kylie cox

Alder Burns wrote:Also, unless you really need the certificate (that is you plan to teach some day or use the word "permaculture" in a professional way, you can totally learn most of permaculture without the formal PDC.  There is a huge abundance of free information on line and a lot of books too.  Find a copy of the Designer's Manual and read it through.  Do this one thing, and you will have accomplished something that well-known PDC teachers, that I have taught courses with, have NEVER DONE!  Hard to believe, right?  If you have time and motivation instead of money, add some work experience to your self-study by wandering around to permaculture farms and volunteering.  The most prestigious ones will try to charge you for the privilege of doing their grunt work....move on to someone who will appreciate your presence more.  Over the years I've hosted quite a few of these, and several have called it a life changing experience.

I have a few books I've studied here and there, like Practical Permaculture and Gaia's Garden! I also study all the time online. I like your attitude!
I aslo have plans to wwoof in the new year once the corona virus has settled (will it ever???)
Over the years you've hosted quite a few of "these" as in PDCs?
Thanks so much for your input.

Michael Cox wrote:Courses cost money. Same in any field, permaculture is no different. But in other fields they tend to turn more directly into income afterwards.

Chainsaw courses, for example, are hundreds of pounds to get certified to work professionally and are a requirement on most arboreal jobsites. Paying for such certification is an upfront cost, but rapidly pays off through increased earning opportunities.

Sadly the same is not generally true for permaculture certification - I think it is pretty rare that a PDC directly leads to increased income in the short, or even medium, term.

Yeah, me getting this cert would be for me and my dreams of eventually homesteading. It's something I really want to do but it generally feels like a rip off considering the points you have made. I think making this accessible for people all walks of life should be a priority, especially considering social Permaculture is a part of the whole.

Kate Downham wrote:If you look around and see if the farms hosting the PDCs also host WWOOFers then maybe you could work something out directly with them.

This is a great idea, thank you!

Hey guys,
With the recent loss of my job, being on mediCal and other low income assistances because of COVID, now is the time I've realized I really want to follow through with getting my Permaculture Cert.

But something that has always reaaally turned me off, even when I could maybe more so afford it, was how freakin expensive these courses are - with very limited work exchange and scholarships for low income in general.

If this was really revolutionary, wouldn't it be more accessible? Especially to the people most beaten down, most in need? These are my thoughts. It's a huge bummer. The courses are usually full of middle class white people. It just doesn't feel inclusive. I'm not trying to start an argument - I'm sure most of you have noticed this as well. If you can afford it, that's awesome! But it's not everyone's experience or ability.

Anyway, if anyone knows of any courses on the west coast, (I'm in California willing to travel and camp in OR or WA)((I'd be really bummin it but ya gotta do what gotta do)) that offers low income, I'm talking like 300$ or so of a cost (work trade super welcome) please let me know.

I've done a Google search and am having no luck. All the posts I find are super old or in the UK haha.

Thanks y'all

Mike Haasl wrote:I kept wishing for a homesteading club in my area so after a few years, I just started one.  Now it has 160 members.  

I kept wanting a community garden in our area so after a few years of waiting for someone else to start one, I'm giving it a shot.

Start with garden clubs, master gardeners and other related groups/fairs and you'll find some folks more in-line with your hopes.  And then start a permaculture group.

Well look at you go. Damn. You make it sound so easy! Lol. ;)

I'm currently trying to get a community garden going, anything you can share with me? Personal advice or links?

I have a good chunk of compiled info, a rough draft mission statement, purpose, possible sponsors, land requirements, development, meetings/prep and outreach, as well as donating produce towards social issues (low income families etc). I have a million ideas. I'll go peep the other threads too to see what I can find but replies here are so welcome too! ☀🌻

How about specific groups or fairs? Locally there isn't much at all, I've googled pretty extensively. I would be open to driving out a ways. I'm having trouble with this one. Help!

Thank you!!! 🤠

Dailenea Heffron wrote:Hey, I actually know you in real life! Kinda, I was friends with your sister Jamie. I helped her get her shoes back during gym class lol. I live in empire, my name is Dena. I'm currently working on a tiny garden using permaculture principles, and I'm looking forward to a chip drop in the near future.

