OATS
About
The Organic Agriculture Trainers Seminar seeks to use principles found in God’s Word and in creation to train individuals in the basics of agriculture. We desire to learn about ways of doing agriculture that will benefit creation on all levels, therefore taking part in the dominion and stewardship given to us by God. We believe that in Christ, God’s desire is to reconcile all things to himself and that through agriculture, relationships can be restored. We desire to discover and use agriculture methods that restore man’s relationship to creation, bringing about conservation and sustainability. We also desire to help the various parts of nature that are found in the garden (soil, animals, bugs, microorganisms, plants etc.) thrive together as God intended. We will learn the basic science of some aspects of growing food as well as have an opportunity to practice basic planting techniques.
OATS stands for Organics Agriculture Trainers Seminar.
CONTENT/ SYLLABUS:
Week 1
- Biblical worldview of agriculture and food security
- Biblical worldview of land
- The role of soil conservation throughout history
- The Science of soil
- Different types of organic farming
- Bio-intensive Agriculture (BIA) – history and overview
- Eight steps to BIA
1. Designing growing beds and plot design
2. Using composting to improve soil fertility
3. Spacing plants closely for better yields and more efficient use of nutrients, light and soil
4. Using seeds that self-reproduce, reducing reliance on commercial seeds
5. Pairing plants that are mutually beneficial, attracting good insects and repelling harmful insects without chemicals
6. Choosing crops that produce high levels of carbon to restore soil
7. Focusing on crops that provide high nutrients and calories
8.Creating an overall plan for low input/low cost farming
Week 2:
- Practical Application
- Setting up BIA – Compost creation
- Bed preparation
- Plant selection
- Plant spacing
- Complete diet mini-farm
- Organic pesticides
- Seed propagation Goal: Enhanced & uninterrupted plant growth
- Creating a growing home environment – involving children
Week 3:
- Growing in challenging Areas
- Abundance
- Water resistant crops and cover cropping
- Water harvesting and recycling
- Watering principles and retention
- Maximizing quality & quantity of crops – planning and timing, soil fertility.
- Latest Organic Agricultural Technologies
UPCOMING TRAININGS
Amsterdam NL
One Week Introductory course with Practical
23th – 27th October
Location: The Fig Tree – Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Price: 250€ including food
Contact: rkortenoeven@gmail.com
Herrnhut DE
Three Week Organic Agricultural Trainers Seminar
Currently not running
Location: YWAM Herrnhut – Herrnhut, Germany & Nuremberg Food Forrest – Nuremberg, Germany
Price: 800€ including food and accommodation
Contact: aaronghoover@gmail.com
“Circumstances unblemished by any sort of defect. Shalom is a blessing, a manifestation of divine grace.”
Meet the team
Aaron and Susi Hoover (USA/Germany)
are parents of two kids (Eleni and Ezra), have a passion for community living, farming with abundance, and Jesus. Permanently located in Greece, they have started gardens on city rooftops, outside refugee camps, and currently on a YWAM base in Germany.
Benjamin Alles (Canada)
is experienced with mixed vegetable crop production in Germany and Canada, integrated egg production, and research in cover-cropping and no-till vegetable production. Ben is married to Michelle from Paraguay.
Richard and Bruna (Netherlands/Brazil))
are parents of three kids (Anorah, Brandon, and Noah). They love Jesus, family, farming, dreaming, tiny houses, gardening, and their dog.
Carl and Kathy Thompson (USA/Canada)
Having started as a hippie goat farmer in British Columbia, Carl started a farm in Washington state before being called to missions some forty years ago. He married Kathy 36 years ago which changed his life almost as much as meeting Jesus. Together they have farmed and gardened in many parts of the world and raised four wonderful children. They are based in Michigan, USA but are currently with their third son and family in Thailand.
Gene and Gretchen Tate
(USA)
Grew up on family ranches in the mountains of Colorado and loved the life it encompassed. In 1986, as a young couple with family, they responded to a short term missions training that turned into a life long call. They are passionate to see God intentions of thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven fully expressed in the lives of people everywhere. Currently they are facilitating an intensive 5 month regenerative agriculture training in Uganda.
Johannes and Nardeen Volkert
(Germany/Egypt/Canada)
Johannes life was deeply impacted by the OATS in 2018. He did several trainings afterwards in permaculture and regenerative agriculture and is now really into Agroforestry and Edible Food Forests. Nardeen studied theology and is also a certified health and nutrition coach. They both are teaching and integrating OATS topics on their farm in Germany, as well on projects abroad, especially in the Middle East.
