and help you make the most of your growing space.
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Who is not well suited for the Classroom Pass?I enjoy helping people grow a significant amount of their own food in soil, outdoors, without the use of synthetic fertilizers or toxic pesticides. If your growing space is limited to a few pots or just a couple of small raised beds, you will likely find that a lot of our conversations don't apply that well to your context.
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Does the Classroom Pass give me access to everything in the Classroom?Almost. There are a some posts at the top of each Module page that specifically addressing questions from Seed to Table course lessons which will not be open to everyone. You will have full access to all other post categories as well as the LIVE Features and Recordings archive.
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When are the LIVE Q & A sessions?I will host a LIVE Q & A session on the first Saturday of every month at 10:00am CST. Replays are always available and questions can be submitted in advance if you are unable to attend.
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Will this monthly membership price ever change?No. Once you sign up, your monthly price is locked in so future price increases will not effect you.
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What do I have access to with the Classroom Pass?The Classroom Pass gives you access to a growing collection of resources for each stage of the growing cycle and monthly Q & A sessions to help you address specific challenges in your vegetable garden. You will also be able to access the past recordings of LIVE sessions which include member spotlights and plot tours from our own gardens demonstrating our growing techniques firsthand.
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Who is best suited for the Classroom Pass?Going forward, the Classroom space will primarily be a suplemental learning space for Seed to Table course members and alumni. However, it pains me to close the doors to all of the wonderful and enthusiastic growers who have joined the Classroom in our early years and supported its development. Therefore, I am making this Classroom Pass option available to all site members for a limited time. So, will you be a good fit for our growing community? Well, our Seed to Table members include first year growers and others with decades of experience under their belt, so your level of experience shouldn't be a factor. If you have at least a few hundred square feet of soil to work with and you are ready to learn, I would be delighted to work with you and help you make the most of your growing space.
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Does the Classroom Pass give me access to everything in the Classroom?Almost. There are a some posts at the top of each Module page that specifically addressing questions from Seed to Table course lessons which will not be open to everyone. You will have full access to all other post categories as well as the LIVE Features and Recordings archive.
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What do I have access to with the Classroom Pass?The Classroom Pass gives you access to a growing collection of resources for each stage of the growing cycle and monthly Q & A sessions to help you address specific challenges in your vegetable garden. You will also be able to access the past recordings of LIVE sessions which include member spotlights and plot tours from our own gardens demonstrating our growing techniques firsthand.
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If I get a Classroom Pass now, can I still enroll in the Seed to Table course at a later date?"Yes. The Seed to Table course will still be an option for you. Course enrollment comes with one year of free support in the Classroom, so when you do enroll, we will just pause your monthly Classroom Pass membership for that year and you will have the option to restart it once your period of free access ends.
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When are the LIVE Q & A sessions?I will host a LIVE Q & A session on the first Saturday of every month at 10:00am CST. Replays are always available and questions can be submitted in advance if you are unable to attend.
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Will this monthly membership price ever change?No. Once you sign up, your monthly price is locked in so future price increases will not effect you.
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Who is not well suited for the Classroom Pass?I enjoy helping people grow a significant amount of their own food in soil, outdoors, without the use of synthetic fertilizers or toxic pesticides. If your growing space is limited to a few pots or just a couple of small raised beds, you will likely find that a lot of our conversations don't apply that well to your context.
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Why is Classroom access no longer free?The Classroom content and membership have grown to a point where they require a significant amount of time to manage. Additional features are also now included in this paid Classroom Pass so members will have access to much more support than they had with the free version.
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Can I cancel my Classroom Pass at any time?Yes. You can log in to your member profile page any time and click on the Cancel Membership button to do so.
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When does my current Classroom access expire?If you enrolled in the Seed to Table course with the Standard or Accelerator plan, your Classroom access will expire 1 year after your initial purchase. If you enrolled in the Seed to Table course with the Monthly plan, your Classroom access will expire after you have accessed all 8 modules, 8 months after your enrollment date.
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Who is best suited for the Classroom Pass?The Classroom space is now devoted to supporting Seed to Table course members and alumni only, so know that you will be in the company of likeminded vegetable growers. While our community includes many first year growers and others with decades of experience under their belt, what we all have in common is that we are keen to grow lots of our own food in the soil with sustainable methods. If that still sounds like you, then you'll fit right in. If you are still unsure, just ask yourself whether you would like to continue making progress in your garden with the support provided here? Are you committed to growing your own food for your family? Can the Classroom resources continue to save you time, energy, and resources? Will the community here be a source of motivation for you going forward?
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Will this monthly membership price ever change?No. Once you sign up, your monthly price is locked in so future price increases will not effect you.
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Who is not well suited for the Classroom Pass?I enjoy helping people grow a significant amount of their own food in soil, outdoors, without the use of synthetic fertilizers or toxic pesticides. If your techniques diverge from this focus I will have less experience to share with you. Also, if your growing space is limited to a few pots or just a couple of small raised beds, you will likely find that a lot of our conversations don't apply that well to your context.
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When are the LIVE Q & A sessions?Right now, my plan is to host at least 1 LIVE Q & A session on the first Saturday of every month at 10:00am CST, and increase that to 2 sessions per month as questions pick up during the growing season. Replays are always available and questions can be submitted in advance if you are unable to attend.
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Can I cancel my Classroom Pass at any time?Yes. You can log in to your member profile page any time and click on the Cancel Membership button to do so.
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What features can I access with the Classroom Pass?Everything. The Classroom Pass gives you access to all of the support available on the Classroom pages. This includes a growing collection of resources for each course module and regular Q & A sessions to help you address specific challenges in your vegetable garden. I will continue to offer LIVE training sessions on specific subjects, as well as member spotlights and plot tours throughout the growing season to demonstrate our growing techniques in the field. You will also retain access to all of the recordings of these LIVE sessions.
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Lesson 1.2 Site AssessmentAssess the size, soil, light, and weed populations on your site, and make appropriate plans to correct less than ideal conditions.
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Lesson 1.3 Mastering Your Growing ZoneUnderstand the unique characteristics of your growing zone, and adjust planting and harvesting dates accordingly.
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Lesson 1.1 Grower AssessmentDetermine your ideal garden type, select complementary crops, and estimate your production capabilities.
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Lesson 2.4 Seed SelectionUnderstand the potential differences between seed varieties and identify those best for your context.
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Lesson 2.3 Garden PlanningCreate a customized plan for your garden space that incorporates succession planting, relay planting, and interplanting as needed.
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Lesson 2.1 Bed LayoutDetermine the ideal bed size(s) and orientation for your vegetable garden.
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Lesson 2.2 Calculating ProductionSet accurate production targets for each crop based on your expected vegetable consumption.
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Lesson 3.2 Irrigation SystemsSelect and build the most appropriate irrigation system(s) for your context.
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Lesson 3.1 SoilLearn how to establish and maintain fertile soil using your local resources.
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Lesson 3.3 Weed ManagementIdentify and implement the three key weed management strategies to create and maintain a weed free garden space.
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Lesson 3.4 Supporting InfrastructureCreate a personalized infrastructure roadmap to clarify and focus your garden development plans each season.
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Lesson 4.2 Indoor Planting TechniquesLearn how to create optimal conditions for starting seeds indoors.
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Lesson 4.1 Planning and Record KeepingCreate a planting schedule for your garden plan and region.
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Lesson 4.3 Outdoor Planting TechniquesLearn how to create optimal conditions for direct seeding and transplanting outdoors.
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Lesson 5.3 Pest ManagementCreate a location specific pest management plan.
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Lesson 5.1 PruningLearn why, how, and when crop performance can be improved with pruning.
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Lesson 5.2 TrellisingCompare different trellising techniques and identify the best method for each type of crop.
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Lesson 5.4 Season ExtensionUnderstand the basic principles of season extension and identify which strategy is appropriate for each context.
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Lesson 6.2 HandlingLearn how to best wash and/or handle each crop immediately after harvesting.
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Lesson 6.3 Curing Storage CropsIdentify which crops need to be cured after harvesting and learn how to create the optimal conditions for this.
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Lesson 6.1 TimingRecognize the different harvest patterns in your garden and understand how these patterns affect the harvesting requirements for each crop.
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Lesson 7.1 Storage ZonesUnderstand the conditions that must be maintained to successfully store raw vegetables for an extended period.
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Lesson 7.2 Processing MethodsIdentify the most appropriate processing methods to preserve each crop when raw storage is no longer possible or desired.
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Lesson 8.1 Eating in SeasonCreate seasonal menus to help you incorporate your garden produce into your meals on a year-round basis.
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Lesson 8.2 Waste ManagementTurn your food and garden waste into finished compost to enrich your garden soil for another season.
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Lesson 8.1 Eating in SeasonCreate seasonal menus to help you incorporate your garden produce into your meals on a year-round basis.
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Lesson 8.2 Waste ManagementTurn your food and garden waste into finished compost to enrich your garden soil for another season.
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Lesson 8.1 Eating in SeasonCreate seasonal menus to help you incorporate your garden produce into your meals on a year-round basis.
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Lesson 8.2 Waste ManagementTurn your food and garden waste into finished compost to enrich your garden soil for another season.
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When are the LIVE Q & A sessions?The LIVE Q & A sessions are currently scheduled for Saturday mornings at 10am CST. Frequency of these sessions changes throughout the year, ranging from a minimum of 1 per month in winter and up to a maximum of 1 per week in summer. In between LIVE sessions, you can always post questions inside the Classroom community.
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What are the differences between the three course plans?The KICKSTART package is a short mini course that will guide you through the process of assessing your true priorities as a grower, creating a working garden plan that matches those priorities, and selecting the right methods and tools to get the best results in your context. Expect to progress through this course in a period of 2 weeks or less. During that time, you will have limited access to our online Classroom and you'll be able to ask questions you have about any of the KICKSTART content there. The STANDARD plan gives you full lifetime access to all of the Seed to Table course material, and to guide you along the way, you will also have 1 year of unrestricted access to the Classroom community. This includes access to our LIVE Q & A sessions, all past recordings of special features, and a growing bank of resources to support you further with the course content. The Classroom forum is another place where you can connect with Jared and other growers in between LIVE events. The ACCELERATOR plan is designed to help you make the fastest progress. It gives you all of the same priviliges as the STANDARD plan and the opportunity to book three additional one-on-one sessions with Jared throughout the year. This extra support will help you tackle problem areas quickly so you can fine tune your processes even faster. This will be most appropriate for serious homesteaders also challenged with growing in a cold climate.
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If my growing zone is different than yours, will the course material still work for me?"Every garden site has unique characteristics so each grower ultimately needs to become a master of their own domain. The Seed to Table course will walk you through the steps needed to master your own growing zone and equip you with planting schedules that can be adjusted by inputing your frost dates. While the timing of your planting and harvesting will not be identical to ours, the fundamentals of growing, harvesting, and storing vegetables will remain the same. The tomatoes I plant on our plot need the same conditions to thrive as the tomatoes grown in your location.
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When is the best time of year to enroll in the Seed to Table course?Now is the best time to enroll, and I'm not just saying that to help you stop procrastinating. The course lessons cover every subject from seed to table so there is relevant content to help you at all times in the year, whether you are just starting to sift through seed catalogs, learning how to prune and harvest your crops in the summer, or cleaning up your garden in the fall to regroup for next season. As soon as you start practicing these methods and begin using these resources, you can start making progress.
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Who is BEST suited for the Seed to Table course?Our Seed to Table members include first year growers and others with decades of experience under their belt, so your level of experience shouldn't be a factor. If you have at least a few hundred square feet of soil to work with and you are ready to learn, I would be delighted to work with you and help you make the most of your growing space.
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Will this course teach me how to sell the food that I grow?No. While I earned a living growing and selling vegetables for many years, the course content is currently focussed on serving the serious home grower. That said, we do have serveral members already selling vegetables and others transitioning to market gardens in the near future. I am happy to assist those in this situation and I have even been a consultant for market growers in our area. If you are dreaming of starting up a small membership based farm, I would be well equipped to help you, and the ACCELERATOR plan would be the best fit for you in that case. I recommend you book a call with me first, to make sure we are a good fit. Use the interactive video above to connect with me. If you want to start a larger farm covering more than 20,000 square feet and focus more on selling at farmers markets, then I recommend you check out the programs of Jean Martin Fortier and Connor Crickmore.
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How much time do I have to work through the course material?
