Would you would like an organic, diverse food production system installed in your backyard, so that you can source fresh and nutritious food right on your doorstep? Or the ultimate self-sufficiency dream created on your small farm?

Garden Elf specialises in designing, installing and maintaining edible foodscapes. This involves a consultation to brainstorm ideas and get site information, followed by the creation of three concept designs from which the ultimate 'master plan' is developed. This then forms the blueprint for installation of your foodscape system, supported by an ongoing maintenance service.

Garden Elf also provides education services to schools, runs sustainability workshops and a bi-annual permaculture design certificate course in January and July each year.

The school programmes aim at fostering a solution focused approach to addressing local and global issues around sustainability, producing healthy food and protecting natural biodiversity and habitat. We offer the following programmes in 2017, each supported by workbooks, workshops, online material, video conferences and more:

• Knowing Place - Understanding climate, weather, topography and water
• Building Soil - Detailed investigation of soil life and soil forming processes
• Agricultural Systems - Explore high intensity production systems suitable for school gardens
• Sustainable by Design - Design and install your own regenerative foodscape.

The programmes cover learning objectives from level 3-5 of the New Zealand School Curriculum, from a diversity of learning areas (science, geography, social studies, technology, literacy and numeracy). They would ideally suit a special topic investigation run two afternoons a week for a whole term.

Richard Pedley founded Garden Elf in 2016, following ten years’ experience teaching secondary science, biology and agriculture in New Zealand and Australia and three years’ experience researching sustainable food production with Plant and Food Research. He is excited about bringing a wide range of education and garden design services to the Manawatu / Whanganui region and being part of growing the change of awareness in sustainable food production.

Richard Pedley is the founder of Agrifutures.