Best way to find instructors to teach various permaculture classes at Vernonia Springs Oregon?

Vernonia Springs (Vernonia, Oregon) just received its conditional use permit making it a private park. Now that we can legally provide services to visitors of the property (camping, food service, bathroom/shower services etc.) we would like to begin filling out our schedule with permaculture related classes/events/activities for this summer (a bit late we realize) and next summer.

To this point the focus has been on building the infrastructure required to allow the public to legally visit the property for extended periods of time. See: www.vernoniasprings.com. We have completed the following thus far: 3500 sq. ft. straw bale lodge, commercial grade food cart, public (ADA) bath and shower building, campground, hiking/walking/mountain bike trail on property, cabin and yurt for instructor(s) and much more. Starting next spring we intend to focus a considerable amount of time and energy on five acres of the property where we will begin to build/demonstrate specific permaculture related elements/techniques etc.

If you are an instructor/trainer/teacher with a class/subject/activity you would like to teach that can attract students from the Portland, Oregon market (we are 38 miles from Portland) and beyond please contact me so we can discuss putting you on the schedule for this summer or next.

If you can provide information on how we might find a list of active permaculture instructors that would be much appreciated too!

We look forward to chatting with folks who are interested.

Jeff Walton
Vernonia Springs

I don't teach permaculture classes but I do teach a wide variety of woodworking classes and have done so for years for a variety of companies and groups.

For this crowd, I tend to focus on the original cordless powertools such as bit and brace, handsaws, chisels, and of course hand planes. I have several sets of handtools so that in a workshop setting, I can equip all the students at once.

I cover getting the best from big box lumber, enough about wood to improve their results without overwhelming them, safe and productive use of the common electrical powertools all while keeping the whole workshop fun, lightheated, and productive.

If that sounds interesting, please drop me a line! Your place is beautiful and I know my wife would love to visit so even though its a bit of a slog, I would be interested in making it work.

I think your class sounds awesome and is exactly what I am looking for! Let's definitely chat. How many students do you normally teach at one time? How many day/hours is your class? You can reach me at 503.320.0988 if you want to talk further. Thanks!

I would contact Marisha Auerbach or Jordan Fink. They might be interested in that.
John S
PDX OR

Jeff Walton wrote:I think your class sounds awesome

Thanks! I do my best to help my students gain confidence and overcome their fears. At one of my last classes last year I had a very proud moment. A woman who had taken a couple of simple workshops on making raised beds from recycled fence boards and who had been very intimidated by her circular saw announced in class that she had just built her very own chicken coop! When I taught an intro to woodworking classes at UC Davis, other students barely finished a crude cutting board, mine finished early with beautiful cutting boards that had inlays. Teaching woodworking, like all woodworking teaches both the student and the teacher and I am now much more forgiving of my own work and much more adventurous in trying new techniques.

How many students do you normally teach at one time?

In the past I have tried to keep hands on classes in the 6 to 8 range but am working on doing 5 groups of 2 so I can have 10 students but keep them busy while allowing me to give enough hands on individual attention that they absorb and learn as much as possible. Hosting a workshop with limited hands on for 20 would be a push but still quite doable.

How many day/hours is your class?

The bulk of what I have done has been done in one day. The classes at UC Davis were month long classes, two nights a week. Next month I am doing a class to build the simple modern looking adirondack chair in the picture. I will have preselected the wood, precut a portion of it, leaving some for the students so they get some practice doing various tasks and each of them will be building their own chair. Doing a 2 day class that added in sharpening, covered more tools and techniques, finding and buying vintage tools and what and why for a simple tool set would make a great class.

When would you like to do this class?  What do you think the price point should be for a two day class?  The price will include one night of camping and all meals.  As mentioned you would get the cabin or yurt and all meals at no charge and could use the cabin until the next event also at no charge.  What do you feel is fair compensation in order to make this worth your time and effort?  You can call me so we can discuss the details offline at 503.320.0988.  Thanks Jeff

John Saltveit wrote:I would contact Marisha Auerbach or Jordan Fink.  They might be interested in that.
John S
PDX OR

Thanks.  I will run it by them.

I'm in the process of learning permaculture with the hopes of eventually teaching, and I'd be interested in any future course offerings or volunteer opportunities! I'm located in Portland, so not too far.

Tara Swenson wrote:I'm in the process of learning permaculture with the hopes of eventually teaching, and I'd be interested in any future course offerings or volunteer opportunities! I'm located in Portland, so not too far.

Thanks Tara.  By the end of the year I should have all of our permaculture related workshops on the www.vernoniasprings.com calendar and would appreciate some volunteer help.  Let us know if you see a workshop that interests you.