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Who is NOT well suited for the Seed to Table course?This program focusses on teaching methods of growing annual vegetablesoutdoors in soil with sustainable methods. The course does not teach you how to grow crops to maturity indoors. However, indoor seed starting is covered in detail, as it helps you work toward the end goal of establishing a productive garden outdoors in the soil. The course does not teach which chemical to spray or dust over your plants in an attempt to kill problematic insects. We control our insect populations with food safe methods so only these methods are taught and encouraged. The course does not teach how to apply synthetic fertilizers to your garden soil. Synthetic fertilizers are marketed as the solution for fertility, but we prefer to use more sustainable methods to build productive soil. We use naturally occurring fertilizers for our indoor seed starting, and this is included in the course. Other growing methods such as container gardening, hydroponics, and aquaponics are encouraged but not taught within the program. If you don't have space to grow in the soil, this program is not the best fit for you.
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Module 6: HarvestLesson 6.1: Timing Recognize the different harvest patterns in your garden and understand how these patterns affect the harvesting requirements for each crop. Lesson 6.2: Handling Learn how to best wash and/or handle each crop immediately after harvesting. Lesson 6.3: Curing Storage Crops Identify which crops need to be cured after harvesting and learn how to create the optimal conditions for this.
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Module 7: StoreLesson 7.1: Storage Zones Understand the conditions that must be maintained to successfully store raw vegetables for an extended period. Lesson 7.2: Processing Methods Identify the most appropriate processing methods to preserve each crop when raw storage is no longer possible or desired.
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Module 8: EatLesson 8.1: Eating in Season Create seasonal menus to help you incorporate your garden produce into your meals on a year-round basis. Lesson 8.2: Waste Management Turn your food and garden waste into finished compost to enrich your garden soil for another season.
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Module 2: DesignLesson 2.1: Bed Layout Determine the ideal bed size(s) and orientation for your vegetable garden. Lesson 2.2: Calculating Production Set accurate production targets for each crop based on your expected vegetable consumption. Lesson 2.3: Garden Planning Create a customized plan for your garden space that incorporates succession planting, relay planting, and interplanting as needed. Lesson 2.4: Seed Selection Understand the potential differences between seed varieties and identify those best for your context.
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Module 1: SurveyLesson 1.1: Grower Assessment Determine your ideal garden type, select complementary crops, and estimate your production capabilities. Lesson 1.2: Site Assessment Assess the size, soil, light, and weed populations on your site, and make appropriate plans to correct less than ideal conditions. Lesson 1.3: Mastering Your Growing Zone Understand the unique characteristics of your growing zone, and adjust planting and harvesting dates accordingly.
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Module 5: GrowLesson 5.1: Pruning Learn why, how, and when crop performance can be improved with pruning. Lesson 5.2: Trellising Compare different trellising techniques and identify the best method for each type of crop. Lesson 5.3: Pest Management Create a location specific pest management plan. Lesson 5.4: Season Extension Understand the basic principles of season extension and identify which strategy is appropriate for each context.
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Module 4: PlantLesson 4.1 Planning and Record Keeping Create a planting schedule for your garden plan and region. Lesson 4.2 Indoor Planting Techniques Learn how to create optimal conditions for starting seeds indoors. Lesson 4.3 Outdoor Planting Techniques Learn how to create optimal conditions for direct seeding and transplanting outdoors.
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Module 3: BuildLesson 3.1: Soil Learn how to establish and maintain fertile soil using your local resources. Lesson 3.2: Irrigation Systems Select and build the most appropriate irrigation system(s) for your context. Lesson 3.3: Weed Management Identify and implement the three key weed management strategies to create and maintain a weed free garden space. Lesson 3.4 Supporting Infrastructure Create a personalized infrastructure roadmap to clarify and focus your garden development plans each season.
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"It takes a village to raise a chard."We’ve grown a garden here for 30 years, zone 4B with a short growing season. We’ve never grown a corn crop of any note before. This year we did. The course provided an understanding and an interest in the variables affecting a plant’s life cycle. The knowledge we gained and the access to online tools and reference material, helped with not only a successful corn crop this year - but the entire garden. Jared articulately and generously shares his vast knowledge of vegetable gardening in the well-planned Seed to Table course. Knowing we have life-long access to recordings of the course sessions is huge. During the course Jared encourages participants to ask pretty well any garden related questions that they have. If he doesn’t have an answer, which is rare, he’ll research and find the answer for you. The Vegetable Academy community added richly to the experience. Seeing and hearing how other participants were managing their gardens was encouraging and informative. It takes a village to raise a chard. Duncan and Lee Bedford
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"This course and community quickly became my go-to one-stop resource."This course completely changed the way my family gardens and grows food in the best possible way. After implementing some of Jared's top recommended strategies and practices, the results clearly spoke for themselves: best quality and production we have ever had this year for everything from root storage vegetables to leafy greens, to tomatoes, to strawberries. We look forward to continuing to add more of what we learned in this course each year going forward. This course was without a doubt worth the time and resources we invested into learning all that Jared meticulously taught. Before taking this course I would spend a lot of time researching online or reading gardening books at the library. It was difficult to find relevant material specific to my zone that was accessible to a beginner gardener. This course and community quickly became my go-to one-stop resource for all my garden needs and questions. Thank you. Thank you! Carla Dombowsky
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"I received great information on how to get the most out of my garden."I was a different student as I have a small hobby garden, despite not having the same volume of plants as many of the others participating, I found that I received great information on how to get the most out of my garden, and make it what I want. Having the ability to ask questions weekly on any issues, and asking for suggestions in developing my new garden was a great resource. I felt that I learned a lot, increased my production output of my small garden, and would very much recommend this class to anyone who loves growing vegetables. Elisabeth Dalcin
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"Starting my seeds indoors this spring made ALL the difference!"Starting my seeds indoors this spring made ALL the difference! If there is frost forecasted in the province we will get it, so starting early gave us such a head start. We also built a number of low tunnels to prevent frost and they were like our crop insurance. This was where the Vegetable Academy really gave us a leg up, we used your tutorials, and have purchased soil blocks and irrigation systems to help these efforts even more next year. If anyone is considering signing up for any of the VA courses, DO IT! Jared helps you design for your needs and he has tried and tested the best garden infrastructure so you don't have too! This can shave years off of your trial and error in the garden to reach something that works for you. I took his course in 2020 and now we are eating something we grew in the garden everyday! Zone 4 Anna Mathis
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"We were feeling very overwhelmed with the design and planning."As we were just getting our gardens established this season, we were feeling very overwhelmed with the design and planning of it all. The primary reason I joined the Seed to Table course was to learn from Jared's experience and not have to learn by trial and error for every aspect of our garden set-up. I was not disappointed. The course was invaluable in guiding us through infrastructure decisions, soil building and of course all things planting. I am confident we will refer back and use the teachings from Seed to Table in the seasons ahead, as we continue to expand, and make adjustments to our seed selection and planting. I now understand the importance of planning, especially when it comes to timing of seed starting and planting outdoors. And also, that there are preferred harvest times for crops...longer is not always better. This has helped me to wrap my head around succession planning and getting the most out of our bed space. The teachings on sunlight/shading and light intensity have also been invaluable. With this information we were able to learn about where to best plant certain crops and will be better positioned for success next year! Krista Robertson
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"We were devoted to growing a garden, but it always felt stressful."We are not new to gardening, but our efforts/successes were always random. We felt frustration at never really knowing what we were doing. We were devoted to growing a garden, but it always felt stressful. I wouldn't say that it isn't stressful when it doesn't rain and it's over 30 above day after day, but after taking this course, we felt we had a much better grasp on not only what to do, but WHY we were doing it! It was our first season of incorporating many of the concepts we learned, and we feel it was a vast improvement on other years, in terms of organization, streamlining our work, and our veg production. Sooo many questions got answered over the duration of this course, not only by the course content but by the gardening community that we met along the way. The interaction was priceless for us. Also, we trusted the content of the course implicitly. We know that Jared has put in countless years of intense gardening experience, with thoughtful, diligent research into the hows and wherefores! YouTube videos are fun to watch but the trust we built in Jared's information made him our go to guy every time. Also, we deeply appreciate his approach to gardening without herbicides and pesticides and he and his wife's philosophy of growing and eating one's own food. It resonates with all our gardening principles of working with nature, not against her. We highly recommend this course. We are sad that it is over! It was the highlight of every week for many months! Donna Hagel and Mike Feldman
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"It totally changed the way I garden."The Seed to Table Course was outstanding. It was amazing to see all the incredible knowledge Jared had to pass along. It totally changed the way I garden, leading to way less work and incredible harvests. Everything was very well explained and the videos were very helpful. The question and answer sessions were very helpful and the monthly training sessions were very interesting. I highly recommend this course to anyone that wants to take their gardening skills to the next level. Brian Thorstad
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"We are more organized with our garden planning and planting schedules."We are more organized with our garden planning and planting schedules. That was a significant change that took out a lot of the guesswork this year. Our harvesting is more scheduled and less sporadic, and our storage systems (hopefully!) will be improved. I do a lot less time researching - I can trust that Jared has done the work and just need to reference his resources. That's huge! I'd much rather watch a tutorial and head out to confidently prune my peppers than waste precious time in my garden looking things up on my phone, getting it dirty, and hoping that it's a reliable source. Terri Lynn Friesen
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"The Seed to Table course is taught by a REAL local vegetable farmer."The Seed to Table course is taught by a REAL local vegetable farmer. He is methodical, organized, and data driven. I appreciated and valued his experience and expertise. He's been there, done that and has amazing results. He even has logged/written data and pictures/videos to prove it! Debra Laulainen
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"He wants you to be successful in your garden."I grew up around gardens, and thought I knew a thing or two about gardening. I refer to Jared as the Gardening Guru to my friends and family, and he elevated my gardening knowledge. His passion for and knowledge about growing food comes through loud and clear during the Vegetable Academy course. He wants you to be successful in your garden, and gives you ample opportunity to ask your questions -- during a class, during a Q & A Saturday session, or in the Classroom forum. Thank you, Jared. I loved this course. Jennifer Ward
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"It was hands down worth the money for us."Not to sound cliché, but Seed to Table was life changing for us. It gave us the philosophical shift we wanted to dive deeper into sustainable living (in our own little way), and we learned and challenged ourselves consistently along the way thanks to the long-term, weekly-checkin format. The course ended up being exactly what we needed it to be: it was a motivating, driving force for us to keep working, and we explored more new stuff thanks to it than I'm sure we ever would have done on our own. It was hands down worth the money for us—I wouldn't even consider the cost a factor, in retrospect. And even though we've never actually met you, Jared and Rachel, we are beyond inspired; you two should be incredibly proud of what you have built together :) " - Murray and Elayna Rowan
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"Gardening is much more than putting seeds in the ground."Jared is knowledgeable in the material taught through study and personal experience. The ‘ah-ha’ for me is that gardening is much more than putting seeds in the ground and my success in my garden from the knowledge gained is reflected in the bounty received. I received far more from the course than I ever imagined in knowledge, community and bounty. It’s time well spent. I looked forward to each class and the Q/A was terrific for answering my questions on anything and everything. Barbara Winter
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"I have been able to plant two, sometimes three, crops in the same area."In previous years I have typically only planted one crop in any one area of my garden, but this year, with the planning tools provided, I have been able to plant two, sometimes three, crops in the same area. I also put up a lot more trellising, growing pole beans and smaller trailing winter squash vertically, taking up a lot less garden space. Next year, I will get to combine my three separate community garden plots into one big one, so will be better able to rearrange the space with the knowledge gained from the course (bed alignment, row spacing, etc). I feel as though the course has given me planning tools and knowledge that I'll be able to use in my gardens forever! Rosalyn Steele
