permaculture

[Wesley Roe and Santa Barbara Permaculture Network <lakinroe@silcom.com>]

Closed-Loop Aquaponics
With Applied Permaculture Design - Complete Training
Backyard, Family & Commercial Systems
May 29 - June 1, 2015   
Willits, California
Learn One of the Most Sustainable
Food Production Systems in the World!

http://www.livingmandala.com/Living_Mandala/Commercial_Aquaponics_With_Applied_Permaculture_Willitts_2015.html

* Use up to 90% Less Water 
* Save Labor, Time and Money
* Permaculture Focus for Greater Self-Sufficiency
* Off-Grid Systems & Aquaponics for Homesteads
* Design for Diverse, Climates, Ecologies, & Cultures
* Create a Thriving, Regenerative Business!

Course Overview
Wether you are a beginner, a backyard hobbyist, a homesteader or a skilled 
professional wanting to start a career in Aquaponics this course has 
something to offer. This course is will provide you with a solid foundation, 
in depth information, and hands-on experience for designing and building 
cutting-edge Permaculture based Aquaponics Systems. Wether you want to grow 
food for you and your family, a small business or a fully commercial 
operation, this course will give you the foundational tools, information and 
experience you will need to support you in whatever Aquaponic endeavor you 
are interested in for years to come. At a time of global climate change, 
depletion of resources, pollution of water and huge losses of top soil 
worldwide, there has never been a more important time to learn about 
Aquaponics.

Learn from Over 30 Years of Combined Collective Experience!
This training will be led by our incredible team of Aquaponics instructors, 
professionals and educators from around the world: Including:

•Max Meyers of Nor Cal Aquaponics - lead instructor, known for combining the 
sciences of Aquaponics & Permaculture
•Rob Nash of Austin Aquaponics - bringing over a decade of experience with 
large scale Aquaponic farming techniques and hybrids
•Samantha Rodriguez of EZ Farms & Fish - who brings beauty and abundance to 
backyard systems and beyond
•Jon Parr of Fishnet Aquaponics - who is presently building California's 
largest commercial Aquaponics system of over 8 acres of Aquaponics in 
greenhouses
•Bock Doleman of Occidental Arts and Ecology Center - known globally for his 
work with watershed restoration and regenerative water system designs as well 
as the wealth of knowledge on aquatic ecology and permaculture. 

Course Description
Aquaponics is one of the most sustainable and productive farming systems in 
the world. It combines Aquaculture and Hydroponics to create more 
self-sufficient, closed-loop, systems that use only a fraction of the water, 
labor, energy, etc. that other methods use. Combining Permaculture Design 
with Aquaponics creates an even more sustainable, dynamic, productive & 
regenerative system. In this training you will learn some of the most 
cutting-edge pioneering aquaponics systems from various successful experts in 
the field, and gain a solid foundation from which to create your own 
Aquaponics System, Farm & thriving Green Business appropriate to your 
climate, ecology, dreams, & desires.

Course Details
This Course includes:
•Detailed exploration and overview of the science of Aquaponics - how it works
•System designs from all over the world; design, functions, adaptability, 
uses, variations and improvements.
•A detailed 100 page Aquaponics Course Manual covering all aspects of 
Aquaponics including:
‣Day-to-day operation of the system
‣Design checklist
‣Field tested formulas, calculations, estimates and guidelines.
‣Complete designs, plans and materials lists.
‣And much more!
•NorCal Aquaponics Systems step-by-step construction manual with variations 
and site specific applications intended to make it easy for anyone to build 
an Aquaponics system.
•A set of detailed construction plans, including site plans, and piping 
schematics.
•Commercial Aquaponics Greenhouse System detailed designs from Rob Nash or 
Austin Aquaponics.
•Personal Q & A with successful experts in the field

* This training will include all of the above as well as a design element 
focus on how to design a system specific to your individual climate, ecology, 
dreams, and desires - wether it is for a small personal system or a more 
large scale commercial system. Our intention is to empower you with 
cutting-edge information to get started in this promising new Green Career of 
the Future, and technology of the ancient past.

