Food Forestry North of the 49th with Richard Walker
With Richard Walker
September 23 - 24, 2017
How growing a forest garden, a food forest, can generate health in more ways than one!
Are you aching to find ways to bring wellness and health to you and your community? To reconnect with where food comes from and our environment in ways that are more sustainable?
We can learn how to use our outer world to bring greater health internally to our body, mind and hearts. By being in the presence of nature, observing and studying nature, and by following the principles that the wisdom of mother nature reveals to us; we can learn to do this for ourselves and share the joy and wisdom with others, too.
The magic of a food forest
Imagine moving in a space crafted to nurture edible and medicinal plants so that they can co-exist. Where birds, insects, critters and people work together to support the greater good. A place where you’re calm and bright enough to notice the beauty around you.
That’s why we are hosting this event!
Come have fun and develop hands-on experience with Richard Walker, one of Canada’s most experienced forest gardeners in our one-acre cold climate food forest, just 35 minutes from Cranbrook, and 50 minutes from Fernie, BC.
Learning Outcomes
5 things you’ll take away with you from this workshop:
Bursary
Workshop Schedule
DAY ONE
9 am
- Introduction
- Food forest structure, description and function
- Urban and rural applications
10.30 am BREAK
11.00 am
- Mitigating and repairing site contamination
- Site improvement and design
12.30 LUNCH
1:30 p.m
- Brix testing ( hands on )
- Site visit ( species selection and design)
3.30 pm BREAK
4 p.m
- Species selection
- Conclusion
5 pm
- Farewell
DAY TWO
9 am
- Importance of high-quality soil
- Soil building
10.30 am BREAK
11. 00 am
- Soil chemistry
12.30 pm LUNCH
1.30 pm
- Compost and compost teas
- Bokashi and essential micro-organisms
3.30 pm
- Closing circle
4.00 pm
- Farewell
Testimonials from Richard’s past students
“Effective, approachable, engaging, insanely knowledgeable.”
Clear Sky 2011 Food Forest Workshop participant
“Everything talked about was pertinent to our interests and what we are doing in our own backyard.”
Pat and Graham Greenlee, Clear Sky 2013 Food Forest participants
“Richard showed me that growing a food forest can be fun, practical, and even a good idea economically. I’d been intrigued by food forestry for a few years but to listen to Richard speak and share his wealth of experience really helped me to see that this is something I can do and have a lot of fun with. I left with so much information about food plants and had fun trying my hand at grafting. I was so inspired by Richard, his information, and his photos that I’m itching to get my own food forest started! I would recommend this workshop to anyone interested in growing their own food or starting a nursery.”
Elysse Lightpool – Herbal Medicine Practioner and Student
“Unparalleled experience in food forestry with knowledge and techniques that you aren’t going to find in any book. Quirky, funny, passionate, patient. Great person to learn from. I like that he doesn’t have much structure. I want to now spend a year with him.”
Mike Cloutier – OUR Ecovillage Garden Manager
About the Leader
Richard Walker
Richard is a food forester, designer, herbalist and teacher with over 30 years experience. He has designed community and private forest gardens throughout BC. He spent his early years as an organic farmer in Alberta. He later moved to Grand Forks BC where over 20 years he transformed his 3 acre property from a bare […]
Learn more about Richard Walker