Jordan Bantuelle

Have you considered prescribed fire? It has been shown by some studies to reduce populations. it also can work wonders on pasture and savanna landscapes for improving forage/browse, and it sounds like you do have animals that would benefit. So maybe fire in conjunction with fowl like guineas or chickens could really have an impact.

Any updates Jeff? Have you tried it? I intend to try it soon for a off grid cabana with fan to stay cool and RMH bed for cold winter nights. I'm in S MS so it doesn't get that cold. The building won't be fully enclosed to take advantage of breezes and save resources.

My other question is about moisture build up under the mattress. I have heard that box springs help prevent your mattress from getting mildew underneath. And I am in a moist climate. I think a box spring between the RMH bed and the mattress might nullify the heating benefits. Anyone have any thoughts?

The All You Need Institute is seeking fellows, collaborators, and partner(s). This post will focus on the collaborators.

For the original listing, please see https://allyouneedinstitute.com/2020/08/fellows

Collaborators
All You Need Institute is Seeking Collaborators

All You Need is growing and we seek collaborators. Our primary qualification is that you desire to live and work and  in “right relationship” with the earth, and commit to the journey that unfolds when we seek to understand what that means in late-stage capitalism. We embrace transparency, creativity and open-mindedness in our collaborations. We appreciate those who are prepared to talk frankly about taboo subjects like money or power. We know that many people hold a dream of deepening their relationship to the land and to nature through changing their work, so if this is you—we want to connect. Send us an email at info@allyouneedinstitute.com and let us know what you’ve been visioning and what your interests are!

We have identified a variety of roles and/or areas of expertise that we think could be a great fit on the land or within the organization at this time:

Food Production Manager: Could incl., gardening, nursery, mushroom growing, herbal med maker, manage cows/goats/chickens etc, catering for events and to visitors

Land Mgmt: managing trails/fire lanes, prescribed burn assistance, integrating livestock for prescribed grazing, trapping and hunting, forestry and timber management, research and data collection, ecological restoration, securing grants for this work

Adventure/Nature Trip Coordinator: renting out kayaks and bikes, camping trips, camping gear, giving rides to put-in, or full tours for kayak, hiking, and biking trips

Event Coordinators/Community Outreach: marketing & booking events at the burrow, cultivate values-focused events that build networks of mutual aid and solidarity, community rep

If you have any of these skills and/or you already have a vision of how you would like to utilize your resources with the land to create more abundance while maintaining reciprocity and respect, email info@allyouneedinstitute.com and let us know what you’re thinking.

We are currently prepared to offer a stipend and/or invest into the opportunities below if there’s a good fit. Just get in touch and let us know what your availability is by emailing info@allyouneedinstitute.com

Administrative Partner

We are in need of an administrative partner and assistant to help us as we grow into a new stage of our organization. Individuals with experience administering retreat centers, land-based projects, collectives, etc, are especially encouraged to apply.

The right person will need to be comfortable in a unique workplace and the inherently personal nature of the work environment. You will be working directly with Jordan and Kezia, in a setting where you would be invited to assist us in setting priorities, making decisions about our public communications, and determining how to best uphold and administer our stated values and programing goals. Ideally, you’re a self-starter who’s excited about our mission, ready to keep us on our toes, and can maintain productivity in a flexible work environment.

Tasks Include:

Project prioritization and management
Updating website and Social Media accounts
Maintaining communication with members and participants
Attends and/or facilitates regular administrative meetings
Manages/updates institutional documents, policies, and public communications
Calendar management, Short – Long term planning
Budget planning and project management
Ideal Skills / Capacities:

Able to live on site//maintain regular relationship with the site
Flexible & precise
Stellar communication skills
Desire to explore long-term investment in the project
Connection to Gulf South region a plus
Understands permaculture, ecology, and related fields a plus
Trauma informed and understands varied spiritual and radical healing processes a plus
Experience challenging white supremacy, capitalism, and colonialism
Construction and Building

We are looking to fill positions in the realm of sustainable, permacultural, and alternative construction, as well as general maintenance. This could take the form of:

A fellow with basic skills and a willingness to learn
An experienced, project based contractor
A business partner to expand our offerings as an institution

You must have building skills and proficiency in a wide range of tools. You must be well organized, keep track of tools/materials, and maintain a tidy work area by the end of each day. Understanding of concepts such as moisture control, air flow, heat transfer and storage, wind resistance, load bearing, energy efficiency, water management, site assessment, “waste” management, and alternative materials and energy are a plus – though most of these are ideally handled by an architect. Basic understanding of architecture and civil engineering are a plus. The ability to read plans and to improvise, and experience with a variety of building methods, particularly traditional and ecologically sound ones, are necessary for paid work.

