Santa Cruz Food Forest Practicum: Sept 2025-Aug 2026

This advanced practicum offered by Santa Cruz Permaculture focuses on hands-on skills for orchard establishment, food forestry, designing year-round productive vegetable farms and gardens, and harvest preservation. Running from September 2025 to August 2026, it draws on the historical abundance of the Silicon Valley area, once known as the 'Valley of the Heart’s Delight' for its apricot, peach, and plum orchards. Participants will learn sound horticultural practices while enjoying seasonal fruits and vegetables unique to the region. The program aims to create and celebrate these productive habitats on both home and broadacre scales, fostering community around growing food. It emphasizes practical application in a setting rich with local produce, helping learners revive traditional orchard management techniques adapted to modern permaculture principles. Key elements include best practices for establishing orchards, managing food forests, and integrating vegetable production for continuous yields. The course is designed for those interested in building sustainable food systems that mimic natural abundance, providing skills transferable to various scales of land use. By participating, individuals contribute to restoring the legacy of fruitful landscapes in urban and rural contexts alike.