I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU FOUND THIS POST!!! ☀
I PM'd you! So looking forward to connecting in person!
🥳🥳🥳

Stacy Witscher wrote:I've had the best luck with getting involved with the local extension office. Not everyone will be permies, but some are likely to be.

This one is news to me. I'm gonna check that out, thank you!

Tyler Ludens wrote:

https://www.modestogardenclub.org/    

https://www.csustan.edu/geography/bio-ag-center


Permaculture in your community might need to start with you!

Thanks for linking me! It's so funny that you mentioned Modesto garden Club. They actually don't have ANY vegetable gardens! They sponsor some schools but none of their own creation. It's more of putting flowers in pots on main roads and stuff. Anyway, they aren't interested in "taking on a new garden at this time". But they are interested in maybe backing my proposal.
Anyway, I'm now trying to start a community garden and have been researching like an MF. It's a lot. Lol. I'm really hoping I find help in preparing this.
But I do have a friend who works with City Council that's gonna help me.

Thanks! :)

Amy Arnett wrote:Beautiful pictures, Kylie! It looks like you're doing a lot in your little space.

The permaculture road, or any dream, can be lonely sometimes. I'm thankful for permies as a part of my community. I also feel isolated a lot of the time. The people my age in my real life community aren't interested in talking about permaculture. Anyone who is is actually doing, so busy. While my husband is on board with the permaculture dream, he is working full time at the moment, and I'm focused on taking care of our kid. So not much time to permaculture right now.

We moved a couple times before settling where we are. I know it can be tough to have to wait to do all the things you really want to try.

I agree with your plan to wwoof through the summer whether you go alone or not. When I first moved to Japan, I left my boyfriend of three years in the states. He said he would follow me in a few months, never happened. And I met my now husband soon after, so I'm glad I went ahead on my own! It can be so lonely at the time, but it's not forever!

In the meantime, permies is a great place to talk about permaculture or anything else.

Hopefully some permies who are closer to you than me will reply also!

Thank you for sharing all of your experience, it makes me feel way less isolated!
What's great is I have plans to save for land, travel and gain experience, etc that I CAN do on my own!
And I have this feeling I will meet who I need to when I need to. Not to make it sound all magical, but I've already had doors open for me recently. I feel very empowered and have to create what I want to see out there.

Thank you :)

Hey, I'm from Modesto, CA and man oh man am I having trouble finding literally anything here in my immediate community that I can build on.
I've been googling stuff like "homesteaders Modesto" amongst a ton of keywords that are amounting to a whole lot of nothing. We have some nurseries here, and some like, commercial farming (monocultures be causing more harm than good) and that's really it. I feel honestly, very alone.
This is probably too personal and unnecessary information but my partner who claims to share interest in these things just likes the idea I think, because in reality, he brings nothing to the table. I'm the starter of all projects, always researching, planning out how I will get land and build the life I dream about, amongst so many other things. I'm craving any sort of relationship where I can share this interest with someone in the flesh. I want to surround myself with like minded people because I know my potential will be taken a step further, I'm like a small flame just waiting to catch full fire.
I'm doing a lot on my own, I feel proud and am not waiting around for others, but community is so important to me. As is sharing skills and problem solving/creative thinking, and just in general, the experience... How sad do I sound. Lol.
I am sad. I feel really out of place and this post in general is a jumbled mess of emotions and dreams.
I guess.. I'm just calling out into the void here to see who can actually hear me. How do I find others who want this lifestyle who are actually around me?
I've wwoofed on 4 different farms and had the time of my life. My immediate plans are to buy a truck this summer and do it again, sleeping in the truck bed with a camper shell. Once again, my partner was supposed to save and split for this vehicle, but I'm the only one who has managed to follow through with the saving part. But i'm not interested in blaming him, I've done enough of that and it's a waste of good energy. I'm ready to move forward and maybe it will be all on my own(with what I've seen, I'm guessing this will be the outcome). I also have a container garden in my backyard, I'll post some pics. I keep a garden diary. I dream of building a cob house and having alternative off grid energy and SO many things guys! But it's a lonely vision right now.
If you've gotten this far, thanks for dealing with me unloading all this shit on ya. I appreciate the connection even if it's just behind a screen.