Superadobe Earth Building &  
Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) Course
Oct. 7-18, 2013 
At Cal-Earth, Hesperia, CA              

Midwest Permaculture and Cal-Earth
Deliver Our Combined Trainings Again (See 2011 Photos)
– Students Earn Two Certificates from this 12-day Training –

This Combined Training Includes Our Pre-training Webinar Series

Graduation Class of the 2011 Combined, Super Adobe and Permaculture Design Course

 Click Here for the Picture Summaries
of Last Year’s Training

The Cal-Earth Building Workshop Learn the timeless art of using arches, domes, vaults and apses to enclose space with a sense of permanence, economy, safety and beauty.  Architect Nader Khalili devoted his life to combining this ancient building knowledge with modern techniques and materials to develop Superadobe.  Now, even the poor can build a home that is as strong, or even stronger, than the ancients. Midwest Permaculture’s Design Certificate Course Having delivered over 30 PDC courses, Midwest Permaculture has emerged as a prominent provider of quality permaculture trainings.  Our full PDC curriculum will be delivered to students at this combined training so that students can earn their Permaculture Design Certificate. A Combined Training Nader Khalili and his team at Cal-Earth have done remarkable work over the years by studying the simplest of forms and elements and crafting a way to take the earth beneath our feet and turn it into beautiful, lasting and inexpensive homes. Permaculture takes this same kind of contemplative and elemental focus to design for the plant and human communities as well.  We are looking for ways to design complete systems that not only further support the inhabitants of these beautiful and functional structures, but also cares for the long term success and inhabitability of the larger area.

The Eco-Dome at Cal-Earth

“Earth turns to gold in the hands of the wise.”  Rumi

“Through permaculture design students will discover how to extract food, fiber, fuel, beauty and community
from the very same elements that created the Cal-Earth buildings – earth, air, fire and water.
The key?  Designing in the ultimate alchemists – plants and people!”
Bill Wilson - Lead Permaculture Instructor

Students working on projects at Cal-Earth

Nader Khalili — Cal-Earth’s Founder

Although Nader passed away in 2008, his work and inspiration live on through his children, Dastan and Sheefteh, and through many devoted architects and natural builders at Cal-Earth and around the world. Nader’s brilliance and gentleness come through in this short video made by his son Dastan. Both he and his sister Sheefteh are planning to join us for a part of this training. Two Short Video of Nader Khalili Earth Turns to Gold in the Hands of the Wise Eco-Dome

What will be taught?

The Earth Building Portion of the Training
Below is a list of topics covered in the Cal-Earth part of the training.  Teaching methods are in the tradition of Nader Khalili with philosophy, design theory, and principles taught through the expression of the hands-on experience.

Topics Covered:

The principle of the arch Superadobe basics Soils practicum and discussion Super-adobe with stabilized earth Making plaster finishes with stabilized earth Learning to read blueprints, elements of design, placing windows and doors Contrasting domes with vaults, vaulted roofing system, dome geometry Site planning, orientation, simple solar passive strategies Compass theory and application Waterproofing, foundations

Click Here for a full description of a Cal-Earth workshop as found on their website.

Benefits of Earning a Cal-Earth Certificate
Everyone who completes this training receives a certificate of completion, becoming part of Cal-Earths extended network of builders and teachers.

Graduates have the ability to teach official Cal-Earth workshops or just teach on their own (proper credit must be given to Cal-Earth).  For service work, graduates can teach freely.  For profit making activities, a more formal agreement with Cal-Earth is required.

- – - – - – -

The Permaculture Design Portion of the Training
Midwest Permaculture teachers guide students through the curriculum with classroom presentations, group exercises and hands-on experiences.

Topics Covered:

Observations and Patterns Principles and Ethics of Permaculture Designing for Different Climatic Zones Soils, Plants, and Trees Guilds and Polycultures Water and Earthworks Utilizing Micro-climates Designing with Succession in Mind Eco-Building Zone and Sector Analysis Aquaculture Planning the Homestead Bio-Fuels Economics Urban and Suburban Permaculture Garden Management Small-Farm Strategies Large-Farm Possibilities International Implications Starting your own Permaculture Business More….

Benefits of a Permaculture Design Course Certificate
Students who complete this design course will receive a ‘Certification of Completion’ from Midwest Permaculture. Within the world permaculture community there is a long tradition.  Once a student earns their PDC Certificate they may consider themselves a permaculture designer and freely offer permaculture design and teaching services commensurate with their abilities.  In other words, you may ‘hang out a shingle’ and start your own permaculture business, small or large.  Click here for more on certification.

The Permaculture Instructors
The PDC portion of this training will be lead by certifying Instructors Bill and Becky Wilson with guest permaculture instructor and greywater/rainwater harvesting expert, Candace Vanderhoff of San Diego.  Click on their names below to learn more about each.

Click Here for Student Comments About
Midwest Permaculture Instructors and Trainings

Additional Details About the Course

Begin The Training Now with Pre-Course Studies
Both trainings include pre-training studies.  The educational DVDs and books sent out by Cal-Earth will prepare you for the earth-building portion of the training.  This permaculture course actually begins with registration when the student receives (within 24 hours) a welcome email that contains

• access to our Foundations of Permaculture webinar series,
• links to over 3-dozen selected handouts
• and the 150-Question Study Guide.

Within a week or so students receive the course textbook, via US Mail.

Course Textbook Included with the price of Registration ‘Earth User’s Guide to Permaculture’ by Rosemary Morrow This gem of a text, shipped to students upon registration, is written by Rosemary Morrow, an Australian, that has taught permaculture around the world for decades. The book is straightforward and loaded with illustrations and substance.  It covers theory and also focuses on the practical aspects of how to create and implement a permaculture design. This book is a must read for the serious permaculturist and is a requirement for students of our design certification courses. 150-Question Study Guide To complement the text we have created a study guide with 150-questions that will assist the student in anchoring the information contained in the book. If a student can answer these questions to themselves, they can be assured that they have grasped the foundations of the permaculture design certification course.

