VBC 2011 - Outdoor Kitchen Project: May 27th-June 5th
Latest Update - June 10, 2011
Watch the latest video of the cob oven and bench. We had a great turnout throughout the whole building convergence. We've counted over a hundred people over the course of 10 days.. Watch a fun video here
May - June 2011
Our VBC project this year at the Ujima Center focuses on something that we all can get behind and love: PIZZA! We will be building an outdoor kitchen that includes a cob oven and pizza garden w/vegetables, herbs, and mushrooms.
Experts Ernie and Erica Wisner will be teaching hands-on how to build a cob oven with natural materials(Sand, Clay, Straw – aka COB), and Jadene Mayla will lead a Permaculture pizza garden with the help of Jordan Weiss who brings expertise in the cultivation of mushrooms for companion planting. We will also continue working on a cob bench and cob wall as part of the outdoor kitchen space on one of the days.
Permaculture Pizza Garden
A three day workshop intensive taught by Jadene Mayla of Eco-Logic Permaculture and Landscape Design (ecologiclandscape.com) and Jordan Weiss, Mycophile!
For three days during the week (Mon-Wed) we will design and build a Permaculture pizza garden! Jadene will be teaching us about the veggies/herbs/design process, while Jordan will be showing us how to cultivate mushrooms (because those are our favorite toppings!)
Sponsored by Portland Nursery - donations for the Pizza Garden Workshop
Mushrooms! King Stropharia Companion planting project- "Pizza Bed"
We will create a King Stropharia Companion planting project- "Pizza Bed" on 5/31/11 and 6/1/11.
One of the beds will be Agrocybe aegerita-the Black Poplar mushroom. Once the grass has been removed, we will lay in several inches of fresh hardwood chips. The mushroom spawn will be added in this layer. Crumbled up and spread horizontally over the surface of the woodchips. Alder, maple, birch, cottonwood work best for these projects.
The next layer will be soft, brown compost with cardboard. Holes will be cut into the cardboard where the plants will go(Tomatoes, basil, thyme, onions, peppers, eggplant and zucchini) and they will have rich, loamy soil added-enough to cover the cardboard.
"Aesthetics of permaculture - Communicating Key Ideas to a Mainstream Audience"
A presentation and conversation lead by Jadene Mayla on Wednesday June 1st..
Exposing Permaculture to more people is one part of the goal, but looking at historic attitudes toward land, land use, aesthetics, curb appeal or keeping up with the Joneses is another deeper reason for this workshop.
Schedule:May 27th-June 5th
May 27th @ 2-5pm - Cob oven project overview and fire science presentation.
May 28th @ 10am-5pm - Begin cob oven construction. Build the sand form.
May 29th @ 10am-5pm - Continue cob oven construction and let dry through the week.
May 30th @ 2-5pm - Permaculture pizza garden construction and planting w/mushrooms
May 31st @ 2-5pm - Mushroom Cultivation Workshop
June 1st @ 2-5pm - EVENT CANCELED TODAY
June 2nd @ 2-5pm - Cob bench building and cob wall building activities.
(We will be working on cob and plastering projects at any given time throughout the week: if you're interested, stop by outside of these hours.)
June 3rd @ 10am-5pm - Continue cob oven construction.
June 4th @ 10am-5pm - Continue cob oven construction.
June 5th @ 10am-5pm - Finish cob oven: sculptural cob, paint, and fire it up. Pizza party & Music.
Aside from VBC, we have many other projects and education opportunities coming in the near future. We are pleased to announce a self-empowerment workshop with Permaculture counselor Tom Ward on small scale solar systems coming in late July. Feel free to email us with any questions at theujimacenter@gmail.com
Looking forward to seeing you soon.