Design Services
Transition your land, transform your life!
home
Imagine picking fresh raspberries, enjoying the shade of a pear tree and pruning your home vineyard. Eco-system design offers practical and efficient edible yard solutions.
farm
Farms of all sizes are well suited to transition to a more diverse and profitable production. The Permabed System offers an affordable and effective transition framework to agro-ecosystem farming.
landscaping
Schools, businesses and public spaces can maximize their green spaces, reduce long-term maintenance and join the movement to a more resilient future. Community food forests, edible bike lanes, and ecological landscaping will transform the human environment.
The Edible Eco-system Design process is about building a holistic goal for your group/family, assessing your environment, understanding your community, and then designing systems for productive orchards, gardens, farms, and more. Zach has developed The Permabed System to meet the needs of growers on all scales to maximize diverse and efficient production. The Permabed System is a landscape layout system that emphasizes ecosystem design strategies to improve yield, reduce pests, and enhance management efficiency.
Design Packages (small property)
Initial Consult
One hour phone call + Intake Form Review + Research.
Initial Consult package puts the property owner and designer on the same page. Including visioning your goals, understanding key constraints, and opportunities.
Site Assessment
Half Day Visit + Site Assessment + Research + Design Action Sheet.
Site Assessment includes environmental analysis, layout considerations, and community opportunities. It also provides on-site visioning follow-up and rendering a Design Action Sheet of potential projects.
This Package is for sites within a 2 hour round trip from Cobden, ON. For sites further afield, please see the Full Day Visit Package.
Design
Property Layout Map for Growing Beds + project conceptualization design pdfs: (such as Garden Plan + Plant List +Material List + Seasonal Maintenance Plan).
The design includes a rendering of where and what can be planted as a garden and edible landscape. This includes a 1-page map + 6 page PDF, + landscape install estimate.
This is a package for small homes and homesteads.
See package for larger projects below.
Install
Land Preparation + Planting + Site Finishing.
Install includes up to a full day of site preparation, including garden bed forming, + up to a full day of plant delivery and planting, + half-day of site finishing, including mulching and tree care.
For Large Properties and Eco-Education Sites
Zach offers Design Packages for large farms, community green spaces, and businesses. These include consults and design for large production areas such as orchards and market gardens or edible landscapes.
Zach also consults with groups about the potential for Eco-education sites and works to design and develop custom interpretive panels and educational signage. Zach builds his own eco-infographics for these sites based on your needs and vision.
More About the Process
Consult
Zach will review your intake form and do preliminary research into the soil, climate, and context of your property. He will review your goals and consider opportunities to help you meet them. The Phone consult is focused on cogenerating a vision based on asking Zach questions and providing feedback to his questions. If you need further phone consultation, the rate is $150/hour
Site Assessment
Zach will walk your property with you for up to 3 hours, photo documenting the site, taking soil samples, observing the obstacles and opportunities. He will address and ask questions. Includes time on site to further your vision after walk-about. Within 3 days of the site assessment you will receice a Design Action Sheet highlighting key environmental, social and economic opportunities, obstacles, and your vision statement. It outlines key potential projects.
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If you live more than a 2 hour roundtrip from Cobden, ON, then there is a charge of $.75/km, and a $200 lodging stipend. If you have a large farm, there are additional costs for time and assessment needed which can be estimated during the phone consult.
Design
Design Package includes a property layout sketch and two project conceptualization infographics. Your main project is your garden or edible landscape and for this you are provided with a Garden Plan.
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Your two project conceptualizations are based on two opportunities you choose from the Design Action PDF. These projects can be rendered as separate full designs and estimated for install separately- these could include an irrigation system or a wash station design with associated material lists and action plans.
Install
Garden or edible landscape installation takes place over up to three days. The final price is based on the size of the area, number, and type of plants and quantity of amendments and supplies needed. Once you complete stages 1, 2, and 3, then a Landscape Install Estimate will be drawn up to show the costs of landscaping projects. A final "Go Ahead!" on the part of the client will result in a work order and a 50% downpayment.
Once work starts on site, another 25% downpayment is due and the remainder is due upon the final day of work.
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If you have signed up for the full package then your large plants have a warranty through the first winter, because we don't plant plants that won't survive. If your plants die from improper care - we can offer you replacements at a 25% discount to help you out. Remember, your garden plan will make sure this doesn't happen :)
"60% Design, 40% Action"
