Food Forest and Ecological Gardening
3rd to 13th October 2016
Planning, Growing and Maintaining an intensive ecological garden, and food forest. based on ancient knowledge and innovative ideas
Várzea da Gonçala presents an 11-day multi-faceted course, encompassing ancient methods, permaculture, and agro-ecological principles. The venue is the beautiful Cerca river valley in south-west Portugal, near the town of Aljezur.
The course covers many aspects of sustainable agriculture as applied to gardening, and in the devolopment of a productive, long-term food-forest. The course will be led by Chaym Feldman, eco-farmer and an agro-ecologist of 14 years' farming and teaching experience, with guest teachers, Arthuro Whitelegg, permaculture teacher, Dafna Givon, professional herbalist, and with Varzea da Goncala custodian, Chris Lewis. focussing on food-foresting and re-afforestation.
This is very much a hands-on course, with the teaching, as much as is possible, conducted on-site, in contact with the earth. Multiple aspects of organic gardening are covered, and food-foresting is approached from an ecological standpoint with emphasis on interplay of trees, crops, soil, fungi, and water.
Course themes;
Shaping your landscape : swales, hugel-kultur, Gaya mounds, compost holes, channel-irrigation, and more..
Managing S.O.M (Soil Organic matter): The living skin of your garden
Seeding and propagation techniques; building a plant nursery, taking cuttings, grafting
Seed saving
To till or not to till: soil knowledge and preparation
Natural fertilizers: Local E.M (effective micro-organisms), bio-char, vermi-composting, green manures
Integrating crops: Combining annuals, perennials and medicinals
I.P.M: Integrated pest and weed management
Growing multi-purpose food trees : Nuts, fruits, nitrogen-fixers, natives and exotics
Establishing and managing irrigation systems
Farmer's almanac: Planning your sowing, planting, and harvest cycles according to seasonal and lunar cycles
Healthy nutrition and food preserving.
A place to live: establishing a beautiful, productive, low-maintenance ecosystem for future generations
Course Itinerary
The sessions start at 9:00 on Monday, 3rd October, and finish each day at 14:00 after preparing the daily power food.
At 21:00 we will display a short educational film in The Pit. our social space, with projector.
3rd October: Roots Session (Chris & Chaym): meeting the Varzea da Goncala food forest; learning about the old and the recent history of the farmers of the valley; Gathering edible and medicinal plants; Preparing the first power food of the course Power Bread
Monday, 4th October: Garden shaping Session (Chaym): Agro-ecological Infra structures: swales, terraces, trenches; Garden beds : Burekas, Zai holes, furrows , raised beds ; Major and minor crops; Crop rotation; Integrated annual crops. Power food :Lactic fantastic
5th October: Soil session (Chaym): knowing types and textures, minerals, pH, structure, moisture retention, drainage, S.O.M, testing and improving and remediation; Preparing the 3rd power food: Infused honey.
6th October:: Ecology session (Chaym) : knowing the forest from desert-oasis to a tropical wood; The forest biological rhythms manifested in an intensive mixed garden ; creating agro- eco-niches ; Micro-flora and fauna; Weeds and mushrooms as indicators and of garden health ; Preparing the 4th power food : Folia flor
7th October: Propagation session (Petra) : Establishing a vegetable and tree nursery; Making local Potting mix; Seed bank and O.P / land-races heirloom seeds ; Trays and pots; Proper irrigation; Aeration and light; growing sprous for home consumption and market ; Transplanting; Making the 5th power food : Pesto forca
8th October: Self -sufficiency session (Dan Dawson) : visiting Dan Dawson an inspiring gardener who grows and feeds himself almost entirely from his small plot .. Learning about the methods and essence of self-sufficiency and how to keep away from the supermarket ..
Saturday, 9th October Market day : visiting the Aljezur local market learning about small scale gardening economics.
10th October: Food Forest session (Chris Lewis) : Biological succession, Re-forestation, Planting and maintaining fruit and other trees; Integrating annuals and perrennials, Making the 6th power food : Lua tonic
11th October:Water session (Arthuro whiteleg) The various ways of irrigation, connecting a drip system, pressure, pumps, bor-holes, ponds, shading effects, amounts of irrigation for trees and annuals; Preparing the 7th power food : Bolos magicos
12th October Vegetable session (Chaym and Dan Dawson): How to grow: amaranth, sweet potato, tomato, lettuce and more;, rows and amounts, storing, The farmers' almanac. Building living fences and trellises for beans and cucumbers; Making the 8th power food : Green Oil.
13th October: Fertilizing session (Chaym) : hot to cold compost, red worm humus, Bio-Char, locating and using L.O.M local organic matter; foliar feeding, humus trenches, hugel culture; Making the 9th power food: Hempire milkshake .
Course finale festa .
The price of the course is 350 euros, which includes camping and all facilities (with shower, toilet and kitchen), one full hot meal prepared each day plus all food supplied, films, educational excursions and more. We have a few tents for use, but no indoor accommodation at this time.
Please contact Chaym: [email protected] for further information about the course content.
To book a place, we ask for a deposit of €100, and details of how to pay this can be found on the "bookings" page..
