A Hands-On Garden Class at Our ½-Acre Homestead

You don’t need acres of land to grow a meaningful amount of food.

In this hands-on class, I’ll show you exactly how we grow 80% of our food on just ½ acre using intentional planning, intensive planting, and simple systems that actually work—especially in a hot, dry, desert climate.

This class is perfect if you:

• Have limited space but big food goals

• Want a productive garden, not just a pretty one

• Feel overwhelmed by what to grow, where to put it, or how much you really need

• Want to grow more food without spending more money

You’ll walk through our garden, beds, orchard areas, and systems, and learn how to apply these same principles to backyards, small homesteads, raised beds, or even suburban lots.

What We’ll Cover in This Class

How to Grow a LOT of Food in a Small Space

• How we maximize every square foot of our garden

• Why spacing, timing, and crop choice matter more than garden size

• How to avoid wasted space and underperforming crops

What’s Worth Growing (and What’s Not)

• Crops that give the biggest return for space, time, and money

• What we grow heavily because we use and preserve it

• What we grow in small amounts (and why)

• Common crops that take up valuable space but don’t give much back

Garden Layout & Planning for High Production

• How to plan beds for continuous harvest

• Succession planting for small gardens

• Mixing crops to maximize yields

• Vertical growing and space-saving techniques

Growing for Fresh Eating AND Storage

• How to grow with preservation in mind

• Crops that store well for winter

• Planning harvests so food doesn’t come all at once

Small-Space Gardening in a Hot, Dry Climate

• Dealing with heat, wind, and intense sun

• Shade strategies that protect plants without stopping growth

• Water-wise methods that still produce high yields

Budget-Friendly Growing

• Where to spend money—and where not to

• Using compost, mulch, and free resources to build soil

• Growing more food without buying more “stuff”

Mistakes That Limit Production

• Overcrowding vs under-planting

• Planting everything “because it’s popular”

• Not planning for harvest, storage, or preservation

What You’ll Leave With

• A clear understanding of how to grow more food in less space

• Practical ideas you can use immediately in your own garden

• Confidence in what to grow, how much to grow, and where to put it

• Inspiration to turn your garden into a true food-producing space

This class is practical, realistic, and designed for real life—not perfection.

📍 Location: On-site at our ½-acre homestead
🌱 Format: In-person, hands-on garden walkthrough + teaching
👩🌾 Skill Level: Beginner to experienced gardeners welcome

We will provide lavender lemonade from our meyer lemons and lavender, and a light snack!

Whether you’re gardening in raised beds, a backyard, or a small homestead, this class will help you grow more food, more intentionally, and with less overwhelm.

Classes are non-refundable, so please mark you calendar.  If you can not make the class, you may find a replacement to take your spot.