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"Seed to Table has put the JOY back into gardening."Before I took the Seed to Table course I felt overwhelmed and discouraged with gardening. I didn't look forward to spending time in my garden. Each day, after I'd leave with little progress, I'd leave feeling terrible about myself. By August, I would spend less and less time there, until finally I just stopped going and would give up for the season. It was all very depressing. ​ The weeds were winning and I was losing. There was no time to prune, so plants just grew into bushy masses. Depending on the crop and my familiarity with crop killing diseases or certain pests and how to combat them, some were able to roam and destroy at their leisure. There were no defined areas, no defined walkways, no thought to what systems could be installed that would lesson the burdens that come with gardening. There was just free range growing, of both wanted and unwanted plants. And the result was a gardener that was feeling burned out and defeated. The only thing that kept me going was a strong desire to become self sufficient and produce my own food. I wanted to rely on myself vs. a grocery store to provide for my nutritional needs. I had to find help... There had to be a solution... I NEEDED to get better at this! ​ Seed to Table has been a blessing! The course gave me the knowledge and skills needed to take back control of my garden. I feel empowered. I feel equipped. I no longer feel overwhelmed. Intentionality in a garden redesign has alleviated many of the problems I was struggling with and saved me precious time. Weeds are at a minimum. Time can now be spent tending to the plants. Plants are healthier because I know what kind of soil I have and what the plants need to better grow. I have skills in pruning, trellising, pest management. I know how to assess how much I consume and intentionally plant how much is needed to support that consumption so that food doesn't go to waste. ​ Seed to Table has put the JOY back into gardening! I feel good about my garden and what I'm able to produce and preserve. I'm able to grow more than I have ever in the past. So much so, that now I'm able to share my beautiful harvest with my family and friends. And there has been much joy in being able to share homegrown food with others. People are so thankful and appreciative. They love to eat what I've grown. So much so, that they will text me pictures of the food they make with the harvest. These are new, first time, joyful moments in gardening and I owe it all to the Seed to Table instruction I received that equipped me to be a better gardener. ​ If you're on the fence as to whether or not to take the class, TAKE IT! Invest in yourself! Give yourself the knowledge and skills needed to be equipped to be a successful gardener. If you're feeling overwhelmed or discouraged, this course will be just what is needed to turn things around for you. Don't miss this opportunity to find joy in gardening again! Jared is an excellent instructor! The content he shares is well written and thought through. His presentations ADD content to the workbook vs. just repeating the content covered in the worksheets. It is obvious by his instruction and in field videos that he has a wealth of knowledge and is an accomplished gardener. But MORE importantly, Jared enjoys interacting with his students. He works hard to help his students improve. He wants his students to have success. He makes himself available for personal gardening questions of his students, putting time into researching and troubleshooting solutions, even if it's something new to him. Jared is the best kind of teacher to have because it's obvious from his instruction and interaction with his students that he LOVES to LEARN! And this love for learning not only makes the content he shares richer, it motivates his students to also learn. Cynthia Monk
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"Everyone can benefit from this course."Everyone can benefit from this course, if only to appreciate how empowering growing your own food can be and how it is not magic but science and attentive care that create results. I have a plan and action steps that lead to immensely better success in my gardening experience. I have the confidence that I can feed my family and not rely on grocery stores to fill out bellies. I know it is possible to be more self sufficient, and also realize that I still have lots of room to grow/learn but I have the resources to achieve success from the seed to table course. Another amazing result is from the community created through attending this course with my fellow Seed to Table students and learning from their questions and challenges and successes! If you are a beginner or seasoned gardener, everyone can achieve results from Jared's extensive knowledge and experience. I would do this course over and over again! This course made my year and garden amazing. Thank you Jared and family! Paige Goebel
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"I've been gardening for many years and yet have had so many questions."I've been gardening for many years and yet have had so many questions about how to improve upon my garden's productivity and make that consistent. For the past several years I was wishing there was someone that could provide me with those answers and this course did exactly that. It answered many questions, but better yet gave me the resources to continue to find the answers in the future as well. Michelle Fishman
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"Seed to Table taught me how to be a thoughtful gardener."I bought my 1/2 acre property 3 years ago. The first season we put in the garden with no real plan. We double dug up some beds in the front yard, tilled in some nice topsoil and haphazardly planted starts from a local nursery. It did okay but not great. My OCD kicked in and I started to research. First came lasagna gardening. Next sheet composting methods, then no-till methods, biointensive methods, books and YouTube video after video. Somewhere in the middle of it all I stumbled on a video of Jared's low tunnels right around the time he was launching the Vegetable Academy. I was in. A stone in the foundation. I had found a mentor. Seed to Table taught me how to be a thoughtful gardener. It showed me how to plan and to organize my season. To create standards so that the infrastructure I built for the garden was versatile. To create SOP so that my time is well spent, crops get planted and harvests are bountiful. It helped me efficiently run a CSA this year and gave my family plenty of healthy fresh food and food for storage. Jared even sent me a few video messages during our brief spring break which made me reflect on my path and discover the new direction I want to take in my garden. I can't sing the praises of the Seed to Table course enough! Chris Randall
The 8 stages of the Growing Cycle will serve as the foundational modules for the course. By addressing subjects in this natural and logical order, the course content will flow smoothly from one module to the next and you will clearly be able to identify areas for improvement.
Open the module tabs below for a closer look at the course content included at each stage of the Growing Cycle. This outline is our recipe for success!
We are going to cover a lot together, and the difference between your current garden and your dream garden might seem pretty large right now, but know that you won't be expected to implement all of the changes you want in just one year. That's a recipe for burnout and the path to self-sufficiency needs to be sustainable, so I would much rather prepare you for success in the long run. That's why you will be taught to personalize your unique growing cycle, and set specific and achievable targets that will help you make incremental improvements each season.
Get to Know Your Instructor
Jared Regier is an urban farmer and educator from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan who is passionate about building a more sustainable future. He loves teaching people how to grow their own food because it is such a powerful vehicle for positive change in individuals and communities.
For 6 years, Jared owned and operated an award winning urban farm, so he's pretty comfortable in the vegetable world today. His first career as a high school teacher helped him develop an ability to simplify and communicate complex ideas. So when the farm started to get noticed and people began to ask if they could learn how to grow vegetables like that in their own backyard, it was only natural for Jared to answer the call. Now, his teaching and farming experience have found perfect harmony here at the Vegetable Academy where he aims to put the knowledge and tools of the vegetable farmer in the hands of the home gardener.
Jared's approach to teaching is organized, logical, and light hearted. He loves to learn and enjoys passing on these lessons to his students so he can watch them experience success too. His practical lessons are always rooted in first hand experience and/or scientific studies because there's no sense in passing on misinformation. Jared delights in helping others take responsibility for growing their own food, and the limitless number of learning opportunities in the vegetable garden are sure to keep this work interesting for years to come.
Claim your special offer and get instant access today!
SEED TO TABLE (PLUS)
597CA$Valid for 2 years- Unlock All Modules Immediately
- Lifetime Access to Course Content
- 40 Hours of Video Lessons
- Hardcover 176 Page Workbook
- Customizable Spreadsheet Collection
- Garden Planner Template
- Course Resource Library
- LIVE Q & A Sessions (2 years)
- LIVE Monthly Features (2 years)
- Recordings Archive (2 years)
- Private Course Community (2 years)
- Classroom Support (2 years)
$797 $597
Price listed in Canadian dollars.
Satisfaction Guaranteed
Secure Checkout
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Limited Time Offer
The methods taught in the Seed to Table course have proven to be so effective for ourselves and our students that I am willing to offer a money back guarantee. If you still don't experience success after completing the course workbook and you show me that you implemented the methods taught, then I will offer you a full refund of your course investment.
Frequently Asked Questions
At this point, there might one or two things you are still wondering about so I have included answers to some common questions below. If you have any other concerns or questions, you are welcome to use the interactive video here to connect with me. I will do my best to help you figure out whether or not this course is a good fit for you.
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Does the Classroom Pass give me access to everything in the Classroom?Almost. There are a some posts at the top of each Module page that specifically addressing questions from Seed to Table course lessons which will not be open to everyone. You will have full access to all other post categories as well as the LIVE Features and Recordings archive.
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Can I cancel my Classroom Pass at any time?Yes. You can log in to your member profile page any time and click on the Cancel Membership button to do so.
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Who is not well suited for the Classroom Pass?I enjoy helping people grow a significant amount of their own food in soil, outdoors, without the use of synthetic fertilizers or toxic pesticides. If your growing space is limited to a few pots or just a couple of small raised beds, you will likely find that a lot of our conversations don't apply that well to your context.
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Who is best suited for the Classroom Pass?Going forward, the Classroom space will primarily be a suplemental learning space for Seed to Table course members and alumni. However, it pains me to close the doors to all of the wonderful and enthusiastic growers who have joined the Classroom in our early years and supported its development. Therefore, I am making this Classroom Pass option available to all site members for a limited time. So, will you be a good fit for our growing community? Well, our Seed to Table members include first year growers and others with decades of experience under their belt, so your level of experience shouldn't be a factor. If you have at least a few hundred square feet of soil to work with and you are ready to learn, I would be delighted to work with you and help you make the most of your growing space.
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What do I have access to with the Classroom Pass?The Classroom Pass gives you access to a growing collection of resources for each stage of the growing cycle and monthly Q & A sessions to help you address specific challenges in your vegetable garden. You will also be able to access the past recordings of LIVE sessions which include member spotlights and plot tours from our own gardens demonstrating our growing techniques firsthand.
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Will this monthly membership price ever change?No. Once you sign up, your monthly price is locked in so future price increases will not effect you.
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If I get a Classroom Pass now, can I still enroll in the Seed to Table course at a later date?"Yes. The Seed to Table course will still be an option for you. Course enrollment comes with one year of free support in the Classroom, so when you do enroll, we will just pause your monthly Classroom Pass membership for that year and you will have the option to restart it once your period of free access ends.
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Why is Classroom access no longer free?The Classroom content and membership have grown to a point where they require a significant amount of time to manage. Additional features are also now included in this paid Classroom Pass so members will have access to much more support than they had with the free version.
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When are the LIVE Q & A sessions?I will host a LIVE Q & A session on the first Saturday of every month at 10:00am CST. Replays are always available and questions can be submitted in advance if you are unable to attend.
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Will this monthly membership price ever change?No. Once you sign up, your monthly price is locked in.
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What do I have access to with an active Founder membership?Everything. No features of the site will ever be restricted for you. If I ever offer another course or smaller workshop, you get free access with your Founder membership just as you did with the Seed to Table course. All supporting features of the online Classroom are also included.
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Can I cancel my Founder membership at any time?Yes. You can log in to your member profile page any time and click on the Cancel Membership button to do so.
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Will there be another opportunity to restart my Founder membership?No. The only reason for this Founder renewal opportunity is the accidental cancellation of your subscription to the Monthly Training channel in August. That cancellation was caused by me as I was making some adjustments on the back end of the site so it's only fair to offer you a chance to restart your Founder membership at the same original price.
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What features will I retain if I choose not to renew?You will retain full access to all of the Seed to Table course material. This includes the recordings of the lessons and all of the associated worksheets. Any time the course lessons are updated, you will have access to these updates as well.
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What features will I lose access to if I choose not to renew?By the end of this month, there will no longer be any free access areas of our online Classroom. Without a Founder membership, you will lose access to all LIVE features including Q & A sessions, Member Spotlights, and Showcase lessons, along with their recordings. The entire Classroom forum area will also be restricted to you.
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Can I cancel my Classroom Pass at any time?Yes. You can log in to your member profile page any time and click on the Cancel Membership button to do so.
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Why is Classroom access no longer free?The Classroom content and membership have grown to a point where they require a significant amount of time to manage. Additional features are also now included in this paid Classroom Pass so members will have access to much more support than they had with the free version.
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If I get a Classroom Pass now, can I still enroll in the Seed to Table course at a later date?"Yes. The Seed to Table course will still be an option for you. Course enrollment comes with one year of free support in the Classroom, so when you do enroll, we will just pause your monthly Classroom Pass membership for that year and you will have the option to restart it once your period of free access ends.
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Who is best suited for the Classroom Pass?Going forward, the Classroom space will primarily be a suplemental learning space for Seed to Table course members and alumni. However, it pains me to close the doors to all of the wonderful and enthusiastic growers who have joined the Classroom in our early years and supported its development. Therefore, I am making this Classroom Pass option available to all site members for a limited time. So, will you be a good fit for our growing community? Well, our Seed to Table members include first year growers and others with decades of experience under their belt, so your level of experience shouldn't be a factor. If you have at least a few hundred square feet of soil to work with and you are ready to learn, I would be delighted to work with you and help you make the most of your growing space.
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Who is not well suited for the Classroom Pass?I enjoy helping people grow a significant amount of their own food in soil, outdoors, without the use of synthetic fertilizers or toxic pesticides. If your growing space is limited to a few pots or just a couple of small raised beds, you will likely find that a lot of our conversations don't apply that well to your context.
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Does the Classroom Pass give me access to everything in the Classroom?Almost. There are a some posts at the top of each Module page that specifically addressing questions from Seed to Table course lessons which will not be open to everyone. You will have full access to all other post categories as well as the LIVE Features and Recordings archive.
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When are the LIVE Q & A sessions?I will host a LIVE Q & A session on the first Saturday of every month at 10:00am CST. Replays are always available and questions can be submitted in advance if you are unable to attend.
