~ 2009 Classes ~
FOREST GARDEN IMMERSION COURSE APRIL 23-26, 2009
Epworth Camp & Retreat Center ~ High Falls, New York
Build a beautiful abundant garden that fertilizes and sustains itself! Learn forest Gardening, Forest Ecology, Permaculture, Grafting, Planting and Mulching and More... Teachers: A team of inspiring teachers, including Ethan Roland, Mai Frank, Dina Falconi, Dyami Nason-Regan, Benneth Phelps, Conor Stedman. Contacts: www.appleseedpermaculture.com, 518-610-1375, forestgarden [at] livingmandala.com .
2009 Permaculture at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Ranch
Woodbourne, New York
Dave Jacke:
Gardening like the Forest: Fundamentals of Ecological Gardening
Remaking Eden (An Advanced Permaculture Design Course)
Julia and Charles Yelton:
Yoga & Permaculture Design Course with Eric Tonesmeier, Michael Judd, and guests
Michael Judd:
Yoga & Permaculture Workshops
Natural Building Workshop Series
NATURAL BUILDING WORKSHOPS: Join the community of people who learned about natural building and helped build the stone foundation, timber frame and strawbales on our regenerative farmhouse. We welcome you to continue learning about natural building and participate with us in the next phases of work on the house this Spring. Facilitated by Kay Cafasso, Natural Building and Permaculture Teacher and Architect, Wilton Duckworth. We will have 3 workshops as we build a cob wall and plaster the straw bales. Workshops are intended to be instructional and fun.
COB WALL WORKSHOP May 23, 24, 25 [arrival May 22]-- Learn about cob construction, an old and very strong construction method. Get your feet into the mud and participate in the community activity of building the cob wall on the farmhouse.
CLAY EARTH PLASTER WORKSHOP June 12, 13, 24 [arrival June 11]-- Learn about natural plasters and get your hands into the mud to help with the basic plaster on the straw bales.
LIME PLASTER WORKSHOP June 26, 27, 28 [arrival June 25].Learn the techniques for building the most important outer layer of plaster to protect the house from rain and weather. Apply that knowledge with hands on plaster work on the farm house.
Our natural building workshops as opportunities to learn, create community and fun, while experiencing the beautiful surroundings of Camp Epworth’s 160 acres. Many of the workshops offer opportunities for children, as well as adults, to participate in the building process. The house will be available for tours in the future and we will share what we learn with others so we can give back to the community.
download the brochure | download the registration form | more information »
What is Permaculture?
Permaculture is a term coined by Bill Mollison (pictured left) and David Holmgren (below) in Australia in the 1970's. It is a combination of the words “Permanent” and “Agriculture” or “Culture”. The focus is on the harmonious efficient synergistic sustainable relationships between human residences, the climate and microclimate you live in, landscape, animals, soil, water and plants. A high diversity of bioregional plant species is encouraged. Caring for the land, people and return of surplus resources is strongly emphasized.
Permaculture concepts are logical practices that cultures all over the world have been utilizing successfully for eons, mimicking naturally stable systems, compiled and designed specifically for each site. These precepts work in all climates and terrains; deserts and rainforests, mountains and valleys. Permaculture can even be used to repair badly damaged land. Permaculture principles can be applied to demolished building sites strewn with rubble, arid deserts or boggy land in urban, suburban or rural settings. Beautiful trees, berries bushes, herbs and vegetables can be grown with an emphasis on conserving water and building soil without the use of toxic pesticides and fertilizers.