gardeners, edible landscapers & farmers:
make this your office - and your career
Build your edible landscaping business - with the support of a mentor
- FLEXIBLE: A 12 month, self-paced training program for building your ecological edible landscaping business - you can start anytime!
- EFFICIENT: Create a business you love that transforms outdoor spaces into gorgeous edible landscapes -without sacrificing you or your time.
- PERSONAL: Make the most of messaging and sharing capabilities with your mentor Matt Lebon
I'll teach you how to...
Use your growing skills to build an edible landscaping business
You don't have to build it all from scratch
Market yourself and master the art of skillful consultations
Learn how to make the sale and build long lasting client relationships
Develop internal systems for smooth + profitable install days
Perfect for people who are worried about losing money on jobs
Discover creative design principles you can use on any site
Pro tip: You DON'T need expensive design software!
Sound like you...?
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You’re an experienced gardener or farmer, but you're unsure how to make a real living with your skills
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You crave a career with purpose, but starting an edible landscaping business feels totally overwhelming
- You have a background in landscaping but no clue how to bring in ecological practices
Hey, I'm Matt!
I help clients facing those same challenges everyday.
Here are the three common myths they are facing ↓
Myth #1
"I have to invest tons of money to get started."
Truth: You can launch lean. I started with a carport, a used truck, and hard work. I’ll show you what tools, software, and systems are actually essential—and what to skip.
Myth #2
"I need a degree or certification to be taken seriously."
Truth: Clients want results, not résumés. Our program gives you the support to earn trust and land jobs—no diploma needed. Want a cert? You’ll get 50% off a full online permaculture design certification through our Midwest Permaculture partnership.
Myth #3
"I’m not ready to charge for my work."
Truth: That may be true today, but with some support you're probably closer than you think. We'll give you the structure you need to turn your gardening skills into a profession.
Who is this school for?
THE LANDSCAPER
You’ve mastered hardscapes and irrigation—but want to offer clients something more nourishing, beautiful, and sustainable.
The Edible Landscaping Enthusiast
You’re already helping friends plant herbs and berries—and wondering if it’s time to make this your profession.
The Permaculture Enthusiast
You dream in zones and stacking functions—and now you want to turn those design principles into paid work.
The Eco-Minded Entrepreneur
You’re craving to build a purpose-driven business that aligns with your values.
The Urban Farmer
You’ve sold at markets, grown in raised beds, and taught workshops—now you’re ready to design for clients and scale your impact.
The Horticulture Pro
You know your plants—but want to apply that knowledge toward creating creative, edible, and client-focused landscapes.
go from grower to business owner
Before enrolling, you might:
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Feel unsure how to turn your love for growing food into a career
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Second-guess your pricing and feel weird charging for your work
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Feel overwhelmed by what tools, software, or systems to use
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Walk into consultations with ideas—but no clear way to present them
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Feel isolated and wonder if there’s even a real market for this work
after the training, you will:
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Have a step-by-step plan to build a profitable foodscaping business
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Know what to charge, how to say it, and why you’re worth it
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Be equipped with the exact templates and tools to run your business and install days smoothly
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Show how up to client meetings with beautiful visuals that help close the sale
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Be connected to a growing network of pros doing the same inspiring work
THE TRUTH IS:
There's a very steep learning curve to starting an edible landscaping business without a guide.
We've made the entry point into foodscaping for a living clear and accessible with this online training program.
You can try to patch together the skills learning for free on You Tube. OR you can take the short cut and learn with me.
It took me years and expensive mistakes to gain this knowledge.
enroll here ➡
Meet Your Guide, Matt Lebon
Matt is most passionate about creating magical food moments. He is driven by the belief that food connects us all.
Matt has helped to grow his company, Custom Foodscaping, team to 9 team members. In his 8th year leading the design and install team for CF, last year's revenue topped $750K and over 100K in net profit. More than anything, Matt is proud of the caring team he works with and the supportive clients who allow Custom Foodscaping to do this earth-centered work.
