Weekend sub/Urban Permaculture Design Course

This weekend retreat, taking place over twelve consecutive Saturdays, is an incredible opportunity to experience sustainable holistic living, have loads of fun, and learn practical skills you can apply in the real world in your own home, backyard, and in your community. You’ll learn how to create sustainable, thriving human systems, from green houses and organic gardens, to local micro-economies and eco-communities, using sustainable design principles rooted in nature, that are applicable to every human system — from businesses, communities, and cities to personal relationships.

We’ll tour model sustainability communities and create an impromptu service community. We’ll spend our time together building natural cob structures, pulling weeds and planting crops, learning the ins and outs of worms and compost and learning how to build truly sustainable economies and communities. Each day will combine workshops and hands-on service projects in the earth, as well as field trips to intentional communities, green businesses and other re-localization models.

Permaculture is what our great grandparents instinctively knew when they lived in villages, made their own things, and grew their own food. It could be said to be the art of respecting nature and working with it, rather than against it, to cultivate land, plants, animals and people by fostering mutually beneficial relationships between them. But it is also is a philosophy, one that changes you from the inside, as you see that there is a way to heal the earth, live in harmony with nature, and create abundance we can share.

On this workshop you’ll get a chance to participate in and become part of the Permaculture movement that’s sweeping the planet and restoring the order so necessary to our world. You’ll experience and learn about Permaculture methods that combine the best of traditional agriculture with the modern developments in appropriate technology. You’ll join with leading authorities in sustainability, and take part in designing a sustainable society. You’ll be able to turn your words to deeds, live your commitment to the earth, and most of all have a fabulous time.

During the two weeks, we will talk about:

• Principles of Permaculture and Sustainable Design
• Smart Design through Careful Site Analysis
• Recognizing Patterns of Natural and Human Systems
• Reading the Land & Understanding Natural Cycles
• Soil regeneration and Land Restoration
• Food Forests, Trees & Garden Design
• Water Harvesting, Conservation, and Graywater System Design
• Renewable Energy and Appropriate Technology
• Natural Building Design
• Waste Recycling and Treatment
• Aquaculture and Animals
• Agroforestry and Forest Gardening
• Useful Plants and Planting Strategies
• Patterns of Settlement
• Cooperative Economics, Money & Financial Systems
• Designing Sustainable Cities through Sustainable Economies
• …and much more

Upon successful completion of this course and meeting the requirements, you’ll leave with an internationally recognized Permaculture Design Certificate as the course will build upon the standard 72-hour permaculture curriculum.

There will be many field trips throughout the course
Site visits ground our learning in experience. By visiting organizations that are “really doing it”, you get to see, hear and feel the how the ideas and philosophies of sustainability and intentional community translate to real life, with all the pitfalls and difficulties, as well as the unexpected joys, that come when you dare to realize a dream. Space is limited, so sign up now!

Please note: The above are planned events but are subject to change as necessary, without any notice or refund.