FROM ONE-ON-ONE
garden consultations
TO HANDS-ON
classes,
WENDY BRINGS
decades of experience
TO HELP YOU CONFIDENTLY
grow, forage and preserve
FOOD THAT TRULY NOURISHES
YOU AND YOUR
family.
Home Garden Consultations to help you plan your garden, maximize your space, and plant with confidence.
With over 25 years of gardening experience, Wendy brings deep, hands-on expertise to helping others grow food successfully in Wisconsin’s unique climate. She is a Garden Coach trained through Gardenary, Inc., specializing in Zone 5 vegetable and herb gardens across urban, suburban, and rural settings. She offers her expertise to help you grow more with less stress.
During your on-site consultation, Wendy visits your space to assess growing conditions, understand your goals, and provide a personalized plan for starting or improving your garden—taking into account sunlight, soil health, and what to plant (and when) for long-term success.
Root to Table Evenings with Wendy on location at the Porterfield farmette, including a workshop, a farm-to-table dinner, and guided conversation in community.
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After 6 years of living in a condo and growing in Community Gardens, Wendy and her husband have moved to their own homestead on 4 acres south of Madison, WI. Wendy is hosting periodic Root to Table Evenings, welcoming a limited group to their farmette to join a themed workshop, a farm-to-table dinner, and guided conversation in community.
From starting sourdough to foraging wild ingredients, Wendy’s classes give you the confidence and skills to get hands-on with food and nature. Join her for workshops that are fun, interactive, and full of practical know-how you can take straight to your garden and kitchen.
Preserving Tomatoes: 4 Ways
Willy St. Co-op | Madison, WI
August 22 9:00 am - 11:00 am (Willy East / Aubergine)
There is nothing like fresh, in-season tomatoes! Come explore four fun, creative ways to preserve tomatoes, including freezing, dehydrating, fermenting, and canning. While this is not an exhaustive class on any of those methods, you will learn essential skills for success in each. Take home recipes and a pint of fermented salsa. Bring a cutting board and a knife.
Preserving Tomatoes: 4 Ways
Olbrich Gardens | Madison, WI
August 27 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Sept 1 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
There is nothing like fresh, in-season tomatoes, and the good news is that you can enjoy that flavor all year long! Come explore four fun, creative ways to preserve tomatoes, including freezing, dehydrating, fermenting and canning. While this is not an exhaustive class on any of those methods, you will learn essential skills for success in each. Take home recipes, a jar of dried cherry tomatoes, and a pint of fermented salsa. Bring cutting board/knife.
Canning 101: Learn the Basics of Water Bath Canning
Olbrich Gardens | Madison, WI
Sept 22 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Learn the essential techniques of this old food preservation method of safely preserving foods like jams, tomatoes, and pickles using a boiling water bath. Understand how to prepare jars, select appropriate recipes, ensure proper sealing, and store canned goods safely. This hands-on experience of canning together will equip you with the skills to preserve fresh produce and enjoy homemade, shelf-stable treats throughout the year. All materials provided, and you will leave with a jar of home-canned goods.
Fermenting Vegetables: Let's Make Sauerkraut
Olbrich Gardens | Madison, WI
Oct 10 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Explore the wonderful world of fermenting vegetables to create probiotic-rich foods you can enjoy throughout the year. Discover the benefits of fermentation, how to prepare vegetables, and techniques for successful home fermentation. Everyone will make your own jar of sauerkraut. By the end, you'll be confident in making your own fermented dishes and understand the science behind fermentation for healthier, flavorful, and naturally preserved foods.
Whole Grains: Baking with Fresh-Milled Flour
Willy St. Co-op | Madison, WI
Oct 17 10:00 am - 12:00 pm (Willy East / Aubergine )
Oct 21 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm (Willy West)
Do you want more whole grains in your kitchen, and have you thought about milling your own grains into flour? Explore the world of nutrient-rich baking with freshly milled flour! Taste test some freshly milled goodies, experience a grain mill demonstration, and learn the basics of types of wheat berries and how to use them in everyday recipes like pancakes, muffins, cookies, and bread.
Sourdough Bread Baking
Willy St. Co-op | Madison, WI
Oct 28 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm (Willy West)
Nov 7 10:00 am - 12:00 pm (Willy East / Aubergine)
Learn the art of sourdough—and enjoy fresh bread, too! In this hands-on class, discover the health benefits of sourdough, how to care for a starter, and how to mix, knead, shape, and bake bread. You’ll take home a dough ball to bake, an organic sourdough starter, and a recommended supply list. Please bring a small mixing bowl with lid or cover to mix and transport your dough.
Sourdough Bread Baking
Olbrich Gardens | Madison, WI
Nov 12 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Nov 17 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Learn the art of crafting delicious sourdough bread from scratch - and enjoy some fresh bread, too! Discover the health benefits of sourdough, how to maintain a sourdough starter, mix and knead dough, and properly ferment and bake bread. At the end, you will go home with your own organic sourdough starter, enough flour to feed it once more, and a list of recommended supplies. You will be equipped to confidently bake your own sourdough loaves at home.
Making Elderberry Syrup & Honey Fermented Garlic
Willy St. Co-op | Madison, WI
Nov 10 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm (Willy East / Aubergine)
Nov 16 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm (Willy West)
Prepare for winter by making two traditional seasonal remedies: elderberry syrup and honey fermented garlic. Learn how to prepare, store, and use these delicious additions to your kitchen, and explore how they can help you weather cold and flu season well. Each participant will take home jars of both recipes, along with the skills to make them yourself.
Freeze Drying Food: The Food Storage Easy Button
Olbrich Gardens | Madison, WI
Dec 1 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Come learn about home freeze drying for food preservation, camping/travel, and building your preserved food supply. This is so much more than astronaut ice cream - you can freeze dry just about any food and when stored properly, they can last 25 years. This easy, quick method of preserving food retains nearly all the original nutrients. Come explore the how-to and benefits of freeze drying and taste some freeze dried foods.
Baking Holiday Star Bread
Willy St. Co-op | Madison, WI
Dec 3 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm (Willy West)
Dec 8 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm (Willy East / Aubergine)
Looking for a holiday treat that will impress everyone with both beauty and flavor? Together we will learn to make holiday star bread using packaged yeast and whole grain flour. A savory pesto/parmesan and a sweet cinnamon option will both be demonstrated, and we will bake and taste these in class. Come ready to take the recipes and skills home for your own holiday star bread baking!
Baking Holiday Star Bread
Olbrich Gardens | Madison, WI
Dec 10 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Looking for a holiday treat that will win every heart with both beauty and flavor? Together we will learn to make holiday star bread, using commercial yeast and whole grain flour. A savory pesto/parmesan and a sweet cinnamon option will be demonstrated, and we will bake and taste test these in class. Come ready to take the recipes and skills home for your own holiday star bread baking adventure!
ROOT TO TABLE WITH WENDY AS A WAY TO
WENDY IS A WISCONSIN NATIVE WITH A
passion
FOR GROWING, FORAGING,
PRESERVING AND PREPARING
food
IN WAYS THAT
nourish
AND BRING
joy.
SHE FORMED
coach others
IN BUILDING A
deeper connection
TO THEIR FOOD - FOR BETTER
health
AND A MORE
sustainable life.
“Wendy was the friendly and supportive guide I needed to kick-start my gardening journey! From choosing seeds to planning my first raised bed, her rich knowledge-base and personalized approach set me up for success to try something new and enjoy the journey”
Melissa | Madison, WI