permaculture

[Larry London <london@metalab.unc.edu>]

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Date: Wed, 5 May 1999 20:07:39 -0700
From: Kirk Hanson <permawest@olywa.net>
Subject: Permaculture Design Course

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EVENT NOTICE:

Permaculture Design Course
In the Methow Valley

July 6-20, 1999
A two-week course on sustainable design.
Held in the beautiful North Cascades.

Permaculture is an integrated systems approach 
to designing sustainable homes, farms and communities.

Course topics:
* Permaculture principles
* Permaculture methodology
* Organic gardening
* Organic agriculture
* Agroforestry systems
* Straw bale building
* Natural building
* Ecosystem restoration
* Livestock raising
* Urban permaculture
* Appropriate energy
* Village development
* Intentional  communities
* Observation skills
* Site analysis & design
* Water harvesting
* Irrigation
* Arid land strategies
* Edible landscaping
* Tree crops
* Windbreaks
* Medicinal herbs
* Wildcrafting
* Seed collecting
* Erosion control
* Aquaculture/ponds
* Sustainable forestry
* Integrated pest management
* Networking & research
* Formal & informal economies
           and much, much more . . .

Michael Pilarski:  Instructor
Guest instructors: Suzanne Martin, Simon Henderson, Jerry Johnson, Ed 
Welch, George Wooten & others.

This course will emphacise:
sustainable forestry, agroforestry,
medicinal herbs, lesser-known crops, and native plants.

A two-week residential course
at Herb'n Relief Farm
on the Methow River.

Sponsored by
Friends of the Trees Society

Course fee: $850

About the Course: The main purpose of the course is to impart 
permaculture principles and methodologies which can be applied anywhere 
in the world. Through lecture, discussion, observation, field trips and 
hands-on activities, permaculture design students will develop the 
practical skills and knowledge to design and implement sustainable 
systems that are in harmony with the natural world. Course participants 
will work in design teams to produce a permaculture design for the 
70-acre Vogt property. We will cover dozens of crops which can provide 
family needs or cash income. Medicinal herbs will be a major focus. 
Although this course's focus is on the interior Northwest, participants 
from other bioregions are also welcome. Permaculture principles, design 
methodology and many of our techniques are applicable around the world. 

Methow Ecosystems:  The Methow river riparian zone is dominated by 
cottonwoods. Semi-arid low-elevation sites only recieve 12-15" annual 
precipitation and support shrub steppe with sagebrush (Artemesia 
tridentata), bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata) and rabbitbrush 
(Chrysothamnus nauseosus) as well as bunchgrass ecosystems. Aspen groves, 
ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir forests occupy the zones above. Higher 
still in the mountains are wetter subalpine forests and meadows and then 
timberline, krummholz, and alpine tundra. We will make field trips to 
many of these local ecosystems up to as high as 7,440' Slate Peak in the 
North Cascades. Methow ecosystems are similar to plant communities found 
throughout the interior Northwest. Mongolia, the Altai Mountains and 
parts of central Asia and Far East Russia have analogous climates and 
many flora affinities. Eventually we should have some farmer to farmer 
exchanges with this region and joint permaculture courses. 

Course site & Facilities: The course will be held at Herb 'n Relief Farm, 
Peter & Ali Vogt's 70-acre property outside of Twisp, Washington. The 
farm includes river frontage on the Methow River at an elevation of 
1,650'. Facilities include several buildings including a large, beautiful 
lodge where we can hold classes. We will also set up an outdoor teaching 
area. We are outside quite a bit anyway with hands-on activities and 
field trips. Shower facilities are available. For those hot days, we have 
a pond and the river to cool off in. A sweat lodge will be available.  

Accomodations: There may be a few indoor accomodations but most 
participants from outside the valley will have to set up their own tent 
or utilize one of the several tipis on site. Participants can bring their 
own tents, vans or live-in rigs. Local participants can commute from 
their homes if they wish.  

Food: Three tasty wholesome meals a day will be provided with an emphasis 
on local, organic food. Be sure to note any health needs or dietary 
preferences on your registration. 

Course Tuition: Tuition for the course is $850. This includes 
instruction, meals, lodging, curriculum materials, and use of facilities. 
Several partial scholarships are available with preference given to Third 
World or Native Americans. A $250 dollar deposit is required with 
registration. $100 of the deposit is non-refundable. Single day 
attendance is possible at $75 per day. Participants will be sent an 
information packet upon registration. 
About Permaculture
* The term "permaculture" was coined in 1978 by Australians Bill Mollison 
and David Holmgren as a contraction of "permanent agriculture". It can 
also be defined as "permanent culture". 
* Permaculture is about self-reliance, growing food, and building  
energy-efficient structures from local materials.
* Permaculture establishes multiple-story, agroforestry systems using 
tree crops, shrubs, vines and herbaceous plants in symbiotic assemblages 
which are highly productive. 

Instructors
Michael Pilarski has lived and worked in eastern Washington and north 
Idaho since 1972. He has extensive experience in organic farming, seed 
collecting, plant propagation, horticulture, wildcrafting medicinal 
herbs, teaching, and international networking.  I have taught seventeen 
permaculture design courses thus far including in  the cold northern 
climates of British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Wisconsin; the temperate 
climates of Puget Sound, Oregon and California; and the subtropical 
climates of Hawai`i, Nepal and Belize. I am excited to be offering the 
first permaculture design course held in the Interior Northwest in six 
years. 
        In 1986, I hosted and graduated from a Permaculture Design Course 
taught 
by Bill Mollison near Cle Elum in eastern Washington. Mollison is the 
founder of permaculture and one of the world's leading authorities on 
sustainable settlement in arid and semi-arid lands. This was the first 
design course taught by Bill which focused specifically on "Drylands 
Permaculture". We will use & adapt Mollison's Drylands Permaculture 
Design Course curriculum.
Suzanne Martin is the co-founder of Kikta Design, a permaculture design 
and consultation firm in Kitsap County. 
Simon Henderson has studied traditional agriculture systems in many parts 
of the world and was permaculture instructor at the Bear Tribe near 
Spokane for many years. He is now a bamboo specialist.
Jerry Johnson manages his family property for cattle, grain and wildlife 
habitat in the channeled scablands southeast of Spokane.
Ed Welch is a long-time Methow organic farmer growing vegetables and 
medicinal herbs who also has an organic alcohol distillery. 
George Wooten is a local botanist with a broad knowledge of native plants 
and essential oils. 
Other guest presenters to be announced. Course participants will also 
bring a wide range of knowledge and experience. 

Certification: Course graduates will be certified as Permaculture Design 
Trainees, and after two years experience will be eligible for Applied 
Permaculture Design diplomas. Graduates are entitled to use the term 
"Permaculture" in pursuit of livelihood, and for educational purposes. 

Friends of the Trees Society
PO Box 4469, 
Bellingham, Washington 98227
Tel: (360) 724-0503. 
Email: trees@telcomplus.net

Registration Form:

Name_______________________________________

Address_____________________________________

___________________________________________

 Phone/Fax/E-mail_____________________________

_____  Enclosed is my  deposit of $250
_____  Enclosed is the entire tuition.

 Make checks payable to: Friends of the Trees Society.

Accomodation choice:   Space in Vogt's tipis_____
Bring own tent   ______        Live-in vehicle_____
Commute from local home   ______   
Indoor accomodations (may be extra charge)_______

Health or dietary needs, restrictions or allergies? ________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________
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