permaculture

["GlobalCirclenet" <webmaster@globalcircle.net>]

>Yes you can go away and read all the books about permaculture, but
>this doesn't compare with the 'immersion' that comes from the
>course, the value of working with others, building community,
>sharing experiences, working out solutions togther.

And the only way you know of to get that is with paid workshops?  What do
you suppose the common country folk did before they were blessed with the
"new invention" of Permaculture? How do you suppose they ever manage now
without PC workshops?  Workshops are here to Save The Day. Step right up,
folks. 

Really, if permaculture was all that complicated you certainly couldn't
learn it in two weeks. But it has to sound complicated doesn't it.

paul@largocreekfarms.com

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 9/16/2004 at 8:45 PM Graham Burnett wrote:

>The same issues came up on the Plants For A Future list the other day. The
>original post is on top, my reply is beneath. Beyond this i don't think
>there's anything else I can add to this thread, some folks here are
>obviously stuck in their own perceptions and are clearly not interested in
>being moved from that position. Other than this I'd suggest looking at the
>UK Permaculture Association website for all the latest on how us Brits
>fleece naive farmers and gardeners and ensure that we ring fence our
>intelectual property;
>
>Permaculture Association (UK) information on design courses ;
>http://www.permaculture.org.uk/pcasite/mm.asp?mmfile=educationpcdc
>
>Permaculture Association (UK) information on introductory courses;
>http://www.permaculture.org.uk/pcasite/mm.asp?mmfile=educationintroductory
>
>Permaculture Association (UK) Diploma accreditation criteria;
>http://www.permaculture.org.uk/pcasite/mm.asp?mmfile=dipcriteria
>
>Subject:  Re: Permaculture Design Courses are we being fleeced?
>
>
>ADVERTISEMENT
>
>
>--- In pfaf@yahoogroups.com, "the_green_garden"
><the_green_garden@h...> wrote:
>> I'm currently investigating the possibility of doing a
>permaculture design
>> course, but from what I have found out so far,none of the courses
>> offered,despite often costing a great deal of money.Have No
>statutory
>> educational and or governmental body formal recognition in the
>European
>> Union.So from what I can gather so far, any Tom, Dick or
>Harriot,can claim
>> to set up a permaculture design course offering Diplomas etc which
>in
>> reality will be worthless bits of pretty computerised paper
>recognized by no
>> one but the person running the course.So the question begs an
>answer are we
>> all being fleeced and would we be all better off just studying and
>putting
>> into practise the works of Bill Mollison's Permaculture A
>Designers Manual?
>> Other readers of this forum are encouraged to offer their opinions.
>
>Depends how much value you place on the 'formal' education system.
>I've been on 'approved' mainstream courses that have been tedious,
>boring, unimaginative and have no interest whatsoever in developing
>the participants' creativity. You get a little piece of paper at the
>end of it, but personally my Permaculture Design Course certificate
>is one of the most valuable qualifications I have, even though that
>in itself will never get me a job. On the other hand the skills,
>insights, practical experiences, self-development, etc I gained from
>the course and my ongoing work in and with permaculture are of
>infinite help in developing sustainable and self-reliant futures for
>myself, my planet and the communities I work with. Mr Blair and his
>cronies in the 'education' establishemnt may not be able to measure
>permaculture with his targets and goals, but a PC Design course is
>about something much more exciting than his small vision, and
>personally I hope that permaculture will always remain outside of
>the mainstream with it's inspectors and league tables.
>
>Yes any 'Tom Dick & Harry' can set up a course and call it
>a 'permaculture design course', but one of the core foundations of
>Permaculture is that it is about being ethical, thus for such a
>course to be recognised by the Permaculture Association it must be
>led by teachers who have themselves done a design course, and by at
>least one person who has the diploma in permaculture. The PC
>Association is doing ongoing work in accrediting PC design courses,
>including by the Open College Network but it's early days, so watch
>this space on that one. For more info see
>http://www.permaculture.org.uk/pcasite/mm.asp?mmfile=educationpcdc
>
>All the design courses that I know that are running or coming up
>(I'm talking about in the UK here) are being run by committed,
>knowledgable and experienced people, and if 'fleecing' people is the
>intention I can think of easier scams than giving up 2 weeks of time
>and energy (not including pre-course prepatation, creating
>publicity, etc) for a finacial gain that usually works out at far
>less than the minimum wage. I know that we are all working bloody
>hard on preparing the next Naturewise Design course despite the fact
>that we are pretty unlikely to make any money at all from it, so
>forgive me if I sound pissed off by your implication that I'm out to
>rip people off.
>
>Yes you can go away and read all the books about permaculture, but
>this doesn't compare with the 'immersion' that comes from the
>course, the value of working with others, building community,
>sharing experiences, working out solutions togther.
>
>Cheers Graham www.spiralseed.co.uk
>
>
>---
>Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
>Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
>Version: 6.0.756 / Virus Database: 506 - Release Date: 08/09/2004
>
>_______________________________________________
>permaculture mailing list
>permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
>http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/permaculture