Permaculture Consultations

In collaboration with Mandy Sandbach, I (Raina) am now offering small scale permaculture consultations.  Mandy and I are passionate about supporting you on your journey to greater food sovereignty and sacred relationship to the land in a changing climate.  We guide you as you move towards the creation of a resilient system that feeds the Earth, your family and your soul.   

Our consultations typically consist of a phone conversation before a 1-1.5hr site visit, followed by a list of action items and links/connections to resources that will support your unique needs for your property and vision. Ideas are generated and further steps discussed. You take this initial assessment with ideas as guidance for your own work and we can suggest or connect you with local landscapers, to help you implement your project.  

While hand drawn designs can be part of this consult service, our focus is on inspiring our clients to observe and interact with their surroundings, encouraging a creative and ever-evolving process, rather than delivering a specific design to impose on the land.  Special attention is given to native species and learning about what is already growing within an ecosystem.   

We specialize in supporting non profits, schools and small businesses ready to dive into the creation and fostering of resilient food systems and pollinator gardens.   

Our rate begins at $300 with additional mileage rates applied for site visits outside of our region.  This base rate includes conversation, site visit and follow up which results in 5 hours of our time dedicated to your project.  

To find out if this process is for you or to book your consultation with Mandy and I, email raina.mcdonald(at)proton.me.  

Mandy Sandbach of SoulFULLY SOIL is a LOVER of SOIL and devout student of the Earth. Growing up in a "homesteading" family in Northern BC, Mandy was rooted into the world with a deep love and relationship with all the other than human beings. Trees, SOIL, Birds, Insects, Worms and the water. A practitioner and Designer of Permaculture Inspired resilient food Systems, Mandy finds herself immersed in supporting others in their journey to grow food security where they live. Community knowledge sharing has been a practiced passion for Mandy for 10 years + and as a newcomer to Nova Scotia, is creating opportunity to learn together as community wherever possible.  Relationships tended to, cherished and valued produce Community resiliency and thriving. 

Raina McDonald is an artist, yoga instructor and grower practicing permaculture design, land stewardship and seed saving.  She owns and operates R&R Handmade with her husband Ruben Irons, providing quality hand forged home and garden ware.  Guided by ancestral ways of being with each other and the land, Raina's work spans regenerative approaches to community building, placemaking and cultivating food sovereignty.  Her passions are at play in her role as the coordinator of the Scotsburn Community Food Forest project, an edible, medicinal hub of intergenerational knowledge sharing and resiliency.  She and her family steward 150 acres of Wabanaki Forest, wild blueberries and edible forest gardens in Mi'kmaw'ki/Brookland, Nova Scotia.   

Mandy & Raina have partnered on several offerings over the years where their unique experiences and passions complement one another's.  From a recent participant in their online Backyard Food Forest Series:

" Amazing session you two!  You each collaborate brilliantly and bring so much integrated knowledge and wisdom and experience!  I am left inspired, more confident and passionate to make all this tangible on my land!"