Permaculture Design Course- Jan 5-17, 2012 Guatemala

http://schoolyogainstitute.com/permaculture-design-course/
The Permaculture Project LLC headed by Brother Wayne is a well established permaculture certification organization in United States and it was the first one authorized by Bill Mollison. It works to help build the proper eco‑skills necessary in all areas of life. Our vision is to make sure that all of our students and clients are eventually able to read directly from the very Book of Nature herself. Care and love of the environment are at the core of our work: ethics and values grow naturally out of these practices: care of the earth, care of people, ethical surplus distribution, building an ecological-human support base. One can come to understand the inherent connection between Nature, humanity and society, revealing that every thought, word and action carries consequences. Each person shares responsibility for the development of another.

The Permaculture Project LLC believes that education focuses our efforts to answer life’s fundamental questions. Learning the answers to these questions is best encouraged through love, nurturing, cooperation and reverence for all life.

We seek to create positive and ethical lifestyle change, develop ecological and environmental harmony and stability for future generations, and teach appropriate technologies that sustain rather than harm. There is great benefit when intellectual knowledge is translated into personal experience and right and appropriate action. Through personal and customized consultation, research, design and implementation, curriculum development and education, The Permaculture Project LLC promotes true self‑reliance through hands‑on practice for farmers, gardeners, home‑owners, urban dwellers, educators, administrators, communities, businesses, students, ranchers, landowners, architects, regional planners and builder-developers. Ultimately, we can achieve balance and health by synthesizing applied biology, eco-technology and integrative architecture: the merging of renewable energies and biological-earth systems.

Dates: January 5-17, 2012
Price: $1,300 Tuition
Room & Food: $420
Location: Mystical Yoga Farm, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
http://schoolyogainstitute.com/permaculture-design-course/

The Permaculture Design Certificate Course is a training utilizing the teachings of Bill Mollison’s Permaculture Design System. The goal is to achieve a working understanding in ecologically-based planning, site design and management. The PDC Course is an internationally recognized 72-hour course of study with graduates earning their Permaculture Design Certificate at the course’s conclusion.

This course is rewarding and challenging for anyone from beginners to those with years of experience in sustainability, horticulture or environmental stewardship. Take it to deepen your understanding and appreciation for the environment and sustainability; forge a path to a career in sustainable food production; or to prepare for a post-carbon world.
Mystical Yoga FarmLocation

Mystical Yoga Farm,  Lake Atitilan, Guatemala
This course will be held at our conscious Eco-Spiritual community. We encourage all of us to participate in our daily spiritual Sadhana, yoga, meditation, Satsang, etc. as an integrated community.  Every action we take, every word we say, and every thought we have please remind ourselves that are coming from our loving hearts.
Getting to the Mystical Yoga Farm

We are located on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. You can fly directly to Guatemala City and we are about a 3 hour drive from the airport. You can find more details about the farm and how to get her on our website.
Yoga Space at the Farm in Guatemala
Typical Day

    6:30-7:00 Morning Meditation
    7-9 Yoga
    9-10 Breakfast
    10-1 Workshop
    1-2  Snack/Fruits
    2-5 Workshop
    5-7 Dinner/relaxation
    7-8 Satsang (wise gathering to share, sing, dance, and do ceremony)
    9pm Quiet time
    (subject to change)

Areas covered during a Permaculture course include:

    Permaculture principles
    Concepts and themes in design
    The local ecosystem
    Forms of eco-gardening and farming
    Broad scale site design
    The application of specific methods, laws and principles to design
    Pattern understanding
    Climatic factors
    Plants and trees and their energy interactions
    Water, soils, earth-working and earth resources
    Zone and sector analysis
    Food forests and small animal husbandry
    Harvest and natural forests
    Aquaculture
    Planning the homestead
    Structures
    Craftwork and chores
    Equipment, tools and vehicles
    Renewable energy and energy conservation
    Waste management and recycling
    Permaculture strategies for different climates
    Urban and suburban Permaculture
    Small farm and garden management and marketing
    Strategies of an alternative global nation
    Practical work on design
http://schoolyogainstitute.com/permaculture-design-course/

Hi, I just posted this in the Green Building section, under another Guatemala topic.. but just found this post, so am doing it again. I apologize for the double post.  I'm new here, so unfamiliar with all the sections...

Hi, I have had Guatemala on my mind for years, and this post has prompted me to ask a few questions about Green Building there....I apologize in advance if this if not the correct place in these forums to post this, (this is my first post although I have been a lurker for several years off and on)  Most "land for sale in Guatemala" type websites gloss over most any and everything concerning the reality of living there. No place is perfect, and I definitely have some questions!  Having lived all of my life in heavy snow, temperate areas of the Rocky Mountains, the 70 - 80 degree daytime temps with 50 degree nights 365 days a year sounds quite appealing to me!  ; ) 

I have long had a dream to re-locate to a place where gardening is possible year-round outside, without requiring greenhouses...but I do not want to contend with a hot steamy tropical jungle type climate year round....and my budget to do this is in the $200,000 or less mode for everything - land, structures, etc.
I have visited areas of South America looking into various areas, but am still searching for the right place, within my limited budget...

1) What is current  availability, and cost of land in the  Lake Atitlán area, that would be suitable for all aspects of permaculture? Something in the couple of acres minimum, with lakefront, privacy, good sun, drainage, decent soil, etc.... (I realize  many of these types of properties are boat access only)

2) Obviously, there is no "Home Depot" down the road, or across the lake....how do you obtain building materials, and get them to you building site? If not locally available, is it possible or financially feasible on a budget to do a one time,  "fill a huge moving type vehicle" and do one large load driving from the US to the area with any and all building materials needed that are not available locally?

3) Climate -  I realize the climate has two seasons, wet, and dry, but I am wondering just "how wet" the wet season is in the area surrounding Lake Atitlán,  "how dry" is the dry season, a and what are the laws pertaining to pumping water from the lake to sustain your crops during this time?  What are the general water rights type laws in Guatemala?

4) What sort of pest type critters do you have to contend with in the Lake Atitlán area, as far as poisonous snakes, mosquitos and the like?

5) What is the state of the water in the lake, as far as being clean enough to swim in, filter for drinking, etc? (Perhaps using something like a Big Berkey type filter, when rain water isn't available that is)

6) Are there any building codes, covenants, rules and/or regulations pertaining to building in the area? Are permits required?  Bottom line, what does it take legally for a US Citizen to buy and build there?

7) Are there local sources, plant nursery type places for starts in trees and plants, such as fruit and nut trees, and anything else that does not grow from seed, or do you have to ship these in from out of the country?

Once one would be totally setup down there, having purchased land, build a home, what would be an estimate of what it would take in monthly expenses to survive, compared to say in rural areas of the US, or Mexico? One website I visited claimed  overall living expenses would be around 1/3 of the US?  (I am talking a very frugal, rural green lifestyle here)

Anything else you can discuss about moving to, and living in the Lake Atitlán of Guatemala would be greatly appreciated!

AC

Permaculture Course in Guatemala - December 3rd, 2012

Instituto Mesoamericano de Permaculture (IMAP), along with Atitlan Organics are offering a course this December at Lake Atitlan in Guatemala

More info here:

IMAP- Atitlan Organics 2012 PDC in Lake Atitlan

I apologize for the shameless pitch, but when I search around for Permaculture Design Certificate courses on google, this forum and outdated announcement, is the only decent thing that comes up.

IMAP, which usually offers courses in Spanish, IMAP has collaborated with Atitlan Organics to offer a PDC this winter, in English. Course runs from December 3rd through 15th and people who sign up before November st save $200.