Dock Member Series: Tayler Krawczyk of Hatchet & Seed

Tayler Krawczyk is a co-owner-operator of local foodscape construction business, Hatchet & Seed

1. Tell us a bit about your organization: how do you make a positive impact in the community?
We are a small 'foodscaping' company, based in Victoria, BC. We've been doing this work since 2011.

Our team designs and professionally installs food-producing landscapes. We work in front & back yards, public parks, community spaces, university & school gardens, and on farms. On the residential side, many of our clients are already successful food gardeners who want to improve their 'foodscape infrastructure'. We've also worked with several community groups, universities and municipalities to create public orchards and allotment gardens.

We've also created a YouTube channel to share tours of inspiring gardens, tips and tricks from our work and others.

2. We’d also love to know a bit about you! What drove you to get involved in this work?
My passion for 'foodscaping' started with a curiosity about the principles, ethics and lifestyle habits of the ‘permaculture movement’. In my twenties, after half a decade of forestry work and a B.A. in International Development Studies at the University of Saskatchewan, I was left with many critical questions about how we might practically address some of the structural problems facing our societies and local ecosystems. Wealth inequality, food systems vulnerability, ecosystem stress and climate change - how are they related? Those questions led me to the field of permaculture design, which asks: what does regenerative human habitat on earth look like? How can we fulfill our human needs for shelter, food, water, energy and community while not degrading the planet we depend on for future generations? Better yet, how do we regenerate the planet so there are more forests, cleaner water, and healthier soils for our descendants?

I moved to Victoria in 2011 and immediately started Hatchet & Seed while continuing to take organic horticulture and ecological design training. I met Solara in 2012 and we joined forces in business, marriage and family life. We have a 7 year old daughter and live in Vic West with a yard full of chickens, cats, gardens, greenhouses and fruit trees.

3. What was it about theDock that encouraged you to become a member?
The Dock's social impact focus was very appealing to me. Colin & Eric have been extremely helpful and welcoming.

There are so many great people working on amazing projects that have a positive impact on our community, ranging from food sovereignty, to resource efficiency to health to inequality reduction. Knowing you are surrounded by people working on these issues as well makes for a feel-good work environment.

They also have great coffee, a reliable printer, bookable meeting rooms and bike storage - things I like!

4. Could you describe a challenge you’ve faced that theDock has helped you overcome?
Frankly I've never been one to do my best work from home - be in university or my early years starting a business. And while most of our work is in the field, we have grown such that there is always a steady stream of procrastination-worthy administrative tasks that need doing.

The Dock has helped me streamline those tasks and improve my focus on strategic thinking - finding more time to work on our business, not in it.

5. What is a piece of advice you would offer to another person or group doing similar work? Feel free to reference the challenge you just mentioned, another you have overcome, or some other advice altogether!
If you think you might benefit from working at the Dock, you surely will!

Without going into too much detail, we highly recommend this framework (8 Forms of Capital) for those seeking a holistic view of their organization.

We've adapted this tool, as well as this one (Holistic Management) to keep things pointed in the right direction. It is also very important to understand basic business principles as well - do not ignore them as you develop your organization, no matter how unconventional it is.

6. In your mind, how do you see theDock-of-the-future supporting you and other great organizations as an older and wiser Social Impact Hub?
Hmm... I'd have to think more about that.. Child space & kids programming? An in house marketing/branding team? Rooftop gardens? A softball team? In-house bookkeeper? Someday we might like a full office.

7. One last thing: please share something (it can be either fun or serious) that you’d like people to know about you?
I was born and raised in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. People often ask me what it was like growing up in such a modern 'World City'.

I like to think I've maintained my humility and sense of grounded-ness despite the hustle bustle of Main Street Moose Jaw and international tourism draw of the somewhat large moose sculpture on the outskirts of town.

Want to learn more about Hatchet & Seed?
Check out their website.

Interested in becoming a Dock member?
Learn more about our membership options!