University of Richmond
EN-12: Continuing Education

Building a Cob Oven – 2 sessions per year In this course students will learn to build a wood-fired earthen oven that can be used to make pizza, bake bread, and cook just about anything that can fit through the front door! Starting with the fundamentals of how earth, sand, and straw combine to form the building material known as "cob," the instruction provided will include how to build a foundation, insulate the oven, form the earthen dome, apply a finish plaster, and properly fire the oven for cooking. All levels of building experience are welcome, and all students will leave with the skills necessary to replicate the project at home. The course will specifically instruct students in how to complete their own backyard oven for as little investment in materials as possible, potentially even for free! Soil Food Web -1 session per year In this class students will be introduced to the Soil Food Web. This will include parts of soil, organic matter and creating humus, as well as a look into the microbial life within it. We also will look at the use of micronutrients and elements in growing healthy plants, abundant fruit, and regenerative ecologically sound practices for gardeners or burgeoning farmers and homesteaders. Students will make a general amendment mix and have small bag to take away for their own use. From Compost Pile to Compost Brew -1 session per year Join us for a morning centered around compost. In this class we will make a compost pile and explore the proliferation of healthy microbial life for our soils. We will explore different kinds of composting including vermicomposting and wind rows. Afterwards we will discuss and make a brew of healthy compost tea and apply to the student gardens. Students will take a bag of compost and a vessel of compost tea for their own gardens. Healthy Seeds and Harvesting Them -1 session per year In this class the student will explore the seed...its complexity and the need to grow and harvest healthy seeds. It all starts with a seed and ends and begins again with the seed. We will discuss obstacles in our current world to getting them the role of the healthy plant, micro nutrients and elements, proper irrigation, and microbial life in our gardens soil to producing future years of harvest. We will harvest some seed and the student will leave class with samples of healthy seed for their gardens. LEED v4 Green Associate Exam Prep - 3 sessions per year This course covers the fundamental concepts of green building and is intended for design, construction and real estate professionals, building owners, or anyone who wants to develop knowledge in this area. The course will prepare students to earn the LEED Green Associate credential from the Green Building Certification Institute. Students examine case studies of LEED certified building projects, concepts of integrated design, third-party verification and the LEED administration process. In each of the first seven Units we cover all specification sections listed by the Green Building Certification Institute as exam content areas. The final Unit focuses on exam preparation. You will examine case studies of LEED certified building projects, concepts of integrated design, third-party verification and the LEED administration process.

Nutrient Dense Gardening Certificate • EST. 2016 • 1 session per year For home gardeners, community gardeners, CSA Growers, market gardeners, church and school gardeners, and anyone thinking about growing food, this course is designed to take you step-by-step through the principles, practices, and materials that will optimize the health and productivity of your garden. The basis behind this series is that by creating the ideal environment, plants will reach their fullest potential. That means that the nutrient content of the plants will be at their peak, they will produce more yield, and pests and diseases will be minimized due to the plant's natural defenses. You will learn to identify soil mineral deficiencies and how to re-balance them with a variety of materials, mainly rock minerals, sea minerals, organic matter, and some biological inoculants. In addition to the biological inoculants, bacteria and fungi, food for the soil life is added such as fish, kelp, humates, and sugar or molasses. From the soil we then move on to seed inoculation, transplant inoculation, and monitoring soil and plant health. As the course progresses we will learn the details of plant and soil monitoring, and nutrient drenches. Other details that will be discussed are plant physiology, plant and fungal/bacterial symbioses, the timing of growth and fruiting cycles, and foliar sprays designed to affect leaf or fruit growth. Permaculture Design Certificate • EST. 2014 • 1 session per year Our Permaculture Design Certificate is offered through a special partnership with the Shenandoah Permaculture Institute. The certificate is designed for those interested in learning design techniques to build a more sustainable community in their backyard, their neighborhood or their city. The certificate will cover ethics, design, and sustainability issues. It will also give students practical techniques that can be applied to their gardens, farms and homes. Our program includes 72-hours of workshops over four weekends. The learning modules use a combination of hands-on activities, field trips, presentations, conversations, collaboration, and a site-specific design project challenge. Students will gain permaculture design credentials that are ready for real-world applications in both your personal life and business opportunities.