2017 permaculture design course & alternative technology course - live streaming kickstarter

On the subject of more features for stretch goals, or higher funding levels, or add-on-later purchases:

I love it when podcasters/vloggers supply any kind of searchable text that helps me either recall, or find what they said.  What was that link he mentioned?  What was that magic slope beyond which you should not try earthworks?  Or sometimes I skim through to quickly see whether I'm interested in a particular topic.   Another advantage is that google, etc can index all this text, and you can get more search results in front of more people -> infect more brains.   I keep hearing that it is coming, but I haven't seen a search result like "Paul's video says at 4:23:13.02 that ..."

My favorite approach is when the producer pays for a full, professional transcript on the podcast web page (off site example; sorry, I think permies has done this before, but I didn't find a ready example).  I load the page then do local searches to find the exact quote that I cannot quite remember.  But even an informal outline with timings is quite good.  Like on the podcast pages (example).  I've seen other sites have a button that says something like "Sponsor a transcript of this podcast for $" (example site).

Of course, you don't have to offer this for all the content--maybe just the guest sessions, or the most "interesting" ones?  Also, it does not have to appear as quickly as the video posts--though sooner is nicer.  I'm imagining outsourcing the implementation, so that no one at permies is bogged down with it.

This idea was sparked when I read Paul say something like "Each download will be about 1Gb", and I thought--oh no!--when will I ever watch all of that?  Do I have to log it myself?

Congrats on the speedy funding!

Hey y'all!  

For context, I'm probably 150-200 episodes deep into the wheaton labs podcast.  There is no other operation, to my knowledge, that so well blends experimentation, community, and pure belief in utmost sustainability, and I've taken this to be a sort of working model for our fledgling efforts here in the Midwest.

I tried and tried to make PDC/ATC attendance a reality this year - but having a baby due the end of May kind of makes that a non-possibility.  Hence my enthusiasm when the course became open to live-streaming and download.  Thanks thanks thanks for making this a reality.

I have two questions concerning online participation:
1) Will there be avenues for participation in the hands-on aspects of the course?  I am aware I will not be able to remotely put my hands into cob and plaster, but feel this is a crucial part of the learning experience, and am interested in staging work-alongs at our homestead in Greenwood, Missouri.  For the future, I would think this could be a great way to extend the reach of this event - live-stream teaching from Wheaton Labs, and hands-on application in various remotes sites nationally and internationally.  Perhaps if there are other participants in the Kansas-Missouri region, we could combine forces toward this end.
2) Will there be an avenue for online participants to receive the certificate upon completion?  I know this would likely require extra elements to ensure completion.  While it is not a deal-breaker, as learning and community building are my priorities, it would be nice to check the ol' PDC off my list toward future endeavors.

Again, very excited to be joining the event.  

cheers!

Beau Davidson wrote:I have two questions concerning online participation:
1) Will there be avenues for participation in the hands-on aspects of the course?  I am aware I will not be able to remotely put my hands into cob and plaster, but feel this is a crucial part of the learning experience, and am interested in staging work-alongs at our homestead in Greenwood, Missouri.  For the future, I would think this could be a great way to extend the reach of this event - live-stream teaching from Wheaton Labs, and hands-on application in various remotes sites nationally and internationally.  Perhaps if there are other participants in the Kansas-Missouri region, we could combine forces toward this end.

I'm not sure what you have in mind.  

I do know that we are working super hard to be able to do a live feed outside when working about 200 feet from the classroom.  And we have a special antenna with a cell data thing for up at the lab (although this seems less likely).  

I doubt we will be able to do much with questions and the like at that point.

2) Will there be an avenue for online participants to receive the certificate upon completion?  

Nope.   Folks will have to come and be here in person for that.  And, due to comedy, we have two tickets available right now.   https://richsoil.com/pdc.jsp

Three days ago, Steven Harris sent an email to his peeps (I would be one of those peeps):

My good friend Paul Wheaton is having a Permaculture Design Course (PDC) shortly and its 100% Sold OUT.  So he's got a video GURU on board and they are going to record and live stream everything.  You even get the ability to ask live questions.  Can't watch in the daytime?  Don't worry, you can DOWNLOAD EVERYTHING Forever with NO limitations.

