Frog Pond Farm

Porch Construction Frog Pond Farm is located adjacent to the Duke Forest, between Durham, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough, NC. We have pick-your-own blueberries and blackberries during the mid-summer, currently with about 300 blueberries and 30 blackberries. Our orchard of old southern apples, and European and Asian pears is just coming into bearing age. Several varieties of figs are getting large enough to bear fruit after nursing through a few winters. In 2006/07 we added plums, peaches, cherries, red and black raspberries, a mulberry, some persimmons, and muscadine grapes.

We use organic and permaculture principles -- no artificial fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides of any kind. The blueberry, vegetable and other beds are maintained with a layer of permanent mulch, most typically chopped leaves.

We develop and offer farm-based educational programs, such as the workshops described below. We also plan to expand our educational programs by involving our frog pond, which teems with salamanders, crayfish, and of course FROGS.

We enjoy having kids visit the farm, and are also are interested in working with teens and young adults with an interest in farming, environmental education, and sustainability.

One early project involved helping a 4-H group create a bluebird trail. The group built 12 houses and installed them at a farm owned by Orange County. Families monitored the boxes through the spring and summer, keeping data on how the bluebirds (and a few chickadees) liked their accommodations. The day we put up the boxes, several bluebirds were hovering nearby, anxious to check them out!

2009 Workshop Calendar

Please Contact Us to register for workshops or to be added to our mailing lists. See below for information about registration.

ORGANIC GARDENING I: Creating an Organic Garden, Sunday March 29, 1-5pm
If you’re new to organic gardening or just want to review the basics, this workshop is for you. We’ll discuss site selection, soil testing and fertility, and give a tour of organic amendments. Then we’ll show how to create beds that are (mostly) weed free and low-maintenance, and talk about transplanting, direct seeding, crop rotation, cover crops, and irrigation, with hands-on examples in our garden. Finally, we’ll outline some of the easiest and most rewarding vegetables to grow, with specific suggestions on varieties and when to plant, and talk about how to manage some of the most common pests. Each participant will receive a detailed handout with resources and tips to get off to a good start. Workshop cost: $30, $20 students, includes a snack.

ORGANIC GARDENING II: Starting and Saving Seeds, Sunday, April 5, 1-4 pm
Once you’ve gotten your start in gardening, it’s time to enter the tantalizing world of seed starting and saving. Starting your own seeds lets you choose from amazing varieties you can’t buy as plants, and saving seeds lets you propagate your favorite varieties and become more self-sufficient. We’ll demonstrate how to start several types of garden seeds, talk about seed starting materials and trays, and explain how to nurture the seedlings to create vigorous transplants. We’ll also cover how to save seeds from main garden crops to produce pure and viable seed that you can grow year after year. Each participant will receive a detailed handout, and plant a six-pack of seeds to take home. Workshop cost*: $25, $15 students, includes a snack.

FRUITS AND BERRIES, Sunday, April 26, 1-5 pm
FRUITS AND BERRIES, Sunday, April 26, 1-5 pm Do you dream of picking plump raspberries for your granola, or biting into a crisp asian pear you just plucked from your own tree? During the first part of this interactive workshop we’ll survey the fruiting plants growing at the farm: blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, apples, pears, figs, persimmons, mulberries, strawberries, and more. As we wander, we’ll answer questions and offer growing tips for each plant. The second part will include hands-on activities, including mulching to prevent weeds and conserve moisture, planting a tree or berry bush, and creating a weed-free border. There’s so much to see and do, but we’ll try to save some time to answer all of your questions! In everything, our focus is on fruits that can be grown with organic, sustainable methods. Each participant will receive a detailed handout with information based on our experience and scouring of books and web resources. Workshop cost: $30, $15 students, includes a snack.



Workshop Registration and Cancellations

Your spot is reserved once we have received your registration form and payment. Cancellations are accepted up to 72 hours before the workshop if we can fill your spot with someone from the waiting list. A $5 cancellation fee applies.

Family Discounts

20% off the workshop rate for multiple members of the same household.