Aaack! You caught us with our pants down! Here we are, tinkering with the servers and you show up. How awkward! Try back in just a couple of minutes. In the meantime, a few tidbits ...
The SKIP (Skills to Inherit Property) program, designed to connect aspiring homesteaders ("Skippers") with landowners seeking successors ("Otisies"), centers around the completion of practical projects called "Badge Bits" (BBs). To join, create a free account on permies.com and choose BBs from the PEP (Permaculture Experience according to Paul) curriculum. These BBs, encompassing skills like gardening and natural building, are documented through photos and videos, which are then reviewed by the permies.com community. As Skippers complete BBs, they earn progressively advanced badges — Sand, Straw, Wood, and Iron — showcasing their skills to potential Otisies. While the program is free, attending the annual SKIP event at Wheaton Labs, where BBs are taught, costs $2,250. The permies.com forums also play a vital role, providing a platform for Skippers to connect and share experiences.
A dry outhouse, a simple and sustainable alternative to conventional flush toilets and septic systems, is frequently discussed within permaculture circles as a means of minimizing environmental impact and maximizing resource utilization. This type of outhouse is characterized by a pit dug into the ground, strategically located on a higher elevation point to encourage water runoff and maintain dryness. Key design elements for a successful dry outhouse include a "no pee" policy, the use of ample sawdust for odor control and composting, and urine diversion mechanisms, particularly important for accommodating female anatomy. While concerns about groundwater contamination exist, proper placement, construction, and the incorporation of heavy-feeding trees or plants like willows in a "tree bog" system can mitigate these risks. Furthermore, the integration of a urine separator can significantly reduce the volume and toxicity of waste, facilitating easier composting and nutrient recycling. The dry outhouse, particularly when combined with urine diversion and careful management, offers a cost-effective and environmentally sound approach to sanitation, aligning with permaculture principles of resource conservation and closed-loop systems.
SKIP, or Skills to Inherit Property, is a free program designed to connect aspiring homesteaders, called "Skippers," with aging landowners, known as "Otisies," seeking successors for their properties. The program's core is a curriculum of over 1,400 practical projects, each referred to as a "Badge Bit" (BB). These BBs span a wide range of skills essential for sustainable living, including gardening, natural building, animal care, food preservation, and tool maintenance. Skippers choose and complete these BBs at their own pace, documenting their progress with pictures and videos as evidence of their skills and dedication. The program utilizes a tiered certification system. PEP (Permaculture Experience according to Paul) is the primary certification track within SKIP, with levels ranging from PEP1 to PEP4, representing increasing levels of expertise. Each PEP level requires the completion of a specific number of BBs, starting with approximately 80 BBs for PEP1. The documentation submitted for each BB is reviewed and verified by other members of the SKIP community. While the program encourages individual effort, tasks requiring assistance, such as lifting heavy objects, can be completed with help, but the Skipper must still perform the primary skill being assessed. SKIP is entirely free to participate in, and Skippers can engage with the program at their own pace and location.