Camp Stevens Gardening Courses

Instructional Courses

These hands-on courses cover all the basics of organic gardening. Each seasonal course provides participants with a practical understanding of how to tend to a beautiful and productive garden. In addition to gardening, we will spend time each weekend, after harvest, learning the culinary art of cooking fresh from the garden.

"All topics were very useful and applicable. All questions were answered and the hands-on experience was extremely helpful."
-Winter course student

Each weekend we will spend time in our kitchen learning to prepare the food freshly picked, canned, or dried. Our chef will teach us to transform ordinary and unusual seasonal vegetables into delicious, wholesome meals to be enjoyed with others.

Courses typically begin with supper on Friday from 6-7 pm and end with lunch on Sunday. Instruction and hands-on learning will be covered in morning, afternoon, and evening sessions. Class sizes are limited to 15 people.

Costs: Each weekend class is $175.00, which includes lodging and food. Student and low-income scholarships are available. One day workshops are $40 including lunch. Contact us if interested. Some scholarship assistance is available upon request.

To register send your name, address, phone, email and a check to:

Camp Stevens
Ryan Wanamaker, Garden Manager
PO Box 2320, Julian, CA 92036
garden@campstevens.org, (760) 765-0028

Spring: Introduction to Organic Gardening

May 9-11

Cost $200

We will cover the basics of organic gardening during this weekend. Learn how to tend to your garden from seed to harvest. Propagating plants from seeds and cuttings is one of the most satisfying of the horticultural arts and spring is the time to do it.

• Garden design and planning
• French-intensive techniques/principles of soil preparation
• Soil fertility enhancement
• Composting
• Crop/varietal selection
• Irrigation
• Greenhouse management
• Propagation
• Harvesting

Fall: Celebrating the Harvest
to be announced

Cost $200

Although fall gardening presents interesting challenges from pests and hot weather planting, the rewards outweigh the horticultural struggle. Learn how to extend your growing season. We will also focus on enjoying the bounty of the garden's harvest, spending time learning to cook what we grow and preserve it for later use. Come and taste from our diverse garden, full of exciting new vegetable varieties now available to the home gardener. Take home a wreath made from the garden's natural materials.
• Overwintering crops
• Growing Alliums: Garlic, onions, and leeks
• Winter cover crops
• Seed saving
• Drying herbs and produce
• Preserving the harvest: canning, jamming, sauces
• Wreath-making

Instructors: Ryan Wanamaker and Visiting Staff

Ryan Wanamaker is the Camp StevensGarden and Grounds Manager. Ryan is a native to southern California. He graduated from University of California at Santa Cruz and worked as a Camp Stevens summer staff member for several summers while in college. After graduation he interned with several organic gardens in Montana and San Luis Obispo.