The ability to teach and showcase our work is an opportunity to earn income, as The All You Need Institute is primarily an education and retreat center. Videography skills could also help to expand our online offerings.

Sawmill experience is a major plus. We live on 111 acres of predominantly loblolly pine forest. Over the years I intend to remove all of them and replant with longleaf pine. For the right person this could be a business opportunity. Once our site becomes an ideal showcase of sustainable living, we imagine a separate business entity that offers contracting services for people wanting to live a similar lifestyle.

The All You Need Institute is seeking fellows, collaborators, and partner(s). This post will focus on the fellows.

See https://allyouneedinstitute.com/blog for the original post

The All You Need Fellowship Program
Who are we looking for?
All You Need is looking for up to 4 individuals seeking short term stays on the land (between 3wks-3mos). We seek those who are inspired by our mission, and are willing to live in rugged conditions. All You Need Institute is an education and retreat center located on 111 acres of diverse ecosystems, nestled into more land in DeSoto National Forest.  We share our home with the endangered gopher tortoise and the rare and delicate lichen-covered xeric forest.

We have a four-fold mission of taking responsibility for our impact on the earth, teaching and exchanging knowledge on how, holding space for the earth’s wisdom and intent, and building networks of mutual aid with those of like mind, particularly in the Gulf South. We work to live in right relationship with the earth and look for people who are inspired by and share a deep respect for the land we steward. We admire individuals who are self-reliant, self-reflective, and courageous. We ask that anyone who seeks to join us in this way also intends to cultivate a mutually supportive community, where all are welcome to heal and be nurtured regardless of identity or background. As white people in this work we aim to be as conscious as possible to the ways colonialism and white supremacy lingers in our actions and accountable to our community when we cause harm. Those who wish to join our community should be ready to embrace these efforts.

Qualifications / Skills:
Respect for the earth, the land at The Burrow, and AYNI’s mission & values
Self-reliant and able to complete tasks with minimal supervision
Enjoys creative freedom and solving problems with limited or previously used resources
Able to keep track of their own tasks and hours
Possesses a flexible attitude in sync with nature’s “schedule”, as well as the dynamic needs of the organization
Possesses curiosity and a desire to learn new skills
Willing to live primitively out in nature with limited privacy and luxuries
Willing to connect with nature/the land on a regular basis
Willing to reduce use of resources and use toiletries compliant with our systems
Willing to work in a close community of up to 6 others
Willing to focus personal time toward reading and educating themselves about the social, environmental, and cultural impact of their actions
Willing to challenge their internal biases against marginalized groups and other living beings, and practice using their voice and privilege to advocate for others
Willing to grow through conflict with others

Common Tasks:
These are examples of common jobs/projects from the past. However, they change with the current needs of the land. We often have several options in a given week that interns are able to choose from based on interest or skill level.

Gardening / Composting / Water Management systems
Mushroom Growing and cultivation
Maintaining campground and retreat facilities
Managing invasive species
Carpentry- building or fixing facilities
Trail-clearing and brush management
Producing and utilizing bio-char
Assisting during retreats
Wild foraging, medicine making, preserving
Answering campers’ and retreat participants’ questions and fulfilling their requests
Outreach and coordinating bookings for rental facilities
Updates on social media, including videos, instagram, and blog posts
Prescribed burn assistance
Animal Care including Dogs, Chickens, and Beekeeping


Education, Experience and Age Requirements:
We believe in the value of a wide diversity of skills, interests, and work styles and do not feel there is a particular education level or experience one would need in order to qualify. We’d love to hear what you’re interested in exploring on the land and what gets you excited and passionate. Our minimum age is 18.

In addition to the All You Need Fellowship Program we are looking for collaborators of all kinds. Click here to learn about what we are imagining for collaborations.