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Will this monthly membership price ever change?No. Once you sign up, your monthly price is locked in so future price increases will not effect you.
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What do I have access to with the Classroom Pass?The Classroom Pass gives you access to a growing collection of resources for each stage of the growing cycle and monthly Q & A sessions to help you address specific challenges in your vegetable garden. You will also be able to access the past recordings of LIVE sessions which include member spotlights and plot tours from our own gardens demonstrating our growing techniques firsthand.
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Who is best suited for the Classroom Pass?Going forward, the Classroom space will primarily be a suplemental learning space for Seed to Table course members and alumni. However, it pains me to close the doors to all of the wonderful and enthusiastic growers who have joined the Classroom in our early years and supported its development. Therefore, I am making this Classroom Pass option available to all site members for a limited time. So, will you be a good fit for our growing community? Well, our Seed to Table members include first year growers and others with decades of experience under their belt, so your level of experience shouldn't be a factor. If you have at least a few hundred square feet of soil to work with and you are ready to learn, I would be delighted to work with you and help you make the most of your growing space.
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Does the Classroom Pass give me access to everything in the Classroom?Almost. There are a some posts at the top of each Module page that specifically addressing questions from Seed to Table course lessons which will not be open to everyone. You will have full access to all other post categories as well as the LIVE Features and Recordings archive.
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What do I have access to with the Classroom Pass?The Classroom Pass gives you access to a growing collection of resources for each stage of the growing cycle and monthly Q & A sessions to help you address specific challenges in your vegetable garden. You will also be able to access the past recordings of LIVE sessions which include member spotlights and plot tours from our own gardens demonstrating our growing techniques firsthand.
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If I get a Classroom Pass now, can I still enroll in the Seed to Table course at a later date?"Yes. The Seed to Table course will still be an option for you. Course enrollment comes with one year of free support in the Classroom, so when you do enroll, we will just pause your monthly Classroom Pass membership for that year and you will have the option to restart it once your period of free access ends.
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When are the LIVE Q & A sessions?I will host a LIVE Q & A session on the first Saturday of every month at 10:00am CST. Replays are always available and questions can be submitted in advance if you are unable to attend.
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Will this monthly membership price ever change?No. Once you sign up, your monthly price is locked in so future price increases will not effect you.
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Who is not well suited for the Classroom Pass?I enjoy helping people grow a significant amount of their own food in soil, outdoors, without the use of synthetic fertilizers or toxic pesticides. If your growing space is limited to a few pots or just a couple of small raised beds, you will likely find that a lot of our conversations don't apply that well to your context.
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Why is Classroom access no longer free?The Classroom content and membership have grown to a point where they require a significant amount of time to manage. Additional features are also now included in this paid Classroom Pass so members will have access to much more support than they had with the free version.
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Can I cancel my Classroom Pass at any time?Yes. You can log in to your member profile page any time and click on the Cancel Membership button to do so.
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When does my current Classroom access expire?If you enrolled in the Seed to Table course with the Standard or Accelerator plan, your Classroom access will expire 1 year after your initial purchase. If you enrolled in the Seed to Table course with the Monthly plan, your Classroom access will expire after you have accessed all 8 modules, 8 months after your enrollment date.
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Who is best suited for the Classroom Pass?The Classroom space is now devoted to supporting Seed to Table course members and alumni only, so know that you will be in the company of likeminded vegetable growers. While our community includes many first year growers and others with decades of experience under their belt, what we all have in common is that we are keen to grow lots of our own food in the soil with sustainable methods. If that still sounds like you, then you'll fit right in. If you are still unsure, just ask yourself whether you would like to continue making progress in your garden with the support provided here? Are you committed to growing your own food for your family? Can the Classroom resources continue to save you time, energy, and resources? Will the community here be a source of motivation for you going forward?
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Will this monthly membership price ever change?No. Once you sign up, your monthly price is locked in so future price increases will not effect you.
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Who is not well suited for the Classroom Pass?I enjoy helping people grow a significant amount of their own food in soil, outdoors, without the use of synthetic fertilizers or toxic pesticides. If your techniques diverge from this focus I will have less experience to share with you. Also, if your growing space is limited to a few pots or just a couple of small raised beds, you will likely find that a lot of our conversations don't apply that well to your context.
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When are the LIVE Q & A sessions?Right now, my plan is to host at least 1 LIVE Q & A session on the first Saturday of every month at 10:00am CST, and increase that to 2 sessions per month as questions pick up during the growing season. Replays are always available and questions can be submitted in advance if you are unable to attend.
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Can I cancel my Classroom Pass at any time?Yes. You can log in to your member profile page any time and click on the Cancel Membership button to do so.
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What features can I access with the Classroom Pass?Everything. The Classroom Pass gives you access to all of the support available on the Classroom pages. This includes a growing collection of resources for each course module and regular Q & A sessions to help you address specific challenges in your vegetable garden. I will continue to offer LIVE training sessions on specific subjects, as well as member spotlights and plot tours throughout the growing season to demonstrate our growing techniques in the field. You will also retain access to all of the recordings of these LIVE sessions.
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Lesson 1.2 Site AssessmentAssess the size, soil, light, and weed populations on your site, and make appropriate plans to correct less than ideal conditions.
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Lesson 1.3 Mastering Your Growing ZoneUnderstand the unique characteristics of your growing zone, and adjust planting and harvesting dates accordingly.
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Lesson 1.1 Grower AssessmentDetermine your ideal garden type, select complementary crops, and estimate your production capabilities.
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Lesson 2.4 Seed SelectionUnderstand the potential differences between seed varieties and identify those best for your context.
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Lesson 2.3 Garden PlanningCreate a customized plan for your garden space that incorporates succession planting, relay planting, and interplanting as needed.
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Lesson 2.1 Bed LayoutDetermine the ideal bed size(s) and orientation for your vegetable garden.
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Lesson 2.2 Calculating ProductionSet accurate production targets for each crop based on your expected vegetable consumption.
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Lesson 3.2 Irrigation SystemsSelect and build the most appropriate irrigation system(s) for your context.
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Lesson 3.1 SoilLearn how to establish and maintain fertile soil using your local resources.
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Lesson 3.3 Weed ManagementIdentify and implement the three key weed management strategies to create and maintain a weed free garden space.
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Lesson 3.4 Supporting InfrastructureCreate a personalized infrastructure roadmap to clarify and focus your garden development plans each season.
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Lesson 4.2 Indoor Planting TechniquesLearn how to create optimal conditions for starting seeds indoors.
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Lesson 4.1 Planning and Record KeepingCreate a planting schedule for your garden plan and region.
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Lesson 4.3 Outdoor Planting TechniquesLearn how to create optimal conditions for direct seeding and transplanting outdoors.
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Lesson 5.3 Pest ManagementCreate a location specific pest management plan.
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Lesson 5.1 PruningLearn why, how, and when crop performance can be improved with pruning.
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Lesson 5.2 TrellisingCompare different trellising techniques and identify the best method for each type of crop.
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Lesson 5.4 Season ExtensionUnderstand the basic principles of season extension and identify which strategy is appropriate for each context.
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Lesson 6.2 HandlingLearn how to best wash and/or handle each crop immediately after harvesting.
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Lesson 6.3 Curing Storage CropsIdentify which crops need to be cured after harvesting and learn how to create the optimal conditions for this.
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Lesson 6.1 TimingRecognize the different harvest patterns in your garden and understand how these patterns affect the harvesting requirements for each crop.
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Lesson 7.1 Storage ZonesUnderstand the conditions that must be maintained to successfully store raw vegetables for an extended period.
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Lesson 7.2 Processing MethodsIdentify the most appropriate processing methods to preserve each crop when raw storage is no longer possible or desired.
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Lesson 8.1 Eating in SeasonCreate seasonal menus to help you incorporate your garden produce into your meals on a year-round basis.
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Lesson 8.2 Waste ManagementTurn your food and garden waste into finished compost to enrich your garden soil for another season.
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Lesson 8.1 Eating in SeasonCreate seasonal menus to help you incorporate your garden produce into your meals on a year-round basis.
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Lesson 8.2 Waste ManagementTurn your food and garden waste into finished compost to enrich your garden soil for another season.
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Lesson 8.1 Eating in SeasonCreate seasonal menus to help you incorporate your garden produce into your meals on a year-round basis.
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Lesson 8.2 Waste ManagementTurn your food and garden waste into finished compost to enrich your garden soil for another season.
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When are the LIVE Q & A sessions?The LIVE Q & A sessions are currently scheduled for Saturday mornings at 10am CST. Frequency of these sessions changes throughout the year, ranging from a minimum of 1 per month in winter and up to a maximum of 1 per week in summer. In between LIVE sessions, you can always post questions inside the Classroom community.
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What are the differences between the three course plans?The KICKSTART package is a short mini course that will guide you through the process of assessing your true priorities as a grower, creating a working garden plan that matches those priorities, and selecting the right methods and tools to get the best results in your context. Expect to progress through this course in a period of 2 weeks or less. During that time, you will have limited access to our online Classroom and you'll be able to ask questions you have about any of the KICKSTART content there. The STANDARD plan gives you full lifetime access to all of the Seed to Table course material, and to guide you along the way, you will also have 1 year of unrestricted access to the Classroom community. This includes access to our LIVE Q & A sessions, all past recordings of special features, and a growing bank of resources to support you further with the course content. The Classroom forum is another place where you can connect with Jared and other growers in between LIVE events. The ACCELERATOR plan is designed to help you make the fastest progress. It gives you all of the same priviliges as the STANDARD plan and the opportunity to book three additional one-on-one sessions with Jared throughout the year. This extra support will help you tackle problem areas quickly so you can fine tune your processes even faster. This will be most appropriate for serious homesteaders also challenged with growing in a cold climate.
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If my growing zone is different than yours, will the course material still work for me?"Every garden site has unique characteristics so each grower ultimately needs to become a master of their own domain. The Seed to Table course will walk you through the steps needed to master your own growing zone and equip you with planting schedules that can be adjusted by inputing your frost dates. While the timing of your planting and harvesting will not be identical to ours, the fundamentals of growing, harvesting, and storing vegetables will remain the same. The tomatoes I plant on our plot need the same conditions to thrive as the tomatoes grown in your location.
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When is the best time of year to enroll in the Seed to Table course?Now is the best time to enroll, and I'm not just saying that to help you stop procrastinating. The course lessons cover every subject from seed to table so there is relevant content to help you at all times in the year, whether you are just starting to sift through seed catalogs, learning how to prune and harvest your crops in the summer, or cleaning up your garden in the fall to regroup for next season. As soon as you start practicing these methods and begin using these resources, you can start making progress.
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Who is BEST suited for the Seed to Table course?Our Seed to Table members include first year growers and others with decades of experience under their belt, so your level of experience shouldn't be a factor. If you have at least a few hundred square feet of soil to work with and you are ready to learn, I would be delighted to work with you and help you make the most of your growing space.
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Will this course teach me how to sell the food that I grow?No. While I earned a living growing and selling vegetables for many years, the course content is currently focussed on serving the serious home grower. That said, we do have serveral members already selling vegetables and others transitioning to market gardens in the near future. I am happy to assist those in this situation and I have even been a consultant for market growers in our area. If you are dreaming of starting up a small membership based farm, I would be well equipped to help you, and the ACCELERATOR plan would be the best fit for you in that case. I recommend you book a call with me first, to make sure we are a good fit. Use the interactive video above to connect with me. If you want to start a larger farm covering more than 20,000 square feet and focus more on selling at farmers markets, then I recommend you check out the programs of Jean Martin Fortier and Connor Crickmore.
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How much time do I have to work through the course material?
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Who is NOT well suited for the Seed to Table course?This program focusses on teaching methods of growing annual vegetablesoutdoors in soil with sustainable methods. The course does not teach you how to grow crops to maturity indoors. However, indoor seed starting is covered in detail, as it helps you work toward the end goal of establishing a productive garden outdoors in the soil. The course does not teach which chemical to spray or dust over your plants in an attempt to kill problematic insects. We control our insect populations with food safe methods so only these methods are taught and encouraged. The course does not teach how to apply synthetic fertilizers to your garden soil. Synthetic fertilizers are marketed as the solution for fertility, but we prefer to use more sustainable methods to build productive soil. We use naturally occurring fertilizers for our indoor seed starting, and this is included in the course. Other growing methods such as container gardening, hydroponics, and aquaponics are encouraged but not taught within the program. If you don't have space to grow in the soil, this program is not the best fit for you.
