Darn Farm

04/21/2025

𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐚 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝'𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬 & 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐋𝐨𝐠 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓
𝐽𝑜𝑖𝑛 𝑈𝑠! 𝐹𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝐹𝑢𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝐹𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑠!
𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧: May 10 & 11 2024, 11:00am to 5:00pm
𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: darnfarm, 4221 School Rd. Madison WI 53704
𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐋𝐨𝐠𝐬:
Nanking Cherry
Sand Cherry
Aronia
Nannyberry
American Plum
Rosa Rugosa
Hardy Pecan
Northern Persimmon
Pawpaw
Willow, Black Skin bush
Willow, Flame
Fig
Hardy Kiwi (Meader' Male)
Hardy Geneva (Female Kiwi)
Serviceberry
Serviceberry Downy
Serviceberry Shadblow
Serviceberry Allegheny
Serviceberry Running
Serviceberry Saskatoon
Leadplant
Appleleaf Chokeberry
Purple Chokeberry
Pawpaw
Pecan
Shellbark Hickory
American Chestnut
New Jersey-Tea
Buttonbush
Pagoda Dogwood
Silky Dogwood
Hazelnut
Cornelian cherry
Washington Hawthorn
Persimmon
Native Wintergreen
Vernal Witchhazel
Kobus Magnolia
Western Sandcherry
Nanking Cherry
Fragrant sumac
Buffaloberry
Canadian Hemlock
Highbush blueberry
Nannyberry
Kentucky Wisteria
Prickly-ash
Strawberry Collection - Large Berry
Archer
Cabot
Dickens
Jewel
Raspberry All Color Collection
Royalty Raspberry
Jewel Raspberry
Caroline Raspberry
Anne Raspberry
Von Blackberry - Erect - Thornless
Blueray Blueberry
Bonus Blueberry
Nelson Blueberry
Spartan Blueberry
Blueray Blueberry
Duke Blueberry
Elliott Blueberry
Nelson Blueberry
Blackdown Black Currant
Consort Black Currant
Jonkeer Van Tets
Captivator Gooseberry
Purple Passion Asparagus
Aurora Honeyberry 2yr
Honey Bee Honeyberry 2yr
Tundra Honeyberry
Orchard rootstock Apple Bud 9 (dwarf) - some grafted
Orchard rootstock Apple Bud 18 (semi-dwarf) - many grafted
Orchard rootstock Pear Provenance (dwarf) -some grafted
Orchard rootstock Pear Provenance (dwarf) . . . . . AND More!
Shiitake
Nameko
Blue Oyster
Chicken of the Woods

