Midwest Permaculture and CSC’s Summer 2012 interns.

Rusty, Hayden and Zach (L-R) eating a lunch that they fully grew and prepared – chicken from the orchard and sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, onion and garlic from the community garden.

Russell Thompson is from Texas and is with us for 3 months as he learns the basic elements to creating a permaclture design for a piece of land that he and his family own in Indiana.

Rusty:  “This experience will help me to implement permaculture principles specifically for the 40-acre plot of land in Indiana which our family intends to turn into a food forest. The land will also be an example of alternative agriculture for the conventional farmers surrounding the family plot, and a support for other sustainable-minded farmers in our community. After my internship, I intend to move to Indiana and start using what I’ve learned to make a living for myself and my future family.”  More from Rusty on our blog.

Hayden is finishing up his first year of a 2-year internship and is the son of Bill and Becky Wilson of Midwest Permaculture.  Here is his blog entry from early on.

Zach Watts is a Stelle community resident and entering his senior year of high school in the fall of 2012.  His was a summer intern.

Zach: “I really enjoyed learning about poultry production, the permaculture ideals and principles, and wood gasification. My eyes were opened. I will continue to view the world through a permaculture lens.”