BY DESIGN
A weekend Workshop
Create your dream property
and a beyond-sustainable life...
...without a
landscaper's price tag.
Coming to:
Kelowna · Edmonton · Toronto
BY DESIGN
A weekend workshop to
create your dream property...
...without a
landscaper's price tag.
Coming to:
Kelowna · Edmonton · Toronto
Walk in with a lawn.
Walk out with a plan.
In this hands-on weekend workshop, learn to create a beyond-sustainable yard of full of food, rich with beauty, and low in work. By the end of the weekend you’ll have a personalised design for your property and the confidence to bring it to life.
“From overwhelmed to inspired.”
I just wanted a garden to feed my family. Now I have 8 raised garden beds, over 2 dozen fruit trees, rain tanks, and a composting system.
Maya C.
Workshop Grad
“This was awesome! So much fun.”
This was honestly a life-changing experience for me. Making a design for my property was awesome! And so much fun. Thank you!
Joseph P.
Course Student
“My entire yard is now food!”
When I took this workshop, I didn’t know what to expect… it was INCREDIBLE. I made my own design, then installed it! Now my entire yard is food!
Bernadette Q.
Workshop Grad
We were never taught this in school...
We were never taught how to live with the land. Instead, we plant grass, mow it, then go to the grocery store.
People know their yard could be doing more. But it’s overwhelming…
What should you do?
Where should you put it all?
And where do you even start???
So the lawn stays. Not because people lack motivation…
… because they were never taught how land works!
The result?
Lawns nobody wants.
Yards that take more than they give.
Grocery bills that continue to climb.
But we can change this…
Introducing:
The Grow By Design Weekend Workshop
We can learn to live with the land; to create abundant yards full of beauty, life, and food.
But let’s be clear… there’s a difference between “gardening” and understanding how land works.
Gardening is planting, working hard to keep things alive, and hoping.
Understanding land means knowing what belongs where and why. It results less work, more life, and more beauty every single year.
That’s what this weekend teaches you – how to design a property that supports the life you want to live. You will learn how to live WITH the land… not ON it, not OFF it… WITH it.
Gain the skills to make this the most exciting year you’ll ever have with your property.
This Workshop Is For You If...
- You look at your lawn and feel like it should be doing something more
- You've thought about growing food but don't know where to start
- You want to understand your land... not just plant things in it
- You want a plan, not just inspiration
- You already grow food and you're ready for a deeper level of design
- You're done outsourcing decisions about your own property to people who don't live on it
What You'll Do in the Workshop
A weekend of hands-on learning. Walk in with a lawn. Walk out with a plan.
Over three days, learn step-by-step how to design your own property. You learn the principles, new skills, food growing techniques, and more.
Friday Evening
(6-9pm)
Orientation and introductions. Learn Property Design 101, how natural systems work, and how this weekend will change how you see your property forever.
Saturday
(9-4pm)
Full day of training and design. Sun, water, soil, food systems. You'll start mapping your property, learn growing techniques, & get tips that save money & time.
Sunday
(9-4pm)
Your design comes together. Personal guidance and feedback throughout. You leave with a hand-drawn plan built for your land, your space, your life. We also have 3 guest speakers!
*Every participant receives personal guidance and feedback throughout the entire weekend.
“Mind blown!”
It was inspiring to learn from someone with so much experience and excitement. From passive solar gardening, to companion planting, to food forests, my mind is blown.
Lynn T.
Workshop Grad
“Take the course… Invaluable.”
We were impressed by the breadth and depth of this course. We are landscapers and now feel like life architects. Take this course to gain invaluable skills that anyone with a yard should have learned.
Joseph P.
Workshop Grad
“Invaluable for working & owning land.”
My husband and I took this course together and traveled for 3 years working on farms before buying a property. This course helped us to work land, choose land to buy, and set it up. for our dream.
Emily M.
Workshop Grad
What Does The Workshop Include?
You leave with something nobody else can give you… a hand-drawn design that YOU made in class over the weekend & ready for you to start the following week.
But that’s not all! Here is the full list:
- A hand-drawn design for your property
- Knowledge & expert advice to grow food, compost & collect the rain
- New skills including surveying, mapping, and land design
- A wheelbarrow of confidence in yourself to create your dream yard
- Access to Kenton's full online course ($597 value)
- Monthly community calls after the workshop
- New friends in your city walking the same path
And something harder to measure…
A new relationship with the land outside your door.
Reserve Your Spot
·Early Bird $597
· Regular $697
*All prices are listed in CAD.
(Early bird closes 2 weeks before each event).
Only 20 seats per city. Once it’s full it’s closed.
