Geoff Lawton's online PDC course 2013

nathan luedtke wrote:I've been thinking that it seems like people don't actually wan't Geoff Lawton to have lots of money.

I personally feel like I want Geoff to have TONS of money. I think that Geoff Lawton can do more with a million dollars than just about anyone on the planet!

On a semi-related note: When I was younger and less patient, Larry Santoyo was doing a PDC in my town. I was SO READY for it, it was EXACTLY what I had been waiting for. But I didn't have the money.

I wrote him an 800 word email, BLASTING him for being so fancy and having such a high price of admission. I was so righteously angry, I couldn't wait to get his response and signed apology. He was reeeealy going to have to come face to face with the truth.

That evening, I got his reply.

"Don't be a dick."

"Please take my advise - We are talking about a sustainable future not a subsidized future... The world doesn't owe you a living... get work, learn what you can, work harder, save your money -and where ever you go, always pay your full way in this world. With that skill-set, trust me, you will always be respected and always be welcome anywhere... "

Truer words... Someone came face to face with the truth that night, but it wasn't Larry.

Nathan - from the very bottom of my heart, thank you for posting this!

Rick Brodersen wrote:

To Nathan and others looking for mp3's. There is a few tricks you can use, for one I use firefox and flashgot, which allows you to download streaming videos, from sites like youtube and Geoff's site. Geoff's video's download as MP4's which can be played as just audio or you can also use another converter to convert to MP3. I then put the videos on my iPhone to watch as needed.

Rick, are these apps you downloaded to an iPad or MacBook?

I use DownloadHelper which is a Firefox add on.

I would have liked to do the 2014 course but am moving House and my computer had just self destructed aaaaaaaaaaaaa
Does anyone know if this is to become an annual event ?

David

Pretty sure it will be annual. Good luck with your move and your computer!

It begins. Registrations for this year's course is now open:



CLICK HERE

I signed up at about 12:01:23. I'm pretty stoked about it.

Woo hoo Frank!! You will love it. And you'll also see many of us here on Permies listed as "veterans" on his site - helping to answer questions, etc.

I wish we could get ahold of the DVDs alone. I was not able to wrangle up the cost for the whole course this year, but I am waiting until next year at least.

Just wish there was a way to get ahold of the videos or DVDs from the course to at least get the knowledge and start my project outside.

GOOD LUCK to all and have fun in the course.......

Semper Fi!!!

Retired (Multi Branch)

I was up at 3am eastern time and signed up my wife and I. We're very excited.

Darrell Clevenger wrote:I was not able to wrangle up the cost for the whole course this year, but I am waiting until next year at least.

Darrell - last year Geoff offered a payment plan for those who could not come up with the whole fee at once. I know it's a stretch for some of us (I live on disability due to being mostly blind and have no other support). If you can make it happen somehow, it is well worth it. Bonus, if you want to watch it with your partner/children/others you are free to do so - however, only the person paying will get the certificate. I know a lot of families who watched together and really got the ball rolling on their own projects.

Best,
Jen

Got signed up last night as well. Was definitely glad to see that it opened up at midnight Eastern time instead of Pacific, as was advertised.

This course couldn't come at a better time. With my work in 'permaculturing' my lot, I'm looking forward to gaining insights to take it to the next level. With my work as a jobless bum, I tried a certain 'free' online course earlier and could have gotten the certificate for less than 1/3 the cost of this course, but with all respect to the instructors, the videos were poorly done and the content was scattered. I wasn't getting much out of it. From Geoff's available videos, his reputation as a permaculturalist, and his organized teaching style, I chose to bite the bullet an pay for what I am confident will be an invaluable course. With due diligence and research, you get what you pay for.

Jennifer Wadsworth wrote:

Darrell Clevenger wrote:I was not able to wrangle up the cost for the whole course this year, but I am waiting until next year at least.

