Your organiztion is dreaming of a food forest – we’ve put together everything you need to make it a reality. And we’ll make it a great learning experience for everyone involved. And we’ll have a load of fun, too.
This is a great choice for churches, business teams, neighborhood organizations, scouting groups, non-pofits or any organization that wants to invest in a beautiful, low-maintenance productive landscape that’s as good for the planet as it is for your organization and community.
We empower you to take the lead in drafting the design as we walk you through the Permaculture Design Process and every step of implementation, as well as supply you with the plant materials you need. And once we’ve established this one food food forest together, you’ll all have the knowledge and plant collection to spread food forests and transform everyone’s yards. This one project can be the basis for wide-reaching transformation!
Most impotantly, we’ll be there to make sure your project’s not only low-maintenance and productive, but beautiful at every step of the way, something the neighbors will be thrilled about. We’ll help out with design ideas and dozens of aesthetic models from around the world that will ensure the landscape harmonizes with the architecture, history and culture of your site, and transforms your “space” into a “place” where people feel great.
Over the course of 7 classes and workshops, spread throughout the growing season, we’ll explore forest gardening around the world, visit local food forests, learn how to create living, low maintenance ecologies, discover dozens of unusual fruits and vegetables, learn plant lore and folk customs, and design the perfect forest garden as a team.
And since all the experts agree that the single most important factor in creating a successful forest garden is diversity, you’ll have access to our Lillie House collection of over 300 varieties of plants! You’ll get all 7 layers of a food forest garden, arranged in “guilds” that mimic natural ecologies.
Because we’ve done years of research, we’ll help you avoid the common costly mistakes that cause most of these projects to fail within a few years, such as poor plant choices, high plant mortality rates and implementation strategies that burden your organization with endless work.
We’ll review the current literature on the wide variety of installation and maintenance approaches and we’ll pick the right ones to match your team’s resources and goals. We’ll make sure your food forest actually SAVES you time, instead of adding another burden.
About the Team
Lillie House Permaculture is a regenerative business that works to make S.W. Michigan, and the world beyond, a happier, healthier and more beautiful place to be. We invest in our community and ecosystem and volunteer our time on projects throughout the region. As CSFG members, your organization will be supporting us in our goals as we support you in yours.
Michael Hoag: Lead teacher and designer. Michael has over 15 years experience teaching classes and facilitating group projects, including community garden and forest garden projects. He’s an enthusiastic researcher of traditional temperate forest garden systems and productive ecologies of the Great Lakes region. The culture, history and aesthetics of gardens and garden architecture are one of his great passions, and he believes beautiful, healthy landscapes grow beautiful, healthy cultures.
Kim Willis: Teacher/designer. Kim co-evolves with the forest gardens at Lillie House. She’s an experience gardener and detail-oriented designer who contributes her gifted aesthetic eye and experience in project management.
Guest teachers: We will likely include some visit some Permaculture gardens and hear from other local food foresters.
Basic Package (customizable upon request)
Forest garden design workshops: 7 private classes, $1,000
Educational Materials. $20.
Access to tours and classes at Lillie House for the 2016 season.
Forest Garden Trees and Bushes: $300
2016 Forest Garden Seed Kit: $100
Potted Guild Plants: $200
Mushroom kit: $50
Access to our colletion of over varieties of plants for 3 years, for cuttings, seeds and scion wood. Exclusive for members. $300
Design and consultation services. $350
Personal Forest Gardener Mentorship for 1 year. A year of advice, emails, and 2 hours/month of phone calls, at your service. $1,000.
Access to the Lillie House Permaculture Online community to help support your project: Priceless.
Organizational Membership Fee: $3,000
Spaces are limited. To reserve your space, visit our checkout.