Permaculture & Aquaponics
By bringing Permaculture Design principles and practices into Aquaponics, we 
are closing many loops, inefficiencies, and energy drains that exist in more 
conventional systems, as well as integrating the system appropriately into 
the larger landscapes and ecologies it is a part of, making it a much more 
holistic and sustainable enterprise. Closed-Loop Aquaponics focuses on 
designing aquaponics systems that that produce as much of the system’s needs 
(water, energy, fish, feed, heat, gas, etc.) on-site and within the system 
itself as possible. Products of the systems can include; solar electricity, 
solar heated air, solar heated water, fish, prawns, vegetables, fruit, 
aquatic plants, algae, minnows, snails, worms, dry and liquid fertilizers, 
methane gas, and more. By using the Permaculture Design process, we learn to 
design systems appropriate to diverse climates and unique ecological niches 
to meet various needs, dreams, and desires.

Student Testimonials
“The highest praise I can give this course is the ability to take it home and 
immediately apply the principles. I received a thorough understanding of the 
subject and feel I could build my own system with the information given.” - 
Anne, Santa Cruz, May 2012

“I was looking for a course to help me start my system, and was a little 
worried this wouldn’t cover everything... but boy was I wrong! It covered 
everything I expected and so much more! I’m excited to go home feeling fully 
capable to build my system, and perhaps 3 or 4 others I had no idea about 
before!” - Mike, Santa Cruz, May 2012

“This course was so jam-packed with information my head felt like an over 
soaked sponge! I feel like the amount of info I received will continue to 
ooze out my ears and inform a lifetime’s work in this field. I highly 
recommend it for any and all persons interested.” - Susan, Ukiah, May 2011

“This course is a must for anyone wanting to engage in urban agriculture.” - 
Matthew, Santa Cruz, May 2011

“This course topped all my expectations and is the best aquaponics course I 
have taken. The information delivered was exceptional, beyond what I have 
seen, and more than I ever thought possible for aquaponics. Max and the 
Living Mandala support staff are very friendly, knowledgable people doing 
great work in the world. Thank you for this offering.” 
- Gary, Ukiah, Aug 2010

“Max is a brilliant designer, an extraordinary human being, and a natural 
teacher. His breadth of experience, passion, integration of regenerative 
design principles, creativity, depth of knowledge on the subject, and freedom 
of sharing information, are truly a gift.”  - Palika, Santa Cruz, May 2012

“This course is all about empowering each of us with the tools and techniques 
to take responsibility for our future by creating a sustainable food source 
and sharing this on so many levels.”
-Susan. Santa Cruz, 2012


Tuition & Registration
Includes Aquaponics Certification, Course Materials (including 100 page 
course manual), Detailed Designs), and Hands-on Experience. 

Standard Tuition: $1295 

Early Bird: $995 - (for those making less than 50k annually - Ends April 1!)

Permaculture Design Course Graduates, Aquaponics Course Grads, & College 
Students: $895
To support the permaculture movement and our commitment to further empower 
local sustainability efforts, we are offering a special discount to 
Permaculture Design Course Graduates, Aquaponics Course Graduates, and 
college students.

* There will be a small registration fee in addition to the above prices.

To Register for the Aquaponics Course Click Here.



Meals & Lodging
Course tuition includes beverages and light snacks and lunch during the 
course. Participants are responsible for their own dinner. Lunch will not be 
included on the additional optional hands-on day on Monday, May 12. The venue 
is located in downtown Willits, and their are several local restaurants near 
by. There local hotels, camping options, and other possibilities available. 
We will send you more information on local lodging options in the 
registration packet.