Darrell - last year Geoff offered a payment plan for those who could not come up with the whole fee at once. I know it's a stretch for some of us (I live on disability due to being mostly blind and have no other support). If you can make it happen somehow, it is well worth it. Bonus, if you want to watch it with your partner/children/others you are free to do so - however, only the person paying will get the certificate. I know a lot of families who watched together and really got the ball rolling on their own projects.

Best,
Jen

Good advice Jen,

Just not in my cards this year, no biggy.... I will have it all by next year no problem.... That is why I was kind of hoping for an option to just purchase the DVDs and watch and learn, then get my certificate later when the course comes back around.

Thanks

Darrell Clevenger wrote: That is why I was kind of hoping for an option to just purchase the DVDs and watch and learn, then get my certificate later when the course comes back around.
Thanks

I think you can get the DVDs on Geoff's site or the PRI site but if you think you'll be taking the course then just wait because I think they are like $400 plus a ton for shipping. You can't get the course w/out the DVDs so don't buy them twice.

I don't think you can buy the actual course online - you can buy the additional videos that are included with the course online: http://permaculturenews.org/product-category/dvd/ 5 of the 6 videos are AU $165 plus shipping (the 6th dvd - Food Forest 2 is only available through the course).

There's an old course with Bill and Geoff teaching that's available for sale on the Tagari website for AU $345 plus shipping: http://www.tagari.com/store/18

Ok. My first post. I just signed up. I'm reeeeeeeeally glad Paul just mentioned it, I am mathematically and time-zone challenged, was going to stay up tonight instead. Anyhoo, just clicked on over and did it. So I am in, excited, ready to rock. And yes, this forum helped. Good arguments pro and con. See you in the course!

I was a bit challenged with the 12 midnight Pacific Time on the 29th timing, but the email came and just followed the links. My bank card was declined last night, so I had to wait till this morning to call the bank and get all that straightened out...Whew! I got all signed up now, and working through some of the intro materials. Really wonderful! Very exciting!

I love seeing everyones excitement...... Next year it will be me that is so excited.....

So another year has gone by and I'm going to pass again on doing this PDC. Not because I don't think it is a good course. I'm convinced that it is extraordinary, and everybody who took it last year seems super enthusiastic about the content and quality. Indeed, I am counting on the course once again being over-subscribed. That is in fact the basis of my decision.

This time around I'm going to pass because I honestly have no intention of designing anything beyond my own little acre. Consequently, I want to leave my slot open for someone who is actually going to take what they learn and spread it around. I'm not interested in changing careers at 55 (although I may be interested at 60, you never know). I'll keep studying and learning and practicing as much as I can, try to create a better environment around me in every way I know how, but my current obligations and circumstances limit my sphere of influence. I'll work to build resilience at home and in my community, but I'm not going to need a PDC certificate to do what I can do here.

I say all this because I noticed that in his podcast conversations with Paul, Geoff was lamenting that too many people take a PDC, get certified, and then go straight back to their old lives with a wonderful patina of green-washing (he used kinder language, but this is how I view it). The more I learn, the more open my eyes and mind become, the more I realize we are well and truly up against it. Big time. Green-washing and feeling good about ourselves doesn't cut it when you hold a very valuable ticket to make a huge difference. That PDC certificate gives you the credibility to go out and change the world. I hope that people who have greater flexibility in their lives will choose that route, not tuck the certificate away in a drawer somewhere and head back to the cubicle.

And I wish everyone who takes the course the best of luck. Make the very most possible out of this opportunity. We need you.

I'm in too! Would have gone through Paul's affiliate link but I wanted to sign up last night.

Note: If you like Permies, sign up through Paul's link above!

So far there seems to be 500+ members, I wonder if they'll stop at 1000 (read there were 800-1000 people last year).

