What's Happening at the Center for Deep Ecology
Summer is here and in full force. We have had lots of hot and humid days with just enough rain that we really didn't need to spend time watering all of the new trees that went in this year. More than 20 new chestnut trees from Badgersett have been planted in just the past few weeks.
The annuals are putting enough veg on the table that we don't need to supplement with produce from the market. The raspberries, strawberries and currants are a welcome treat for breakfast or dessert. We can't wait to start the tree fruit harvest. This is the first year we will have peaches, plums, pears and apples.
We would like to offer an enormous thanks to our amazing volunteer for July, Ryan Hartkopf. He helped us plug shiitake logs, dig swales, move truckloads of
compost, haul brush, build hugelbeds, lay down lots of mulch and entertained us on guitar. Ryan set the bar pretty high for the next volunteers. The best of luck to Ryan on his next big adventure.
Tour of New Forest Farm
We had the chance to spend an afternoon at Mark Shepard's New Forest Farm, in Viola, Wisconsin. It was such an inspiration to see Mark's work paying off in a monumental way. Mark has shown that, through Permaculture, we can produce more food on fewer acres with fewer inputs than can be produced with the current agri-production systems. If you get the chance to visit his place, make the effort to do so. You will not be disappointed.
If you haven't read it you need to get a hold of Mark's book, Restoration Agriculture.
August PDC
The Permaculture Design Certification Course is less than 3 weeks away. We are very excited at the prospect of sharing Permaculture with such a diverse group of prospective students. We have students coming from 4 states so far.
This will be a down-to-earth, hands-on course. This eight day intensive learning opportunity normally sells for upwards of $1600, but we are offering the course for just $995.
There is still room for more students. But time is running out.
If you sign up with a buddy, you each save $50 off of the tuition.
If you have already signed up for our PDC, sign up a friend and we'll refund you $50.
Don't wait to get your certification.
"I first heard about Permaculture in 1999, and read all I could find on the subject, but didn't receive my certification until 2011. Looking back, I wish I had found a way to fit the PDC into my life long before this. In the two years since my PDC, I have accomplished so much-- not the least of which is a different way of seeing the world. It wasn't until I was in a room filled with Permaculture folks that I fully realized what I had been missing out on. My Permaculture Certification has given me the confidence to jump in, plant more trees and seeds than I ever imagined, and the ability to see the potential in any landscape. I only regret that I waited so long. "
-Leslie Kaup, Center for Deep Ecology
For more info on the August PDC, go to:
http://centerfordeepecology.org/events/pdc/
Gathering of the Guilds
After being forced to cancel our spring installment of the Gathering of the Guilds, we are happy to announce that we are hosting the 3 day Permaculture skill-share on September 20-22. It will be a weekend-long opportunity to network with other Permaculturally-minded people. Share skills, learn new things, and meet people on the same journey as you. This will be a community created event. We are all experts at something. Come and share your special skill.
For more info on participation in Gathering of the Guilds, go to:
http://centerfordeepecology.org/events/gathering-of-the-guilds/
International Permaculture Congress
The Center for Deep Ecology is sending a delegation to the international Permaculture Congress November 23 - December 7.
Every other year, the movers and shakers of the Permaculture movement get together to share-skills, knowledge and experiences and to learn about the application of Permaculture in the hosting country. During the 10th International Permaculture Congress, held in Jordan in September of 2011, Cuba was chosen as host country for 2013.
The IPC has not been hosted by a country in North American since 1986. This is a rare chance to help steer the Permaculture ship into the future.
Cuba is an amazing success story. With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the ongoing US embargo, Cuba was forced to rethink how they produced food. Without the availability of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, they went in the only direction that made any sense. They went organic. Now most of the produce consumed in Havana is grown in small plots in the capitol city.
If you haven't seen it yet, watch the documentary, The Power of Community-- How Cuba Survived Peak Oil. Get ready to be inspired!
We look forward to sharing the experiences as we return and report on our visit.
For more info on the IPC, go to:
http://www.ipc11cuba.com/
To make a donation to the fund to get representatives to Cuba click here.
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