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  • From: Scott Pittman <pci@permaculture-inst.org>
  • To: "permaculture" <permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: water catchment
  • Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2001 14:26:59 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  Rick Murphy, The Lama Foundation -- 505-586-1269, or Rick@Lamafoundation.org

RE:  Build Here Now, 2001: An Earth Odyssey

DATES: June 10 - 17

For the third consecutive year, natural builders, permaculturalists and those who would learn from them, will “converge” for a week at the Lama Foundation, creating a microcosm of ecological community in the forested mountains outside Taos, New Mexico.

Homes made of earth and straw, composting toilets, organic gardens: Once the province of back-to-the-land revivalists, these ideas are going mainstream as energy and housing costs soar, and people seek less toxic environments.  “Build Here Now” (inspired by Lama co-founder Ram Dass' seminal book Be Here Now), shows participants how to build sustainably and cultivate wisely.  A new emphasis this year will be community- building workshops led by Lama residents.

Attracting presenters and participants from across the U.S. and as far away as Europe, Brazil and Estonia, Build Here Now 2001 includes workshops on building with straw bales, adobe, cob, earthbags and bamboo, and using earthen and lime plasters and natural paints. Among permaculture topics are site planning, water harvesting, forest gardening, sustainable timber harvesting and native medicinal herbs. Other topics offered include composting toilets, photovoltaic systems, cisterns, and designing a healthy and spiritually alive home.

Workshops run concurrently throughout each day, interspersed with artfully-prepared vegetarian meals, morning yoga classes, evening dances, nature hikes and informal chats. Lasting friendships are often born of the shared experience. "I will never forget," said one of last year's participants, "standing in the cob pit with seven other barefoot builders; holding onto one another for support; our feet doing the work of mixing the sand, straw, water and soil together; singing, laughing, work merging with play. This is the essence of what it means to 'build here now' - when work and play are the same thing."

The original event began as a way of helping the Lama Foundation rebuild from a 1996 fire, which decimated most of their original buildings. Since that time, a flurry of building activity has taken place, with several new earth-friendly structures now complete. The work of erosion control, replanting and rebuilding continues this summer at this non-dogmatic spiritual community, founded over 30 years ago.

Build Here Now 2001 presenters include well-known Southwest permaculturalists Scott Pittman, Joel Glansberg, David and Lynne Trew, and Dr. Bill Roley from California. Straw-bale building will be led by authors/videomakers Steve Kemble and Carol Escott of Sustainable Systems Support.  Healthy home architect Paula Baker-Laporte and master builder Robert Laporte, creator of the "Econest," will also present.  Workshops in earthen plaster and earthen floor techniques will be taught by Carol Crews of Gourmet Adobe, while Janell Kapoor of Kleiwerks will demonstrate how to build with cob, an adobe mud mix. The New Mexico Solar Energy Association's "Sunchaser II" and solar demonstration trailer will be on hand, and Taos architect Vishu Magee, author of the book Archetype Design, will provide a powerful visualization process for creating your dream home.

A special invitation is extended to officials and residents of fire-ravaged Los Alamos, NM to come view the progress Lama has made, and to avail themselves of inspiration and instruction in regenerative land practices.  Lama is also offering several scholarships to Taos area residents to attend Build Here Now. The event is co-produced by the Lama Foundation, the Permaculture Institute, and The Last Straw, the International Journal of Straw Bale and Natural Building.

Build Here Now 2001 runs from June 10 - 17.  For more information or to register, contact The Lama Foundation at 505-586-1269.  Members of the press are invited to visit Monday through Saturday, June 11-16.  Photos are available.


At 11:05 AM 4/28/01 -0400, you wrote:
Greetings, I'm designing a community garden for the lakehead Coalition Food Bank.  We
have the use of an abandoned school for food storage and can use the land for the
garden. The water in the building is not turned on and the owner will not do so. The
building has no eavestroughs or downspouts and is quite high. The roof has a major
hole in it and needs work, most likely just patching for now. I need someway to
collect and store water on site.  Ideas?

Bob Ewing
Thunder Bay


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