I'm a bit turned off by some of the marketing techniques, but if it can help reach more people why not. Personally I relied on his reputation, testimonials and the quality of his videos (which are all part of marketing, but a bit "softer")

I already have a PDC but I think this one will go much more in depth. I really think that the online video model can be way more efficient than sitting in a classroom, as long as it's well structured. Also it's cheaper than a lot of on site PDC's. I guess you can get on site practical experience in other ways than a PDC.

I also find it amazing that he's able to certify 1000 people every year. That's HUGE for permaculture!

I can imagine that in a few years this could evolve into the main place to get a PDC as Geoff finds people to do the time consuming tasks like answering questions etc

The course requirement is having high speed broadband. Reality is, regardless of Obama's campaign promise to make high speed available to everyone, that large rural areas do not have high speed. I live in one of those regions. No broadband.

Our area really could use someone capable of disseminating quality permaculture information and I wouldn't mind taking the course in order to get that info since I teach free food gardening classes every week. But that ain't gonna happen. Sad. Disappointed. Frustrated.

Su Ba wrote:The course requirement is having high speed broadband. Reality is, regardless of Obama's campaign promise to make high speed available to everyone, that large rural areas do not have high speed. I live in one of those regions. No broadband.

Our area really could use someone capable of disseminating quality permaculture information and I wouldn't mind taking the course in order to get that info since I teach free food gardening classes every week. But that ain't gonna happen. Sad. Disappointed. Frustrated.

Depending on your internet speed, you could potentially download the videos (it's not an official option, but I think someone else mentioned software that can enable you to do so). Or wait for the DVDs (they send them after 30 days)

Are you not able to watch the videos on geofflawton.com?

We (wife and I) just signed up too through the link, hope it helps the empire! The sell was a little hard and infomercially, but I know the info will be worth it and I would kick myself for not doing it. We live in a rural area and don't have broadband, we have a radio wave internet thing (not a dish on the house, but an antennae) and if we start it and pause it for a bit, we can watch the video. I think as long as you have some sort of internet it should work. Ours is sloooooooooow.

Hey SuBA
I also live where there is no real internet service.
I got HughesNet ( satilite service) and am able to geta all the videos I want.
They are not cheap though!

Su Ba wrote:Reality is, regardless of Obama's campaign promise to make high speed available to everyone, that large rural areas do not have high speed.

I hope you get high speed internet some day, Su Ba. For the course I only had DSL which was OK.

Thanks to that campaign promise I have insanely fast internet. The fastest in the country, I think. Much faster than my computer can use. A test shows 77 (MBS?) but if my computer could handle it, it would do 1000!!! They ran fiber optic to my house, my nearest neighbor is 1/2 mile away & I'm off grid. The slight hitch is that the fiber optic phone line requires power 24/7 but there is a back-up battery.

I think if you can watch those promo vids you could take the course. Each segment online is only 10-15 minutes except for the Q&A sessions.

What about hi-speed access at the local library?

Will the vids be prerecorded? I know with my connection watching the free vids, I hit the play button and when it starts to play, I pause it and let the gray bar go a ways and then hit play again. Sometimes half way through, I have to pause it to let it get ahead again. Seems the video is just slightly faster then the stream rate I get. I have the cheapest dsl available.

Of course if it's streaming live and that's the only chance you get to watch then that wouldn't work. If it was an hour long session but they gave you a two hour window then it would work.

All the videos except the Q&As are from the DVDs. Nothing is "live."

I was like Ted Jurney, thinking the sign up was for sat to sun. As it turned out my three yr old woke up with an ear ache, and as we were sitting here waitting for the pain reliever to kick in, I checked my email, and saw the message from Geoff. Signed up immediatly, not thru Paul's link though, sorry. I am so excited! Signed in just to read as many intros as I could, during my breaks at work. I'm amazed at how many people from the lower 48 signed up. At this rate, maybe the woo-woo's will be out numbered, and Permaculture can gain the repectability, it deserves, here in the states. Would love to see the day it's taught in schools, here. Good luck everyone, Ray

I can't find a way to go for the payment plan on the sign up....anyone have some instruction on doing that?

