Invitation to Permie Primer Weekend- May 31
You are warmly invited to another Sustainable Living Arts School Weekend Retreat in Robert’s Creek on the Sunshine Coast (just 15 minutes from the ferry at Langdale.). Robin has got a bit more land than the average city grower, but whether you’re growing on a counter-top, balcony, patio or yard, Edible Landscapes is a place to come to reconnect, learn, relax and get inspired on how we can increase our self-sufficiency…together. You can camp on the land, hike to the ocean, walk in the woods, wander the gardens, browse in the edible and medicinal plant nursery and medicine emporium.
To reserve your space for the weekend away, email Robin info@ediblelandscapes.ca If you are part of a family or group of friends who would like to learn some do-it-together skills together, get in touch with Robin to arrange group pricing. She’ll work out the details with you and send you an invoice.
You can either pay by Visa or Mastercard via Paypal right away or mail her a cheque. 80% of student fees go directly to the teachers, with another 10% for preparing for classes and promotion. Attending these workshops is a direct way to support folks who live on the land and keep the skills and traditions of the sustainable living arts alive.
Saturday, May 30th
- 9:30 – 11:00 – Basic Framing with ____TBA_____ - Sometimes we don’t realize until we are trying to construct a chicken coop, greenhouse or lean-to that we have no framing concepts. This class will go over the necessary skills to begin simple projects and problem solve on our own. $25
- 11:15 – 12:30 Garden Standbys with Robin Wheeler - What are the tried and true plants that every smallholder should have? How are they placed and cared for? We will look at the top groups of greens, tubers, berries and fruit and learn about their needs. $25
- 12:30 – 1:30 Brown bag, or order $6 snack lunch
- 1:30 – 3:00 –Tool maintenance and Repair with Cymba - Good tools are worth holding on to, and regular care will considerably lengthen their life. Cymba will show methods for caring for garden tools and chain saw, and will also show how to salvage old tools by replacing handles, and how to make a handle out of a found object or branch. $25
- 3:00 - 5:30 Essentials of Permaculture Design Part One : Ethics and Principles with Delvin - Together we will explore the basics of permaculture ethics and principles in the context of a permaculture site design. A great intro to the permaculture way and how it can be applied to your own life. $25
Sunday, May 31
- 10:00 – 11:15 – Woodshed/Woodstove Primer with Robin Wheeler - The goal with a home wood supply is to have sufficient, well dried wood that will burn cleanly, and to understand the basic physiology of a wood burning heater. We will look at placement and purpose of a woodshed, split some wood, and then go inside and learn the parts and purpose of a normal wood stove. We will learn the important components of the cleanest, most non-polluting burn possible. $25
- 11:30 – 1:00 – Irrigation Intrigue with Jason Woodall - Jason is a gentle guy who is going to pull out bits and pieces of irrigation, give them names and purposes, and then will have the group assemble and build a portion of water line. He will also talk about repair problems. Participants will feel much more confidant buying parts and assembling their own systems. $25
- 1:00 – 1:45 – Lunch – brown bag or order $6 snack plate
- 1:45 – 2:50 Water Wisdom with Robin Wheeler - There are many techniques for living with an unreliable volume of farm water. Robin will show methods for water collecting, swaling and mulching methods, and will discuss plant choice and using observation and planting schedules to make plants more resilient and “drought proof”. $25
- 3:00 - 5:30 Essentials of Permaculture Design Part Two : Mapping, Zones and Sectors with Delvin - This class can be independent from the first class though it is also the natural extension of it. Here we will look at permaculture site design with mapping using zones and sectors preparing you to do a permaculture evaluation of your own home and property. $25
May 16, 2009 No Comments
Sustainable Microfarm Forum
This whole day workshop is directed towards the new or expanding food producer who wishes to produce more, or focus their production more efficiently. Topics will include post harvest handling, water management, the SPIN gardening method, microclimating, resources, marketing, discussion on farmers markets and more.
Sustainable Microfarm Forum – April 19, 2009
10:00 – 4:30 at Rolling Earth, Robert’s Creek, BC
$85 includes lunch and beverages. Carpooling encouraged. Register by emailing Robin at info@ediblelandscapes.ca or calling (604) 885-4505.
More info on the Sustainable Living Arts School in Robert’s Creek, BC.
March 24, 2009 No Comments
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.
March 12, 2009 No Comments
Upcoming: Learn with Robin on the Islands
You are warmly invited to these upcoming opportunities to learn with Robin Wheeler of the Sustainable Living Arts School on Vancouver Island and the Gulf islands.
February 21 – Home Food Security Intensive
10 – 2 pm Duncan, BC.
Register: Call Beth at 250 – 337-1958 or Pat at 250-709-2391 (machine) for details or email morefoodnow@gmail.com.
Directed towards the interested householder, we will spend four hours learning about garden cycles, food harvest and storage, subsistence gardening and stockpiling. $62 includes snack, beverage and copy of Food Security for the Faint of heart.
February 22 – Duncan Sustainable Microfarm Forum Duncan, BC.
9:30 – 4 pm Food and beverages provided. $100
Register: Call Beth at 250–337-1958 or Pat at 250-709-2391 (leave message) for details.
Full day workshop for the beginner smallholder trying to increase production to enter the commercial level. Segments include “Understanding your Land” and “Water Wisdom”, and we will talk about free resources, working cooperatively, season extending and how to define “organic”. Marika Nagasaka will be giving her wonderful class on “Efficiency on the Farm”.
February 24 – Free Food Security talk on Gabriola Island
7 – 8 pm at the Roxy.
March 8 – Gambier Microfarm Forum
Gambier Community Hall. Normally limited to Gambier residents.
January 27, 2009 No Comments