Edible Perennials Course
Edible Perennials with Scotty Greenheart
4-week class series on eating from the land
Come and learn how to grow fruit and nuts in Western North Carolina with an in-depth experiential study of growing perennial trees, shrubs, and berries in our region.
We gather once a week on Tuesdays from 5-7:30 pm at SunSong Community, where we’ve been tending an edible forest garden for the last 7 years.
This location will give participants an opportunity to learn in an environment where they can observe and interact with systems that are already in place and witness firsthand the plants and techniques discussed
March 24
March 31
April 7
April 14
Class 1 - Tuesday March 24, 2026, 5-7:30PM
Site evaluation - how to evaluate a site for perennial plantings
Species Selection - where, why, and how to locate trees on the landscape
Fruit Trees - deep dive into varieties, specific growing conditions, and techniques
Site preparation - How to prepare an area for planting
Class 2 - Tuesday March 31, 2026, 5-7:30PM
Tree planting - In depth analysis on planting including remineralization of the soil
Pruning and Limb Spreading. Appropriate techniques for different species
Fruit thinning.
Pest and Disease management using holistic orcharding and immune boosting techniques
Class 3 - Tuesday April 7, 2026, 5-7:30PM
Holistic Berry care - Growing raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries
Shrubs - Goumi, Gooseberry, Currant, Serviceberry, Aronia and more!
Perennial vegetables and herbs
Soil science and management
Class 4 - Tuesday April 14, 2026, 5-7:30PM
Fruit tree grafting
Growing Hazelnuts and other nut trees
Encouraging native species, tending the wild
Orchard calendar. What to do and when
Invest in the future generations! Once established, these plants provide abundance for 10 to over 100 years with proper management.
Participants will leave with an embodied knowledge of how to plant and care for various edible species of fruit and nuts. Species include: raspberries, blueberries, apples, mulberries, che mulberries, hazelnuts, chestnuts, pears, peaches, asparagus, asian pears, elderberries, goumi berries, aronia berries, service berries,
Your Guide
Scotty Greenheart
Scotty Greenheart (he/him) is a devoted father and co-founder of Soul Gardens and SunSong Community. Scotty has been passionate about land stewardship and permaculture since his experience WWOOFING in 2008 and his PDC program in 2009. He manages the ½ acre community garden here at SunSong, the community orchard at the Big Ivy Community Center, and runs Soul Gardens Edible Landscaping. He has directed and facilitated Soul Gardens Immersion Program for 6 years and has been the Perennials teacher and caretaker for Wild Abundance Garden and Permaculture Apprenticeship Program since 2024.` Scotty comes from a lineage of composters and learned composting from his grandfather and parents. His passion for soil and care for life has led him to study many soil building technologies over the last 15 years.
:: Energy Exchange ::
$33 FOR ONE CLASS
$99-$111 FOR ALL FOUR