Current course: May - September 2021 (more dates to be announced)
Online
Learn all the skills you need to design, create and manage a forest garden by doing this five month accredited online course! It features the videos of Martin Crawford, author of several books on forest gardening and director of the Agroforestry Research Trust. The course is structured, and includes weekly videos, handouts and online assessments, plus fortnightly group tutorials, leading to a Level 2 Award in Forest Gardening.
The Orchard Project developed the course in collaboration with Martin Crawford, and it is accredited by Crossfields Institute.
COURSE STRUCTURE
The course runs from the end of April/beginning of May to the end of September, with a two week break in August. It requires around 6-8 hours of your time per fortnight. (This includes watching the videos, reading the handouts, attending the tutorials and doing the homework.)
It consists of 18 weekly teaching videos with accompanying pdf handouts. The online materials are unlocked as you make your way through. We will discuss the content of the videos at fortnightly online group tutorials. Your progress will be assessed via online quizzes and homework, which you will have a fortnight to complete. You will also have an assignment to design a forest garden, which our staff will assess.
The tutorials will take place approximately every fortnight on either Fridays 10.00 – 11.20 or Tuesday 19.00 – 20.20. Let us know when you book which day you can do.
COURSE CONTENT
This course will teach you everything you need to know about designing, planting and maintaining a forest garden, including:
- The characteristics of a forest garden
- Useful trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants
- Creating windbreaks and shelter
- Managing different soils
- Maintaining fertility
- The role of mycorrhizal fungi
- Carrying out a site survey
- Propagating plants and edible fungi
- Designing the different layers of a forest garden
- Maintaining a forest garden
COST
Full fee – £550
Concessionary – £350 (for those on a low income)
Unemployed – £0 (must be in receipt of unemployment benefit)
We are grateful to The Rank Foundation, whose financial support allows us to offer concessionary and free places.
For more information, contact Jo Homan.