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Module 6: HarvestLesson 6.1: Timing Recognize the different harvest patterns in your garden and understand how these patterns affect the harvesting requirements for each crop. Lesson 6.2: Handling Learn how to best wash and/or handle each crop immediately after harvesting. Lesson 6.3: Curing Storage Crops Identify which crops need to be cured after harvesting and learn how to create the optimal conditions for this.
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Module 7: StoreLesson 7.1: Storage Zones Understand the conditions that must be maintained to successfully store raw vegetables for an extended period. Lesson 7.2: Processing Methods Identify the most appropriate processing methods to preserve each crop when raw storage is no longer possible or desired.
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Module 8: EatLesson 8.1: Eating in Season Create seasonal menus to help you incorporate your garden produce into your meals on a year-round basis. Lesson 8.2: Waste Management Turn your food and garden waste into finished compost to enrich your garden soil for another season.
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Module 2: DesignLesson 2.1: Bed Layout Determine the ideal bed size(s) and orientation for your vegetable garden. Lesson 2.2: Calculating Production Set accurate production targets for each crop based on your expected vegetable consumption. Lesson 2.3: Garden Planning Create a customized plan for your garden space that incorporates succession planting, relay planting, and interplanting as needed. Lesson 2.4: Seed Selection Understand the potential differences between seed varieties and identify those best for your context.
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Module 1: SurveyLesson 1.1: Grower Assessment Determine your ideal garden type, select complementary crops, and estimate your production capabilities. Lesson 1.2: Site Assessment Assess the size, soil, light, and weed populations on your site, and make appropriate plans to correct less than ideal conditions. Lesson 1.3: Mastering Your Growing Zone Understand the unique characteristics of your growing zone, and adjust planting and harvesting dates accordingly.
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Module 5: GrowLesson 5.1: Pruning Learn why, how, and when crop performance can be improved with pruning. Lesson 5.2: Trellising Compare different trellising techniques and identify the best method for each type of crop. Lesson 5.3: Pest Management Create a location specific pest management plan. Lesson 5.4: Season Extension Understand the basic principles of season extension and identify which strategy is appropriate for each context.
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Module 4: PlantLesson 4.1 Planning and Record Keeping Create a planting schedule for your garden plan and region. Lesson 4.2 Indoor Planting Techniques Learn how to create optimal conditions for starting seeds indoors. Lesson 4.3 Outdoor Planting Techniques Learn how to create optimal conditions for direct seeding and transplanting outdoors.
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Module 3: BuildLesson 3.1: Soil Learn how to establish and maintain fertile soil using your local resources. Lesson 3.2: Irrigation Systems Select and build the most appropriate irrigation system(s) for your context. Lesson 3.3: Weed Management Identify and implement the three key weed management strategies to create and maintain a weed free garden space. Lesson 3.4 Supporting Infrastructure Create a personalized infrastructure roadmap to clarify and focus your garden development plans each season.
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"It takes a village to raise a chard."We’ve grown a garden here for 30 years, zone 4B with a short growing season. We’ve never grown a corn crop of any note before. This year we did. The course provided an understanding and an interest in the variables affecting a plant’s life cycle. The knowledge we gained and the access to online tools and reference material, helped with not only a successful corn crop this year - but the entire garden. Jared articulately and generously shares his vast knowledge of vegetable gardening in the well-planned Seed to Table course. Knowing we have life-long access to recordings of the course sessions is huge. During the course Jared encourages participants to ask pretty well any garden related questions that they have. If he doesn’t have an answer, which is rare, he’ll research and find the answer for you. The Vegetable Academy community added richly to the experience. Seeing and hearing how other participants were managing their gardens was encouraging and informative. It takes a village to raise a chard. Duncan and Lee Bedford
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"This course and community quickly became my go-to one-stop resource."This course completely changed the way my family gardens and grows food in the best possible way. After implementing some of Jared's top recommended strategies and practices, the results clearly spoke for themselves: best quality and production we have ever had this year for everything from root storage vegetables to leafy greens, to tomatoes, to strawberries. We look forward to continuing to add more of what we learned in this course each year going forward. This course was without a doubt worth the time and resources we invested into learning all that Jared meticulously taught. Before taking this course I would spend a lot of time researching online or reading gardening books at the library. It was difficult to find relevant material specific to my zone that was accessible to a beginner gardener. This course and community quickly became my go-to one-stop resource for all my garden needs and questions. Thank you. Thank you! Carla Dombowsky
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"I received great information on how to get the most out of my garden."I was a different student as I have a small hobby garden, despite not having the same volume of plants as many of the others participating, I found that I received great information on how to get the most out of my garden, and make it what I want. Having the ability to ask questions weekly on any issues, and asking for suggestions in developing my new garden was a great resource. I felt that I learned a lot, increased my production output of my small garden, and would very much recommend this class to anyone who loves growing vegetables. Elisabeth Dalcin
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"Starting my seeds indoors this spring made ALL the difference!"Starting my seeds indoors this spring made ALL the difference! If there is frost forecasted in the province we will get it, so starting early gave us such a head start. We also built a number of low tunnels to prevent frost and they were like our crop insurance. This was where the Vegetable Academy really gave us a leg up, we used your tutorials, and have purchased soil blocks and irrigation systems to help these efforts even more next year. If anyone is considering signing up for any of the VA courses, DO IT! Jared helps you design for your needs and he has tried and tested the best garden infrastructure so you don't have too! This can shave years off of your trial and error in the garden to reach something that works for you. I took his course in 2020 and now we are eating something we grew in the garden everyday! Zone 4 Anna Mathis
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"We were feeling very overwhelmed with the design and planning."As we were just getting our gardens established this season, we were feeling very overwhelmed with the design and planning of it all. The primary reason I joined the Seed to Table course was to learn from Jared's experience and not have to learn by trial and error for every aspect of our garden set-up. I was not disappointed. The course was invaluable in guiding us through infrastructure decisions, soil building and of course all things planting. I am confident we will refer back and use the teachings from Seed to Table in the seasons ahead, as we continue to expand, and make adjustments to our seed selection and planting. I now understand the importance of planning, especially when it comes to timing of seed starting and planting outdoors. And also, that there are preferred harvest times for crops...longer is not always better. This has helped me to wrap my head around succession planning and getting the most out of our bed space. The teachings on sunlight/shading and light intensity have also been invaluable. With this information we were able to learn about where to best plant certain crops and will be better positioned for success next year! Krista Robertson
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"We were devoted to growing a garden, but it always felt stressful."We are not new to gardening, but our efforts/successes were always random. We felt frustration at never really knowing what we were doing. We were devoted to growing a garden, but it always felt stressful. I wouldn't say that it isn't stressful when it doesn't rain and it's over 30 above day after day, but after taking this course, we felt we had a much better grasp on not only what to do, but WHY we were doing it! It was our first season of incorporating many of the concepts we learned, and we feel it was a vast improvement on other years, in terms of organization, streamlining our work, and our veg production. Sooo many questions got answered over the duration of this course, not only by the course content but by the gardening community that we met along the way. The interaction was priceless for us. Also, we trusted the content of the course implicitly. We know that Jared has put in countless years of intense gardening experience, with thoughtful, diligent research into the hows and wherefores! YouTube videos are fun to watch but the trust we built in Jared's information made him our go to guy every time. Also, we deeply appreciate his approach to gardening without herbicides and pesticides and he and his wife's philosophy of growing and eating one's own food. It resonates with all our gardening principles of working with nature, not against her. We highly recommend this course. We are sad that it is over! It was the highlight of every week for many months! Donna Hagel and Mike Feldman
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"It totally changed the way I garden."The Seed to Table Course was outstanding. It was amazing to see all the incredible knowledge Jared had to pass along. It totally changed the way I garden, leading to way less work and incredible harvests. Everything was very well explained and the videos were very helpful. The question and answer sessions were very helpful and the monthly training sessions were very interesting. I highly recommend this course to anyone that wants to take their gardening skills to the next level. Brian Thorstad
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"We are more organized with our garden planning and planting schedules."We are more organized with our garden planning and planting schedules. That was a significant change that took out a lot of the guesswork this year. Our harvesting is more scheduled and less sporadic, and our storage systems (hopefully!) will be improved. I do a lot less time researching - I can trust that Jared has done the work and just need to reference his resources. That's huge! I'd much rather watch a tutorial and head out to confidently prune my peppers than waste precious time in my garden looking things up on my phone, getting it dirty, and hoping that it's a reliable source. Terri Lynn Friesen
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"The Seed to Table course is taught by a REAL local vegetable farmer."The Seed to Table course is taught by a REAL local vegetable farmer. He is methodical, organized, and data driven. I appreciated and valued his experience and expertise. He's been there, done that and has amazing results. He even has logged/written data and pictures/videos to prove it! Debra Laulainen
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"He wants you to be successful in your garden."I grew up around gardens, and thought I knew a thing or two about gardening. I refer to Jared as the Gardening Guru to my friends and family, and he elevated my gardening knowledge. His passion for and knowledge about growing food comes through loud and clear during the Vegetable Academy course. He wants you to be successful in your garden, and gives you ample opportunity to ask your questions -- during a class, during a Q & A Saturday session, or in the Classroom forum. Thank you, Jared. I loved this course. Jennifer Ward
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"It was hands down worth the money for us."Not to sound cliché, but Seed to Table was life changing for us. It gave us the philosophical shift we wanted to dive deeper into sustainable living (in our own little way), and we learned and challenged ourselves consistently along the way thanks to the long-term, weekly-checkin format. The course ended up being exactly what we needed it to be: it was a motivating, driving force for us to keep working, and we explored more new stuff thanks to it than I'm sure we ever would have done on our own. It was hands down worth the money for us—I wouldn't even consider the cost a factor, in retrospect. And even though we've never actually met you, Jared and Rachel, we are beyond inspired; you two should be incredibly proud of what you have built together :) " - Murray and Elayna Rowan
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"Gardening is much more than putting seeds in the ground."Jared is knowledgeable in the material taught through study and personal experience. The ‘ah-ha’ for me is that gardening is much more than putting seeds in the ground and my success in my garden from the knowledge gained is reflected in the bounty received. I received far more from the course than I ever imagined in knowledge, community and bounty. It’s time well spent. I looked forward to each class and the Q/A was terrific for answering my questions on anything and everything. Barbara Winter
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"I have been able to plant two, sometimes three, crops in the same area."In previous years I have typically only planted one crop in any one area of my garden, but this year, with the planning tools provided, I have been able to plant two, sometimes three, crops in the same area. I also put up a lot more trellising, growing pole beans and smaller trailing winter squash vertically, taking up a lot less garden space. Next year, I will get to combine my three separate community garden plots into one big one, so will be better able to rearrange the space with the knowledge gained from the course (bed alignment, row spacing, etc). I feel as though the course has given me planning tools and knowledge that I'll be able to use in my gardens forever! Rosalyn Steele
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"Seed to Table has put the JOY back into gardening."Before I took the Seed to Table course I felt overwhelmed and discouraged with gardening. I didn't look forward to spending time in my garden. Each day, after I'd leave with little progress, I'd leave feeling terrible about myself. By August, I would spend less and less time there, until finally I just stopped going and would give up for the season. It was all very depressing. ​ The weeds were winning and I was losing. There was no time to prune, so plants just grew into bushy masses. Depending on the crop and my familiarity with crop killing diseases or certain pests and how to combat them, some were able to roam and destroy at their leisure. There were no defined areas, no defined walkways, no thought to what systems could be installed that would lesson the burdens that come with gardening. There was just free range growing, of both wanted and unwanted plants. And the result was a gardener that was feeling burned out and defeated. The only thing that kept me going was a strong desire to become self sufficient and produce my own food. I wanted to rely on myself vs. a grocery store to provide for my nutritional needs. I had to find help... There had to be a solution... I NEEDED to get better at this! ​ Seed to Table has been a blessing! The course gave me the knowledge and skills needed to take back control of my garden. I feel empowered. I feel equipped. I no longer feel overwhelmed. Intentionality in a garden redesign has alleviated many of the problems I was struggling with and saved me precious time. Weeds are at a minimum. Time can now be spent tending to the plants. Plants are healthier because I know what kind of soil I have and what the plants need to better grow. I have skills in pruning, trellising, pest management. I know how to assess how much I consume and intentionally plant how much is needed to support that consumption so that food doesn't go to waste. ​ Seed to Table has put the JOY back into gardening! I feel good about my garden and what I'm able to produce and preserve. I'm able to grow more than I have ever in the past. So much so, that now I'm able to share my beautiful harvest with my family and friends. And there has been much joy in being able to share homegrown food with others. People are so thankful and appreciative. They love to eat what I've grown. So much so, that they will text me pictures of the food they make with the harvest. These are new, first time, joyful moments in gardening and I owe it all to the Seed to Table instruction I received that equipped me to be a better gardener. ​ If you're on the fence as to whether or not to take the class, TAKE IT! Invest in yourself! Give yourself the knowledge and skills needed to be equipped to be a successful gardener. If you're feeling overwhelmed or discouraged, this course will be just what is needed to turn things around for you. Don't miss this opportunity to find joy in gardening again! Jared is an excellent instructor! The content he shares is well written and thought through. His presentations ADD content to the workbook vs. just repeating the content covered in the worksheets. It is obvious by his instruction and in field videos that he has a wealth of knowledge and is an accomplished gardener. But MORE importantly, Jared enjoys interacting with his students. He works hard to help his students improve. He wants his students to have success. He makes himself available for personal gardening questions of his students, putting time into researching and troubleshooting solutions, even if it's something new to him. Jared is the best kind of teacher to have because it's obvious from his instruction and interaction with his students that he LOVES to LEARN! And this love for learning not only makes the content he shares richer, it motivates his students to also learn. Cynthia Monk
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"Everyone can benefit from this course."Everyone can benefit from this course, if only to appreciate how empowering growing your own food can be and how it is not magic but science and attentive care that create results. I have a plan and action steps that lead to immensely better success in my gardening experience. I have the confidence that I can feed my family and not rely on grocery stores to fill out bellies. I know it is possible to be more self sufficient, and also realize that I still have lots of room to grow/learn but I have the resources to achieve success from the seed to table course. Another amazing result is from the community created through attending this course with my fellow Seed to Table students and learning from their questions and challenges and successes! If you are a beginner or seasoned gardener, everyone can achieve results from Jared's extensive knowledge and experience. I would do this course over and over again! This course made my year and garden amazing. Thank you Jared and family! Paige Goebel
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"I've been gardening for many years and yet have had so many questions."I've been gardening for many years and yet have had so many questions about how to improve upon my garden's productivity and make that consistent. For the past several years I was wishing there was someone that could provide me with those answers and this course did exactly that. It answered many questions, but better yet gave me the resources to continue to find the answers in the future as well. Michelle Fishman
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"Seed to Table taught me how to be a thoughtful gardener."I bought my 1/2 acre property 3 years ago. The first season we put in the garden with no real plan. We double dug up some beds in the front yard, tilled in some nice topsoil and haphazardly planted starts from a local nursery. It did okay but not great. My OCD kicked in and I started to research. First came lasagna gardening. Next sheet composting methods, then no-till methods, biointensive methods, books and YouTube video after video. Somewhere in the middle of it all I stumbled on a video of Jared's low tunnels right around the time he was launching the Vegetable Academy. I was in. A stone in the foundation. I had found a mentor. Seed to Table taught me how to be a thoughtful gardener. It showed me how to plan and to organize my season. To create standards so that the infrastructure I built for the garden was versatile. To create SOP so that my time is well spent, crops get planted and harvests are bountiful. It helped me efficiently run a CSA this year and gave my family plenty of healthy fresh food and food for storage. Jared even sent me a few video messages during our brief spring break which made me reflect on my path and discover the new direction I want to take in my garden. I can't sing the praises of the Seed to Table course enough! Chris Randall
Student Testimonials
Read what students have to say about their Seed to Table experience.
