New IVCC partnership opens opportunities for nature courses

MARCH 27, 2024

A new outdoor classroom will give nature-lovers room to get their hands dirty and provide fertile ground for new ideas about gardening, farming and sustainability as a series of Illinois Valley Community College lifelong learning courses gets underway.

Classes focus on soil identification, vegetable gardening, native woodland plants and forest regeneration and are made possible through a partnership between IVCC's Continuing Education Department and Hungry World Farm near Tiskilwa. The 175-acre educational farm practices and teaches principles of regenerative agriculture and produces garden and field crops and produce.

“IVCC's collaboration with Hungry World Farm provides learning opportunities, led by subject matter experts, that promote healthy soils, land and ecosystems while providing an opportunity to learn to grow and produce nutrient-dense food, while caring for the Earth” said Kim Koehler, IVCC community program manager. Participants can learn lessons on the farm that they can apply at home immediately, she added.

The classes are as follows:

  • Saturday, April 6 – Get to know your soil in Name & Number: How to Talk About Your Soil. Learn to determine soil's texture and color code and discuss the needs of each soil type and what can be done to improve each one. Participants should bring a pint of soil (including at least one clod) from their home or farmstead and a laptop. Spare computers will be available. Time: 1 - 4 p.m. Cost: $39. Class ID: 14367.
  • Saturday, April 20 – Nurture your soil, your plants and your body through the Spring Planting Workshop. Learn to apply regenerative agriculture principles. Additionally, the farm will share its planting schedule, companion plant and cover crop strategies, and other resources. Demonstrations will include how to utilize biological seed inoculants and root dips, improve potting mix, trellis different crops, and use drip tape, row covers, various composts, and clear and black plastic to farm effectively. Time: 1 - 4 p.m. Cost: $49. Class ID: 14368.
  • Saturday, May 4: Enjoy a Spring Plant Walk, during which participants will learn about a variety of wild plants and their uses. This will include spring ephemerals, herbaceous perennials as well as trees and shrubs. Wear comfortable walking/hiking shoes and be prepared to be outdoors during class. Time: 10 a.m. - noon. Cost: $49. Class ID: 14369.
  • Saturday, May 4: Learn the basics of forest conservation and enrichment planting during Forest Regeneration through Silvopasture and Enrichment Planting. Activities will include creating forest gaps, tree planting, and setting up paddocks within the forest. Participants will also learn about tree seed collection within the forest, seed storage and planting/nursery setup. At Hungry World Farm, sheep are being rotationally grazed on forested hillsides to help control aggressive plant species. Time: 1 - 3 p.m. Cost: $49. Class ID: 14370.

For more information, visit https://ivccce.augusoft.net/ or to enroll, visit ivcc.edu/enroll.