05/01/2024

Join Us! Find Your Future Forest Foods!
Madison Area Permaculture Guild Annual Perennial Edibles Plant & Mushroom Log Sale 2024!
When: May 11 & 12, 2024, 11:00am to 5:00pm
Where: DarnFarm, 4221 School Rd. Madison WI 53704
Expected Plants:
Strawberries - All Season - Galletta, Flavorfest, Jewel, AC Valley Sunset
Strawberries - Large Berry - Archer, Cabot, Dickens, Jewel
Raspberries - All Color - Royalty, Jewel, Caroline, Anne
Blackberry - Erect Thornless - Apache, Von
Blueberry - LARGE BERRY - Blueray, Bonus, Nelson, Spartan
Blueberry - ALL SEASON -Blueray, Duke, Elliott, Nelson
Black Currant - Blackdownm Consort
Gooseberry Captivator
Red Currant Rovada
Asparagus - Purple Passion, Mary Washington
Nanking Cherry
Sand Cherry (Cherry plum)
Aronia
Nannyberry
American Plum
Washington Hawthorn
Allegheny Serviceberry
Serviceberry (a alnifolia)
Bur Oak
Northern Persimmon
Hardy Pecan
False Indigo (Amorpha Fruiticans)
Wild Blackberry
Siberian C Peach starts
Russian Comfrey
Black Spanish fig
PawPaw
' Meader' Male Hardy Kiwi Actinidia arguta
'Geneva' Female Hardy Kiwi Actinidia arguta
'Ann' Female Hardy Kiwi Actinidia arguta
Native Downy Amelanchier arborea
Shadblow Serviceberry Amelanchier canadensis
Allegheny Serviceberry Amelanchier laevis Native
Native Running Serviceberry Amelanchier stolonifera
Leadplant Amorpha canescens Native
Indigo Bush Amorpha Amorpha fruticosa Native
Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Native
Aronia melanocarpa grandifolia Appleleaf Chokeberry
Aronia prunifolia
Pawpaw Asimina triloba E USA
Pecan Carya illinoienensis E USA
Shellbark Hickory Carya laciniosa E USA
American Chestnut Castanea dentata E USA
New Jersey-Tea Ceanothus americanus Native 1 yr
Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis Native
Mountain Summersweet Clethra acuminata E USA
Sweetfern Sage Comptonia peregrina
Pagoda Dogwood Cornus alternifolia Native
Silky Dogwood Cornus amomum
Hazelnut Corylus americana Native
Washington Hawthorn Crataegus phaenopyrum E USA
Persimmon Diospyros virginiana E USA
Wintergreen Gaultheria procumbens Native
Vernal Witchhazel Hamamelis vernalis SC USA
Kobus Magnolia Magnolia kobus
Partridgeberry Mitchella repens Native
American Plum Prunus americana Native
Western Sandcherry Prunus besseyi W USA
Nanking Cherry Prunus tomentosa
Chinkapin Oak Quercus muehlenbergii Native
Carolina Rose Rosa carolina Native
Thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus Native
Buffaloberry Shepherdia argentea E USA
Meadowsweet Spiraea alba Native
Littleleaf Linden Tilia cordata
Highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum
Nannyberry Viburnum lentago Native
Kentucky Wisteria Wisteria macrostachya E USA
Yucca filamentosa Adam's Needle
Aurora Honeyberry 2yr
Honey Bee Honeyberry 2yr
German Chamomile 3-inch pot
German Winter Thyme 3-inch pot
Aroma II Basil 3-inch pot
Common Fanni Sage 3-inch pot
Fruit Tree Rootstocks:
Malling 7 rootstock, SSE
260A — Malus Geneva 11 Rootstock,
Krymsk 5 Rootstock, 1/4" caliper grade
Pyrus ‘OHxF97’ Rootstock
257A — Malus Antonovka Rootstock
259A — Malus M111 Rootstock

03/14/2024

Madison Area Permaculture Guild
10th Annual Mushroom Log Plugging Event
Sat, April 27, 2024 12:00pm - 6:00pm CDT

Join Us for this important fundraiser for the Madison Area Permaculture Guild!

Learn about mushroom log plugging and care.

No experience needed. We'll explain all about the process and answer questions while we work.

We'll plug logs to sell at our Annual Spring Perennial Edibles Plant Sale and next years Garden Expo! We will have extra logs to plug this year - we need help!

1/2-Priced Log ($20) for pluggers who stay at least 4 hours!

Bring a hammer if you have one ; ).

RSVP/Get more info here: https://permacultureworks.org/posts/51433661...

Wear grubby gardening clothes.

Park on the street at 4221 School Road.

RAIN DATE: Saturday May 4, 2024 @ 12pm - 6pm

03/20/2023

Just edited together a bunch of photos and video clips of Darn Farm (no soundtrack; just pick you favorite bird song track

No sound track (play your own birdsong track while you watch!)

03/18/2023

Annual Edible Perennials Plant Sale 2023
The Madison Area Permaculture Guild is preparing for our Annual Edible Perennials Plant Sale 2023, which will be Saturday May 6 and Sunday May 7, 2023 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Below is posted our current expected plant stocks. The list down through the Native Blue Flag are smaller very inexpensive stocks that you'll have to pot up and grow out. Stocks below that are larger, but still very reasonably priced for the size and health. The Strawberry and Asparagus can be purchased 1 at a time.

