the mother earth news real food experience has been postponed to April 29-30, 2023
Please check back for future announcements on other workshops we are coordinating for late summer and fall 2022 at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.
dates
Saturday, April 29, 2023
Sunday, April 30, 2023
Mother Earth News Presents:
The Real Food Experience in Lawrence, Kansas
Discover the rewarding journey of the Real Food Experience from MOTHER EARTH NEWS in Lawrence, Kansas, April 29-30, 2023! Learn not just the what but the how, why, where, and when of real food in this hands-on experience.
Whether you are taking your first steps in your real food journey or refining the skills you already have, get connected to the food that nourishes you and your community with the guidance of experts. Learn how to cultivate real food while following sustainable and regenerative practices.
Our stages will include Organic Gardening, Modern Homesteading, Real Food, Growing Community, and more with workshops to help you learn how to grow, process, and harvest your own food from start to finish, covering topics such as seed saving, raising heritage pig breeds, meal planning, brewing beer and mead, crafting honey, making a healing salve, and much more!
Here’s What This Two-Day Event Entails:
• Hands-On Workshops
Roll up your sleeves and interact with experts on organic gardening, beekeeping, animal husbandry, culinary creations, and more! Take a deep dive and come away with more than just knowledge—you also get to take home anything you make during the workshops! Space is limited, see registration options below.
• Presentations
Stop by the MOTHER EARTH NEWS stage and listen to a variety of speakers eager to share their expertise on gardening, entrepreneurship, utilizing whole foods, and more! Free and open to the general public.
• Bookstore and Marketplace
Connect with tons of exhibitors and browse handy resources to get you going on your real food journey. Accessible to the general public.
• Food Trucks!
Don’t miss out on all the tasty cuisine we’ve got lined up. Accessible to the general public.
Registration Options for Hands-On Workshops
Get an All-Access Pass! (Best Value)
Save money by making one payment to attend multiple hands-on workshops. You can choose from any of the 21 workshops to customize your learning experience. We will send you an email around May 1 with instructions on how to select the specific workshops you would like to attend.
Register for Individual Workshops
This is the perfect option if you and your friends or family members only have time to attend one or two hands-on workshops.
Hands-On Workshops with the Experts
Seed Saving 101: How to Save Your Garden Seeds
Learn how to save heirloom seeds from your garden and enjoy a bountiful harvest for years to come! In this fun and informative presentation, author and seed saver Bevin Cohen discusses the difference between open-pollinated, hybrid, and GMO seeds as well as how to harvest, process, and store seeds from dozens of your favorite garden varieties. He also covers the details of pollination, isolation techniques, and the importance of preserving genetic diversity. This workshop includes live demonstrations of seed-saving techniques, and participants leave with a working knowledge of how to incorporate this ancient practice into their gardens at home!
Fermenting Vegetables for Preservation, Gut Health, and Out-of-This-World Flavor
You can take vegetables harvested at the peak of their season and preserve them for maximum flavor and nutrition, whether you grow your own or get them from a local farmer. Learn to use one of the safest, easiest, most flavorful, and healthiest techniques known to preserve while keeping all the nutrients alive (as well as increasing their benefit). Sound too good to be true? Kirsten Shockey discusses the health advantages of eating fermented foods and demystifies the process by demonstrating both ancient and ultra-modern techniques of preservation (which work for small and large quantities). This workshop explores the possibilities for using vegetables from A(sparagus) to Z(ucchini). Bring your curiosity and questions.
Kuku Keeping (Swahili for ‘Chicken’) 101
From Rose Galloway, learn the basics of getting started with chicken keeping, from egg selection (egg inspection, candling), to preparing for baby chicks (heat, bedding, water), to keeping adult laying hens, to putting meat on the table. This hands-on workshop will provide the information needed to start a successful flock. You’ll walk away knowing all the basics: what to feed, types of water and how to water, housing, and basic health.
How to Raise Heritage Pig Breeds
Join Pork Rhyne, the “Pork Evangelist,” as he shares the nuances of raising heritage pigs. Learn about the value of heritage breeds, which were carefully selected and bred over time. Get to know the traits they developed to make them well-adapted to their local environment and thrive under different farming practices and cultural conditions. Rhyne covers the factors of how to go about selecting your breed. You’ll walk away with an understanding of body, structure, how they differ from commonly raised hogs, and how you should feed and care for unique breeds. Come ready to see Pork Rhyne interact with the Meishan breed thanks to Odd Bird Farm!
WANT TO exhibit AT the REAL FOOD EXPERIENCE?
Reach new customers interested in a sustainable lifestyle — apply to exhibit.
Explore Ways to save money and live efficiently
Mother Earth News has been helping folks live simpler, more meaningful lives since the magazine was launched – nearly 50 years ago. No matter your personal interests you know you can count on Mother’s quality workshops for field-tested, country-honed guidance that will set you free – and put money in your pocket!
TAKE YOUR SKILLS TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Our hands-on and extended workshops are one of our most popular attractions! For an additional fee, you can register to take part in these limited engagements aimed at fostering practical, money-saving skillsets. The best way to learn is by doing, and our nationally renowned experts will show you how. Topics run the gamut. Create your own sourdough starter, learn expert hand-spinning techniques, explore DIY fermentation with miso, and more!
Learn More Get your passeshands-on schedule
available May 28-29, 2022
Book signing schedule
Saturday
Sunday
Finally There’s a Better Way to Find Homesteading Products
The Real Food Experience presented by Mother Earth News provides you a rare opportunity: a living and breathing marketplace where you can interact with exhibitors, authors, and innovators whose passion for what they do is matched only by their authority in the industry. Our exhibitors are ready and willing to demo and discuss a vast array of products that will help you live better. Now you can shop the latest sustainable products, compare prices, witness demos, and take advantage of exclusive deals and incentives – all in one place.
Find Your Way
Get the layout of the venue, and find your favorite stage and exhibitors before you go to the FAIR.
BUY FAIR PASSES IN ADVANCE ONLINE AND SAVE!
until the REAL FOOD EXPERIENCE!
WHEN AND WHERE
LAWRENCE, KAN. REAL FOOD EXPERIENCE
dates
April 29-30, 2023
Saturday, April 29
Sunday, April 30
Douglas County Fairgrounds
2120 Harper St,
Lawrence, KS 66046
Get Directions Using Google Maps
From Kansas City:
Travel I-35 S. Follow I-35 S and KS-10 W to E 23rd St in Wakarusa. Exit from KS-10 W. Continue on E 23rd St to your destination in Lawrence.
Places to Stay
Mother Earth News Fair has partnered with Stay22 to provide you with all available accommodations (hotels, Airbnbs, hostels, etc.) at the lowest price online. This pricing is equal or better than what you’ll find on any discount travel or hotel website. Book directly from the map below!
sponsors
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Supporting Partners
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