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Does the Classroom Pass give me access to everything in the Classroom?Almost. There are a some posts at the top of each Module page that specifically addressing questions from Seed to Table course lessons which will not be open to everyone. You will have full access to all other post categories as well as the LIVE Features and Recordings archive.
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Can I cancel my Classroom Pass at any time?Yes. You can log in to your member profile page any time and click on the Cancel Membership button to do so.
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Who is not well suited for the Classroom Pass?I enjoy helping people grow a significant amount of their own food in soil, outdoors, without the use of synthetic fertilizers or toxic pesticides. If your growing space is limited to a few pots or just a couple of small raised beds, you will likely find that a lot of our conversations don't apply that well to your context.
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Who is best suited for the Classroom Pass?Going forward, the Classroom space will primarily be a suplemental learning space for Seed to Table course members and alumni. However, it pains me to close the doors to all of the wonderful and enthusiastic growers who have joined the Classroom in our early years and supported its development. Therefore, I am making this Classroom Pass option available to all site members for a limited time. So, will you be a good fit for our growing community? Well, our Seed to Table members include first year growers and others with decades of experience under their belt, so your level of experience shouldn't be a factor. If you have at least a few hundred square feet of soil to work with and you are ready to learn, I would be delighted to work with you and help you make the most of your growing space.
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What do I have access to with the Classroom Pass?The Classroom Pass gives you access to a growing collection of resources for each stage of the growing cycle and monthly Q & A sessions to help you address specific challenges in your vegetable garden. You will also be able to access the past recordings of LIVE sessions which include member spotlights and plot tours from our own gardens demonstrating our growing techniques firsthand.
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Will this monthly membership price ever change?No. Once you sign up, your monthly price is locked in so future price increases will not effect you.
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If I get a Classroom Pass now, can I still enroll in the Seed to Table course at a later date?"Yes. The Seed to Table course will still be an option for you. Course enrollment comes with one year of free support in the Classroom, so when you do enroll, we will just pause your monthly Classroom Pass membership for that year and you will have the option to restart it once your period of free access ends.
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Why is Classroom access no longer free?The Classroom content and membership have grown to a point where they require a significant amount of time to manage. Additional features are also now included in this paid Classroom Pass so members will have access to much more support than they had with the free version.
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When are the LIVE Q & A sessions?I will host a LIVE Q & A session on the first Saturday of every month at 10:00am CST. Replays are always available and questions can be submitted in advance if you are unable to attend.
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Will this monthly membership price ever change?No. Once you sign up, your monthly price is locked in.
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What do I have access to with an active Founder membership?Everything. No features of the site will ever be restricted for you. If I ever offer another course or smaller workshop, you get free access with your Founder membership just as you did with the Seed to Table course. All supporting features of the online Classroom are also included.
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Can I cancel my Founder membership at any time?Yes. You can log in to your member profile page any time and click on the Cancel Membership button to do so.
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Will there be another opportunity to restart my Founder membership?No. The only reason for this Founder renewal opportunity is the accidental cancellation of your subscription to the Monthly Training channel in August. That cancellation was caused by me as I was making some adjustments on the back end of the site so it's only fair to offer you a chance to restart your Founder membership at the same original price.
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What features will I retain if I choose not to renew?You will retain full access to all of the Seed to Table course material. This includes the recordings of the lessons and all of the associated worksheets. Any time the course lessons are updated, you will have access to these updates as well.
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What features will I lose access to if I choose not to renew?By the end of this month, there will no longer be any free access areas of our online Classroom. Without a Founder membership, you will lose access to all LIVE features including Q & A sessions, Member Spotlights, and Showcase lessons, along with their recordings. The entire Classroom forum area will also be restricted to you.
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Can I cancel my Classroom Pass at any time?Yes. You can log in to your member profile page any time and click on the Cancel Membership button to do so.
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Why is Classroom access no longer free?The Classroom content and membership have grown to a point where they require a significant amount of time to manage. Additional features are also now included in this paid Classroom Pass so members will have access to much more support than they had with the free version.
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If I get a Classroom Pass now, can I still enroll in the Seed to Table course at a later date?"Yes. The Seed to Table course will still be an option for you. Course enrollment comes with one year of free support in the Classroom, so when you do enroll, we will just pause your monthly Classroom Pass membership for that year and you will have the option to restart it once your period of free access ends.
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Who is best suited for the Classroom Pass?Going forward, the Classroom space will primarily be a suplemental learning space for Seed to Table course members and alumni. However, it pains me to close the doors to all of the wonderful and enthusiastic growers who have joined the Classroom in our early years and supported its development. Therefore, I am making this Classroom Pass option available to all site members for a limited time. So, will you be a good fit for our growing community? Well, our Seed to Table members include first year growers and others with decades of experience under their belt, so your level of experience shouldn't be a factor. If you have at least a few hundred square feet of soil to work with and you are ready to learn, I would be delighted to work with you and help you make the most of your growing space.
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Who is not well suited for the Classroom Pass?I enjoy helping people grow a significant amount of their own food in soil, outdoors, without the use of synthetic fertilizers or toxic pesticides. If your growing space is limited to a few pots or just a couple of small raised beds, you will likely find that a lot of our conversations don't apply that well to your context.
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Does the Classroom Pass give me access to everything in the Classroom?Almost. There are a some posts at the top of each Module page that specifically addressing questions from Seed to Table course lessons which will not be open to everyone. You will have full access to all other post categories as well as the LIVE Features and Recordings archive.
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When are the LIVE Q & A sessions?I will host a LIVE Q & A session on the first Saturday of every month at 10:00am CST. Replays are always available and questions can be submitted in advance if you are unable to attend.
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Will this monthly membership price ever change?No. Once you sign up, your monthly price is locked in so future price increases will not effect you.
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What do I have access to with the Classroom Pass?The Classroom Pass gives you access to a growing collection of resources for each stage of the growing cycle and monthly Q & A sessions to help you address specific challenges in your vegetable garden. You will also be able to access the past recordings of LIVE sessions which include member spotlights and plot tours from our own gardens demonstrating our growing techniques firsthand.
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Who is best suited for the Classroom Pass?Going forward, the Classroom space will primarily be a suplemental learning space for Seed to Table course members and alumni. However, it pains me to close the doors to all of the wonderful and enthusiastic growers who have joined the Classroom in our early years and supported its development. Therefore, I am making this Classroom Pass option available to all site members for a limited time. So, will you be a good fit for our growing community? Well, our Seed to Table members include first year growers and others with decades of experience under their belt, so your level of experience shouldn't be a factor. If you have at least a few hundred square feet of soil to work with and you are ready to learn, I would be delighted to work with you and help you make the most of your growing space.
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Does the Classroom Pass give me access to everything in the Classroom?Almost. There are a some posts at the top of each Module page that specifically addressing questions from Seed to Table course lessons which will not be open to everyone. You will have full access to all other post categories as well as the LIVE Features and Recordings archive.
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What do I have access to with the Classroom Pass?The Classroom Pass gives you access to a growing collection of resources for each stage of the growing cycle and monthly Q & A sessions to help you address specific challenges in your vegetable garden. You will also be able to access the past recordings of LIVE sessions which include member spotlights and plot tours from our own gardens demonstrating our growing techniques firsthand.
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If I get a Classroom Pass now, can I still enroll in the Seed to Table course at a later date?"Yes. The Seed to Table course will still be an option for you. Course enrollment comes with one year of free support in the Classroom, so when you do enroll, we will just pause your monthly Classroom Pass membership for that year and you will have the option to restart it once your period of free access ends.
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When are the LIVE Q & A sessions?I will host a LIVE Q & A session on the first Saturday of every month at 10:00am CST. Replays are always available and questions can be submitted in advance if you are unable to attend.
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Will this monthly membership price ever change?No. Once you sign up, your monthly price is locked in so future price increases will not effect you.
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Who is not well suited for the Classroom Pass?I enjoy helping people grow a significant amount of their own food in soil, outdoors, without the use of synthetic fertilizers or toxic pesticides. If your growing space is limited to a few pots or just a couple of small raised beds, you will likely find that a lot of our conversations don't apply that well to your context.
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Why is Classroom access no longer free?The Classroom content and membership have grown to a point where they require a significant amount of time to manage. Additional features are also now included in this paid Classroom Pass so members will have access to much more support than they had with the free version.
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Can I cancel my Classroom Pass at any time?Yes. You can log in to your member profile page any time and click on the Cancel Membership button to do so.
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When does my current Classroom access expire?If you enrolled in the Seed to Table course with the Standard or Accelerator plan, your Classroom access will expire 1 year after your initial purchase. If you enrolled in the Seed to Table course with the Monthly plan, your Classroom access will expire after you have accessed all 8 modules, 8 months after your enrollment date.