Eric Philson wrote:I can't find a way to go for the payment plan on the sign up....anyone have some instruction on doing that?

After you click the "Add to Cart" button on the main sign-up page, you get taken to a secondary screen where you read through the agreement. There is a yellow box about 2/3rds down the page. You must click the little checkbox to "agree" to the terms. Once you check the checkbox, the payment options become available to you. See screenshot below.

Doh!! Didn't catch that...thanks.

No problemo! I don't know how many times I've missed the tiny checkbox myself! It's damnably subtle at times.

Hi Everyone:
I know if I wait much longer to sign up for the PDC, I will miss my opportunity, but I do have a question or two, if you kind people here could give an answer to.
I just joined permies.com and actually signed up with kickstarter for Paul's World Domination Gardening 3-DVD set. I know there is a lot of info here just on this forum about permaculture that I have not read about yet, so I'm wondering if I should just learn what I can here by reading and watching the forum posts and videos and maybe wait and do the PDC next year, I am still working now but next year will be retired. I really want to apply what Geoff teaches in his PDC course to my 80 acre homestead here in Wisconsin, in the future. Not to say that getting certified does not interest me, cause after applying permaculture design practices to my property, I may very well want to make a career out of it in retirement in some function.

Is the PDC online course all inclusive, by that I mean, I know it delves into the design process, but is it detailed enough to put the designs into practice, will I learn the nuts and bolts of building a pond, building a garden swale, forest food plantings, chicken coops, etc, or will that require an actual class that I need to travel to?


kind regards,
davek

I'm gonna mooch off of you guys for another year before I take the plunge on mine . I hope to have some land by then. There's a lot of excitement in this thread, it's fun to read.

Dave King wrote: I know there is a lot of info here just on this forum about permaculture that I have not read about yet, so I'm wondering if I should just learn what I can here by reading and watching the forum posts and videos and maybe wait and do the PDC next year, I am still working now but next year will be retired. I really want to apply what Geoff teaches in his PDC course to my 80 acre homestead here in Wisconsin, in the future. Not to say that getting certified does not interest me, cause after applying permaculture design practices to my property, I may very well want to make a career out of it in retirement in some function.

Is the PDC online course all inclusive, by that I mean, I know it delves into the design process, but is it detailed enough to put the designs into practice, will I learn the nuts and bolts of building a pond, building a garden swale, forest food plantings, chicken coops, etc, or will that require an actual class that I need to travel to?

Hi Dave:

The answer to your questions is "it depends" (permaculture joke - sorry!)

Like all PDCs, Geoff's PDC follows the chapters in the Designer's Manual by Bill Mollison. So yes - it is all inclusive in that way.

One of the main tenets of permaculture is "observation". Many really good permaculturists say you should observe your property through a permaculture lens through a full cycle of seasons. That being the case, I would encourage you to start that process immediately if you are retiring (congrats!) next year. Having a PDC under your belt will get you to observe better, faster. And because certification depends on making a plan for a site, you will already have developed an initial site plan for when you do move onto your property. It's good to have this initial plan, because permaculture is an iterative process. You may find through further observation that parts of your plan change. So again, the PDC gets you to where you want to be, faster.

As for nuts and bolts of building specific features. Some yes, some no. Features are often climate specific (gabions and silt damns in the hot desert where I am and ponds in WI where you are, for example). All PDCs are intros to what is possible and the design methodology to get you to determine what you want to do. Geoff does include an additional Earthworks course that will show you in more details some ponds and swales. Also included are 2 dvds about food forests, 1 on water harvesting, 1 on soils, etc. All of these include some how tos and some whys.

I think you would save money in the long run if you did the PDC now, got familiar with permaculture thinking and design methods, created your design for the certification and used this forum to gain addition insight from people who might be trying to do the same thing (and asking Geoff in the QA section about specifics). You WILL end up changing your design - everyone does over time.

