On-Site PDC
72-Hr. On-Site/In-Person (over 8-days)
Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) Course
Our 2024 'On-Site' Courses are now Complete
Please Check Back for 2025 Schedule
What Is Included?
- The Internationally Recognized 72-Hour PDC Curriculum led by Bill Wilson
- Two-Live Webinars just before being On-Site for 8-Days
- See and Interact with the Permaculture Work of Our Hosts
- Hands-on Permaculture Design Exercises
- Meals and Camping Included
- PDC Certificate upon Completion
- Post-Training Study Resources for Continued Learning
View some of the locations where we've hosted our courses (click photo to enlarge)
We typically choose sites that practice aspects of permaculture to host our courses. We have hosted courses at Bending Oak Permaculture Farm, Cal-Earth, and many more engaging places.
Each site we teach at lends much to be explored and discussed. But despite the location, the expansive PDC course curriculum covers how to apply the principles of permaculture in any climate, anywhere in the world.
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
- What order to design things in
- How to find publicly available data
- Ways to communicate designs effectively
- Simple tools to help make design maps
...And lots, lots more.
What to Expect from a Midwest Permaculture Course?
- An Energetic Learning Environment
- A Welcoming Community Wherever we Stay
- A Comfortable Classroom
- Nice Camping Areas - Clean Showers and Toilets
- Meals are Mostly Organic - Much of it Locally Sourced
A Personal Experience
The subject of permaculture attracts an incredible variety of individuals with a meaningful collection of common interests. Sharing meals, space, and conversation lends to creating a rich learning environment and a palpable sense of community among participants. Our students bring as much to the experience as we do and naturally end up sharing some from their diverse areas of expertise and knowledge. Most participants leave our courses feeling personally enriched.
Get a Lasting Impression from Hands-On Learning
For many people, endless reading and lectures can be difficult to absorb. We fully understand this and have crafted our in-person courses to be peppered with active learning experiences. During each in-person PDC course we take time to learn outdoors, learn how to use helpful equipment, break off into groups for discussion and exercises, and work on tackling site-specific projects and activities, wherever we may be.
A Site Example: The Home of Midwest Permaculture
Bill and Becky have been working on the design of their home in Stelle for the past 15+ years and take time during every course to share their experience designing their yard. They will answer any questions and share the challenges, joys, and learning experiences they’ve gained from “walking the talk” of permaculture design.
Over time, the home of Midwest Permaculture has been completely transformed from your average suburban parcel into a beautiful, productive, and ecologically friendly oasis that preserves rainwater, supports native pollinators, provides a wide variety of foods, and builds soil in the process. This is a great example of what could be explored during an in-person course!
Meals & Open Camping Included
The basic registration price includes all your meals beginning with lunch on the first Saturday. Meals are typically prepared by our hosts with many organic and locally sourced foods, and we’ll always have a vegetarian option. Are you vegan or gluten-free? Just let us know when you register, and we will gladly accommodate your diet. All of your meals are provided from Saturday lunch on the first day through Saturday lunch on day 8.
Final Design Projects
Participation in a final design project is a requirement of certification. 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.
Continuing Support Following Graduation
Students who have completed a Midwest Permaculture design certification course (PDC) are invited to become part of our growing network of graduates. There are three 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. This includes our new On-Demand PDC for just $247.50
- We host a private networking site for our students to connect with other MWP grads
- Graduates have an open invitation to join us for our twice-monthly office hours held over Zoom
- Graduates will always have free access to our live ‘Quick-Design’ Charrettes to continue their learning experience and to stay in touch with us and other students.
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 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. Keep an eye on our schedule for upcoming courses!