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Who is best suited for the Classroom Pass?The Classroom space is now devoted to supporting Seed to Table course members and alumni only, so know that you will be in the company of likeminded vegetable growers. While our community includes many first year growers and others with decades of experience under their belt, what we all have in common is that we are keen to grow lots of our own food in the soil with sustainable methods. If that still sounds like you, then you'll fit right in. If you are still unsure, just ask yourself whether you would like to continue making progress in your garden with the support provided here? Are you committed to growing your own food for your family? Can the Classroom resources continue to save you time, energy, and resources? Will the community here be a source of motivation for you going forward?
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Will this monthly membership price ever change?No. Once you sign up, your monthly price is locked in so future price increases will not effect you.
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Who is not well suited for the Classroom Pass?I enjoy helping people grow a significant amount of their own food in soil, outdoors, without the use of synthetic fertilizers or toxic pesticides. If your techniques diverge from this focus I will have less experience to share with you. Also, if your growing space is limited to a few pots or just a couple of small raised beds, you will likely find that a lot of our conversations don't apply that well to your context.
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When are the LIVE Q & A sessions?Right now, my plan is to host at least 1 LIVE Q & A session on the first Saturday of every month at 10:00am CST, and increase that to 2 sessions per month as questions pick up during the growing season. Replays are always available and questions can be submitted in advance if you are unable to attend.
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Can I cancel my Classroom Pass at any time?Yes. You can log in to your member profile page any time and click on the Cancel Membership button to do so.
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What features can I access with the Classroom Pass?Everything. The Classroom Pass gives you access to all of the support available on the Classroom pages. This includes a growing collection of resources for each course module and regular Q & A sessions to help you address specific challenges in your vegetable garden. I will continue to offer LIVE training sessions on specific subjects, as well as member spotlights and plot tours throughout the growing season to demonstrate our growing techniques in the field. You will also retain access to all of the recordings of these LIVE sessions.
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Lesson 1.2 Site AssessmentAssess the size, soil, light, and weed populations on your site, and make appropriate plans to correct less than ideal conditions.
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Lesson 1.3 Mastering Your Growing ZoneUnderstand the unique characteristics of your growing zone, and adjust planting and harvesting dates accordingly.
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Lesson 1.1 Grower AssessmentDetermine your ideal garden type, select complementary crops, and estimate your production capabilities.
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Lesson 2.4 Seed SelectionUnderstand the potential differences between seed varieties and identify those best for your context.
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Lesson 2.3 Garden PlanningCreate a customized plan for your garden space that incorporates succession planting, relay planting, and interplanting as needed.
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Lesson 2.1 Bed LayoutDetermine the ideal bed size(s) and orientation for your vegetable garden.
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Lesson 2.2 Calculating ProductionSet accurate production targets for each crop based on your expected vegetable consumption.
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Lesson 3.2 Irrigation SystemsSelect and build the most appropriate irrigation system(s) for your context.
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Lesson 3.1 SoilLearn how to establish and maintain fertile soil using your local resources.
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Lesson 3.3 Weed ManagementIdentify and implement the three key weed management strategies to create and maintain a weed free garden space.
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Lesson 3.4 Supporting InfrastructureCreate a personalized infrastructure roadmap to clarify and focus your garden development plans each season.
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Lesson 4.2 Indoor Planting TechniquesLearn how to create optimal conditions for starting seeds indoors.
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Lesson 4.1 Planning and Record KeepingCreate a planting schedule for your garden plan and region.
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Lesson 4.3 Outdoor Planting TechniquesLearn how to create optimal conditions for direct seeding and transplanting outdoors.
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Lesson 5.3 Pest ManagementCreate a location specific pest management plan.
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Lesson 5.1 PruningLearn why, how, and when crop performance can be improved with pruning.
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Lesson 5.2 TrellisingCompare different trellising techniques and identify the best method for each type of crop.
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Lesson 5.4 Season ExtensionUnderstand the basic principles of season extension and identify which strategy is appropriate for each context.
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Lesson 6.2 HandlingLearn how to best wash and/or handle each crop immediately after harvesting.
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Lesson 6.3 Curing Storage CropsIdentify which crops need to be cured after harvesting and learn how to create the optimal conditions for this.
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Lesson 6.1 TimingRecognize the different harvest patterns in your garden and understand how these patterns affect the harvesting requirements for each crop.
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Lesson 7.1 Storage ZonesUnderstand the conditions that must be maintained to successfully store raw vegetables for an extended period.
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Lesson 7.2 Processing MethodsIdentify the most appropriate processing methods to preserve each crop when raw storage is no longer possible or desired.
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Lesson 8.1 Eating in SeasonCreate seasonal menus to help you incorporate your garden produce into your meals on a year-round basis.
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Lesson 8.2 Waste ManagementTurn your food and garden waste into finished compost to enrich your garden soil for another season.
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Lesson 8.1 Eating in SeasonCreate seasonal menus to help you incorporate your garden produce into your meals on a year-round basis.
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Lesson 8.2 Waste ManagementTurn your food and garden waste into finished compost to enrich your garden soil for another season.
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Lesson 8.1 Eating in SeasonCreate seasonal menus to help you incorporate your garden produce into your meals on a year-round basis.
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Lesson 8.2 Waste ManagementTurn your food and garden waste into finished compost to enrich your garden soil for another season.
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When are the LIVE Q & A sessions?The LIVE Q & A sessions are currently scheduled for Saturday mornings at 10am CST. Frequency of these sessions changes throughout the year, ranging from a minimum of 1 per month in winter and up to a maximum of 1 per week in summer. In between LIVE sessions, you can always post questions inside the Classroom community.
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What are the differences between the three course plans?The KICKSTART package is a short mini course that will guide you through the process of assessing your true priorities as a grower, creating a working garden plan that matches those priorities, and selecting the right methods and tools to get the best results in your context. Expect to progress through this course in a period of 2 weeks or less. During that time, you will have limited access to our online Classroom and you'll be able to ask questions you have about any of the KICKSTART content there. The STANDARD plan gives you full lifetime access to all of the Seed to Table course material, and to guide you along the way, you will also have 1 year of unrestricted access to the Classroom community. This includes access to our LIVE Q & A sessions, all past recordings of special features, and a growing bank of resources to support you further with the course content. The Classroom forum is another place where you can connect with Jared and other growers in between LIVE events. The ACCELERATOR plan is designed to help you make the fastest progress. It gives you all of the same priviliges as the STANDARD plan and the opportunity to book three additional one-on-one sessions with Jared throughout the year. This extra support will help you tackle problem areas quickly so you can fine tune your processes even faster. This will be most appropriate for serious homesteaders also challenged with growing in a cold climate.
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If my growing zone is different than yours, will the course material still work for me?"Every garden site has unique characteristics so each grower ultimately needs to become a master of their own domain. The Seed to Table course will walk you through the steps needed to master your own growing zone and equip you with planting schedules that can be adjusted by inputing your frost dates. While the timing of your planting and harvesting will not be identical to ours, the fundamentals of growing, harvesting, and storing vegetables will remain the same. The tomatoes I plant on our plot need the same conditions to thrive as the tomatoes grown in your location.
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When is the best time of year to enroll in the Seed to Table course?Now is the best time to enroll, and I'm not just saying that to help you stop procrastinating. The course lessons cover every subject from seed to table so there is relevant content to help you at all times in the year, whether you are just starting to sift through seed catalogs, learning how to prune and harvest your crops in the summer, or cleaning up your garden in the fall to regroup for next season. As soon as you start practicing these methods and begin using these resources, you can start making progress.
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Who is BEST suited for the Seed to Table course?Our Seed to Table members include first year growers and others with decades of experience under their belt, so your level of experience shouldn't be a factor. If you have at least a few hundred square feet of soil to work with and you are ready to learn, I would be delighted to work with you and help you make the most of your growing space.
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Will this course teach me how to sell the food that I grow?No. While I earned a living growing and selling vegetables for many years, the course content is currently focussed on serving the serious home grower. That said, we do have serveral members already selling vegetables and others transitioning to market gardens in the near future. I am happy to assist those in this situation and I have even been a consultant for market growers in our area. If you are dreaming of starting up a small membership based farm, I would be well equipped to help you, and the ACCELERATOR plan would be the best fit for you in that case. I recommend you book a call with me first, to make sure we are a good fit. Use the interactive video above to connect with me. If you want to start a larger farm covering more than 20,000 square feet and focus more on selling at farmers markets, then I recommend you check out the programs of Jean Martin Fortier and Connor Crickmore.
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How much time do I have to work through the course material?
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Who is NOT well suited for the Seed to Table course?This program focusses on teaching methods of growing annual vegetablesoutdoors in soil with sustainable methods. The course does not teach you how to grow crops to maturity indoors. However, indoor seed starting is covered in detail, as it helps you work toward the end goal of establishing a productive garden outdoors in the soil. The course does not teach which chemical to spray or dust over your plants in an attempt to kill problematic insects. We control our insect populations with food safe methods so only these methods are taught and encouraged. The course does not teach how to apply synthetic fertilizers to your garden soil. Synthetic fertilizers are marketed as the solution for fertility, but we prefer to use more sustainable methods to build productive soil. We use naturally occurring fertilizers for our indoor seed starting, and this is included in the course. Other growing methods such as container gardening, hydroponics, and aquaponics are encouraged but not taught within the program. If you don't have space to grow in the soil, this program is not the best fit for you.
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Module 6: HarvestLesson 6.1: Timing Recognize the different harvest patterns in your garden and understand how these patterns affect the harvesting requirements for each crop. Lesson 6.2: Handling Learn how to best wash and/or handle each crop immediately after harvesting. Lesson 6.3: Curing Storage Crops Identify which crops need to be cured after harvesting and learn how to create the optimal conditions for this.
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Module 7: StoreLesson 7.1: Storage Zones Understand the conditions that must be maintained to successfully store raw vegetables for an extended period. Lesson 7.2: Processing Methods Identify the most appropriate processing methods to preserve each crop when raw storage is no longer possible or desired.
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Module 8: EatLesson 8.1: Eating in Season Create seasonal menus to help you incorporate your garden produce into your meals on a year-round basis. Lesson 8.2: Waste Management Turn your food and garden waste into finished compost to enrich your garden soil for another season.
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Module 2: DesignLesson 2.1: Bed Layout Determine the ideal bed size(s) and orientation for your vegetable garden. Lesson 2.2: Calculating Production Set accurate production targets for each crop based on your expected vegetable consumption. Lesson 2.3: Garden Planning Create a customized plan for your garden space that incorporates succession planting, relay planting, and interplanting as needed. Lesson 2.4: Seed Selection Understand the potential differences between seed varieties and identify those best for your context.
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Module 1: SurveyLesson 1.1: Grower Assessment Determine your ideal garden type, select complementary crops, and estimate your production capabilities. Lesson 1.2: Site Assessment Assess the size, soil, light, and weed populations on your site, and make appropriate plans to correct less than ideal conditions. Lesson 1.3: Mastering Your Growing Zone Understand the unique characteristics of your growing zone, and adjust planting and harvesting dates accordingly.
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Module 5: GrowLesson 5.1: Pruning Learn why, how, and when crop performance can be improved with pruning. Lesson 5.2: Trellising Compare different trellising techniques and identify the best method for each type of crop. Lesson 5.3: Pest Management Create a location specific pest management plan. Lesson 5.4: Season Extension Understand the basic principles of season extension and identify which strategy is appropriate for each context.
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Module 4: PlantLesson 4.1 Planning and Record Keeping Create a planting schedule for your garden plan and region. Lesson 4.2 Indoor Planting Techniques Learn how to create optimal conditions for starting seeds indoors. Lesson 4.3 Outdoor Planting Techniques Learn how to create optimal conditions for direct seeding and transplanting outdoors.
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Module 3: BuildLesson 3.1: Soil Learn how to establish and maintain fertile soil using your local resources. Lesson 3.2: Irrigation Systems Select and build the most appropriate irrigation system(s) for your context. Lesson 3.3: Weed Management Identify and implement the three key weed management strategies to create and maintain a weed free garden space. Lesson 3.4 Supporting Infrastructure Create a personalized infrastructure roadmap to clarify and focus your garden development plans each season.
