Garden of Eating Virtual Tour
The Garden of Eating is our demonstration space and commitment to building an edible landscape that is abundant, profitable, beautiful, ecologically diverse, educational, and fun. At the same time, we realize this is not created from a magic wand. It is only through careful years of observation, planning, and adaptation of best practices that we can achieve this.
Want to see more detail to this covid-friendly tour? See our Workshops and Workstays page for more information on property and orchard tours to learn more about the design behind and learn about the paradise of nuts, fruits, herbs, and mushrooms that can grow in our climate.
Technical Overview of the GARDEN of EATING
- Legal: Zoned Rural and Environmental Protection
- Topography: Canadian Hardiness Zone 6a/5b moderated by the Georgian Bay and Niagara Escarpment. Within the Centreville Creek watershed. Gently sloping with a SE facing aspect. SW winds predominate, upwind of the apple orchard sprays.
- Soil: on the loamier side of Vincent silty clay loam which is considered CLI Class 1 soil, slightly alkaline, easy to work, adequate topsoil depth but 10m depth to bedrock
- Water: seasonally high water table, neighbours on dug well, good water quality
- Plant hardiness: Canadian Plant Hardiness Zone 5b/6a, 150 frost-free days, 2000 growing degree days, 2800 crop heat units
- Vegetation: maple-ash-basswood, some ironwood, red oak, cherry, beech, hawthorn, buckthorn, apple, wild pear, serviceberry, 100 acres of mid-succession hardwood, 40 acres of hay
- Access and circulation: on well-maintained highway 6km NW of downtown Meaford, deep but accessible acreage with hiking and snowshoeing trails extending to the back of the property.