While it’s widely accepted that healthy food choices help us prevent disease, maintain balance, and live a healthy life, how often do we consider how our healthy choices also play into the health of the planet? Or how interconnected the health of our planet is to our own health as individuals and as a community? How can we hope to be truly, wholly healthy beings, if our daily choices and habits do not coincide with a healthy planet?
On April 21st, join us at Earth Day at The Yard for a day of fun, learning, classes and workshops to get you thinking and acting in more green ways.
Image courtesy of Pamela Wasabi
Cooking to save the Earth
Learn how to make delicious plant-based recipes, get “tip to tail” cooking guidance from the pros at Miami smokers and make “scissor salsa” with your kids at one of the three cooking classes in the Yardbox, located behind the garden:
Learn how to make quick and simple plant-based recipes like creamy avocado bisque and pancakes with maple cashew cream at home with beloved Miami cookie-maker, cookbook author and proponent of “eating more beauty,” Pamela Wasabi. From 11 am to 12 pm ($20, pre-register here. Space is limited).
Little humans can cook too! You’ll be surprised to see how well kids will eat their veggies when they’re able to pick the ingredients from the garden, and make the food with their own little hands. Join Mimi Chacin of Skills! Culinary for the special, hands-on kids’ cooking class from 1-2pm. Little cooks will make “scissor salsa” and blender pesto after harvesting in the garden, and they’ll have fun learning how to make veggies delicious ($15, pre-register here. Space is limited).
Calling all carnivores! Have you ever wondered what your meat eats before you eat it? If you are what you eat, you should know what your food eats and how it’s raised. Where does it come from and what are the supplier’s environmental, social and ethical practices? Learn how to distinguish high quality meat, and where to find it. The experts at Miami Smokers will discuss heritage breeds, sourcing, and using the whole animal in respect of the food we eat. You’ll learn how to make sausage using different cuts of the meat, and homemade sauerkraut to accompany the sausage. Best part? At the end, it’s time to eat! ($20, pre-register here. Space is limited).
The Wynwood Yard is also hosting additional food workshops and stations throughout the day including:
Create your own trail mix with Whole Foods Market from 12 pm to 3 pm behind the garden pergola using tasty selections from their bulk bin of yummy items. You'll receive a reusable container, courtesy of Preserve Products, to mix up your own to-go snack. **Bring in your #5 plastics to The Yard where there will be Preserve Gimme 5 bins to better discard your yogurt cartons, cottage cheese tubs, and hummus containers.
Earth-conscious folks don’t have to wear burlap and Birkenstocks
Did you buy some beads or paint for crafting or ribbons for gifting, used a little and ended up with a bunch of leftovers that just ended up laying around your house? Bring those materials and learn how to make rad upcycled bracelets with The Full Edit. This kid- and adult-friendly workshop is from 2 to 4 p.m. The Full Edit’s business is based around an eco-centered purpose--it’s a professional closet editing service that helps people organize their space and upcycle their fashion waste.
Learn how to share space with Mother Nature
The feathery stars of Jungle Island want to hang with the community on the mainland. Bring your little humans to The Yard for an exciting educational experience. Animals such as Jungle Island's famous parrots will make an exclusive appearance at Charcoal Garden Bar and Grill. Learn about the other species that share the planet with us and why it’s important to protect them. Activities will include hands-on animal interactions and surprise activations and will run from 11 am to 2 pm. Register here so you don’t miss this experience!
Healthy soil is an essential element in forming the foundation of our food supply. Soil feeds the ecosystem and by composting organic material, we can feed the soil. Composting is one of the best ways to go green and recycle in a sustainable manner. Learn how to start your own composting system with Composting 101, a free workshop hosted by The Worm Whisperer. From 12 pm to 1 pm in the garden.
Learn how to harvest and make your own home remedies with farmers & herbalists Katia Bechara and Gabriela Serra of Mother Earth Miami Farm. They’ll teach the Herbalist Gardening Workshop from 2 pm to 4 pm in the garden. This workshop will demonstrate all the different ways to use plants as medicine (infusions, decoctions, poultices, etc) with an overview of the most common medicinal plants found in subtropical Miami. We’re trying to break free from plastic and waste so we strongly encourage our participants to bring their own jars with proper lids. For the oil, you’ll want to bring a small 4-oz glass jars and for the salve, you’ll want to bring a ½- or 1-oz jar (tin or glass). ($25, pre-register here. Space is limited).
Via @workshpp.taller.atelye
Create your very own tiny ecosystem with The Workshop Taller Ateyle at The Wynwood Yard. Build a terrarium from 2pm to 4pm. Taller Atelye will teach little humans how to create beautiful and unique plant art. This is a fun and artistic way to introduce children to gardening. Prices vary based on size of terrarium, see available ticket options here.
Move your body
Join us for two fitness classes throughout the day: at 11 a.m., parents and kids can enjoy fitness together with Loop Family Fit + Play , followed by Yoga for Mama Earth at noon with Ahana Yoga and Dawn B.
To see our full schedule and RSVP for Earth Day at The Yard click here.