That's my 37 cents!

For what it's worth: I've been studying alone for the better part of the last four years. I have a lot of the basics pretty well understood and have a bit more detailed knowledge about my specific location. Looking through my old posts on here as well as my old journals, I can see I've come a long way. Maybe other people feel the same way. Now, after having signed up for the course I can see that I'm well prepared for the material and that I will get a lot out of it. I opted to wait last year as I had a lot more going on and adding the PDC to the list would have made it tough to manage.
Turns out that no matter how long you wait, there will always be other stuff to do while the course is going on and you'll have to manage it. Life...

I signed up for it this year mainly because I'm in a position to do something with the knowledge and certificate immediately. I'm already seeing how in depth this is going to get and I'm glad to have spent the money. The introduction lessons have already pointed out a few places where I hadn't put in as much thought as I perhaps should/could have. That's a good thing because I'm already learning and the course hasn't even technically begun. So...

I'm happy to have the opportunity to do the course this year. I wish this existed back when I was in high school... I can only imagine where I'd be now. Anyway. No better time to start than now.

Charles Tarnard wrote:I'm gonna mooch off of you guys for another year before I take the plunge on mine . I hope to have some land by then. There's a lot of excitement in this thread, it's fun to read.

Mooching is what permies is here for! If we didn't mooch of each other and trade our insights, we'd all be reinventing the wheel with each new project. And that would be tiresome - just sayin'!

And I just wanted to say that your post above made me smile - the excitement is contagious.

Micky Ewing wrote:Running a course at Internet scale is fine by me but I'd expect to pay an Internet scale price. After all, you miss out on a lot this way:

Let me put your mind to rest, what Geoff is offering is a bargain for all that you are getting. All things are relative and it also "Depends" on your value of Geoff, what he has to offer, the time and investment he has put in, and the fact that he has set this up to infect the MOST minds, since you don' t have to travel to a far away place to take this.

For some perspective, I work for some Internet marketing gurus on line and have worked with people that sell programs on line since 2005 full time. I know people that regularly pay up to $5,000 for far less than this course is offering. A mastermind a friend of mine just went to costs $25,000. So Geoff is offering a very sound deal, with his personal input to answer your questions, You also get the DVDs for course, along with a ton of other added DVDs and content. Trust me this is NOT hard sell..this is a very soft sell program and he is also hoping to find people outside of the normal circles of Permaculture to take an interest in this..so he is infecting minds..YEAH.

Part of asking for payment is also to make sure you have enough skin in the game to really invest in this process your self. When things are free or low cost, people devalue them in their minds and in the end don't even finish them, because their is no incentive via investment.

As pointed out, not only are you saving on the cost of his normal in person class, People sadly forget the added cost of flying/driving to where the course is, missing work (meaning having to CATCH UP after your return), getting a hotel and eating for how ever many weeks the course takes.

He also has set it up so you have a 3 payment option, which online, is also not something every online marketer is willing to do, because of the additional nightmares that are involved with the billing aspects that come up with people that typically get 3 payment options, I do this for a living, so I can tell you, having 3 pays are NOT just an automated way to get money, they are fraught with headaches, missed payments and people pleading with you to fix their issues (hence why often 3 pay options cost more money than single payments, to discourage you entirely from doing it)

I am new to Permaculture, and I am working to find the funds to get this because eduction pays for itself, in my eyes. Maybe Paul and Jocelyn will allow me to muck around on their property once I go through the course. Paul infected me first, so maybe I can pay it forward by helping out.

All this excitement, wish I knew someone going through it so I could borrow the DVDs and at least watch those until next year when i can afford to get into the class..... Looks fun enjoy the class folks....

Hi, Does anyone know what time the classes are on Saturdays and if I am teaching 3 of the Saturdays
can I record it to watch later or does Geoff expect everyone to be on live?
Thanks, Mona