Aquaponics Facts
•AQUAPONICS USES 90% LESS WATER THAN CONVENTIONAL FARMING DOES!
•AQUAPONICS IS ENERGY-EFFICIENT: IT REQUIRES ONE-THIRD OF THE ENERGY OTHER 
FARMING SYSTEMS USE!
•AQUAPONICS HAS EIGHT TO TEN TIMES MORE VEGETABLE PRODUCTION IN THE SAME AREA 
AND TIME!
•LABOR IS REDUCED AS MUCH AS 40% AND MANY USEFUL BYPRODUCTS ARE CREATED THAT 
CAN BE USED TO FARM OTHER CROPS, TREES, SOIL, WATER AND ENERGY!
•A PERMACULTURE INSPIRED SYSTEM PRODUCES ALL OF THE SYSTEM’S NEEDS (WATER, 
ENERGY, FISH FEED, HEAT, ETC.) ON SITE!
•PRODUCTS OF THE SYSTEM INCLUDE; SOLAR ELECTRICITY, HEAT, FISH, PRAWNS, 
VEGETABLES, AQUATIC PLANTS, ALGAE, SNAILS, WORMS, FERTILIZER, EVEN METHANE 
GAS!



Why Aquaponics?
Growing our food in closed systems that require no soil allows us to farm 
soil and water outside the system. We plant soil and water in our damaged and 
depleted landscapes which not only aids in the restoration of the soil, 
groundwater and native forests, but has the added benefit of offsetting 
greenhouse gases by removing carbon Dioxide from the atmosphere. This is one 
of the practices used in what we call “Carbon Farming”. Soils contain 
approximately 75% of the carbon pool on land — three times more than the 
amount stored in living plants and animals. 

Did you know that 1” of healthy top soil spread over 1 acre of land 
sequesters the same amount of carbon a healthy forest of the same size does 
annually? It is estimated that our crop and range lands lose 4 tons of 
topsoil every year for every person alive! That’s 21 gigatons of soil washed 
or blown out to the sea and lost for productive use on land, releasing vast 
amounts of carbon in the process (New Scientist, December 2006). 

Being able to use land considered “Undesirable” by conventional farming, 
Aquaponic farmers have the added benefit of access to cheap lands and lease 
agreements. Often using otherwise unused space such as fill, gravel, 
concrete, abandoned commercial sites, even roof tops. 

The Only Limit is in the Mind of the Designer



Watch a Video of Max Meyers of NorCal Aquaponics Featured in Time Magazine 
On-Line


Watch a Video of Rob Nash of Austin Aquaponics Featured in Central Texas 
Gardener

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=919967824692988

Contact
For questions and more information regarding the course 
e-mail: aquaponics(at)livingmandala.com or 
call: (707) 285-7231

To Register for the Aquaponics Course Click Here.

 REGISTER
HERE
Instructors

Max Meyers
Maximillian Meyers is an Ecological Designer, Permaculture Teacher, 
Commercial Aquaponic System Designer/Installer, Rainwater and Greywater 
System specialist, Farmer and the Executive Director of the Mendocino 
Ecological Learning Center - a nonprofit educational organization and 
ecological reserve offering green job training and sustainable living skills 
to the public. In addition to the work at MELC, Max provides Ecological 
design services through his businesses Osiris Designs and NorCal Aquaponics. 
He is passionate about all things related to a more just and sustainable 
world. He has been studying, practicing and teaching Permaculture and 
Ecological Design for 14 years. Since graduating from College with a B.A. 
degree in Culture, Ecology and Sustainable Communities, Max has become a 
certified Permaculture designer/teacher, water systems specialist and working 
professional. He has been fortunate enough to study with people like Bill 
Mollison, Geoff Lawton, Sepp Holzer, Tom Ward, Jude Hobbs, John Valenzuela, 
Penny Livingston, and many others in places like the United States, New 
Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil and Hawaii. Some of 
his fields of study and practice include: Natural Building, Organic Farming, 
Integrated Rainwater Harvesting, Alternative Transportation, Mushroom 
Cultivation, Sustainable Forestry, Beekeeping, Animal Husbandry, Renewable 
Energy, Biogas Production and use, Greywater Systems design and installation, 
Vermiculture, seed saving and many other sustainable technologies, methods 
and skills. He has experience teaching Permaculture, Natural Building, Cob 
Construction, Renewable Energy, Organic Farming, Beekeeping and others. His 
work has been featured in the best selling book Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to 
Homescale Permaculture, as well as radio and television programs. 

