Our Permaculture Design Course
...at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage
An Intentional Community In Rutledge, Missouri
15-hrs. of Pre-Training Webinars - PLUS-
8 Very Full Days On Site - June 14-21, 2025
The Ultimate Learning Experience?
What Is Included?
- 8-Days On one-of-the-most 'Permacultured Sites' in the U.S. - This is a Rare Opportunity
- Training Led by Bill Wilson of MWP (Over 100 PDCs)
- Key Teaching Segments Hosted by Skilled and Experienced Dancing Rabbit Residents
- The Full Internationally Recognized 72-Hour Permaculture Design Course (PDC) Curriculum with Certificate
- All Meals (Mostly Organic and Locally Grown)
- Free Camping Sites (BYO tent/bag) - Some Natural Building Accommodations for Rent Onsite
- Post-Training Study Resources for Continued Learning
- Begin Study Any Time (even now) with the required Pre-Training Webinar Series
In this 3-minute video you will meet Prairie Johnson who took our PDC Course with her mother and sister just a few days after they moved into Dancing Rabbit. You will get a good feel for what Dancing Rabbit is like and who lives there. Prairie was our youngest PDC Graduate at the time (age 14) and was a wonderful addition to the course.
We have taught over 100 Permaculture Courses at various locations, 3 of which have been held at Dancing Rabbit...
… and each one is a little more detailed than the last as the village’s permaculture design features have increased in number and maturity.
We’d Love to Have you in PDC Course #4
June 14-21, 2025 – Rutledge, Missouri
Some Key Items Covered
Earthworks
- Swales
- Keyline Design & Plow
- Rain Gardens
- Spillways
- Ponds
Water Harvesting
- First Flush Systems
- Cisterns
- Rainwater Tanks
- French Drains
- Drywells
Soil Building
- Soil Structure
- Organic Matter
- Life in the Soil
- Fertility without Fertilizers
Plants and Guilds
- Increasing Photosynthesis
- Power of Polycultures
- Plant Layers
- Design for Multiple Functions
- Propagation
Food Production Systems
- Creative Gardening
- Self-Watering Beds
- Season Extenders
- Food Storage
- Community Projects
Humane Use of Animals
- Quality of Life
- Full Expression
- Creatively Use Their Behavior
- Increase Whole Farm Fertility
- Honorably Harvest
Alternatives to Alternative Energy
- Conservation
- Biogas
- Earth-air Tubes
- Thermal Mass
- Wood Gasification
Natural Building
- Recycled Materials
- Stem Walls
- Cob – Clay Slip – Waddle-&-Daub
- Light vs. Insulation vs. Thermal Mass
Aquaculture-Aquaponics
- Pond Basics
- Layering in the Water
- Maximize Food Production
- Minimize Water Use
- New Possibilities in our Oceans
Community Building
- 4-Fires of Group Work
- Clear Agreements
- Eat Together – Work Together – Play Together
- Personal Responsibility
- Emotional Maturity
Learn to Design
- How to find publicly available site data on almost any property
- Clear step-by-step instruction on what to design first, second, and so forth.
- Stacking functional elements to maximize effectiveness and efficiency.
- Easy digital software for making simple, clear and professional looking design maps
...And lots, lots more.
How Does This All Work and Progress?
Step 1
Register for the PDC Course.
Reserve your spot in the training with a deposit. Our upper limit is 24 students so registering early is a good idea. Shortly after registration, students receive a welcome email from us linking them to the Foundations of Permaculture Webinar series which begins this educational journey.
Step 2
Listen to All 11 Webinars in the Pre-Training Series
The webinar series is a 12-hour treasure trove of information and exposure to some amazing people who have incorporated permaculture principles and practices into real life situations. Take notes if it helps you learn but these are not required. Listening to the webinars is a requirement and an important first step of the course, so do make the time.
Step 3
Join Bill Just Before the Course in Two Live Webinars over Zoom
Live Webinar 1: Tues. June 3rd – 7:00-8:30pm
Live Webinar 2: Tues. June 10th – 7:00-8:30pm
In webinar #1 we will discuss the content of the Foundations of Permaculture Webinar Series that students received at the time of registration. Students should come prepared to share some of the highlights that really hit home for them. Following this live webinar, we will link you to an additional webinar (about 2-hours of content) which will be discussed in live webinar #2 on the 10th. Both of these webinar sessions will be recorded should you have to miss either. These are not fluff sessions. They are an important part of the content of the course.