See his 1 minute PROMO video on the course HERE:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/paulwheaton/live-stream-permaculture-design-course-and-app-tec?ref=9swdqi

I personally like to download learning videos, I have over 300 GIG of videos and learning in a folder I call "online learning" and I go through it as time allows and when I need to know something specific.   So if you have ever wanted to learn Permaculture, and the MILLION OTHER things Paul has done in the field (like Rocket Mass Heaters), plus they have an "appropriate technology" class, which means, turning simple things into useful tools then this is FOR YOU.   Sign up for it HERE.  You will NOT be disappointed.
See his 1 minute PROMO video on the course HERE:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/paulwheaton/live-stream-permaculture-design-course-and-app-tec?ref=9swdqi

Paul is offering over 220 HOURS of professionally shot video.  Both Live and Download.  He's doing this for as low as 27 cents per hour.  If you only want to know about chickens, watch the chickens part, if you only want to know about swales, just watch the swales part etc...  You can watch the whole thing or only the parts that interest you but or 27 cents per HOUR its darn cheap education.

Thanks,
Steve
p.s.  If you know me, and you know how RARE it is for me to send you notice on anything someone else is doing, you know that its only because I hold Paul Wheaton in the highest esteem as a teacher and an educator...and he's one funny guy as well.  If you are giving Paul money, he's not buying gold plated spoons and RV's with it.  He's using it to run his farm and to educate others.

See his 1 minute PROMO video on the course HERE:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/paulwheaton/live-stream-permaculture-design-course-and-app-tec?ref=9swdqi

You can check out Steve's stuff at http://solar1234.com/

And my friend Jack Spirko:

My buddy Paul is a big guy and he does things in a big way, that is what this is all about.  Paul has a 4 week long course coming up, one that is half PDC (permaculture design course) and half appropriate technology course (really cool permaculture stuff).

The course is in Montana and well, is is sold out.   When you look at the line of of amazing instructors you will see why.  But Paul wanted to make the course available to anyone, so he started a kickstarter to fund the needed equipment to record it AND to make it live streaming.  In this short video Paul can tell you all about it,

He also has a ton of really great stuff available to those that don’t want to go all in on the full course.  You can get some of the sessions, some amazing downloads, all kinds of great stuff.

Again his kickstarter is fully funded so this is all going to happen, so take a look and see if you want the full course of any of the awesome perks you can get by chipping in.

Learn more here.

Jack's stuff is at http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/

Josiah Wallingford was here for two and a half weeks with his dad Bear Paw, and he has an online empire where he sent this out:

The stuff you can get out of Paul Wheaton's latest Kickstarter is crazy. He is doing a Kickstarter to live stream his upcoming PDC which is going to be taught by Tim Barker!
What really blows my mind is what he is giving away for $1 or $5 to support it. Seriously, take a look at the rewards. Michael Jordan is gearing up to release the latest course for the BeeDC and he is getting people ready for it. Part of getting ready for it is getting butts in seats for the "Are Bees For Me?" portion of the BeeDC... which is one of the $5 rewards of the Kickstarter!
Here is the link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/paulwheaton/live-stream-permaculture-design-course-and-app-tec?ref=czff9p
From what I understand, if you click this link and support the Kickstarter than PermaEthos gets something too. So, thank you for getting a ton of cool stuff and supporting us at the same time!  

Josiah's stuff is at https://permaethos.com/

My old friend Erica Strauss:

My buddy Paul Wheaton is running a kickstarter. You may know Paul as the Crazy Permaculture Man-Giant in Overalls behind Permies.com. You may also know him as the guy who called my ass up when I disappeared into malaise for a year, and shock-doctrined me back to both my garden and this website.

I owe Paul one.