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"It takes a village to raise a chard."We’ve grown a garden here for 30 years, zone 4B with a short growing season. We’ve never grown a corn crop of any note before. This year we did. The course provided an understanding and an interest in the variables affecting a plant’s life cycle. The knowledge we gained and the access to online tools and reference material, helped with not only a successful corn crop this year - but the entire garden. Jared articulately and generously shares his vast knowledge of vegetable gardening in the well-planned Seed to Table course. Knowing we have life-long access to recordings of the course sessions is huge. During the course Jared encourages participants to ask pretty well any garden related questions that they have. If he doesn’t have an answer, which is rare, he’ll research and find the answer for you. The Vegetable Academy community added richly to the experience. Seeing and hearing how other participants were managing their gardens was encouraging and informative. It takes a village to raise a chard. Duncan and Lee Bedford
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"This course and community quickly became my go-to one-stop resource."This course completely changed the way my family gardens and grows food in the best possible way. After implementing some of Jared's top recommended strategies and practices, the results clearly spoke for themselves: best quality and production we have ever had this year for everything from root storage vegetables to leafy greens, to tomatoes, to strawberries. We look forward to continuing to add more of what we learned in this course each year going forward. This course was without a doubt worth the time and resources we invested into learning all that Jared meticulously taught. Before taking this course I would spend a lot of time researching online or reading gardening books at the library. It was difficult to find relevant material specific to my zone that was accessible to a beginner gardener. This course and community quickly became my go-to one-stop resource for all my garden needs and questions. Thank you. Thank you! Carla Dombowsky
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"I received great information on how to get the most out of my garden."I was a different student as I have a small hobby garden, despite not having the same volume of plants as many of the others participating, I found that I received great information on how to get the most out of my garden, and make it what I want. Having the ability to ask questions weekly on any issues, and asking for suggestions in developing my new garden was a great resource. I felt that I learned a lot, increased my production output of my small garden, and would very much recommend this class to anyone who loves growing vegetables. Elisabeth Dalcin
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"Starting my seeds indoors this spring made ALL the difference!"Starting my seeds indoors this spring made ALL the difference! If there is frost forecasted in the province we will get it, so starting early gave us such a head start. We also built a number of low tunnels to prevent frost and they were like our crop insurance. This was where the Vegetable Academy really gave us a leg up, we used your tutorials, and have purchased soil blocks and irrigation systems to help these efforts even more next year. If anyone is considering signing up for any of the VA courses, DO IT! Jared helps you design for your needs and he has tried and tested the best garden infrastructure so you don't have too! This can shave years off of your trial and error in the garden to reach something that works for you. I took his course in 2020 and now we are eating something we grew in the garden everyday! Zone 4 Anna Mathis
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"We were feeling very overwhelmed with the design and planning."As we were just getting our gardens established this season, we were feeling very overwhelmed with the design and planning of it all. The primary reason I joined the Seed to Table course was to learn from Jared's experience and not have to learn by trial and error for every aspect of our garden set-up. I was not disappointed. The course was invaluable in guiding us through infrastructure decisions, soil building and of course all things planting. I am confident we will refer back and use the teachings from Seed to Table in the seasons ahead, as we continue to expand, and make adjustments to our seed selection and planting. I now understand the importance of planning, especially when it comes to timing of seed starting and planting outdoors. And also, that there are preferred harvest times for crops...longer is not always better. This has helped me to wrap my head around succession planning and getting the most out of our bed space. The teachings on sunlight/shading and light intensity have also been invaluable. With this information we were able to learn about where to best plant certain crops and will be better positioned for success next year! Krista Robertson
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"We were devoted to growing a garden, but it always felt stressful."We are not new to gardening, but our efforts/successes were always random. We felt frustration at never really knowing what we were doing. We were devoted to growing a garden, but it always felt stressful. I wouldn't say that it isn't stressful when it doesn't rain and it's over 30 above day after day, but after taking this course, we felt we had a much better grasp on not only what to do, but WHY we were doing it! It was our first season of incorporating many of the concepts we learned, and we feel it was a vast improvement on other years, in terms of organization, streamlining our work, and our veg production. Sooo many questions got answered over the duration of this course, not only by the course content but by the gardening community that we met along the way. The interaction was priceless for us. Also, we trusted the content of the course implicitly. We know that Jared has put in countless years of intense gardening experience, with thoughtful, diligent research into the hows and wherefores! YouTube videos are fun to watch but the trust we built in Jared's information made him our go to guy every time. Also, we deeply appreciate his approach to gardening without herbicides and pesticides and he and his wife's philosophy of growing and eating one's own food. It resonates with all our gardening principles of working with nature, not against her. We highly recommend this course. We are sad that it is over! It was the highlight of every week for many months! Donna Hagel and Mike Feldman
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"It totally changed the way I garden."The Seed to Table Course was outstanding. It was amazing to see all the incredible knowledge Jared had to pass along. It totally changed the way I garden, leading to way less work and incredible harvests. Everything was very well explained and the videos were very helpful. The question and answer sessions were very helpful and the monthly training sessions were very interesting. I highly recommend this course to anyone that wants to take their gardening skills to the next level. Brian Thorstad
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"We are more organized with our garden planning and planting schedules."We are more organized with our garden planning and planting schedules. That was a significant change that took out a lot of the guesswork this year. Our harvesting is more scheduled and less sporadic, and our storage systems (hopefully!) will be improved. I do a lot less time researching - I can trust that Jared has done the work and just need to reference his resources. That's huge! I'd much rather watch a tutorial and head out to confidently prune my peppers than waste precious time in my garden looking things up on my phone, getting it dirty, and hoping that it's a reliable source. Terri Lynn Friesen
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"The Seed to Table course is taught by a REAL local vegetable farmer."The Seed to Table course is taught by a REAL local vegetable farmer. He is methodical, organized, and data driven. I appreciated and valued his experience and expertise. He's been there, done that and has amazing results. He even has logged/written data and pictures/videos to prove it! Debra Laulainen
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"He wants you to be successful in your garden."I grew up around gardens, and thought I knew a thing or two about gardening. I refer to Jared as the Gardening Guru to my friends and family, and he elevated my gardening knowledge. His passion for and knowledge about growing food comes through loud and clear during the Vegetable Academy course. He wants you to be successful in your garden, and gives you ample opportunity to ask your questions -- during a class, during a Q & A Saturday session, or in the Classroom forum. Thank you, Jared. I loved this course. Jennifer Ward
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"It was hands down worth the money for us."Not to sound cliché, but Seed to Table was life changing for us. It gave us the philosophical shift we wanted to dive deeper into sustainable living (in our own little way), and we learned and challenged ourselves consistently along the way thanks to the long-term, weekly-checkin format. The course ended up being exactly what we needed it to be: it was a motivating, driving force for us to keep working, and we explored more new stuff thanks to it than I'm sure we ever would have done on our own. It was hands down worth the money for us—I wouldn't even consider the cost a factor, in retrospect. And even though we've never actually met you, Jared and Rachel, we are beyond inspired; you two should be incredibly proud of what you have built together :) " - Murray and Elayna Rowan
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"Gardening is much more than putting seeds in the ground."Jared is knowledgeable in the material taught through study and personal experience. The ‘ah-ha’ for me is that gardening is much more than putting seeds in the ground and my success in my garden from the knowledge gained is reflected in the bounty received. I received far more from the course than I ever imagined in knowledge, community and bounty. It’s time well spent. I looked forward to each class and the Q/A was terrific for answering my questions on anything and everything. Barbara Winter
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"I have been able to plant two, sometimes three, crops in the same area."In previous years I have typically only planted one crop in any one area of my garden, but this year, with the planning tools provided, I have been able to plant two, sometimes three, crops in the same area. I also put up a lot more trellising, growing pole beans and smaller trailing winter squash vertically, taking up a lot less garden space. Next year, I will get to combine my three separate community garden plots into one big one, so will be better able to rearrange the space with the knowledge gained from the course (bed alignment, row spacing, etc). I feel as though the course has given me planning tools and knowledge that I'll be able to use in my gardens forever! Rosalyn Steele
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"Seed to Table has put the JOY back into gardening."Before I took the Seed to Table course I felt overwhelmed and discouraged with gardening. I didn't look forward to spending time in my garden. Each day, after I'd leave with little progress, I'd leave feeling terrible about myself. By August, I would spend less and less time there, until finally I just stopped going and would give up for the season. It was all very depressing. ​ The weeds were winning and I was losing. There was no time to prune, so plants just grew into bushy masses. Depending on the crop and my familiarity with crop killing diseases or certain pests and how to combat them, some were able to roam and destroy at their leisure. There were no defined areas, no defined walkways, no thought to what systems could be installed that would lesson the burdens that come with gardening. There was just free range growing, of both wanted and unwanted plants. And the result was a gardener that was feeling burned out and defeated. The only thing that kept me going was a strong desire to become self sufficient and produce my own food. I wanted to rely on myself vs. a grocery store to provide for my nutritional needs. I had to find help... There had to be a solution... I NEEDED to get better at this! ​ Seed to Table has been a blessing! The course gave me the knowledge and skills needed to take back control of my garden. I feel empowered. I feel equipped. I no longer feel overwhelmed. Intentionality in a garden redesign has alleviated many of the problems I was struggling with and saved me precious time. Weeds are at a minimum. Time can now be spent tending to the plants. Plants are healthier because I know what kind of soil I have and what the plants need to better grow. I have skills in pruning, trellising, pest management. I know how to assess how much I consume and intentionally plant how much is needed to support that consumption so that food doesn't go to waste. ​ Seed to Table has put the JOY back into gardening! I feel good about my garden and what I'm able to produce and preserve. I'm able to grow more than I have ever in the past. So much so, that now I'm able to share my beautiful harvest with my family and friends. And there has been much joy in being able to share homegrown food with others. People are so thankful and appreciative. They love to eat what I've grown. So much so, that they will text me pictures of the food they make with the harvest. These are new, first time, joyful moments in gardening and I owe it all to the Seed to Table instruction I received that equipped me to be a better gardener. ​ If you're on the fence as to whether or not to take the class, TAKE IT! Invest in yourself! Give yourself the knowledge and skills needed to be equipped to be a successful gardener. If you're feeling overwhelmed or discouraged, this course will be just what is needed to turn things around for you. Don't miss this opportunity to find joy in gardening again! Jared is an excellent instructor! The content he shares is well written and thought through. His presentations ADD content to the workbook vs. just repeating the content covered in the worksheets. It is obvious by his instruction and in field videos that he has a wealth of knowledge and is an accomplished gardener. But MORE importantly, Jared enjoys interacting with his students. He works hard to help his students improve. He wants his students to have success. He makes himself available for personal gardening questions of his students, putting time into researching and troubleshooting solutions, even if it's something new to him. Jared is the best kind of teacher to have because it's obvious from his instruction and interaction with his students that he LOVES to LEARN! And this love for learning not only makes the content he shares richer, it motivates his students to also learn. Cynthia Monk
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"Everyone can benefit from this course."Everyone can benefit from this course, if only to appreciate how empowering growing your own food can be and how it is not magic but science and attentive care that create results. I have a plan and action steps that lead to immensely better success in my gardening experience. I have the confidence that I can feed my family and not rely on grocery stores to fill out bellies. I know it is possible to be more self sufficient, and also realize that I still have lots of room to grow/learn but I have the resources to achieve success from the seed to table course. Another amazing result is from the community created through attending this course with my fellow Seed to Table students and learning from their questions and challenges and successes! If you are a beginner or seasoned gardener, everyone can achieve results from Jared's extensive knowledge and experience. I would do this course over and over again! This course made my year and garden amazing. Thank you Jared and family! Paige Goebel
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"I've been gardening for many years and yet have had so many questions."I've been gardening for many years and yet have had so many questions about how to improve upon my garden's productivity and make that consistent. For the past several years I was wishing there was someone that could provide me with those answers and this course did exactly that. It answered many questions, but better yet gave me the resources to continue to find the answers in the future as well. Michelle Fishman
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"Seed to Table taught me how to be a thoughtful gardener."I bought my 1/2 acre property 3 years ago. The first season we put in the garden with no real plan. We double dug up some beds in the front yard, tilled in some nice topsoil and haphazardly planted starts from a local nursery. It did okay but not great. My OCD kicked in and I started to research. First came lasagna gardening. Next sheet composting methods, then no-till methods, biointensive methods, books and YouTube video after video. Somewhere in the middle of it all I stumbled on a video of Jared's low tunnels right around the time he was launching the Vegetable Academy. I was in. A stone in the foundation. I had found a mentor. Seed to Table taught me how to be a thoughtful gardener. It showed me how to plan and to organize my season. To create standards so that the infrastructure I built for the garden was versatile. To create SOP so that my time is well spent, crops get planted and harvests are bountiful. It helped me efficiently run a CSA this year and gave my family plenty of healthy fresh food and food for storage. Jared even sent me a few video messages during our brief spring break which made me reflect on my path and discover the new direction I want to take in my garden. I can't sing the praises of the Seed to Table course enough! Chris Randall