Bristol Community College's Sustainable Agriculture program will present a free virtual workshop series, beginning Monday, May 1, 2023, to help bring nature and the principles of conservation to your own home! All workshops are free and open to everyone.

The engaging events will focus on several timely topics such as pollinators, growing your own food/fowl and the critical importance of water.

To join any of events listed below, please visit: https://bristolcc-edu.zoom.us/j/5535041279#success  

  • Monday, May 1, from 2 to 3 p.m., by Zoom  
    The Mighty Honey Bee 
    Description: Peek inside the fascinating world of honeybees. You may be surprised to learn just how much of an impact they have on your life. Don't miss this opportunity to see what happens inside a beehive, to observe how they communicate with each other by dancing, and much more! Presented by Master Beekeeper and Instructor James DeTerra.

  • Tuesday, May 2, from 2 to 3 p.m., by Zoom 
    Make Way for Bees (and Other Pollinators)  
    Description: Biodiversity is so important to the survival of our native bees. Learn practical suggestions to make even the smallest patch of dirt inviting for pollinators in your yard. Presented by Sustainable Agriculture Professor Kimberly Newton.

  • Wednesday, May 3, from 2 to 3 p.m., by Zoom 
    Growing Your Own Food: A Primer for Success  
    Learn about preparing soil for planting, selecting plants suitable for our southern New England climate, and about design strategies for combining a myriad of edible plantings in any setting (big or small!). Suitable for the very beginning to intermediate gardener who wants to grow a portion of their own food. Presented by Sustainable Agriculture Professor Michael Veracka.

  • Thursday, May 4, from 2 to 3 p.m., by Zoom 
    Crying Fowl: Keeping Chickens Happy & Healthy 
    Are you chicken-curious? Chickens are one of the few livestock you can keep just about anywhere, even in the city! If you’re a veteran chicken keeper, or just thinking about getting a few of your own birds for a backyard flock, check out this workshop by our own resident chicken expert! Presented by Sustainable Agriculture Instructor James DeTerra.

  • Friday, May 5, from 2 to 3 p.m., by Zoom  
    Water, Water Everywhere, Barely a Drop to Drink! 
    We are losing fresh water - essential to life - from the land masses of the planet. How is this happening? What are the socio-political impacts of fresh water loss? What must we do to rehydrate land masses and conserve this precious resource? Presented by Sociology/Sustainability Professor Nancy Lee Wood.

Bristol's Sustainable Agriculture program is designed to address the issues of a safe, reliable food supply and the environmental relationships of agriculture with resource use, energy consumption and climate change. Graduates of the program are prepared to enter farming, gardening, and agricultural businesses, or to continue their education in sustainable food production and agricultural professions.

For information about the virtual workshops, beginning Monday, May 1, please email kimberly.newton@bristolcc.edu.