Designing & Establishing a Food Forest
In this hands-on workshop we’ll learn how to plan and implement a food forest guild from start to finish. Guilds are a mutually beneficial perennial polyculture of useful and edible plants and the core building block in a food forest system. Food forests are ancient perennial production systems that mimic the structure and function of a woodland to produce food, fuel, fiber, fodder, medicinal herbs, and habitat.
We’ll discuss the basics of food forest theory and design amidst the fledgling food forest at Camp Sedalia, focusing on the synergy of a diversity of plant species that help each other thrive. We’ll get into the nitty gritty of soil fertility, best practices for establishment and site preparation and then get our hands dirty planting out a food forest guild.
Bio:
Mark has spent the past the past 14 years immersed in the realms of local food systems, regenerative agriculture, permaculture & ecological design, traditional woodworking, herbalism, wild foods, and fermentation.
He co-owns Mountain Run Permaculture with his wife Allison where they work with gardeners, homesteaders and farmers of all skill-levels, acreage, and experience to design and implement regenerative food producing systems that maximize ecological outcomes.
Mark has been infatuated with food forests for over a decade, experimenting with them across countless contexts and ecosystems and is excited to share his knowledge and experience!
OTHER WORKSHOPS BY THIS TEACHER
More Workshops
Inner and Outer Landscape – Reading Patterns of Nature
Ancient healing systems are thriving today as they are based on truths that will never change. The elements of Nature, fire, water, air and earth,...
Africulture
Join Michael to learn about the principles, practices, plants and people of african descent that have contributed to American agriculture. BIO...
The “Landless” Farmers
Matt and Rachel Palma of Restoration Acres Farm will be leading us on a walking tour of their Pastured Pig operation while sharing the heart and...
Chelsea Harlan
Chelsea Harlan is a poet from Sedalia, Virginia. Her debut full-length collection, Bright Shade, was recently selected by Jericho Brown as the...
Challenging Outdoor Games
Calling school aged youth! Experience the fun of teambuilding activities! Story lines and random objects will be used as you work together as a...
Beyond Organic: Plant & Soil Health
Workshop Description Learn how to push plants to rebuild the soil microbiome, how biology has more impact than chemistry for soil and plant health. ...
Getting Started with Growing Berries
Learn the many types of berries that you can grow, what common berries to start with, the specific cultural techniques for various berry types and...
Growing Quality Tree Fruits Without Toxic Sprays
Learn which tree fruits take little help to produce good crops. We'll go over establishing plantings, which fruits need much more inputs, and how to...
Wild Food & Medicine Plant Walk
Learn about a myriad of late summer/fall wild food and medicine. We'll take a brief walk around Camp Sedalia getting to know a handful of plant...
Wild Watercolors
Create a nature-inspired watercolor art piece. Get into the creative flow by trusting your natural instincts and paying attention to the present...
Live Performance with Acoustic Emphasis
Performing on-stage can be intimidating but the right set of gear and tips to help your playing stand out in a performance setting can give you the...
The Art of Live Looping
Live looping performance has become more and more popular with many different looping effect pedals currently on the market. Anyone who has given a...
Keeping a Family Milk Cow in the 21st Century
After 3 years of walking the legal line to obtain raw milk for our family, in 2007 we traded in the lawn mower for our first Jersey cow, Primrose....
Eating Acorns
Acorns are one of the most abundant and under-utilized wild foods in the United States. In this workshop we will cover the basics of identification,...
Free Form Baskets and Flower Crowns
Learn how to use local vines to make your own flower crowns and basic whimsical baskets. All Ages (Parental Supervision of children is appreciated)...
Energy Flows As Plants and Animals Grow
Join us as we flow like energy through the energy cycle. Discover how energy moves from the sun to the earth and through the food web to our plates....
Herbal Allies for Stress + Anxiety
In this workshop, you will learn to use 5 herbs that can be used for managing stress and anxiety states. These are nervine herbs that have an...
Introduction to Herbal Cold Care
In this workshop, you will learn to use 5 herbs that can be used for recovering from colds + flus. Learn remedies for colds, fever, coughs and more,...
Biodynamic Composting
Curious about compost? A simple pile of discarded refuse does not make compost. Real compost transforms into humus. Trash piles hardly ever make...
The True Value of Backyard Chickens
We all need connection to the natural world around us. One of the easiest ways to do your small part to live a life more connected to natural...