{Burlington area} Vermont Permaculture Meetup?

Online forums are great when I need to ask a question about computer programming, but with permaculture, I'd rather interact with real people! Is there anyone in the greater Burlington area who is interested in putting some culture into Permaculture? I'd love to find some people who are interested in meeting up in real life to talk about permaculture and to share experiences, lessons and projects.

A little bit about me:

I'm just beginning year 2 of developing a permaculture homestead in Milton, VT. Last spring I planted fruit trees, nut trees, berry bushes and cover crops. I also dug a pond and am using goats as lawn-mowers and nutrient accumulators. This year I hope to build some hugel beds, grow some vegetables, expand the food forest and integrate chickens, ducks and guineas into the system.

My site has some common VT challenges:

heavy soil with low biomass
bedrock close to the surface
strong south winds (unprotected)

The site has plenty of strengths too:

good southern exposure
a mix of pasture and forest
plenty of water

I'm in. I haven't done nearly as much with my property. Actually I don't think I have done anything permaculture unless you count letting the weeds grow in my raised beds while I kept busy with a new baby last summer!

Sweet! I've done lots of reading, one course, and trial-and-error. I'm hoping we can get a group of people together with a range of experience, and create a forum where everyone can learn and have something to offer. The more you learn... the more you'll have to offer!

Hi Karen,

thanks for your purple whatever the forum calls msg. I am in Vershire, more in the central part of the state, there are a bunch of permies up your way, like Ben Falk, Brendan Angrisani etc. . I think it would be neat to get an online group together and then see if we can visit to learn on site.

niko

Sweet! Thanks for the reply. I've met Ben Falk a few times. It'd be great to get him involved, or maybe arrange a visit to his site in the spring. I just did a quick search for Brendan Angrisani. It looks like he's dome some awesome cob building through Yestermorrow Are you able to contact him and point him this way? If he's not a permies user, he can contact me over gmail...

kwalkerman

Thanks!

This sounds like something great. We have an active group here in Underhill called CAP for community Agricultural Program with similar interests. I will be taking pictures of my little greenhouse and meat rabbit enclosure. Let me know if/when/where we can meet.

Doug Varney
Underhill, VT

I talked with the folks at Burlington Permaculture... I think I will plan an "event" with them that will hopefully kickstart a more active informal community. You can get on their email list by visiting their webpage:

http://burlingtonpermaculture.weebly.com/

Keep me posted. I'm a bit south of Rutland but I play on a tennis team out of Burlington so I'm there quite a bit spring/summer.

There are other Vermonters at permies. Do a search maybe.

Oh yeah, and check out http://transitionvermont.ning.com/

Karen I'm in westford right on the browns river, it actually splits my 20 acres in half. I'm always down for a meetup bounce ideas off of someone who is almost the exact same climate as my own.