But that’s not why I’m sharing his Kickstarter. I’m sharing it because it’s awesome.

He’s got a bunch of Permaculture experts coming to his farm for 4 weeks to teach a homesteading-focused Permaculture Design Course and an Appropriate Technology Course. They are gonna record over 200 hours of instruction and make that material available to stream or download to Kickstarter backers.

All the support level rewards seem generous, but I think the sweet spot is the $120 level, where you get to download all 220-ish hours of instruction from both courses as mp4 files. The live cost to attend both classes is over $3000, as a point of comparison, and the courses are sold out! I think the frugal sweet spot is $5, which gets you a ton of digital goodies including huge packets of instructor notes for both courses.

So if you’ve been interested in getting the information conveyed in a Permaculture Design Certificate Course but you don’t actually need the certificate, or you want to learn how to make a rocket mass heater without blowing up your house, check out Paul’s Kickstarter.

See Erica's stuff at http://www.nwedible.com/

Congrats on this Paul!

Just pledged to help you get the big screen. I like your no-BS style and the fact that you get this info/course out there more affordably.

Thanks, Hedy

It looks like we might hit our stretch goal today!

I'm gonna hafta make up a new stretch goal!   I thought we would be lucky to hit this one!

Is it possible to video the property tour as well? I know there would be immense interest in that.

I know that daniel and josiah were gonna try.  But now that I need a new stretch goal, I am contacting them to ask "do you think if we hit the next stetch goal we could convert that from 'maybe' to 'definitely'?"

I doubt that it could be done live, but it is possible.  

paul wheaton wrote:But now that I need a new stretch goal

Have you thought about getting a quadcopter for aerial shots?

Thyri Gullinvargr wrote:

paul wheaton wrote:But now that I need a new stretch goal

Have you thought about getting a quadcopter for aerial shots?

We have one.  It cost $1500.  We rarely use it because we are afraid to break it.  But the other thing is that we are trying to focus on live streaming with zero editing afterward.

Stretch goal met (that was quick) and there's still two weeks to go.

Things go slow, and then somebody with an affiliate code tells people and ...   we jump WAY up!  

Not sure if anybody else is going to exercise an affiliate code, but over the last few days I hammered out new stretch goals with several people.

---


$50,000 Stretch Goal - Chatty Corner



We will set up a little laptop that will run during the events.  During meals and breaks, the laptop will be given the live feed.   Anybody that is here, can sit down with the laptop and visit with all the online peeps.  But there are two bonus whammies with this:

CC1:  We will ask the live online audience who they would like to have sit in chatty corner and visit with them each day.  Maybe an instructor, maybe a guest instructor, maybe a student.  

CC2:  The little laptop can MOVE!  Suppose a student sits in front of the laptop and the online peeps say "we wanna see the willowonka!" then the student can carry the laptop and point it at the willowonka and give a tour!  

I cannot require that students and instructors do the bidding of the online peeps, but I can make the infrastructure be there.  


$55,000 Stretch Goal - Gapper Fee



We charge people $100 for "a Gapper Fee".  This gives people access to a three hour tour and the ability to spend nights here at Wheaton Labs.  It is also what is used to get into the permaculture bootcamp program.   So if we reach this stretch goal, everybody who has supported this kickstarter for $100 or more will get all the same goodies as if they have paid the gapper fee.  Maybe come for just a tour.  Maybe come and tent it for a few nights.  Maybe come and learn permaculture and homesteading through a little hard work.

More about the permaculture bootcamp
https://permies.com/t/59706/permaculture-projects/permaculture-bootcamp-learn-permaculture-hard

The couch balcony, a recent permaculture bootcamp project
https://permies.com/t/65315/permaculture-projects/couch-balcony-wood-timber-framing

The gapper program
https://permies.com/t/46350/experiences/gapper-program


$60,000 Stretch Goal - The Tour



On the day before the PDC begins, I will be giving the people here a three hour tour.  Daniel and Josiah will record the tour and make that video available to the people that supported the kickstarter at the $30 level or higher.