Exchange & Benefits:
Past agreements have designated 12.5hrs/week of work in return for full access to the land, the yurt, camping amenities (tents, cots, fans, etc.) and some modern utilities (shower, electricity, water, wifi), and 12.5hrs/week work in exchange for participating in a meal plan, 3 meals a day. These hours are not set in stone, and can vary based on your skill set and commitment capacities. Our facilities are always under development as we build more spaces for people to live simply and comfortably, so check in when you apply about what’s available. We also have options for those who are already living in their vehicles, converted vans, mobile homes, buses, etc. Be prepared to live a rugged and flexible lifestyle.

Those completing a fellowship on the land become part of a small community which can range in size between 3-7. In addition to work hours, we ask individuals staying on the land to participate in this community. We hold weekly meetings where community members are invited to address concerns and reflect with one another, as well as practice communication skills. We also request in our agreements that individuals engage in interior work during their time on the land, taking whatever form is most nourishing for the individual. AYNI and interns will collaborate on and sign a simple agreement outlining the details of the exchange after discussing these points.

Work study participants are permitted, whenever possible, to attend AYNI events like plant walks, dream circles, workshops, and collaborations for free. Work-study participants will receive hands-on experience and instruction about the projects they assist on, choosing from the list above. Participants will also receive the opportunity to explore up to 200 acres of sandhills, creek bottoms, pine savannas, and other ecosystems, receive discounts on facility rentals, and can host guests on the land. Kayaks are also available for nearby river trips. Reach out if you have any other ways you’d like to receive from the time you invest with us.

TO APPLY: Please send a cover letter/intro email explaining why you are interested in this program and why you feel it’s a good fit for you now to info@allyouneedinstitute.com

You’ll be informed via email what our current space availability is like and how to proceed further. We accept applications on a rolling basis and are happy to schedule stays months in advance!

Greetings permaculture people!

I wanted to introduce my project, The All You Need Institute (AYNI), to the forums. My goal is to teach folks how to provide for human needs in ways that restore ecosystems and build community - you know, permaculture! I, Jordan Bantuelle, having been teaching workshops for many years on water management, edible gardening, mushroom growing, raising chickens, keeping bees, composting, ecology, etc, as well as an intro to permaculture, how we tie it all together. My wife, Kezia Vida Kamenetz, is a dream therapist and does alternative healing work, bringing more of the retreat center aspect to AYNI, along with those less tangible human needs. I also offer tours of our land, teach about useful plants, how natives and settlers once lived off the land, and how we integrate this knowledge today.

The place itself is on 111 acres nestled into DeSoto National Forest in SE Mississippi, just 1:20 NE or our hometown, New Orleans. We have a wide variety of habitat, from creek bottoms, to pine savanna, ponds, and sandhills, culminating in a beautiful, rare, and unusual white sandy xeric forest covered primarily in lichens. We have a couple cabins built, 5 campsites, outdoor kitchen, canvas tents, a 30' yurt, and many plans, including replicating an architect friend's underground dome-home as an experiment in demonstrating passively cooled spaces in the hot and humid subtropics (something that is surprisingly difficult).

So I hope you will come visit and take a tour, a workshop, or just camp out! Were always looking to meet others in the region (it can be difficult in the Deep South US). But I also am writing to let folks know that we are looking for interns/fellows, collaborators, and eventually business partners with the right person(s). Please check out our website and see the latest blog entry for more info.

https://allyouneedinstitute.com/blog

Thanks!
Jordan Bantuelle
Co-Founder
All You Need Institute

That is something I have wondered about here in New Orleans.  Before starting my own thing I worked for a permaculturist's water management landscaping company for a while.  I noticed something interesting on a job where we dug a huge pond.  After digging we called it a day.  The next day it had a few feet of water from the water table.  We had to pump that out because we were putting in a pond liner so we could fill up a lot more than those bottom 2 feet or so.  But it was pretty amazing to think that you could have a pond slowly fill up with water without a drop of rain!

Keep in mind that the water table may rise and fall with the seasons and precipitation.  Keep me posted on what works with your test pond, and I may be doing one in the near future here pending some property stuff.

