Let's Get Dirty! Grow it Organic is an educational series of workshops for business and government wellness programs, schools, and private groups. Founder and Workshop Leader Deb Kates, a lifetime organic grower, helps everyone dig in to the science and art of growing healthy food without harmful chemicals. Deb's warm and direct approach helps people enjoy the learning process and stay committed to applying it.

Growing that head of lettuce from seed to salad bowl? Good!

Growing it without artificial fertilizers and toxic pesticides? Even better!

Loving learning while doing it? The best!

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Why?

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Gardening helps ease the mind, so you can slow down to catch up with life. Interest in organics has been exploding because, in addition to health benefits, people want to know where their food comes from in times of unpredictable weather, economy, and food safety. This healthy activity also promotes stress relief, improved mood and mental outlook, saving money, burning calories, and learning first-hand about good nutrition.

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Where?

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Businesses, municipal governments, medical facilities, and other entities offer Let's Get Dirty! Grow it Organic sessions for a fun and unique twist on being healthy. They are full of useful and easy-to-understand information, delivered by Deb with humor and a wealth of knowledge. Take a look at our list of current and past clients!

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What?

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From starting seeds indoors, transplanting, and planting schedules, to raised beds, Nature's garden helpers, how-to for small spaces, safe pest controls, and fall crops, it's always the right time to connect with the soil, polish that green thumb, and get growing. Don't have a green thumb? Not sure where to start? Deb can help!

Deborah Kates is a third-generation gardener and Certified Master Composter who has been growing organically for almost fifty years.

She loves turning people on to...

• The magic of watching something grow from a tiny seedling to delicious and healthy food on the table
• A new or renewed appreciation of Nature
• Discovering the amazing array of approaches and tricks which help make an organic garden and great soil happen.

Experience counts! See our past and present clients below:

Aclaris Therapeutics, Aqua America, Ardent Federal Credit Union, the Chester County Government, Chester County Hospital, Brandywine Hospital, the Coatesville Veterans Administration Medical Center, DSM Biomedical, Independence Blue Cross, the National Iron and Steel Heritage Museum, The Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Resources, Shire Pharmaceuticals, Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Valley Forge Historical Park, and Weston Solutions. In addition: ACAC Fitness Center, Chester County Night School, the Chester County Public Library system, Downingtown Area Recreation Consortium, Kimberton Whole Foods, Montgomery County Community College, and the Twin Valleys and Valley Garden Clubs, as well as farmer's markets, senior centers, and private groups in the Philadelphia region.

The Let's Get Dirty! Grow it Organic program is typically comprised of a monthly series of one-hour sessions which chronologically follows the natural rhythms of the growing seasons, from early Spring to late Fall.

The following is an example course "syllabus" for eight months of Let's Get Dirty! Grow it Organic

• Each session is approximately forty-five to fifty-five minutes (depending on client needs), followed by a Q&A
• Sessions can be monthly or biweekly
• Maximum of nine monthly sessions beginning in February
• Remote sessions via Zoom or Microsoft Teams
• In-person sessions available in a 30-mile radius from western Chester Count (includes Center City Philadelphia)
• Each one-hour session is $400
• 5% discount for government entities, schools, and for any client that commits to a program of four or more sessions!
• Adjusted rates for non-profit organizations and groups

The program can also be customized according to client needs and scheduling.