As permaculture teachers, we have landed on this simple clay-model demonstration as an excellent tool for explaining earthworks. We can cover how swales, ponds, key points and key lines all fit together. The appreciative response from our students continually confirms this.
We wanted to make this video available to more than just our own students so we videotaped this session at one of our summer PDC courses and are sharing it here. Continue reading “Permaculture Earthworks – The Clay Model”
Here is a brief picture summary of our
2015 Winter PDC at Midwest Permaculture in Stelle, IL.
As expected, during a winter course with high temperatures below 32 degrees, we did not spend a lot of time outdoors but we did manage to capture a few pictures of these activities.
Hayden Wilson and Bethany Gardner of Midwest Permaculture
Hi Friends of Midwest Permaculture.
Bill, Ernest, Hayden and I ( Bethany) are at our farming PDC course here at Fox Hollow Farm in Ohio. Bill is doing most of the teaching while the three of us support the delivery of the course along with the Rickard family (the farmers) and staff.
Bill asked me and Hayden to make a brief photo-log of the course and to drop the pictures here into a single blog post.
We’ll break it down into daily selections which we hope will give you an idea of what happens at a typical PDC course along with the unique aspects of this wonderful farming course. We’re having a great time.
Hope you enjoy…. Bethany
Next Scheduled Workshop — Spring 2016 — Check back for date
Price: $95.00 Includes Lunch and printed copy of the Plant Guilds eBooklet ($20 value)
At Midwest Permaculture in Stelle, IL (Limit 24 Students)
Bryce will Cover the Essentials:
Students Will Also:
Private Consultations with Bryce… If you have a specific project and would like Bryce’s undivided attention and recommendations, we will set a few private, 1-hour appointments on Saturday evening and Sunday Morning. Call ahead to reserve… or… seek out Bryce following the workshop should you feel you still need additional assistance. Price: $95.00/hr. |  |
Post Update (Oct. 2017) Oct. 16-20 Super Adobe Core Curriculum Workshop Sorry – This Course is Now Full Below is a picture summary from a previous joint training to give you an idea of how full and rich this combined training is. |
Blog Post of Previous Combined Course
Pictures and Text by Bill Wilson of Midwest Permaculture
For a second year we co-delivered with the Cal-Earth teaching staff a combined Superadobe Earth Building and Permaculture Design Certificate Course. At the close of our training we were pleased to host Geoff and Nadia Lawton of PRI-Australia who shared their work in desert environments with us while they were in the USA for a brief visit. This workshop was also opened to the general public seen here at the end of a really great day of learning.
Continue reading “A Cal-Earth Permaculture Course Picture Summary”
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| We were invited to deliver our “Essential Permaculture” weekend training in Kalamazoo by a former student of ours who is one of the coordinators of the Trybal Revival Eastside EcoGarden (TREE). |
| Continue reading “Picture Summary – Essential Permaculture Weekend – Kalamazoo 8/12” |
Pictures and Text by Bill Wilson and Milton Dixon
Thank you to our hosts Dr. Kelly Cain and Cynthia Wells-O’Mally of the University of Wisconsin, for hosting us for a second year. The bulk of the training was held on campus. Although we had some university students, most of the people taking this training came from the general public and from 5 different states. We had a fantastic time.
Fair Dates: Fri.-Sun., June 15-17
Please join us at one of our 8 workshops…
Link: Download or Print .PDF of our Schedule
Link: The MREA Website – All about the Fair
All 200+ workshops at the Energy Fair are free to attend…!!!
The Energy Fair is one of the largest events of its kind in the world. If you’ve never been to it and are interested in ‘all things sustainable’… this is the fair…!!!
Here are the 8 workshops that we will be teaching.
FRIDAY
Introduction to Permaculture:
Learn what permaculture is and how to apply this brilliant approach to ecological design to your own life and community.
Friday 11:00 a.m. in Green Tent; (Becky Wilson and Milton Dixon)
Continue reading “Our 2012 MREA Energy Fair Workshop Schedule”
| Pictures by Milton Dixon and Bill Wilson — Narrative by Bill |
We delivered what we believe to be the first Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) Course at this world renowned location. The Arbor Day Foundation is a leader in promoting the importance of trees for us as people and for the health of our planet. This is solid permaculture thinking.
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| The Arbor Day Foundation hosts their Arbor Day Farm, orchards, hazelnut research field, agri-forestry operation, and the beautiful Lied Lodge, all in Nebraska City, NE. |
| Continue reading “Picture Summary: PDC Course at Arbor Day Farm’s Lied Lodge – March 2012” |
Special Note:
Wondering about missing some hands-on activities at our annual Winter PDC Courses?
You won’t! Most all of the hands-on activities we undertake at our regular PDC courses we can also do at our winter courses. These include:
The one thing we cannot do because of the frozen ground is continue to work on the hugel-swale we are constructing for CSC, but this basically consists of digging a section of a ditch, putting logs in, and then covering them up. We’ll show some pictures of the details related to this so you’ll get the information without the tactile experience.
The one thing we do extra for this course is focus a bit more on the growing of food and what it takes to create a successful farming/growing/permaculture operation.
Many people want to make part or even all of their annual income from growing food. This is certainly possible but it requires quite a bit of knowledge and then real practical experience. Our objective through this training is to save you years of time and money by giving you some critical information and fresh insights.
To help anchor this learning experience we’ll be taking an extra field-trip over to Spence Farm in Fairbury, IL, to meet Kris and Marty Travis who are doing pioneering work in these areas.
If the timing works for you to attend this winter course, we are confident that you will not leave feeling like you missed any hands-on activities. It’s an amazing and very-full 8 days like all of our other PDC Courses.
Here are Pictures from one of our Winter PDC Course (from 2012)
Narration by Hayden Wilson (Standing, far right, son of Bill and Becky)
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| Continue reading “Photos of a Winter PDC at Midwest Permaculture” |