9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m. Woodland Pavilion
Siblings Althea and Matthew will teach you how to build your own organic herb garden on a small budget. They will be use pallets (which you can usually find for free at a hardware store) to build a small herb box to house your herb garden. Discover how to build the garden with and without a mini-hoop house for colder months. In conclusion, Althea and Matthew will provide a simple printout of the plans, instructions, and suggestions for the construction process.

9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m. Classroom 5
Join Backyard Revolution’s Anne Buteau for this do-it-yourself introduction to the art and science of cheese-making and other fermented dairy products. Making cheese at home is economical, allows you to use the best quality, most local dairy products available, and for many types of cheese is quick and easy. Anne will share recipes appropriate to the home kitchen and will demonstrate a variety of cheese-making techniques.

9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m. Classroom 6
Learn how to build sustainable gardens in your home and community through the use of permaculture, a system of ecological design based on natural patterns.

9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m. Classroom 7
Many varieties of tasty, nutritious greens grow quickly and bring fast returns. This session will cover production of Asian greens in our region, both outdoors and in the hoop house, and will include tips on variety selection, timing of plantings, pest and disease management, fertility and weed management, and the harvesting over twenty types of Asian greens.

9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m. Fish Pond
Enjoy an in-depth tour of Monticello’s South Orchard and Vineyards. Explore over 150 historic fruit varieties that Jefferson referred to as “precious refreshment,” from peaches, plums, and apples, to berries, grapes, and figs.

10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Woodland Pavilion
The desire to nurture a self-sustaining lifestyle harkens back to days of old when such efforts were a matter of survival. While the simple charms of DIY and a “raise it yourself” style of living captures many people’s attentions, this workshop is designed for those who are interested yet hesitant. Practical tips on where to begin your DIY journey, the spiritual nuances and benefits of a seasonally based and Earth centered living, and ideas on how to incorporate your whole family into the homesteading effort will be discussed.

10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Classroom 5
Join Dawn Story and learn how easy it is to ferment vegetables into products such as zesty and delicious sauerkraut, kimchi, or pickles and how bringing the art of fermentation into the home can boost your family’s health and well-being.

10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Classroom 6
When European settlers washed upon the shores of the New World, they found a number of “flavor cognates” of the plants that they knew in the Old World, such as native plants smelling of onions, oregano, and other culinary standards. Some novel flavors, such as chile peppers and vanilla, were quickly assimilated within their culture and spread rather quickly. In this informative workshop, learn about the plethora of native herbs that still remain unknown to most of America, but have the power to enrich our cooking arsenal.

10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Classroom 7
Erin and Joe will start with a quick history of Victory Gardens, add some fun facts about war propaganda and what was harvested, then dive into some of their favorite fruit, vegetable, and flower combinations.

10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Fish Pond
Jefferson’s passion for gardening arose from his curiosity about natural history and the “tranquil pursuits” of science. Trek through the forests of Monticello Mountain and examine wildflowers, seedpods, nuts, trees, mammals, birds, fungi, insects, and geology.

12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Woodland Pavilion
A pole barn is the simplest barn design. With just a little know how, you too can learn to build one. A pole barn can be used for just about anything: animal shelter, feed and tractor storage, a greenhouse, or even a home. If you are curious about simple structure construction but have never known where to begin, this workshop is for you! We will cover basic building techniques. While no previous experience is necessary, a working knowledge of tools is helpful.

12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Classroom 5
Vinegar was an integral ingredient in various Jefferson-family recipes and was used for much more than just a salad dressing. Learn more about this versatile ingredient by joining winemaker Gabriele Rausse in learning the basic principles of vinegar-making.

12:00 p.m –1:00 p.m. Classroom 6
Learn seed-saving techniques for tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and beans. There will be a discussion on isolation techniques, seed processing, harvesting and storage. Also included in the lecture is a comprehensive demonstration of picking fruits for maximum seed viability and how to extract their seeds.

12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Classroom 7
Cindy Conner combines her experience with GROW BIOINTENSIVE® Sustainable Mini-farming with what she has learned through study and practice of organic gardening, soil building, and nutrition since her first garden in 1974. Learn how she has put it all together in a way that works for her and get valuable tips for growing your own sustainable diet. Discover which crops provide the most food in the least space and what to grow to also give back to the Earth. www.HomeplaceEarth.com.

12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Fish Pond
Herbs have long been valued for their many uses as flavorings, medicines, dyestuffs, and more. Tour the useful herbs growing in the gardens at Monticello, focusing on the herbs documented by Jefferson in his garden book and correspondence.

1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m. Woodland Pavilion
Follow the journey of a first-generation farmer seeking truth and holistic health that works on any scale. Our Earth’s land base has been used and abused for generations. This workshop will discuss hands-on methods for living on the land without detriment, using proven methods of healing and encouraging the Earth to provide her caretakers with abundant food and water for FREE! What else do we need?