• Kelowna · Apr 17–19 · Okanagan College
• Edmonton · May 1–3 · Roots On Whyte
• Toronto · May 22-24 · St. Matthew’s Clubhouse
Early bird prices end 2 weeks before events. Only 20 seats per city.
Kelowna
Apr 17–19 · Okanagan College
Edmonton
May 1–3 · Roots On Whyte Building
Toronto
May 22-24 · St. Matthew’s Clubhouse
The Fine Print:
- You will receive a welcome email upon registration.
- Fully refundable up to 2 weeks prior to the event. Non-refundable after that.
“Highly recommend… Life-changing”
Highly recommend this workshop to anyone who wants to grow food, DIY their yard, or buy a property. I will never look at land the same way again… the workshop was life-changing.
George R.
Workshop Grad
“From food security… to a farm!”
I took this course in 2017 because I wanted to start homesteading for personal food security. I got it. And now 7 years later, I own a farm! This course was invaluable for the whole journey.
Tara A.
Workshop Grad
“The best money I ever spent.”
Your course was one of the best decisions I ever made. If it wasn’t for your course I’d be fighting fears and doubt. Now it’s the next step in my family’s life. Thank you!!
Naomi E.
Workshop Grad
Meet Your Instructor
Kenton Zerbin
Led by Kenton Zerbin
Kenton began his career as a high school teacher in western Canada but left the classroom after realizing the education system was failing to teach one of the most important subjects of all: how to live well on Earth.
That realization sent him on a global journey to learn, teach, and design in communities around the world. His work has included:
- 3 teaching tours across Canada
- 3 projects with First Nations
- 3 sustainability schools started (incl. with Barbados Ministry of Agriculture)
- 12+ schoolyards & community projects
- 100+ client properties designed
- 1000+ students taught
Today, Kenton teaches people how to create homes & yards that shelter & feed them. He passionately believes in the power of education to change the world, one person, one property, one community at a time.
He lives in an off-grid tiny house in British Columbia that he designed and built. He enjoys paddleboarding, trail running, and geocaching almost as much as he enjoys writing in the third person.
FAQ's
Do I need prior experience?
Nope! The Workshop is designed for people at all stages, including complete beginners.
Everything starts from common sense and basic life principles and builds naturally... no jargon, no assumed background, and no expectation that you are a designer or a green thumb. 😊
What if I’m not sure this is for me?
That’s normal. Thoughtful people hesitate. The workshop is an exciting and comprehensive introduction to growing food and property design, so as long as you are either (a) excited or (b) curious what your yard could become, this is for you.
Is there any hands‑on physical labor?
No. There will be no surprise shovels. 😆
This is a design and decision‑making weekend focused on a blend of knowledge, wisdom, and reskilling. The hands-on learning includes mapping, surveying, and landscape design.
What will I actually leave the workshop with?
A clear plan for your property, a hand‑drawn design you created during the weekend, and a wheelbarrow load of confidence.
You also get new friends in your city, ongoing access to support via monthly community calls, and an online course the instructor made for you ($597 value).
Is the workshop for me if I only have a small yard?
You don’t need an acreage to grow food or to make a functional and beautiful yard. Everything you learn can be applied to small yards, suburban lots, and even micro-spaces such as community garden plots.
What if I already garden or have some experience?
Awesome! Some people who attend are expert gardeners (others who come kill Spiderplants), but regardless your level of experience, you will walk out with new ideas, new skills, and a plan for your property you made in class.
Is this workshop good for those who own an acreage?
Absolutely! You have even more space to play with, which is exciting to scale up what you will learn in this workshop.
This workshop is arguably even more valuable for you because most acreage owners get exhausted because they dont plan inwards-->out. You will learn to first make an intelligent design for the area around your home before you spread yourself thin taking on all your property at once.
Is this about gardening, sustainability, or something else?
It’s broader than any single category. The work is about understanding living systems and learning how to work with them. For most, that shows up as food, DIY landscaping, a lifestyle closer to nature, or improved home decision‑making (ex. home purchasing, home improvement).
How many people are in the Workshop?
Workshops are limited to 20 participants per city. This keeps the experience personal, focused, and allows for meaningful guidance throughout the weekend. Once a city fills, registration closes.
What should I all bring to the workshop?
A notebook, something to write with, and any maps you already have of your property. Curiosity helps too. Everything else is optional. (Except pants.)
What happens after the Workshop?
You don’t leave with just a plan... You get to continue learning and get ongoing support with access to an online course and monthly community calls! We also have opportunities for informal connections with others from your city who are walking a similar path. Make new local friends.
What is your refund policy?
You can get a full refund up to 14 days before the event. Non-refundable after that.
Have more questions?
Reach out to Kenton@AttainableSustainableAcademy.com