The Wisconsin Garden Expo is back on this year, February 10–12 — we’ll be there and so can you! Every year this event draws thousands from the southern Wisconsin area to see presentations, demonstrations, and vendors all focused on gardening. We’ll be there this year, but you can see 2021’s presentations (on potatoes, Foodmageddon, and beekeeping) here on our YouTube channel as well as see our featured garden tour.
Volunteer with Us (and get free admission!)
Every year we’re looking for volunteers to help staff our booth. Training is short (we ask you to read through the main pages of our website to be familiar with what we’re doing) and shifts can be as short or long as you’re willing to stay (typically we ask for a couple of hours). And then you have a free pass to visit the expo the entire weekend. These are first-come, first-served positions. Email us at info@lowtechinstitute.org to get on the list. You’ll be sent a link to our schedule spreadsheet.
COVID Considerations: We will be optionally masked and vacc’ed. We will also be placing a rope and/or table between ourselves and the passersby to keep a distance. We really don’t like doing this, because the interactions at the expo are really fun — a wide diversity of people and interests come by the booth. But in these times, prudence has to take precedence.
Our Presentations
Scott will be giving five presentations (three topics, two of them are repeats). You can catch them on the following schedule:
Friday 10
February2023
Foodmageddon: Lessons Learned from Growing All Our Own FoodAs COVID-19 began, we challenged ourselves to feed ourselves for a year from what we could grow or gather from our neighborhood. Our goal was to discover the strengths and weaknesses in our local food web. Learn from our mistakes and successes when thinking about your own food garden. (expo page)
12:15-1:15pMendota 1–2
Home-Scale Grain Production? What You Need to KnowGrowing grains at home is easier than you think. Conversely, growing all your own wheat for flour is probably harder than expected. Come learn the ins and outs of home-scale grain production, from seed selection and planting to harvest, processing, grinding, and eating. (expo page)
4:15-5:15pMendota 6–7
Saturday 11
February2023
Home-Scale Grain Production? What You Need to KnowGrowing grains at home is easier than you think. Conversely, growing all your own wheat for flour is probably harder than expected. Come learn the ins and outs of home-scale grain production, from seed selection and planting to harvest, processing, grinding, and eating. (expo page)
10:45a-11:45pMendota 6–7
Vermicompost: Let the Worms Do the WorkWorms turn kitchen scraps into the best compost: worm castings. In this demonstration, you’ll learn about the different types of worm farms, how to keep the worms, and how to solve common problems. (expo page)
4:30-5:15pDemo Stage A
Sunday 12
February2023
Vermicompost: Let the Worms Do the WorkWorms turn kitchen scraps into the best compost: worm castings. In this demonstration, you’ll learn about the different types of worm farms, how to keep the worms, and how to solve common problems. (expo page)
10:30-11:15aDemo Stage A
Best Non-Mechanized Potato Methods & Why They’ll Save HumanityLow Technology Institute carried out a USDA-funded study on non-mechanical potato growing methods including trench and hill, surface-growing, potato towers, and more. Come learn about and discuss these various growing methods and review a short history of potatoes and why they’re the best staple for our future without fossil fuels. (expo page)