You heard it here first!  On my way to put this into the kickstarter.

http://kck.st/2q6Ycay

Hi, I would like to fund the PDF Kickstarter, but don't understand the difference between the $100 and $120. Level. I have no internet at home only when I go to town. I am looking for the best option for a downloadable version that I could watch offline.without internet connection.   Thanks,

r pate wrote:... don't understand the difference between the $100 and $120. Level. I have no internet at home only when I go to town. I am looking for the best option for a downloadable version that I could watch offline.without internet connection.   Thanks,

The $100 level is like youtube or netflix instant view.  The best choice for people with regular internet.

The $120 level is where you download mp4 files.  I think there will end up being about 100 mp4 files.   So you you download them and then play them on your own mp4 player.

The kickstarter has now passed $40,000.   Wow.  It feels pretty surreal.  

So far the people with affiliate links have brought in more than $11,000!   Thanks to those folks with the affiliate links!

If anyone would like to use this promo image for their Facebook page, click on the image and it will open in a new window. Then right click the image to download!

Dan Ohmann, from the youtube channel "the grassfed homestead" made this two minute video about the kickstarter.  I think the best part is the last two seconds ...

BAAAAAAAACK the Kickstarter. Well, THAT's adorable.

Congrats on the kickstarter being extremely successful.

Any chance that the folks attending the course in meatspace will also
have access to the recordings after the course ends? Or will that only be
for kickstarterers?

Carl Brown wrote:Congrats on the kickstarter being extremely successful.

Any chance that the folks attending the course in meatspace will also
have access to the recordings after the course ends? Or will that only be
for kickstarterers?

Carl, I put the answer to your question in the super secret forum just for meat space attendees.

paul wheaton wrote:

Beau Davidson wrote:I have two questions concerning online participation:
1) Will there be avenues for participation in the hands-on aspects of the course?  I am aware I will not be able to remotely put my hands into cob and plaster, but feel this is a crucial part of the learning experience, and am interested in staging work-alongs at our homestead in Greenwood, Missouri.  For the future, I would think this could be a great way to extend the reach of this event - live-stream teaching from Wheaton Labs, and hands-on application in various remotes sites nationally and internationally.  Perhaps if there are other participants in the Kansas-Missouri region, we could combine forces toward this end.

I'm not sure what you have in mind.  

I do know that we are working super hard to be able to do a live feed outside when working about 200 feet from the classroom.  And we have a special antenna with a cell data thing for up at the lab (although this seems less likely).  

I doubt we will be able to do much with questions and the like at that point.

So, the philosophy would be similar to other (albeit larger) gatherings and conferences I've attended, where the primary lectures were delivered live or recorded to remote gatherings, but each remote gathering would host localized hands on projects and learning opportunities. That way, remote participants could learn applied skills hands-on, rather than being constrained to the computer screen. This would seem particularly useful in skills such as cob building and other permaculture/AT skills that are fundamental tactile and integrative, rather than simply knowledge-based.

Can you imagine how awesome it would be if, in years to come, you are able to "infect brains" with permaculture on such a broad scale as this? I could likely round up several dozen locals to participate in a remote/work-along PDC - whereas I would be hard-pressed to enlist 2 dozen people to travel to Montana for several weeks. The advantages are note-worthy - the same world-class teaching integrated with your curriculum at Wheaton Labs, but localized and guided skill-based learning projects at remote sites.

Maybe not feasible currently, good Ben the infrastructure demands. But dang it'd be awesome.

So we might have 20 locations around the US where people would gather for the pdc.  Classroom time would be the same for everybody, and the hands-on part would then be hands on for everybody - basically the same sort of projects at all the different locations.  

So rather than travel 1500 miles, you might travel 200 miles.  

And you would have somebody actually look at your drawings and actually critique them.

Something like that?

paul wheaton wrote:So we might have 20 locations around the US where people would gather for the pdc.  Classroom time would be the same for everybody, and the hands-on part would then be hands on for everybody - basically the same sort of projects at all the different locations.  

