Backyard Orchard Mentorship Program
Facilitated by Mason Hyland
Starting July 2026
Join a year-long mentorship journey to build confidence and skills in maintaining healthy and productive backyard fruit trees!
The program begins this winter pruning season in mid July 2026, and is open to people of all experience and skill levels in the green wedge region
The year-long mentorship journey consists of sixteen 3-hour sessions with Mason, spread throughout the year (Fortnightly from July to October 2026, then monthly from November through to the following June 2027). The program will be organized into cohorts of 8 people, where each person’s garden will be visited twice throughout the year. This will help give a diverse range of learning opportunities while also ensuring that each garden receives some tangible care.
Winter and summer pruning techniques to encourage fruit production and improve tree health
The intersection of plant physiology and plant ecology (including fire ecology)
Pest, disease and animal management and protection
Plant selection, companion planting, and succession planting
Soil health assessments and remediation techniques
Grafting for dormant and green wood
Plant propagation techniques such as seed saving, germination, cuttings, and, layering
A holistic approach to orchard management and food growing, informed by reciprocity and care for the broader living community.
Examples of topics that will be covered:
Learn the skills above through hands-on practice with small in-person groups
A tailored learning experience in the context of your own trees in your own garden, as well as in other cohort member’s gardens
Get your own trees in good shape with two full sessions done at your garden with the cohort under expert guidance
Build better relationships with your trees, your garden, and with others in the community
Guidance from a scientist and life-long orchardist, who has spent most of his life living and working on an orchard and spent decades in a career in the field of plant ecology
Build confidence that lasts to continue tending to your trees and other food plants in ways that benefit both you and the trees
Sixteen total sessions, 8 fortnightly sessions in the winter pruning season and 8 monthly sessions through the rest of the year
2 optional bonus field trips, one to a local orchard and one to a local reserve to discuss plant ecology and management techniques
Up to 4 bonus tele-consultation sessions (1 hour each) for advice and follow-up questions
What you’ll get in the year-long mentorship journey:
Cost: $1200 per participant for the year*
This program is open to all individuals regardless of age, gender, race, or religion. We are LGBTQ+ friendly, and supportive of Indigenous rights, and rights for all living beings. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live and work, the land of the Wurundjeri people. We acknowledge their vast history and deep relationship with this land, and recognize their Elders, past, present, and yet to come. We acknowledge them through reading and listening to their words to better understand their perspective, so we may better live in relationship with them, their culture, and their land. We acknowledge them by donating 5% of all our revenue (included in the cost of this program) as a “pay the rent” tax, and we invite all our participants to join by contributing a voluntary match of that 5%.
*Cost does not include optional equipment fees, GST, or optional 5% Indigenous Corporation “Pay the Rent” match.