Establishing Woody Perennial Systems, a workshop

This workshop is designed for people who are designing, installing, or developing fruit and nut orchard systems ranging from backyard-scale plantings to rural homesteads and small diversified farms. Participants will learn how to observe and evaluate a site in order to make informed decisions about what to grow and where to grow it. Instruction will focus on regionally specific techniques and best practices for Coastal BC, including species and variety selection for different site conditions. Core topics include perennial plant literacy, tree planting theory and practice, and the fundamentals of woody plant propagation. Participants will be introduced to and practice basic propagation techniques such as cloning and grafting.

Dedicated time will be set aside to workshop participants’ own project sites, ensuring the material is immediately applicable. This workshop provides practical tools and foundational knowledge to start or continue the development of a productive food forest system.

Both workshops are held at TreeEater Farm and Nursery, a living example of over 20 years of perennial land development that highlights both the successes and hard-earned lessons of long-term land design and management. Participants will benefit from hands-on activities, farm tours, and regionally specific instruction grounded in real-world experience.

Our shared goal across both workshops is to empower small-scale growers to develop healthy, resilient, and mutually beneficial relationships with food-producing trees. These programs are well suited to backyard tree growers, homesteaders, and small farmers looking to deepen their understanding of perennial systems.

Upon registration, participants will receive access to downloadable materials, including:
-Full course curriculum
-Recommended reading and watching lists
-Participant questionnaire to assess background, goals, and dietary preferences

Participants arrive on Friday evening for a welcome potluck. All other meals are provided, with an emphasis on local and organic ingredients. The workshops conclude with lunch on Monday. Camping is available on site for all participants, and attendees are welcome to arrange off-site accommodations if preferred. A limited number of indoor accommodation spaces (three total) are available for those who need them. To support accessibility, several subsidized enrollments are available for lower-income participants.

Participants are welcome to register for a space with the submission of a $100 deposit by etransfer instead of paying the entire course fee at the time of purchase. The remainder of the course fees would then be due before the specific start date of the course.

Instructors

Peter Janes
-Instructor and host of ES380, UVIC Field School “Creating Alternatives to the Dominant Order” with Nick Montgomery.
-Author of “Fake Plants Never Die, an Eclectic Technical Instruction Manual, Essays on Pre-Apocalyptic Adaption” 2023. Night Forest Press.
-Instructor of “Propagating Woody Edible Perennials” An Online Course with Regenerative Living Online.
-Owner/Operator of TreeEater Farm and Nursery with 20 years experience in homesteading and property development.
-Guest Instructor for “How to Start Farming” with the Young Agrarians.
-B.A. in Anthropology and Environmental Studies. UVIC.
-Graduate of the COLT program (Canadian Outdoor Leadership Training) at Strathcona Park Lodge with employment experience as a wilderness guide and educator.

Greg Baute
With a lifelong passion for crop diversity and plant breeding, Greg has dedicated his career to exploring how agriculture shapes our landscapes and our future. His academic journey, culminating in a PhD focused on using the diversity of wild plants in plant breeding systems, deepened his understanding of how scientific innovation can transform food systems. Over the years, he has worked across diverse fields, from large-scale seed companies to pioneering research in underexplored crops.Through this journey, Greg has become convinced that perennial agriculture holds the key to a sustainable, resilient future. With that in mind he is developing Bramblewood farm and nursery, which focuses on fruit and nut tree genetics.