Self-Sufficiency planning (UK)

This is a course at our demonstration Market Garden at Hestercombe Gardens - public transport options are limited.

This course is for you if you would like to increase the amount of food you produce for your own consumption – if you would like to grow food for sale, we have a separate suite of courses aimed at professional growers.

You will have your own ideas of what self-sufficiency means to you. This workshop explores your needs whilst tailoring your ideas to the growing plot you have available – suitable for gardeners who understand the seasonality of food growing.

Topics include:

• Crop selection
• Varieties
• Seasonal planning
• Planning your plot by m2 for the crop volume you need

Please wear sturdy footwear and dress for all weathers!

This course is delivered outside on site, and the ground is uneven. We will spend some time under cover in the polytunnel / grlasshouse.

The venue is rural.

The nearest train station is Taunton.

Many people we speak to want to move towards self-sufficiency and this needs detailed planning and knowledge of crop cycles and availability.

We offer support with designing your space and your crop selections as well as sowing plans and plant supply.

What does self-sufficiency look like to you? What are the first steps, how can you meet your needs by growing your own?

We will cover the following in detail:

• Growing veg
• Fruit growing
• Herbs
• Produce per m2
• How to produce enough for you and your household
• How to plan your site

Whether you have a balcony or 10acres, we can teach you how to make the most of your growing space year round.

This session is aimed at home growers, community gardens, schools and smallholders.

There will be a follow on workshop for site design if this is something which might help you.

TUTOR INFO

Rachel is a Landscape Architect & Urban Designer specialising in regenerative food production. She designs spaces for food, soil health and wildlife and biodiversity, as well as maximising harvests and reducing the work needed to achieve it.

She learnt to grow food from her Grandparents in Jersey who grew much of their own produce on their acre - including Jersey Royal Potatoes! Rachel still loves potatoes.

Growing food all her life, and commercially for the last 10 years, Rachel has worked with CSA, farms, market gardens, urban farms, community gardens and corporate businesses to increase food production and efficiency, whilst reducing labour and costs.

Georgina is an education expert who runs our school and family sessions as well as building our ponds and bog gardens for us. She is a specialist in song birds and wild mushrooms.

Rachel founded edge, a non-profit design agency, with the main aims of designing urban food production systems, growing food within whole ecosystems and educating others on food production systems and ecological farming practices.

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