On Wednesday I met with Steve Henry from Otago Polytechnic today, the last person I needed to check in with before making a difficult decision about the course.
The numbers of committed participants was only two, and though there was another two who are reasonably sure to pay and commit, that would still only be half way to the minimum numbers needed. I didn’t want to leave it to the last minute as I did with the North Island course, so we have decided to cancel the course.
Jon Foote and I have been having several discussions about it, and in Wednesday’s conversation with Steve, we’ve now all expressed the view that the evidence is pointing to the certificate course not being the right format for education in this arena. As a result Jon and I have begun planning other forms of Food Forest education, though they won’t be backed by Otago Polytechnic’s qualification structure.
I trust that everything happens for a reason. Like a young regenerating forest we may not be able to yet see it’s mature expression, and there will be some plants which don’t survive in the early stages, but for certain the forest will come back and in time grace us with its beauty and abundance.
Oh damn! I just found this course. Sad to hear, it would have suited me perfectly timewise.
Good luck!
Just found this course toooooo!! Can we get emailed with any further developments or can you suggest where else we get started (We’ve got a good acreage(12) that we’d like to turn into one). Thanks
Hi I have also just found this course, how ever as I read through all the criteria it started to seem pretty overwhelming. I understand there is a need to educate people on all the nity gritty politics of this industry , in order for it to really work and spread across the country. How ever , the practical person I am , I feel a course just relating to the design and implementation of a food forest would suit me better, I live in little Wanaka and something that I could use to help educate and spread to neighbours, family and friends on a grass roots level would be much more suited to me at this time perhaps moving forwards later in my life. Can you please put me on the right path??? Thank you and good luck 🙂
You’re in luck Kyle 🙂
We’re bringing it to you in Wanaka!
The date is set for April 4th and 5th in Wanaka. http://www.beyondorganicnztour.com/calendar with more details coming soon, but you’ll get the gist of it if you read around the site and look at the other workshops that have some details fleshed out already.
See you then!
James Samuel
021 252 0653