FARMstart programme - fully funded

T his is a 4 day course delivered over 4 Saturdays from February 2024 - May 2024

10 February, 9 March, 20 April, 18 May - all 4 dates are part of the same course

1 0am - 4pm on each of the 4 days.

Please note: booking here does not guarantee your place on the course - this is a fully funded course and as such, places are in high demand. We will be running it regularly so please do book.

Who is it for?

Anyone who enjoys growing food and would like to move into it as a career.

T his course will enable you to set up something on your own and start to earn an income.

What we will cover

• The available edible crops for this climate
• T he systems within which these crops can be grown
• S oil prep and fertility management
• O rganic production
• I ntegrated pest management
• F ruit, Veg, Flowers, Herbs, Eggs, Honey (Meat and Fish will be discussed)
• L ow labour management
• I rrigation
• P ackaging, Pricing and Reaching customers

Practical elements

We will be working outside in our Market Garden for 50% of our time together, learning as we carry out tasks.

You will take part in sowing, planting and maintenance tasks, as well as harvesting, packing and pricing.

T here will be many tasters to experience over the duration of the 4 days.

What’s included

4 days of teaching, refreshments and a number of handouts and planners to help with the creation of your enterprise.

T here is also the possibility of access to land following the course, including our mentorship for your enterprise.

What you will leave with

You will receive various handouts on food production planning, and a good understanding of how to make money from growing food, how to do it and where to start.

What you will be able to do afterwards

We would expect you to go away with a firm idea of what you would like to grow, how and where you might grow it and where you can sell it - with our support if you so wish.

Next steps

You will be ready to start your food enterprise.

We can potentially help you with access to land, tools and further skills.

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.

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.