So rather than travel 1500 miles, you might travel 200 miles.  

And you would have somebody actually look at your drawings and actually critique them.

Something like that?

Yes, something like that. I'm also operating under the assumption that the Wheaton PDC will include some degree of hands-on project based activities as well, which would be a very beneficial addition for remote participants.

Ok, I'm in on Paul's devious plot to get 500 $1 backers in a day.

I've also, at last, surrendered to the mind control rays and have registered to post here. :0

Brian Cooper wrote:Ok, I'm in on Paul's devious plot to get 500 $1 backers in a day.

I've also, at last, surrendered to the mind control rays and have registered to post here. :0

I should have said:  500 backers, even if they put in only $1.

paul wheaton wrote:

Brian Cooper wrote:Ok, I'm in on Paul's devious plot to get 500 $1 backers in a day.

I've also, at last, surrendered to the mind control rays and have registered to post here. :0

I should have said:  500 backers, even if they put in only $1.

Well, in that case, I'll go adjust my pledge to something a little more meaningful.

I made a thread just for this experiment:  https://permies.com/t/65501/popular-list-kickstarter#560406

So far, I think we are measuring progress!  Earlier, we were at the bottom of page 9 and now we are at the top of page 8!

paul wheaton wrote:If anybody wants a 20% kickback for this kickstarter, please let me know.  I will send you a link so you can get 20%.

Hi Paul. I want to buy all the videos, but Kickstarter doesn't take PayPal. I may be able to get someone else to buy them for me. If not, is there a PayPal option at the link you are sending people who ask?

FYI, I'm sharing the Kickstarter and tagging people interested in permaculture on Twitter and Facebook. I put it up on Pinterest on a permaculture board. And I pinned it to @GrowMap which has 112k followers (but I don't know what percentage even know what permaculture is. I'm hoping they'll click on the link and find out.)

Great work on the Kickstarter campaign. Most of your supporters are probably people from here or who know you somewhere you or the other speakers are active.

I just pledged for the Live portion, and noticed it said I was backer #638.  One of the reasons I was interested in the Live portion was to be able to ask questions if necessary.  However, with 637 or more other viewers, it seems like it might be easy for an individual question to get lost.

As a stretch goal or additional feature, it might be nice if the online peeps could be grouped into groups of 100 or so, with one volunteer on site watching each group and making sure that popular or particularly relevant questions get brought up and noticed.

Not sure as to the feasibility of grouping the chat like that, but if that can't happen, maybe someone else would have a better idea as to how pertinent questions could make sure they're not lost among wisecracks or those commenting just to participate or even having side conversations amongst themselves.

Or is this even an issue?  I suppose perhaps the other 637 backers not all at the Live level.

Gail Gardner wrote:Hi Paul. I want to buy all the videos, but Kickstarter doesn't take PayPal. I may be able to get someone else to buy them for me. If not, is there a PayPal option at the link you are sending people who ask?

We are gearing up to sell all the same stuff here:

https://permies.com/f/312/paul-wheaton

When we provide all of the goodies to the kickstarter supporters, it will all be through this permies.com digital market forum.   Naturally, the price will be higher than through the kickstarter.   The important thing is that you can buy via paypal and get the same thing that the kickstarter peeps will get.  

FYI, I'm sharing the Kickstarter and tagging people interested in permaculture on Twitter and Facebook. I put it up on Pinterest on a permaculture board. And I pinned it to @GrowMap which has 112k followers (but I don't know what percentage even know what permaculture is. I'm hoping they'll click on the link and find out.)

Neat!   I just went and looked at the stats and didn't see anything from pinterest.   So anything that shows up in the next few days would probably be from you!

Great work on the Kickstarter campaign. Most of your supporters are probably people from here or who know you somewhere you or the other speakers are active.

I'm still a bit stunned that this kickstarter is doing so well.   When we started, I felt there was a 20% chance we wouldn't get funded at all.  

