Regina Kruse-Özçelik, Tuğçe Kasap Bilaloğlu, and Cansu Doğru Congress Poster
Who knows about outdoor education?

By Regina Kruse-Özçelik

Early Birds Istanbul Founder and Author 

Like-minded people from all over Türkiye gathered on Saturday, May 24, 2025, for the 2nd OELC Congress. Of course, Cansu Dogru, Tuğçe Bilal Kasapoğlu, and I were also there. Micro farming with children is at the heart of our EBİ project kindergarten in Istanbul and is part of our nature education program.

How do we build the micro farming concept?

In a three-part workshop, we successfully demonstrated how a micro farm works in the middle of Istanbul.

First, various seeds are collected and stored in books or jars. Then, fresh vegetable and fruit scraps are turned into compost with the help of worms. This forms the basis for a fertile vegetable garden. Nature takes care of the rest, and we observe the growth of our plants and intervene when necessary. Just in time for the autumn harvest, we build an earth oven together with the children, in which we can prepare and process the harvested produce. This closes the circle in nature, and the micro farm fulfills its purpose:

The Constructed Chaos book table during the convention
Presenters: Tuğçe Kasap Bilaloğlu, Regina Kruse-Özçelik, Cansu Doğru, and Burcu Günel at the OELC Congress.
Regina Kruse-Özçelik presents the micro farming workshop at the OELC Congress
Tuğçe Kasap Bilaloglu and Burch Günel present the EBİ workshop at the OELC Congress.
Various tools are lying on a table.
Tuğçe Kasap Bilaloglu and Burcu Günel present the EBİ workshop at the OELC Congress.
A participant holds straw in her hands.
Participants at the congress stomp clay, straw, and water with their feet.

A nature project with intensive learning opportunities that accompanies us throughout the year and is equally enjoyable for children and adults alike.

I hope the workshop participants took away lots of new ideas. I would love to receive news and photos of newly created micro farms. If you need support with your micro farming project, you've come to the right place HERE.