Lead Instructor

Rob Nash
Rob Nash is the owner/operator of Austin Aquaponics and HannaLeigh Farm based 
out of Austin, Texas. He has been designing and implementing commercial scale 
aquaponic systems since 2007. Rob combined his years of hands on experience 
with training from Dr. Rakocy on the UVI model and at Nelson & Pade 
aquaponics, to pioneer one of the first commercial operations to implement 
the popular, integrated or media-raft-hybrid commercial systems. Rob’s 
passion for and dedication to educating others about this industry has 
allowed him to become a sought-after source of knowledge in the southern 
region, where he has taught hundreds of students. His farm and aquaponic 
systems have been showcased on The Central Texas Gardener and InfoWars.com in 
2013. He currently offers training workshops, consultation, and build/design 
of aquaponic systems for the beginner to advanced gardener, as well as 
commercial-minded aquapon. Rob is a one of the original founding members of 
the aquaponic association, and has served as a chairman sense its formation 
in 2011.

Lead Instructor

John Parr
Jon Parr, a leader in the emerging Aquaponics movement comes from a 
background of fine craftsmanship, specializing in granite. Since his early 
childhood, Jon has been an avid fisherman of the California waterways. As a 
fish hobbyist, Jon has befriended many of California’s aquaculture community. 
Those connections with the fish community has helped many aquaponics farmers 
fill their fish tanks. 

Jon discovered aquaponics overcoming a problem with ground squirrels at his 
home in the Santa Cruz mountains. Jon left the craft / construction trade to 
pursue the aquaponic arts full time.  During the years of research and 
real-world application, Jon developed numerous expansive aquaponic systems. 
He pioneered new methods, practices, equipment and understanding, many of 
which have become the standards of the Aquaponic industry today.  Jon 
pioneered one of the largest commercial aquaponics systems in the world - an 
8 acre farm under greenhouses in Watsonville, CA. Jon's hands-on approach to 
real-world application of sustainable permaculture and aquaponic production 
have made him a popular circuit speaker and one of the elite aquaponic 
industry experts. John’s current projects can be found at:  
www.fishnetaquaponics.com & SchoolGrown.

Guest Instructor

Brock Dolman
Brock is a co-founder of the Sowing Circle, LLC Intentional Community & 
Occidental Arts and Ecology Center (www.oaec.org), where he co-directs the 
Permaculture Program and the WATER Institute (www.oaecwater.org) in Sonoma 
County, California.

He is a wildlife biologist, permaculture designer, educator and watershed 
restorationist. Brock has been the keynote presenter at numerous conferences 
and has taught Permaculture internationally in Costa Rica, Ecuador, U.S. 
Virgin Islands, Spain, Brazil, China, Canada, Zimbabwe & and widely in the 
U.S.A. He was one of the core co-facilitators for the International 
Permaculture Convergence 8 (IPC8) PDC in Sao Paulo, Brazil and has co-taught 
at least 70 PDC’s since 1995. In 2013, after hosting over 40 PDC’s OAEC gave 
out their 1000th PDC certificate. Recently he has been invited to be one of 
the co-facilitators of the upcoming PDC during the International Permaculture 
Convergence 11 (IPC11) in Cuba in November 2013. He has been featured in the 
award winning films: The 11th Hour by Leonardo DiCaprio; The Call of Life by 
Species Alliance; and Permaculture: A Quiet Revolution by Vanessa Shultz. In 
October 2012 he gave a City 2.0 TEDx talk: 
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Izf6D1LQlFE). For over a decade he has served 
as an appointed commissioner on the Sonoma County Fish & Wildlife Commission. 
In 1992 he completed his BA, graduating with honors from the University of 
California Santa Cruz with the Biology Department and Environmental Studies 
Department.