My guess is that 40% of the supporters are permies.com peeps and people that support me.  I think the rest is people that I have helped in the past returning the favor, or people like you that are spreading the word.

Jeremy Franklin wrote:I just pledged for the Live portion, and noticed it said I was backer #638.  One of the reasons I was interested in the Live portion was to be able to ask questions if necessary.  However, with 637 or more other viewers, it seems like it might be easy for an individual question to get lost.

Dear backer number 638 ...

Thanks gobs for forking over a big heap of coin for the live access.   Red carpet for you!    

For each reward, you can see how many people backed each level.  Note the hundreds of people that supported the less expensive stuff which does not include live access.  It looks like currently there are less than 100 people that will have access to the live access.  Further, I've heard from quite a few people that they might only participate in the live access part for just part of the time.  So on any given day there might be just 30 people doing the live access stuff.  

Next up - we got the super huge screen in front of the class where you will be able to type stuff so the whole class can see it.   The current plan is that if the class sees something appear on that screen and somebody is like "yeah, that IS an excellent question." then the student will ask it.  So it's sorta like you nominated the question and the student seconded the question - so it is asked.

And now, just for people doing the live stuff:  we just this morning hit the $50,000 stretch goal that includes "chatty corner" where the live peeps can better interact with students and teachers during the breaks and meals.

Hot diggity dog!  Our kickstarter hit $50,000 and so now I'm off to buy the gear for that stretch goal.

If we get to $55,000, everybody supporting the kickstarter at $100 or more will get a bonus of the Wheaton Labs Gapper Fee - valued at $100.  

If we hit $60,000, we will video the tour of wheaton labs.  It normally takes about three hours if people don't ask questions, but we have allowed time for lots of questions.

http://kck.st/2q6Ycay

Wow, this kickstarter is still steaming ahead.  $54,236!  At this rate, we will clear that $55,000 stretch goal later today!   And if we keep going at the rate we have been going, there is a 50/50 chance that we will hit the $60,000 stretch goal.  Wow.  I'm amazed that this kickstarter is doing THIS well!

So I got to thinking this morning that it might be wise to come up with another stretch goal.  And I think I came up with three really good stretch goals.  


idea for the $65,000 stretch goal:

Everybody who supports the kickstarter at $60 or higher will have their name (as creative as they wanna be) appear in the credits of the first video for the PDC and the first video of the ATC in a scrolling credits section labeled "this production made possible by our kickstarter supporters".   And the people that supported our kickstarter at $150 or higher, will be able to select far more creative options in three categories such as the examples in this clip:

(image coming soon!)



idea for the $70,000 stretch goal:

Everybody who supports the kickstarter at $75 or higher will get access to a private forum on permies with all of the PDC video content.   People will then be able to POST THEIR OWN DESIGN and get feedback from all of the other participants!   All of the teachers will also have access to this forum, and they might (no guarantees) provide feedback also!



idea for the $75,000 stretch goal:

Everybody who supports the kickstarter at $150 or higher who posts a design will get feedback from Tim Barker!



At this point these are just ideas.   I have to get a green light from tim and check on some software modifications.



.... as if that wasn't huge enough ...     here is what i think is the idea that overshadows those ....


idea for a $550 reward:

Hybrid Permaculture Design Course

Watch all of the video.   Do a design.  Get feedback from Tim.  Then come here for three days in October.   A little bit of hands on, a whole lot of designing, officially present your design, do the talent night thing, get the certificate.






Lots of work to do here, but I like the idea.   Any thoughts of refinement?  Any other thoughts for stretch goals or rewards?  If you like the general idea, then please do the thumbs up for this post.

I really like the idea of the 70k goal (honestly I'd love it if we did this one anyway, or it was at least the 65k level).  The 65k goal wouldn't really matter to me personally (as someone who has supported higher than 150), but having a forum that we can join if we have questions after the fact would be great.  I'm sure I wouldn't be able to watch everything live, but a place to be able to ask questions directly (possibly that will be answered in later days) would be awesome.