Oh and on a side note - in a Mark Shepard webinar I heard that many trees will not put roots down into the water table.  I think he said either loblolly or slash pine were one of the few.  Anyone know anything about this?

I talked to a permaculture teacher and they said that many teachers do the hybrid model.  The non-profit promotes classes, and then hires the for-profit to teach.  My main question here was if there is any issue with the the same teacher getting hired every time without any bidding process, which is fairly common when non-profits are looking for paid services.  Apparently hasn't been an issue, though.

Often times a non-profit will own all of the assets, say tools, equipment, and such.  The for profit will then lease those things from the non-profit.  It is worth noting that if a non-profit dissolves, there is a relatively strict process for releasing the assets.  Usually they have to go to another non-profit.

Leasing can also happen the other way around, where the non-profit will lease all of the things they need from the for-profit.  Non-profits can buy things from the for-profit up to a certain amount.  The for-profit can also donate money to the non-profit, but usually only up to 10% of taxable income, as I understand it.  You can donate more, but past 10% it will not be tax-deductible.  The private owners are welcome to donate up to 50% of their income tax free.

So that is what I got!  I am by no means a lawyer or accountant, so if anyone in the crowd is, please check what I said and add to it as you see fit.

Greetings from Jordan of Southbound Gardens in New Orleans!

I noticed that there is not a forum area for social permaculture per say, certainly not permaculture business startups and structuring, am I just looking in the wrong spot?  I do hear that Paul is the Permaculture Big Bucks guy after all...

Curious because in my PDC we talked about social permaculture, which included business structure.  Scott Pittman told us that Mollison took some cues from what the big corporations were doing - having for profit corporations with non-profit sister entities.  I thought he said that this allowed the non-profit to acquire assets such as land, tools, office space, and supplies free of tax, while the for-profit could use these things.  I must have gotten that backwards because I just did some research and that would appear to be illegal.  There are various benefits and draw backs to the different forms of either model, and there appears to be consensus that laws and tax code are far behind when it comes to serving the increasingly common social enterprises.

My business is an LLC.  The governing structure is very easy, my partner and I make decisions and act.  We are thus highly flexible, which is important for a permaculture business.  We set out selling food from urban gardens and plants from our nursery.  Then we started doing lots of workshops, then consultations, then offering school garden installations and teaching programs, and farm-to-table events, and the occasional permaculture installation.  This much diversity is stressful and spreads us thin, but it has been necessary to find out what works and what does not.  Also, certain aspects feed into others - examples:  we have plenty of nursery stock to supply our gardens, our gardens serve as workshop spaces, selling plants at farmer's markets is an opportunity to hand out fliers for our events, community discounts on plants helps us reach schools and nonprofits for installations and consultations, etc.

Given the work we do people often assume we are a nonprofit.  We have even missed donation opportunities when folks find out we are an LLC.  I would love to be able to accept tax deductible donations, especially as we prepare to move our greenhouse operation and set down roots in a long term permaculture education and garden center location.  A big fundraising campaign seems in order.  Reduced fees are available for a number of opportunities if you are a non-profit, and you are eligible for certain no-bid contracts.  So there are several advantages.  But a major drawback of the for/non-profit hybrid model is that you have to staff and run 2 different organizations, while being careful there is not too much overlap or any funny business in the financials.

Another great model is the worker owned cooperative.  I dream of having a permaculture co-op loosely based on the Mondragon Workers Coop in Spain.  But that may have to wait for another lifetime...  Here and now I am trying to have a permaculture community education/garden center.

So can we open up a conversation here?  What kind of businesses are other folks running?  What do you find works and does not work?  Any tips for start ups or established businesses who want to spread permaculture in their area and beyond?

Alright,
Jordan Bantuelle

I think this forum could really use a section on permaculture education. Book and movie reviews are good but I would like to hear reviews of classes (online and otherwise), institutions, internships, farms, and teachers. Preferably this would include location, cost, quality, etc.

I ask because I want to get serious about having a farm and a career in permaculture but I don't really know how to go about it (already reading Gaia's Garden). Is an online course worth the money? Is hands on the only real way? Can I just WWOOF around at permaculture places for a while until I get it?

Thanks,
Jordan Bantuelle
New Orleans, LA