Although hidden to the naked eye, soil contains a vast and diverse ecosystem utterly bursting and brimming with an abundance of life. This hidden workforce performs a multitude of wonderful benefits to soil and plant health. This workshop will delve into this fascinating world and explain how to work with a living soil to optimise soil structure, nutrient supply to plants and how to keep pests and diseases at bay. This workshop, organised by Cecil Sharp House LAND Project, is part of a series of 3 workshops about the soil-food-web, and how we can work with it to build healthy, productive soil. Future workshops will discuss practical ways to build soil life with plant diversity, composting and compost teas, and on lawn and plant care – pest and disease resistance through the soil food web.

You are welcome to join us for lunch in the Cecil Sharp Cafe at 12 noon

The Cecil Sharp House garden is a Permaculture LAND (Learning And Network Demonstration) project. We have established an awarding winning low maintenance, decorative, ecological and edible design for the permaculture garden highlighting the soil-food-web, permaculture guilds and edible perennials while creating a variety of wildlife habitats. The garden won Camden in Bloom Best Business Garden in 2016.
Joel Williams is an independent farming educator and crop and soil health adviser. His workshop at the London Permaculture Festival 2016 was full to bursting. He is also the grower for Growhampton – an edible campus at the University of Roehampton; growing organic vegetables to inspire and teach students, staff and local community about food growing. He has a keen interest in soil health, agroecological food production systems, urban farming and plant-microbe interactions. Through educating and engaging both farmers and consumers around food production and consumption, Joel is motivated to improve the sustainability of our food systems. More information about Joel on this website soilandfood.com