Workshop : Mini Food Forest
Next dates: TBD - To be determined
(subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of this page and find out about future dates)
Luís AFONSO — founder of The Biggest Mini Forest project — teaching a Mini Food Forest workshop at the Orchard of Flavours botanical garden
By The Biggest Mini Forest project, in partnership with the Orchard of Flavours botanical garden.
This is a workshop for those who want to create a Mini Food Forest on their own land and connect to like-minded people with the same goal in the Algarve region, becoming part of The Biggest Mini Forest Movement.
jump to —> Introduction and details — multi-purpose mini forests — workshop outline — what to bring — more info
📝 WANT TO JOIN US? KEEP SCROLLING AND FIND THE APPLICATION FORM BELOW ✍️
Ana Laura CRUZ — founder of The Biggest Mini Forest project — doing maintenance on a Mini Food Forest
Past dates:
º December 10th 2023
º February 24th 2024
º April 6th 2024
º April 7th 2024
NEXT DATES:
º TBD - To be determined
Please subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of this page and find out about future dates.
Luís AFONSO and Ana Laura CRUZ, founders of The Biggest Mini Forest project, will, for the duration of one day (from 9:30AM to 5:30PM), guide you through the practical details about the model used to create dense, biodiverse and fast-growing Mini Food Forests, in order to give you the practical knowledge on how to Start Mini and Go Big, using our approach. At the Orchard of Flavours botanical garden we already have 4 of these Mini Food Forests implemented using only edible species, where you can learn about the concept, design, planting, growth and maintenance in a more practical way.
To know more about these existing Mini Food Forests, check this Orchard of Flavours article.
Location:
º Orchard of Flavours Botanical Garden (Pomar dos Sabores), in Tavira, Portugal
º Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/4Qeg8gR1EeUr4pvL8
Time:
9:30 AM —> 5:30 PM
Number of participants:
º For quality reasons, limited openings: maximum 14 people per workshop
Language:
º English (and possible translation to French, Portuguese and Spanish)
Price:
º 75 EUR (price per person for the workshop preparation, content and materials)
º Any extra donation will be welcomed and used in the development of the project and the Mini Forests' Network.
Included:
º Detailed manual with pictures, addresses for nurseries, soil amendments, useful links and all the details that are needed to build your own Mini Food Forest
º The possibility to receive extra advice after the workshop (via email or phone)
If you have any questions, feel free to write us an email (biggestminiforest@gmail.com) or contact the trainer (Luís AFONSO) by phone or Whatsapp (+351 926 854 159)
📝 APPLY FOR THE WORKSHOP BELOW ✍️
📝 LIMITED OPENINGS ✍️
Some of the highlights of one of our “Food Forest & Island of Fertility” workshops, at Orchard of Flavours Botanical Garden, in Tavira. Notice the different subject, but know we put all our effort into every workshop.
Curious about our other Workshops?
DISCOVER WHAT ELSE WE ARE TEACHING AT THE ORCHARD OF FLAVOURS’ “FRUIT TREE ACADEMY”
From our experience growing the Orchard of Flavours, we provide you an exciting masterclass that's a condensed version of our best practices.
Delve into the art and science of plant care on this hands-on learning journey, where we'll dive into the Big 3: Pruning, Fertilizing and Watering.
In this workshop, the founder of the Orchard of Flavours, as well as two propagation specialists, will tell you all their secrets about plant propagation.
“I want to thank the whole team, and mention that it is rare to find a place like this, where scientific knowledge is offered for a symbolic value, and where the interest behind it is not monetary but environmental education. Wonderful!”
Luís AFONSO and Ana Laura CRUZ, the workshop instructors
Luís AFONSO and Miguel COTTON (Orchard of Flavours’ founder), at a Mini Forest workshop
Our Mini Food Forests are designed to give you guidance, nurturing your journey into regenerative agriculture with simplicity and abundance. They will show you many different sides:
Your Teacher: Starting small reduces the need for intensive management and resources, granting you more time to observe and understand the evolution of each plant in their unique environment. It's a personalized learning experience tailored to fit your location and climate.
Your Plant Nursery: The high-density planting in each Mini Forest makes propagation of various species more accessible. It transforms your space into a vibrant plant nursery, fostering the growth of diverse plants that can then be transplanted, seeded or directly propagated from roots or cuttings into your next Mini Food Forest implementations.
Your Vegetable and Fruit Shop: From the initial months up to 2 years, your Mini Food Forest becomes a source of fresh vegetables. As it matures, you can start collecting berries and fruits, providing you with a perpetual harvest of homegrown food.
Your Pharmacy: On top of delivering high-nutrient foods, helping on the health of the planet, sequestering carbon, regenerating soil, avoiding erosion and sinking water into the ground, your Mini Food Forest can also serve you with a natural pharmacy through the use of medicinal plants that will enhance your immune system and well-being.
Your Source of Fertilizer: Through constant pruning and lying the leaves, twigs and branches on the forest ground we accelerate nutrient cycling. It’s the natural decomposition of those materials that you get from pruning that allows your Mini Forest to become a self-sustaining system, supplying the entire ecosystem with essential nutrients without the need for external fertilizers.
Your Connection to Nature: Immerse yourself in the beauty of a biodiverse ecosystem, right in your backyard. Your Mini Food Forest is a sanctuary, offering a slice of a healthy forest that can bring you moments of connection and tranquility.
Your Link to Like-Minded People: Sharing the experience, the knowledge and the surplus produce from your Mini Food Forest can foster the sense of community that the Biggest Mini Forest aims to create, enhancing bonds and connections among the community.
Preparing a site for a few new 4m² Mini Food Forests
Busy planting time, at a Mini Food Forest workshop
“It was very interesting to get to know the “Orchard of Flavours” project, both the theoretical aspects and the practical! It is an especially interesting initiative to the region of Algarve (even if limited to areas where irrigation water is provided to farmers). The workshop gave me a good vision.”
“The workshop was very valuable to any gardener, experienced or beginner.”
Workshop outline:
Introduction to The Biggest Mini Forest Network
Specific features of the design
Expected results
Mini Food Forest best location
When to plant
Plant selection
Plant nurseries
Soil preparation - Practical exercise
Planting techniques - Practical exercise
Irrigation system
Expanding a Mini Forest
Maintenance (weeding & pruning)
What to bring:
a notebook and a pen
sunblock and a hat
comfortable clothes for working in the garden
water bottle
some food for a shared picnic
The orchard has got ample parking spaces and two dry toilets.
More info:
Visit the website of The Biggest Mini Forest to know more about the project and about the people behind it: https://www.biggestminiforest.com/
To learn more about our first experiments with this approach at the Orchard of Flavours site in Tavira, make sure to read the article Miyawaki Experiment #4 — The Biggest Mini Forest.
A few more comments from previous participants:
“It was a lovely relaxed environment, really informative and we will definitely be putting what we learned into practice!” — Sophie, Bram and Charlie, UK
“One of the best workshops I have ever done! I learned so much and felt really inspired” — Analisa, USA
“There was a lot of enthusiasm and a positive vibe” — Roy, USA
If you have any questions, feel free to write us an email (biggestminiforest@gmail.com) or contact the trainer (Luís AFONSO) by phone or Whatsapp (+351 926 854 159)
Doing maintenance at one of the Mini Food Forests growing at Orchard of Flavours botanical garden