The biggest aha moments was learning how to go about how to understand what people are willing to pay for a project. I learned how to ask upfront and see a reaction, and adjust from there. That was huge.”
ALLAN, former student
"Before the course I felt very disorganized. I didn’t have any documentation or contracts. I feel more structured as a business so there’s a lot of good information. Organization is my biggest takeaway."
BEN, OWNER, PERMANENT YIELD DESIGN
"What was most valuable about this course: The transparency in the day-to-day operation of the business especially the intake to project installation pipeline and how to navigate HR."
2024 STUDENT
"Matt's style of teaching and all of the hard work done by his team is impressive."
2024 STUDENT
"After taking the course, it feels like a strong foundation for success has been built."
2024 student
Katie went from from a curious green thumb to a successful business owner.
"I started working with Matt after learning about his company and programs at the 2021 Foodscaper Summit. I was about a year into starting up my foodscaping company, and was feeling totally lost and overwhelmed. I am now heading into year 5 running and managing it full time as the owner and founder (with a more-than living wage to boot!), managing several employees, and working with hundreds of clients annually.
Matt and his coaching program have been instrumental in my success: because of his guides, presentations, and one-on-one mentoring, I was able to level-up my ideas, installations, design skills, and all of the other skills it takes to manage an edible landscaping business.
The best part of this program is that you’re working with a mentor that is incredibly caring, available to you, thoughtful, and who clearly has his heart in this work. If you’re starting out in your edible landscaping company and looking to gain confidence, hone your skills, and feel supported by someone who cares deeply and has been in your exact shoes, working with Matt and in the Foodscaping Entrepreneurship School is where it’s at!"
KATIE CAREY, OWNER, COLUMBUS FOODSCAPES
a step-by-step path to building your business
CLASS 1
Design your edible landscaping company
- Find your "big why" for doing this work
- Get a realistic look at the many roles of foodscaper entrepreneur
- Set SMART goals for your business
- Get crystal clear on your ideal client and how to market to them
CLASS 2
Build your business structures
- Learn how to set up the legal and tech side of your business
- Understand the client lifecycle
- Customize our contracts, email scripts, and proposals to work for your company's brand and business plan
- Build your client intake questionnaire
- Get business advice from guest speaker Jeremy Lekich, co-founder of Nashville Foodscapes
Class 3
Level up your design skills
- Learn how to take clients from grass to garden with two in depth training videos on design principles
- Watch tutorials on how to make simple, professional looking designs on free Google Slides software
- Learn creative water management strategies with guest teacher Gabriel Hahn of Custom Foodscaping
- Get insight into managing and designing food forests with guest teacher Mike McCord, owner of Community Foodscapes
CLASS 4
Expand your plant palette
- Learn about the all-star edible landscaping plants you need in your plant palette
- Watch a detailed class on how to source foodscaping plants from nurseries and locally
- Get our comprehensive list of recommended foodscaping plants for zones 5-8
- Customize our lumber and nursery template to keep your inventory organized
- Get expert horticulturalist Laura Sweany's recs on which foodscaping plants work best in various warm weather climates and zones 8-10
CLASS 5
Learn with commercial & residential case studies
- Study a series of site-specific challenges with permaculture-inspired design solutions
- Compare commercial and residential projects and design considerations
- Take a tour of two projects from start to finish, including consultation, design and budget, as well as a photo walk through of project implementation
CLASS 6
Proposals, contracts and budgets
- Learn how to walk into consultations with confidence and competence
- Create a strategy for funneling clients through your pipeline
- Watch Matt teach how to create bids, proposals and contracts
- Learn from a panel of experts as they share tips for "kickass consultations"
- Customize our Look Book to fit your branding and services
CLASS 7
Lead efficient install days
- Learn exactly what to do during lead up, final prep, day of and closing out the day
- Understand body care and ergonomics while doing rigorous manual labor
- Get hacks that will help you avoid pitfalls and more time than you budgeted for
CLASS 8
Scale your business
- Learn about how create a workplace environment where people are excited and motivated to do their best
- Examine how tend to your own self-care as a business owner
- Get ideas about to use technology to manage your company's internal systems as you grow
- Do self-inquiry work for how to protect your JOY!
