About Richard Walker

Richard is a food forester, nursery-man, plant explorer, edible landscape designer, herbalist & forest gardening teacher with over 40 years’ experience. He is the author of “Food Forestry North of the 49th” the first book of its kind in Canada. He has designed community & private food forest gardens throughout Western Canada, spanning diverse climatic zones. He spent his early years rooted 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 horse pasture into a lush self-sustaining forest garden

with over 400 nut trees and seven storeys of food and medicine bearing perennial plants & vines. He grew most of these trees from seed. Having converted a degraded piece of land into an abundant mix of rare, unique nut, fruit and medicinal plants from all over the world, he is one of Canada’s most experienced food foresters. The food forests he grows continue to be edible and medicinal botanical repositories of note.

Walker has a deep knowledge of herbal medicine and has developed herbal medicinal tinctures and teas for over 30 years. He shares his knowledge of plant biology to promote healthy living through the philosophy of food and herbs as medicine.

He lives in Osoyoos, British Columbia with his partner Karin where he is growing an arid climate food forest . He passionately believes in food sovereignty for all peoples and lives simply, using his skills to bring food from the soil to the table. In doing so teaches us how food and plants create a culture of true sustainability. In his own words “gardening for a 1000 years”.

He loves to share this vision as a model for communities and individuals who are inspired to grow themselves in environmentally friendly, self-sustaining ways.

Details & Pricing

Dates & Arrival
Saturday, June 15th & Sunday, 16th 9 – 5pm, Total Teaching Hours = 16
Plan to arrive on Friday night and get set up & settled for the weekend. Come join us around the fire or in the wood-fired sauna and let’s get the discussion going. We will start first thing on Saturday morning!

Workshop Topics
This is a LONG list of topics, and isn’t even a complete list of everything Richard has expertise on. This provides a general framework for the topics that will be covered throughout the workshop. BUT – each participant will complete an entry survey so Richard can tailor his teachings to our specific group.

• General Concepts and scale / scope – determining what you’re working with!
• Site evaluation   slope, elevation, sun exposure, water availability, frost, wind exposure, climatic zone.
• Time frame – primary succession.
• Resources –  money, labor, land.
• Design – urban, rural, matching needs to wants.
• Design layout & guiding principles.
• Water & its use – ponds, swales, wells, delivery systems.
• Pathways – buildings, walls, fencing.
• Soil buiding, green manures, amendments, legumes, plant ploughs, soil tests, compost systems, mulches (pros / cons).
• Species selection – all plants trees herbaceous and medicinal herbs.
• Detailing a water catchment plan.
• Using a mound (hugel) for growing.
• Nuisance concerns  – damaging insects, animal damage, people damage.
• Using wild plants.
• Propagation  –  Seeds, cuttings, grafting and budding.
• Tips for buying plants.
• Constructing an alluring pollinator site   – nests, nectar plants.
• Choice of tools – matching tools to actual need.
• Medicinal herbs and how to use them.

Saturday Night Potluck
In the spirit of community, we will have a potluck on Saturday night. Please bring an easily or already dish prepared to share with the group, make enough for about 10 people & we should have plenty of food! BYOB as well!

Investment
Your Investment is: $350 Early Bird before May 10, 2019. After May 10, $400

Includes:

• High Impact Course Time with one of Canada’s Top Forest Gardeners

• Hands-on learning in Saskatchewan most established forest garden

• A copy of his newly released book Food Forestry North of the 49th ($39 value)
• 4 Hearty Meals (Breakfast & Lunch on Sat. / Sun.)

• On-site camping in the beautiful boreal forest (or you can upgrade to canvas cottage or powered cabin. Click here for more information on the cabins – these must be booked separately through Discover Ness Creek.

• a one-year membership in Permaculture Saskatchewan. Existing members will get an extension of a year*.

Registration

You can register 3 ways:

• If you wish to pay by etransfer or snail-mail cheque, email us at info@permasask.ca and we’ll give you instructions for how to do that.
• If you would like to pay by credit card, you can register at our Evenbrite event.