Root Skills

Growing food sovereignty in Lunenburg County — one garden, one neighbour, one season at a time.

What is Root Skills?

Root Skills is a community-led food sovereignty project based in Riverport, Nova Scotia. Funded through Feed Nova Scotia's Community Food Sovereignty Program, it brings together neighbours, mentors, and experts to dramatically increase the amount of locally grown food using innovative, climate-smart growing methods — and to share that knowledge so it keeps spreading.

We know the challenges well: rocky, acidic soils; a short growing season; unpredictable rainfall and temperatures; deer, insects, and plant disease. Root Skills tackles these head-on with proven technology, hands-on workshops, and a mentorship network that makes growing food less daunting and more rewarding.

The program focuses on vegetables, fruits, berries, and nuts — the essentials for building a more resilient, self-reliant local food system. Our goal is to create shovel-ready projects participants can build and replicate, reducing our community's dependency on imported food.

How it works

Root Skills uses a "Hub & Spoke" mentorship model — a central hub of resources, tools, and expertise radiating outward to participant households across the community.

Design Workshops & Expert Sessions

Root Skills will host 6–8 hands-on workshops led by specialists — producing plans you can take straight to your backyard. Topics include:

  • Composting, biochar, amendments

  • Season plans, succession planting, seed saving

  • Rain harvesting, drip irrigation design

  • Hoop tunnels, cold frames, Walipini design

  • Integrated approaches for our climate

  • Design workshop + build party

Workshops are free for participants. Materials for pilot projects are provided through program funding.

Upcoming events

September 26

Fermentation Demonstration Workshop with Phillip Moscovich

1:30-3:30pm at the Riverport Community Centre

Dates are tentative and may shift — check back here or email us for the latest schedule. Mentorship meetups and work bees run throughout the growing season.

Get involved

Whether you're a seasoned grower or have never planted a seed, Root Skills is for you. We're looking for 8–12 core participant households in the Riverport area — plus anyone who wants to attend workshops, lend a hand at a work bee, or just learn something new.

No experience required. Tools and materials provided.

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