CLASS 9
Secure winter work
- Learn how to bring in income for you and your workers during the off season
- Explore how to make a plan to utilize the offseason to get organized, make repairs, work on marketing, examine your business model and plan for a more profitable next season
Watch the first class (on us!)
Learn what it takes to start and operate an edible landscaping company
enroll today
THE FOODSCAPER Entrepreneurship SCHOOL includes:
🌿 A year of transformational education + support
Dive into 12 months training and coaching to start your dream business
🌱 Video Lessons
Learn-at-your-own-pace, practical training you can watch anytime. Learn the exact steps to start and grow your edible landscaping business.
📅 Monthly Live Coaching with Matt Lebon
Join 90-minute group sessions to dive into entrepreneurship, mindset, and real-world problem solving—with space to get your questions answered live.
🌿 Pro Talks: Monthly Expert Presentations
Get insider access to exclusive sessions from leaders in foodscaping and ecological design. Stay inspired, stay current.
🗣️ Direct Access to Matt in the Student Forum
Get personalized feedback from Matt and your peers whenever you hit a roadblock. You’re never stuck on your own.
🤝 A Private Peer Group
Connect with others building their dream careers—share wins, ask questions, and stay motivated in a supportive, like-minded community.
🎁 $2,500 in Bonus Tools & Templates
Instant access to our most popular resources—including budgeting spreadsheets, design templates, pricing calculators, and customizable client-ready assets.
🧭 50% Off a Permaculture Design Certificate
Save big on Midwest Permaculture’s online PDC course and deepen your ecological design skills at your own pace.
PAYMENT PLAN AVAILABLE!
enroll today for $795
Solo track
a modified track (no community or coaching)
🌿 A year of transformational education
Dive into 12 months training to start your dream business
🌱 Video Lessons
Learn-at-your-own-pace, practical training you can watch anytime. Learn the exact steps to start and grow your edible landscaping business.
🎁 $2,500 in Bonus Tools & Templates
Instant access to our most popular resources—including budgeting spreadsheets, design templates, pricing calculators, and customizable client-ready assets.
🧭 50% Off a Permaculture Design Certificate
Save big on Midwest Permaculture’s online PDC course and deepen your ecological design skills at your own pace.
Our best-selling products are included
Don't reinvent the wheel - use our templated scripts, contracts and proposals
Foodscaper Business Starter Pack
$200 value
Learn to use FREE Google Slides software to create impressive professional designs
Foodscape Design Using Google Slides Course
$150 value
Pop in your own images (or use ours) to create a marketing and sales tool that will easily land clients
Consultation & Look Book Template
$30 value
"This mentorship came highly recommended and I am grateful to have had a chance to participate in the program. Matt and his team are supportive, inspiring, and creative problem-solvers.
Courtney, former student
“The companionship, practical business advice, and garden problem-solving was so beneficial for my young business.
It was like laying compost, so worth the investment.”
Peter Van Nuland, Former student
Owner, New Story Landscapes
what's it like to work as a pro foodscaper?
Think beyond the raised bed.
Professional edible landscapers work beyond the scope of kitchen garden consultants; they are comprehensive site designers.
This isn’t your typical raised bed business—this is permaculture-inspired edible landscaping!
Foodscapers enhance ecological health on every property such as:
- growing nutrient-rich food and medicine
- planting perennial fruit and nut trees for a continual harvest
- reshaping land to maximize rainwater capture
- improving natural soil fertility
- building pollinator habitats with native plan communities
MY LAST PIECE OF ADVICE
As I grew my business, I looked to the guidance of my mentor Jeremy Lekich, co-owner of Nashville Foodscapes. Without a guide to show me how to build a business in such a new industry, I wouldn't have been nearly as successful and fulfilled in my work at Custom Foodscaping.
- Matt
FAQs