1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m. Classroom 5
Join GRIT magazine Editor in Chief Hank Will as he considers off-the-wall solutions for real farmstead problems. Yes, you can make enough hay with hand tools to feed a flock through the winter and accomplish very much more using your head, animals on hand, and sufficient labor to keep you in good shape!

1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m. Classroom 6
Back by popular demand, this class will discuss our favorite native plants that have been traditionally and are currently used as safe and effective medicines. Kathleen has over 20 years of experience as a practicing herbalist and will guide us through preparing these plants into medicines. As a Board member of the United Plant Savers, she will also discuss how to create a botanical sanctuary and become part of the United Plant Sanctuary network.

1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m. Classroom 7
Learn the essentials of preventative disease management that utilize proactive care to keep your flock healthy. You will learn about considerations for housing, air-quality, feed, water, and special challenges that you might face with your flock. You will learn how to treat the most common diseases as well as wounds and trauma. The workshop will include hands-on administration of treatments and wound care. Learn how to make and use simple but effective treatments without prescription drugs. This workshop teaches you what you need to know to avoid most veterinary bills.

1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m. Fish Pond
Jefferson’s Kitchen Garden at Monticello was a melting pot of new and unusual plants from around the world. On this tour, stroll through the 1,000-foot-long vegetable garden and learn about this experimental laboratory and some of the 330 vegetable varieties it houses.

3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Classroom 5
Learn how to add these hardy, productive perennials to your farm or garden plans. Each participant will receive a “mini sampler” from the Southern Exposure 2012 garlic and onion varieties.

3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Classroom 6
This workshop discusses a whole-systems approach to poultry husbandry based on “stacking” the flock with other functions on the homestead or farm such as soil fertility, food production, recycling waste to resource, and expanding biodiversity to become more self-sufficient while protecting the wider ecology. Holistic practices include low-labor manure management using deep litter both indoors and out; maximizing access to live natural foods; putting the flock to work in real-world tasks such as tilling, insect and weed control, and compost-making; protecting the flock while respecting the essential roles of predators; working with broody hens to hatch new stock; stepping up to small market production; and much more.

3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Woodland Pavilion
This workshop will focus on the obstacles facing established beekeepers and offer suggestions and remedies for confronting these issues. Specific topics will include queen bee replacement, minimizing swarms, and dealing with the enemies of bees such as bee mites, moths, and the latest problem in this area, the small hive beetle.

3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Classroom 7
To grow plenty of organic edibles, you must improve your soil, create good habitat for beneficial creatures, and plant strong varieties at the right times. Organic gardening expert Barbara Pleasant shares dozens of proven techniques for growing high quality vegetables, herbs, and fruits. This lively presentation explores simple ways to improve poor soil, and you’ll also learn organic pest management strategies that revolve around songbirds, tulle row covers and flowers. Barbara’s tips for extending the spring and fall seasons – and for surviving summer in style – will help your garden better than ever.

3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Fish Pond
Thomas Jefferson’s passion for gardening arose from his truly wide-eyed curiosity about natural history and the “tranquil pursuits” of science. Peggy Cornett will lead this trek through the forests of Monticello Mountain. Participants will examine autumn wildflowers, seedpods and nuts, trees, mammals, birds, the skies, fungi, insects, and geology with the historical perspective of the Sage of Monticello ever in mind.

4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Woodland Pavilion
If you have even a little bit of shade on your property, you can grow some of your own forest medicine. Jeanine Davis will start with a colorful presentation to introduce you to a wide array of woodland botanicals, including ginseng, goldenseal, black cohosh, and bloodroot. She will cover the basics about the plants, their conservation status, and how to grow them. Then Jeannine will lead a hands-on workshop where participants will be able to propagate some of these plants. You will get to take home a few pots of these precious plants to start your own forest medicinal herb garden!

4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Classroom 5
Nutritive herbs are plants that provide “all the good stuff” such as protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals necessary for general nutrition and health. These nutritive herbs provide the body with a source of easily assimilated nutrients to make us feel stronger, more energetic, and help prevent diseases. Nutritive herbs can easily be added to any diet through food rather than the pills that are common in modern medicine. In this workshop, we learn about some common nutrient dense herbs, recipes, and how we can incorporate them into our daily diets.

4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Classroom 6
Explore plants that have proven themselves to be easy and successful to grow in the Mid-Atlantic. With our ever increasingly busy lives, low-maintenance gardening is the goal of many plant enthusiasts. The key is to plant the right plants for our Virginia climate. Kathy Jentz will talk about some native plants, but also will explore the tried-and-true plants that can endure clay soil, deer, and periods of drought. Season-by-season, we will share our favorite plants that excel in our local gardens.

4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Fish Pond
On this tour, discover how to maintain your heirloom garden by saving your own seeds. Learn techniques for identifying, growing, harvesting, cleaning, and storing vegetable seeds during a hands-on collecting demonstration as we walk through the Vegetable Garden at Monticello.

4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Classroom 7
Focusing on varieties that succeed in Craig's challenging Raleigh gardens, this lecture will take the attendees on a pictorial journey through tomatoes of every conceivable color, flavor, size, and shape.