The Property Design Mini-Course
Live Online

Great. No problem. Student can use any software they are comfortable with but our instruction is in Google Slides and PowerPoint. Learning the design process is what is really important and it matters not what software is used to create the graphic representation.

A full permaculture design is far to customized and detailed for us to be able to teach in a larger group setting in the time we have. We offer full designs on an individual basis. This training however is loaded with insight and ideas while helping you get the foundational pieces right and over time you can develop your own Full Permaculture Design if that is desired.

• A Conceptual Design includes the broad stroke of ideas and possibilities for that property.
• A Framework Design identifies the most likely placement of earthworks (swales, raingardens, berms, ponds, etc.), other rainwater harvesting systems, larger planting systems and the placement of other key elements such as the home, paths and roads..
• A Full Design typically includes greater detail of all areas including specific plant cultivars, integrated elements, microclimates, recommended nurseries, time tables and estimated budgets for all.

If you are not completely sure which level you’ll need, feel free to just sign-up for the residential course initially (4 weeks) and if during the training you decided that the homestead and even the small-farm sessions would be really helpful to you, we will have special registration links set up for you then. There are no extra charges if you register this way. We want this to work for you.

We do not take students for just weeks 5 or 6. Each week builds upon the previous.
Individual follow-up consultations with Bill are available after the training if desired, for an added fee. You can also just hire Bill to consult with you outside of this training at $250/hour if you would like him to review your own best plans or offer key pointers on your project.

There is No Certification with this training.
(It is a self-study program that we guide you through and contains about 25% of the Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course.)

EXCEPTION:
If you are taking this PDMC as part of the Advanced-Permaculture Design Course (APDC), your attendance is required at each session (or turn in your notes after listening to the recording) to access the second half of the APDC and thus earn your APDC Certification from Midwest Permaculture.

Probably the better question is what CAN it be like?  Online learning varies widely but from our recent experience, we have been able to make our courses feel like we are all in a room together while also keeping the learning experience at a high level.  Besides, the content of the course is so compelling that we have found that the online technology became a real gift rather than a limiting factor.

If you have never done online learning before do not let the technology stop you. Our tech team will help all who would like assistance with getting everything set up and working before the training begins. Email Megan with any questions () or call our course voicemail line and leave a message at ‪(815) 246-2894‬. We check messages twice a day.

Using a Zoom Room – Cameras On!
A day before the course begins we will send you the URL link to the Zoom classroom. All you need to do is click on the link at the start-time and follow the simple prompts that appear on your computer. We’ll get you in. For the first session we will be online and in the Zoom room 20 minutes early so that we are sure everyone is in and able to see/hear us.

Please Note:
Bill asks that everyone have their cameras on during the training sessions (except for obvious situations when you need to get up or check out for a few minutes). Bill will not teach to a blank screen of names so if you wish to remain completely invisible, you might want to consider someone else’s training. Thank you for understanding the value we hold of teaching to people and not just a name. Bill will make exceptions upon request.

A laptop or desktop computer with a camera, microphone and speakers (headphones) is all that is needed, and of course, a decent internet connection. If you have a slow internet this could become an unpleasant experience for you as we will be sharing a fair amount of content. Maybe there is a back-up location you can access with a stronger internet?

If your computer does not have a camera or microphone, they are inexpensive to purchase and are easy to plug in. They are combined into one device and typically run between $20 and $50. Please email or call us if you have any questions about this and we’ll get back to you with clear answers. (  —  815-246-2894)

Online Classroom Expectations
Probably not much needs to be said about this — we are simply interested in each of us supporting the creation of a constructive learning environment with a minimum of unnecessary distractions. We rarely have any problems with this and just ask that all students exercise consideration for others. To be clear however, we do reserve the right to ask disruptive students to leave a session, even the course, should that be necessary.

Main Focus is on the Temperate Climate 
Since this training is tightly condensed we won’t have time to explore many of the design variations called for in desert or tropical environments. The design basics are the same for any climate but most of the techniques and details in this training will be particularly relevant to the temperate climates where there are freezing temperatures in the winter.

If you live in a different climate, this mini-course will still walk you through the steps to designing any property, show you how to pull up online data for a site and interpret it, and teach you how to lay out a permaculture design basemap, but we will only be touching lightly on specific desert/tropical applications.