The project period for the Cultivation Academy 2.0 is now coming to an end. The project is a follow-up to the Cultivation Academy – Cultivation as a lifestyle, which was run in 2019-2020 under the Astrid Lindgrens Hembygd association's own direction and then embraced 6 municipalities – Nässjö, Eksjö, Vimmerby, Hultsfred, Högsby and part of Oskarshamn municipality.
The Cultivation Academy 2.0 started at the turn of the year 2021/2022 and has been running for 2 years. Halfway through the project, Astrid Lindgren's Hometown entered a new program period and the area was expanded to include Vetlanda, Aneby, Ydre and Kinda. The activities have been aimed at everyone interested in cultivation and the focus has been on Cultivation on nature's terms.
Helena Styrbjörn has been project manager, course leader and documented on the blog. Eva Ekenberg and Hillevi Helmfrid have been trainers/course leaders and part of the project group. Carina Engqvist and Kristina Lindelöf (not in the picture) have initiated the project and sat on the steering group.
During the first year of the project, 3 year-long cultivation courses were held – Helena Styrbjörn was the course leader in Vimmerby and Målilla/Kristdala and Eva Ekenberg in Eksjö. Hillevi Helmfrid held another course – Cultivation Ambassadors.
In April, a group received a one-day course in organic farming from Eva Ekenberg and a starter kit consisting of tools, seed potatoes and seeds. The group was named the Young Cultivation Academy. In the fall, there was a reunion at the home of one of the participants, Mikaela Linder: Young Growers Reunion.
In March, Eva Ekenberg gave the lecture Permaculture in Practice in Krokshult and in October a lecture on Bees was held in Lundstorps Hembygdsgård outside Eksjö. Linda Ogebrink invited guests to her garden in May and Madde Fungbrant arranged a plant exchange day and garden tour outside Mariannelund. In August, Ola Johansson invited guests to a tour of her garden.
Riquette Verschoor held a series on Permaculture, with three independent meetings. A combined lecture and garden tour in Lidhem outside Vimmerby: Permaculture in process and two workshops in Mariannelund: Diversity in the home garden and Permaculture in the home garden.
In September, a long trip was made to learn more about biochar and aquaponics farming – a study visit to Ödevata.
Thank you to everyone who participated in our activities in various ways during 2022!