Early Bird Special on Innovative Gardening Course

Transform your backyard into a thriving food forest this September with ECHO’s groundbreaking course on Tropical Agriculture Development. COURTESY PHOTOS

In a bid to foster sustainability and enhance food security, ECHO is set to roll out an innovative course that’s bound to change the way we think about agriculture and gardening. The unique program, “Tropical Agriculture Development II: Food Forests, Garden Design and Planning,” is scheduled to unfold over a week from Monday, Sept. 16 to 20, hosted at the North American Regional Impact Center.

With an early bird offer of $695 available until Thursday, Aug. 1, and a standard registration fee of $750 thereafter closing on Sunday, Sept. 8, aspiring participants are encouraged to secure their spots early. For spouses wishing to attend together, couples can also avail of a special registration fee of $495.

Agriculture enthusiasts, gardening aficionados and sustainability advocates will find this course particularly enriching as it delves deep into the concepts of food forests and garden design. The idea is simple yet profound: empower individuals to kickstart their own food forests right in their backyards. But it doesn’t stop there. The course is structured to provide attendees with innovative strategies to start a garden virtually anywhere using commonplace items like old tires, milk cartons and even swimming pools.

Guided by seasoned professionals in garden design, participants will go on a comprehensive journey through the design process. From setting clear and achievable goals, surveying the land and building a foundational base map to considering earthworks and creatively navigating around constraints, the course is meticulously designed to cover all bases.

The interactive, hands-on experience doesn’t merely theoretical knowledge; it equips attendees with the skills necessary to apply these principles to both small gardens and extensive plots of land. The initiative is not only a boon for personal sustainability efforts but also offers a valuable toolkit for missionaries and individuals working in food-insecure regions globally, providing a solid foundation to introduce nutritional self-sufficiency into communities from the ground up.

The course will take place at the scenic ECHO campus located at 17391 Durrance Road, North Fort Myers, which offers an inspiring backdrop for this educational journey. The registration fee incorporates lodging at the ECHO campus, ensuring participants enjoy three wholesome meals per day alongside the enriching course content.

This September, join ECHO in embracing sustainability through education, practical application and community building. Whether you’re looking to transform your backyard into a thriving food forest or seeking to enhance your gardening know-how, this course promises an unforgettable experience that’s bound to leave a lasting impact on your approach to agriculture and gardening.

To register and for more information, visit echocommunity.org . ¦

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