Bush Farming Weekend April 25 & 26

You are warmly invited to another Sustainable Living Arts School weekend learning festival:

Bush Farming

April 25 and 26th 2009

on the Sunshine Coast.

Many speak of buying raw land (which may be all they can afford) to create a small farm, and would like more opportunity to learn about the issues. During this two day event we will visit  four farmers who have built from scratch, with few financial resources, and learn about predator control, bush clearing, water problems, building codes and other issues that make or break sustenance farmers. We will be spending 3 hours or longer at each farm. Visitors may choose how many farms they will visit. This is an opportunity to learn from mistakes as well as successes.

Register with Robin Wheeler infoATediblelandscapes.ca 604-885-4505.

Cost: $40 per farm.

Accomodation: Come for the day or spend the weekend. Camping is available at Robin’s Edible Landscapes or accommodations at Rolling Earth.

Saturday 9:30 – 12:30
Maria Hunter’s site had been a dairy farm long ago, but she had few resources to improve it. She learned to maximize the advantages there, to live with very little while raising two daughters. Her home is “home made” as finances have allowed and is still under construction. Since her daughters are grown, she is now returning to farming to help sustain her.

Saturday 2:00 pm onwards
Peter Light has been homesteading deep in the bush for many years. He now nurtures a small patch of land where he sells bamboo and other perennials. He has learned many skills and will be discussing these for the afternoon. Peter lives in a trailer and has converted the outside area into an extension of his living space. Firecircle and shared meal can be enjoyed.

Sunday 9:30 – 12:30
Alain Bergeron bought rough logged forest and within three years had a successful market farm. He worked hard to improve the soil and perfect his planting regimes, and now has good yields and sells well at the farmers markets. He is still living in a converted bus and is facing common problems with building a legal home.

Sunday 2:00 – onwards
Robin Wheeler of Edible Landscapes purchased land and then brought portable buildings onto it where they were slowly reassembled and finished. She is slowly improving the soil and it now supports several gardens as well as her nursery and medicinal plants. She will discuss the various stages used in developing the site.