Plant List
E USA Pawpaw
Arctic Beauty Hardy Kiwi
Red Beauty Hardy Kiwi
Meader Hardy Kiwi
Geneva Hardy Kiwi
E USA Shadblow (true Eastern US type)
Native Allegheny Serviceberry
Native Running Serviceberry
Native Bearberry
Pecan
Shellbark Hickory
American Chestnut
Native New Jersey-Tea
Native Buttonbush
Native Redtwig Dogwood
Native Hazelnut
Washington Hawthorn
Persimmon
Native Wintergreen
Vernal Witchhazel
Kobus Magnolia
Native American Plum
Beach Plum
Nanking Cherry
Native Chinkapin Oak
Native Dewberry
Native Thimbleberry
Native Elderberry
Buffaloberry
Native Meadowsweet
Native Nannyberry
Weigela 'Red '
Kentucky Wisteria
Adam's Needle Yucca
Native Blue Flag
Collection - All Season Strawberry Collection
Collection All Color Raspberry
Apache - Erect Blackberry
Blueberry All Season Collection
Blackdown Black Currant
Consort Black Currant
Red Lake Red Currant
Captivator Gooseberry
Asparagus - Mary Washington
Asparagus - Purple
elderberry
apricot
buffaloberry
aronia
washington hawthorn
serviceberry
pawpaw
chinkapin oak
red mulberry
shellbark hickory
hardy pecan
persimmon
nannyberry
witchhazel
hardy chicago fig
nanking cherry
basil
chamomile
parsley
lemon balm
sage
oregano
Shisandra Vine

02/17/2023

Grafting Workshop & Scion Swap
Please join us March 11, 2023

Why Graft ?
Grafting Workshop Details
Registration
About Alex Tanke
What to Bring
Location
Scion Swap Details

Why Graft?
This year, young fruit tree can cost around $60 at a nursery, which gets pretty expensive if your design includes multiple trees! Rootstock on the other hand, costs less than $5 each when bought in bulk. We will be buying in bulk and selling Apple, Pear and Plum root stocks at a small mark-up at our Annual Spring Plant Sale this year (Mothers' Day weekend).

Grafting Workshop
Alex Tanke of Dispersion Farms will instruct us in the magic of grafting fruit and nut trees (read more about Alex below). He will cover everything from knife selection and sharpening to grafting techniques and seals. Most of the time will be for practicing the grafting techniques and getting some feedback on your practice grafts! The Grafting Workshop will be indoors, so no shivering while learning to work with a sharp grafting blade!

Registration
To register for this event, please view the calendar event at https://www.PermacultureWorks.org – the new community hub supporting Madison Area Permaculture Guild and Slow PDC member connection (replacing the MAPG website).

About Alex Tanke
Alex Tanke is a tree crop breeder and propagator working with superior, locally adapted, staple tree crops for Southern WI. He grows many species in the Dispersion Farms nursery but has special focuses on Honey Locust, American Persimmon, and Black Walnuts, and Hybrid Hickory/Pecan genetics.

What to Bring
Bring a grafting Blade. Alex has several knives to share for practicing, but probably not enough for everyone. He also only has right-handed knives and the recommended grafting knives are single-bevel, specific to right- and left-handed folks. For grafting, he recommends a Victorinox (with the Swiss army symbol) grafting knife, with single bevel, 2-inch, straight blade. Like THIS (note: this is a right-handed bevel; similar blades can be found for left-handed folks). If a sufficient number of participants are interested early enough, we could do a bulk order of blades.

Location
Linden CoHousing will host the event. The workshop and swap will be hosted by Linden CoHousing; we are grateful for their generosity. They require that everyone mask in their common room unless eating. So, please bring a mask.
Please park only in "guest" parking spaces or on the street. Please only enter through the Great Room entrance and stay in the public areas.

Scion Swap
Now is the time to collect scion, while the trees are dormant. If you have delicious, hardy apple, pear or plum trees, please bring some scion to swap! Grafting multiple scion varieties to established trees increases diversity and, thereby, better insures fruiting in varied spring weather weirdness.

How to collect and store scion check out this video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv1bxH72D0U&ab_channel=StefanSobkowiak-ThePermacultureOrchard – from the Permaculture Orchard. It is important to keep scion moist and cool, so pack your scion in a cooler for the trip to the trade!

How do you choose what to graft? What cultivar or variety do I select? When do I gather scions or branches for grafting? How do I gather scions or branches f...

12/08/2022

𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗣𝗗𝗖)
𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀

The First Six, Introductory Sessions of Slow PDC
Sponsored by the Madison Mutual Aid Network

Sunday, December 11, 2022
10:00am - 12:00pm: What is Permaculture
12:30pm - 2:00pm: Ecology and Systems Thinking

Sunday, January 8, 2023
10:00am - 12:00pm: Permaculture Essentials: Ethics, Principles and Patterns
12:30pm - 2:00pm: The Permaculture Design Process

Sunday, February 5, 2023
10:00am - 12:00pm: Introduction to Water in Permaculture
12:30pm - 2:00pm: Introduction to Soil in Permaculture

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER: https://forms.gle/oZ31dvoHseeusa6e6

WHERE Sessions offered in hybrid format via Zoom and in-person at the Social Justice Center conference room (1202 Williamson St, Madison, WI 53703) Doors Open at 9:45am; Arrive early to get settled!

