By spring, the food reserves were running low and prairie families were eager for the return of spring and fresh greens. On the wood stove in the McClean Soddy at the Plains Conservation Center, we make a common winter dinner of root vegetable stew, cornbread and apple pie. Recipes and all supplies provided. Appropriate for adults and children ages 12 and up.

Price:  Member $20, Non-member $24

Location: Plains Conservation Center, 21901 E. Hampden Avenue, Aurora, CO 80013

Discover the scrumptious side of international vegetarian cuisine. We’ll begin with a savory salad and move on to black bean and sweet potato tacos with avocado crema, a spicy cashew veggie stir fry, a pesto and roasted veggie pizza and end with a sweet. Eat your veggies and love doing it! Recipes and full meal included.

Price: $60, $55 member

Instructor: Susan Evans

Photo Credit: WordRidden (Flickr)

Discover the ease of preparing delicious dishes from south of the border.We will prepare the classics; salsa, pico de gallo and guacamole and use them for garnishes for meatball tortilla soup, crispy chorizo enchiladas, and creamy chicken with pumpkin seed sauce. Sip on hibiscus lime coolers and indulge your sweet tooth with chocolate chili cupcakes. Recipes and meal included. Ole!

Instructor: Susan Evans

Price: $57, $52 members

Learn to make dazzling citrus marmalades from the best the winter season has to offer. We will use fresh, organic citrus and make a bitter, sweet, and succulent marmalade. We will discuss different types, uses, and the history of marmalade. Participants will take home at least 1 jar of handmade marmalade preserves.

Price: $56, $51 member

Instructor: Kathy has been an avid canner for over two decades. She tries to forage for the fruit she preserves and/or uses fruit grown from local farms and orchards whenever possible. She is a mother of two boys, and has a full pantry of canned goods. A Ph.D. trained scientist, she loves understanding the science behind canning and loves sharing information about home food preservation with as many people as she can. Parlaying her love of canning into a career, Kathy founded Modern Gingham Preserves and sold her jams nationally and won a Good Food Award for her Raspberry Violet jam in 2015.

Kathy is married to a British guy, so she has also developed a taste for marmalade and rhubarb, but she still hates drinking tea.

Cooking for the renewal and breathing into the transitions. Shed your winter coat and prepare for Spring with these tips and recipes from time tested Ayurvedic principles. This class will cover some of the basic principles of Ayurveda with a brief introduction of the doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. You will also learn the tools you need to plan out your spring time renewal ritual and how to customize it for your own constitution, including which foods and spices are appropriate for you. You will learn different breathing exercises (pranayama) for each of the different doshas. At the end of the class, enjoy a warm bowl of kitchari and a cup of chai. You will receive the recipes to take home and try for yourself!

Price: $44, $39 member

Instructor: Farnosh Family
Farnosh was a long time student and teacher of yoga before turning to the sister science of yoga, Ayurveda, for help in healing after the birth of her first child. What she learned in those transformational months led her to a life guided by the principles of Ayurveda for herself and her family. She has studied with many teachers of yoga, ayurveda, and sanskrit including Dr. Vasant Lad, Shiva Rea, Sonia Massoco, Maria Garre, Patricia Wickman, and Dr. Bharat Vaidya. She holds an MA in organic chemistry from UCLA and a BA in environmental chemistry from Columbia University.

Spring is a time of renewal and reawakening. Take some time off to discover herbal tonics, health boosting super foods and natural skin products you can make yourself. Learn simple self-care practices to regain balance and vibrant health. Bring home a soothing skin salve, a cleansing face mask and a detoxifying spring tonic along with recipes and lots of new ideas for becoming your best self. Super foods lunch and all materials included. Treat yourself!

Instructor: Susan Evans

Price: $69, $64 members

Photo credit: Smoobs

The most sought after vegetable for home gardeners. Is the perfect tomato out of your grasp? Do you long for that sweet, juicy firm bite of tanginess and just can't make it happen in your garden?

This class is an in depth study of the most prized garden vegetable. This class explores varieties of heirloom and hybrid tomatoes and the differences in the two. You will learn how to select which are best for you to try if you are a beginner and which might be best left to the more advanced tomato grower. We will cover starting seeds v. transplants, growing challenges, pests and diseases and how to overcome them and options for organic care of your prize vegetable.

We will conclude class with a demonstration of starting tomato seeds and each student will go home seeds to begin your plants at home to be ready in time to plant this season.

Instructor: Patti O'Neal

Price: $36, $31 members, includes $6 for materials to start your very own tomatoes this season!