Step 4
8 Amazing Days at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage
Arrive any time between 3:30-9:30pm on Friday (June 13) to get settled in, meet some fellow students and community residents, and relax before our week launches on Saturday morning at 9am. You will be on your own for dinner Friday evening, but a light breakfast will be available before class. We’ll start promptly at 9am on Saturday. You may check in as well on Saturday morning between 7:45-8:45. Course starts promptly at 9am.
Groups (Families, Couples, Friends)
If you have a family member or friend who would also like to take this course we offer a $300 discount for this person. And you can invite more than one additional person at this price.
Should My Spouse/Partner/Close Friend/Family Member take the course with me?
If there is someone(s) who is intimately involved in whatever project you are undertaking, our students have repeatedly told us that it really made a difference when all parties involved took the PDC together.
Going through one of our PDC courses tends to create a mind and heart shift in most people that cannot be transferred by conversation later on to others. Most people leaving the course never look at land the same way, and the concepts and ideas they now have can be fundamentally different than when they began. How does one explain this to their loved one(s)?
All we can tell you is that most people experience an inner shift by the conclusion of the training and to be able to experience this with those you will be working closely with is priceless. If there is anyway the other(s) involved with your project can join you, we, and most all of our students, highly recommend it.
Already A Permaculture Design Course Graduate?
We offer a 33% discount to students who have already earned their PDC Certification from another recognized teacher (from anywhere in the world) who wish to take one of our courses as a refresher. Please call or email us for details.
Additional Details
Arrival & Registration
Arrive Any Time Friday Afternoon/Evening, June 13, 2025
Start
Sat. June 14 – 9:00am
End
Sat. June 21 – Noon
As you can see, these are very-full days. But because we break up the class-time with videos, exercises, discussions and more, students enjoy going into the evenings without feeling fatigued.
Daily Schedule
-
Breakfast 7:15
-
Class 8:15
-
Lunch Break 12:15
-
Class 2:00
-
Dinner Break 5:00
-
Class 7:00
-
End 9:00
“Bill, I was concerned coming in that I would not be able to learn anything by the evening sessions. Not so. With the long meal breaks and the way that you and your team kept the material so interesting, I was fully engaged all day. Great job. I didn’t want the week to end.”
What to Pack & Other Details
About 4 weeks before the on-site training begins, students will receive more information concerning what to pack, when and where to arrive and other details. No big surprises here. Just the usual stuff.
The PDC Certificate of Completion
Students who complete this design course will receive a ‘Certificate of Completion’ from Midwest Permaculture, which in the permaculture tradition, allows them to use the word ‘permaculture’ in the promotion of their work or business. Graduates may offer workshops, lectures and design services.
Final Design Projects
Participation in a final design project is a requirement of earning the certificate. We typically divide students up into groups of 2-4 persons, all working on one of the student’s own design projects.
Want to work on your Own Design Project?
Depending upon the number of students with projects, it is likely your project could be selected or you will be able to work on a project very similar to yours. If you want your project to be considered, bring the following:
- A written list of your current goals and/or vision for your property
- A sketch or aerial photo with key features and property lines clearly noted
- Noted 'problem areas', underground or overhead utilities, downspout locations, septic field, etc.
- A list of dominant plant species that are currently on the property (does not have to be exhaustive)
Our instructors determine the final design project selection, but students’ preferences are strongly considered.
Continued Support Following Graduation
Students who have completed a Midwest Permaculture design certification course (PDC) are then invited to become part of our growing network of graduates. There are 4-ways we work to support our graduates:
- We offer the course at half-price to any graduate who would like to experience the PDC once again.
- We host a private networking page for graduates to stay connected with each other.
- We host 'Office Hours' once a month for help with design questions or just to check in and say hello. Bill is usually in.
Our objective is to support our students for as long as they need it or want it, and to encourage them to support each other.
We would love to have you join us.
The experience of taking a PDC course in person is almost always deeply impactful. As teachers, we feel it is our job to deliver the best quality training we know how to our students, and we take this responsibility seriously. This subject is too brilliant to share in a ho-hum way. We see the course as a journey into wonderment, self-confidence, and endless possibilities.
Thank you for your interest.
-The MWP Team