This 1-day intensive course provides a comprehensive introduction to designing and implementing a food forest — a layered, self-sustaining edible ecosystem modeled after natural forests. Whether you're a homesteader, community gardener, educator, or permaculture enthusiast, this course offers the essential tools and insights to begin creating resilient, low-maintenance landscapes that produce food, restore soil, and support biodiversity. Through a combination of classroom theory, hands-on exercises, and collaborative design work, participants will explore the art and science of food forest design, including ecosystem mimicry, succession planning, plant guilds, and soil regeneration techniques.

By the end of the course, participants will:

Understand what a food forest is and how it functions as a perennial edible ecosystem.

Learn key permaculture principles that underpin food forest design.

Be able to assess a site for potential and constraints (sun, water, soil, slope, wind).

Understand and apply the concept of forest layers to create productive, resilient polycultures.

Learn how to select appropriate plants for each layer based on climate and function.

Gain confidence in drawing up a basic food forest design for a real or hypothetical site.

Be introduced to simple soil improvement, water management, and planting techniques.

Facilitated by our friends Matthew and Ni Ibu who both have their own food forests in Ireland and a wealth of practical and theoretical knowledge to share.

Please get in touch with gareth@sioltachroi.ie if cost is a barrier.

Looking forward to seeing you at Síolta Chroí!