We take a lunch break from 12pm to 12:30pm. If in-person please pack a lunch; W***y St Coop is just across the street if you prefer to buy a lunch.

Sessions are valued at $30 each. This limited offer is free or equivalent hours to Madison Mutual Aid Network members. You may register as a member of the Madison Mutual Aid Network on the day of a session in order to receive this offer.

If you are able to pay for sessions or make any donation for your participation, funds will be used to support the work of the Madison Mutual Aid Network & Slow PDC

01/30/2022

𝗠𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱'𝘀
𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗗𝗖 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮
𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

The Madison Area Permaculture Guild is continuing a rapid prototype of a new, more accessible format for our annual Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course, dubbed the “Slow PDC.”

What makes it slow? It breaks down the typical 72 hours of a PDC into 2-hour sections which can be completed over 1 to 3 years, or longer! Completion of each section will be marked with a digital badge (if you are not familiar with digital badges, take a look at this description below)

The first 4 badges (beginning Feb. 20th, 2022), comprise a thorough introduction and orientation to Permaculture and are required in order to participate in the rest of Slow PDC series. Once the initial four sections are complete, however, the remaining 32, 2-hour sections can be completed in almost any order and on almost any timeline.

We will continue the prototype by offering a second 4-hour classroom (covering 2 badges) on a second Sunday every month beginning on February 20, 2022. This will result in 4 Slow PDC badge offerings each month, 2 early in the month and 2 later in the month on Sundays from 10am -2:30pm. This pattern will begin with these prerequisite introductory badge sessions:

𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝘁𝗵, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮 𝟭𝟬𝗮𝗺 -𝟮:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺 (½ 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 )
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗱𝗴𝗲
𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝗱𝗴𝗲

𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟬𝘁𝗵, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮 𝟭𝟬𝗮𝗺 -𝟮:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺 (½ 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 )
𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗱𝗴𝗲
𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗕𝗮𝗱𝗴𝗲

In addition, future sections may be offered by a variety of teachers in a variety of formats and site locations, while addressing the required learning objectives of the badge.
On completing each section, a group of sections, or all sections (completing the PDC) you will receive a certified digital badge, which you can post to your website, a LinkedIn profile, or online resume or other social media site, celebrating your learning accomplishments with family and friends and verifying them for a potential client or employer.

Due to COVID-19, we’ll continue offering Slow PDC badges via Zoom classrooms until it is clearly safe to meet together in-person.

We practice participatory education: the collective knowledge of all the students and instructors is greater than any one of us. We are working on innovative ways to ensure an opportunity to interact with other participants and engage with the materials beyond a straight lecture format.

Each section will require some additional study and some homework to be completed outside the classroom and each will offer a Zoom discussion group led by an experienced permaculture guide to provide space for additional small group interaction, address follow up questions, and assist with homework questions.

What is a digital badge? When clicked a digital badge redirects to a digital badge certification site. The certification site ensures you earned the badge (as opposed to just posting a copied image online). The certification site also describes the skills associated with each badge you’ve earned giving potential clients or employers a thorough understanding of the knowledge and accomplishments represented by the badge.

𝗧𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱:
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Permaculture Design and Natural Systems
Soil Building and Ecosystems
Foraging and Wild Crafting
Fungi – food, soil and remediation
Water Harvesting, Management and Remediation
Plant Guilds and Forest Gardens
Natural Built Environment
Energy Systems
Invisible Systems, Social Permaculture and Community Building
Large and Small Scale Permaculture
Intensive Food Systems and Animals
Urban Permaculture Solutions
Biomimicry and Patterns

*𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
$50 per session ($25 per Badge)
$900 for complete PDC (all 36 Badges)

*We don’t want a lack of money resources to keep anyone from joining us. If you need financial support to participate, please note this in the space provided on the registration form and we’ll follow up with you.

𝙍𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙚: https://forms.gle/Fdap16wR3fc6b3Vy5
For more information email us at [email protected]