Purchase Foundations of Permaculture Webinar Series Separately $195 Price Applies Fully Towards a Future Design Certificate Course! If one is seriously interested in learning about permaculture but cannot commit at this time to a certification course, the webinars and self-study features of our design courses can be enjoyed now.  Students will gain a solid foundation in permaculture from their own home.  It includes the text book, the 150-Study Questions and links to over 3-dozen selected handouts.And the full $195 for this webinar series applies toward any of our design certificate courses for a period of up to three years. Click Here to Learn More I’ve LOVED these webinars. Thank you so much for offering the webinar-only option.  I plan to take a certification class within the next couple of years, but these webinars allowed me to really bring together the self-study and in-the-dirt projects I’ve been working on.  THANKS!” Leigh W. (Arkansas) http://ozarksalive.org/larrapin/

Group and Personal Design projects
For all PDC trainings, students work on one or more designs in small groups. This is a requirement of certification and the project selected will be determined by the instructors.

Personal Invitation: If one of the reasons you, as a student, might be taking this training is to learn the skills necessary to create a permaculture design for your own home or property, we invite you to bring information about your site to the training.  For example, bring a sketch of your property in fairly accurate proportions and/or an aerial view photo or map, a plant list of what is on your property now (does not have to be exhaustive – what are the dominant species – place them on the sketch), note the sunny and shady parts of the property and what direction is south. You should also be as clear as you can be about what your current dreams or visions are for the property.  There will be some time in the latter part of the course where individual’s projects can be explored.

What to Pack & Other Details
About 4-5 weeks before the on-site training begins, students will receive more information concerning the webinars, what to pack, when and where to arrive, and other details.

Course Fee & Registration:
The price for this combination training TBD soon.  - Register Through Cal-Earth – see Step One below
Your Application and a Deposit of $400 Reserves Your Place

Filling out the application and sending in your deposit will ensure your place in the training and get the pre-training studies into your hands.  The balance is due before the training or upon arrival.

Registration for the combined trainings happens through Cal-Earth (760-956-7533 – for questions)

Cancellation & Refund Policy
Midwest Permaculture Cancellation:
If a student must cancel they keep the $195 Foundations of Permaculture Webinar Series and also have a $195 credit toward any future Midwest Permaculture Design Certification course (good up to 3 years).  No other refund from us.

Cal-Earth Cancellation:
The $200 portion of your deposit may be applied to another of Cal-Earth’s workshops if you notify them at least two weeks before the start of this training.  If you wish to withdraw completely and cannot reschedule, $100 of your deposit will be refunded (you keep the study materials sent when registered) if you notify Cal-Earth two weeks prior to the start of the workshop.  Any cancellations within two weeks of the workshop will not be refunded.  The full amount of your deposit will only be returned if for some reason you are not accepted to the program.

After the Training Begins:  There are no refunds for cancellations or for withdrawals once the course begins.  However, in certain circumstances, a partial credit may be extended to the student toward a future training.

Already A Permaculture Design Course Graduate?
We offer a modest discount to students who have already received their PDC Certification from another recognized course (from anywhere in the world) and wish to take the combined building/permaculture training.  Please email us for details. The savings would be about $350.

Still have Questions?

If anything is not clear about the permaculture portion of this training, feel free to email or call Becky (815-256-2215, message or text us at 815-782-2216).

For questions about the Cal-Earth potion of the training, the logistics or registration, please contact the folks there either by email or phone (760-956-7533).

Directions

From Los Angeles take 10E or 210E to HWY 15N
(dir. Barstow/Las Vegas), Hesperia MAIN ST EXIT Right, follow the Cal-Earth/Hesperia City Signs.
DRIVE one mile, Topaz Left, Live Oak Left, Baldy Lane Right at Cal-Earth sign.

Closest airport: Ontario, CA
1hr. drive, airport shuttle, or bus to Victorville.
Arrive at Cal-Earth Institute Site:
10177 Baldy Lane
Hesperia, CA 92345
Tel:             (760) 956-7533

Accommodations

Cal-Earth camping accommodation:             760-956-7533
Participants are welcome to stay on the Cal-Earth site.  Arrangements should be made ahead of time.  Simple self-catering accommodation at the Cal-Earth site, sharing space or camping only.  Walking distance to supermarket.

RECOMMENDED LOCAL HOTELS/CAMPING FACILITIES:

Courtyard By Marriott             (760) 956-3876
9619 Mariposa Road. Hesperia, CA
5 min. drive from Cal-Earth
Special Rate: $79+tax. Please mention the “Cal-Earth” rate at time of booking.

SpringHill Suites by Marriott:             (760) 948-8982
9625 Mariposa Rd. Hesperia, CA.
5 min. drive from Cal-Earth
Special Rate: $94+tax. Please mention the “Cal-Earth” rate at time of booking.

The Holiday Inn Express:             (760) 244-7674
12750 Main Street, Hesperia
5 minute drive from Cal-Earth

La Quinta Inland Suites:             (760) 949-9900
Clean, pleasant local motel.
Walking distance to restaurants.
12000 Mariposa Rd., Hesperia.
5 minute drive from Cal-Earth.

The Green Tree Inn:             (760) 245-3461
Restaurant, 24-hour cafe, pool.
14173 Green Tree Boulevard, Victorville.
10 minute drive from Cal-Earth.

Hesperia Lake Park Camping:             (760) 244-5951
RV and barbecue facilities, fishing in lake.
20 minute drive from Cal-Earth.