2017 Homesteaders PDC (permaculture design course) & ATC (appropriate technology course) in Montana

Work trade.

We will allow three work traders.  They will work with our permaculture bootcamp program doing a variety of things, including getting everything ready for the PDC and ATC.  Along the way, there is a very good chance that they will build experiences with natural building, driving the tractor, wildcrafting, gardening, fencebuilding ....

Full info on our boot program:  https://permies.com/t/59706/permaculture-bootcamp-boots-roots

To take just one course (PDC or ATC):  seven weeks  (arrive before april 10 for the PDC, april 24 for the ATC)

To take both courses (PDC and ATC):  eleven weeks (arrive before march 13)

I will take the first three people that send me $100 and state that they wish to do this work trade.  Send monies via paypal to paul at richsoil.com or bitcoin: 177pNU2a9iCpUXQwXX9EbtA2UwZpgeqcMT

Davin Hoyt : Portfolio-ish

Davin Hoyt : Portfolio-ish

Tim talked about having good strong boots.  Can you tell me a brand and where you get your boots.  Many thanks.  

Natalie Manor wrote:Tim talked about having good strong boots.  Can you tell me a brand and where you get your boots.  Many thanks.  

I wish I could answer, but I get my boots at the giant store.

Thanks for all the good information.  I am wondering the brand of "good boots" you would suggest.  Tim suggested wearing good boots and am wondering if you have a recommendation.   I also am sending some stuff ahead of time so looking forward to that information when the time warrants.

My best, Natalie  

I've been happy with things I've gotten from Sierra Trading Post.  Here are their women's work boots.  and Here are their hiking boots.

Sturdy, ankle supporting boots would be good.  Waterproof is nice.  Steel toes keep you safe around potentially falling heavy objects.

Most of the boots on this Amazon page could work well.

Hey Julia thanks so much for the links.  Natalie

Some of the banners we have for this event so far:

Boots are one of those things that spending a bit more money pays off in the long run.  I think there is a post on Permies that talks about it.  Steel toes can be a bit of insurance, most of the guys working construction with me years ago never wore them as they believed the myth that something really heavy could collapse the cap and amputate your toes.  The Mythbusters finally busted that myth years ago.  The only thing about steel toe boots I can say in my experience,  is it best to try them first on as the toe cap might be fitted funny for your feet and you can feel it and it can rub you.

Good brands are Chippewa, Rocky, Timberland, Doc Martins, Georgia, Justin.   When you get them, break them by wearing them a bunch before you go.

That being said if you have good foot awareness and from what I have seen at the previous AT/PDC course, you could go to the local military surplus store and get a pair of used combat boots and they will be fine and they will be already broken in.

There are ten tickets left.  And that includes two work trade spots.





https://richsoil.com/pdc

Josiah and I talk at great length about the pdc:

Paul (or another, as I realise you will be busy), is there a work trade place left still for both the PDC and appropriate technology course?

I live in Ireland and have listened to all your podcasts at least once. I would love to attend. I will start researching costs for the plane ticket in anticipation I might be able to get the last place!

Kind regards,
John.

Looks like you will be work trader number four. But, due to a technical error, we'll allow it. If you send your $100 gapper fee in now, you can secure your spot.

The full cast of the huge homesteader youtube channel fouch-o-matic off-grid (including the daughter of carla emery (late author of the encyclopedia of country living)) will be at the permaculture design course and the appropriate technology course:

Ooh, that is excellent.  They are basically saying to their fans "If you want to meet us in person and hang out with us, come take this course at Paul Wheaton's place and we'll all learn together!"

Hi-

I'm wondering if this course is a certification as well?


Thanks

Kelsey Boatwright wrote:Hi-

I'm wondering if this course is a certification as well?


Thanks

This is a permaculture design certificate course.   When you complete the course, you will be a certified permaculture designer.  

And ...  coming very soon ....   the actual certificate for this course will be something rather beautiful.  Something you can hang on your wall.   I suspect it might very well be the most beautiful certificate for a PDC.  Maybe the most beautiful certificate for anything.

Daniel Bender has approached me with an idea.

He would like to set up a dozen video cameras to video the events.  He thinks he can do something live, and record it.   Some people would watch it live and ask questions as it goes (I think three or four questions would be allowed per session this way).   Some people would watch it from the recorded stuff so they can rewind and watch it over and over.  Some people would like both.  

The recorded stuff should be available a day or two after it is recorded.  

Each day is broken up into five segments:

#1 (2.5 hours):  8am yesterday's summary, today's agenda, notes, Q&A, etc. running right into the 9am-10:30am session

#2 (1.5 hours):  11-12:30 session

#3 (1.5 hours):  1:30-3 session

#4 (1.5 to 2.5 hours): 3:30-5 running right into the 5-6 buffer

#5 (1.5 to 2 hours): 7-9 evening session

I think it might be possible to have some cameras on with laptops for breaks and stuff in a designated spot so the people that are here could visit with the live folks.  I'll leave that up to daniel.  But daniel is pretty bonkers about that sort of thing, so it would probably be part of it.  


Just the PDC or just the ATC:

$200 live
$200 recorded
$300 both

Both the PDC and the ATC:

$300 live
$300 recorded
$400 both


To do this, daniel needs to set up a fat internet pipe, augment his mountain of fancy camera gear and microphones, hire an assistant and, of course, make it worth his while.   After all, this isn't just a youtube video or two - this is a full month of long hours.  

So the next few posts constitute a "poor man's poll".   Please click on the thumbs up for the following posts if you are willing to pay actual monies for this:



Note!  If you have any interest in this, please make sure to click on the "watch" button for this thread in case we try this.

click on the thumbs up on this post if ...

you would want to pay for the live version

click on the thumbs up on this post if ...

you would want to pay for the recorded version

click on the thumbs up on this post if ...

you would want to pay for both the live and recorded version

click on the thumbs up on this post if ...

you would want to pay for just the PDC or just the ATC

click on the thumbs up on this post if ...

you would want to pay for both the PDC and ATC

click on the thumbs up on this post if ...

you like to click on the thumbs up button

Somebody asked about having a dog here for the pdc and that led to jocelyn asking me.  

Here is my primary answer:  https://permies.com/t/57228/dog-park-wheaton-labs


As for this specific event:  I suspect that ernie and erica will bring their dog, radar.  Radar is okay-ish.   The last time radar was here, he was still, technically, a puppy.  Even as the only dog here at the time, radar pushed some of my comfort zone.    Fortunately, E&E were good about owning their dog's shit.  Most of the time.  

There have been a lot of other dogs here and my opinions go down this road:

I don't want a dog to bark at me or the other people here.

I don't want a dog to go onto the county road - and there is no fence.

I don't want a dog to leave the property.

I don't want to see a dog roped up and being miserable.

I don't want a dog to disturb a class or annoy people.  

If somebody is allergic, then a dog in the classroom probably isn't going to be okay.

I don't want a dog to get into a fight with another dog.  

This is why I like my "primary answer":   if a dog is silky smooth, then there are no problems and "the primary answer" can be "plan B".  All is well.  And for some people, their dogs will go straight to "the primary answer" and that's cool too.

Of course, it would be great if somebody came out to build that.   And if a person were committed to doing that for, say, the week before the PDC, then i could put a shout out for all the dog peeps that might wanna come out and be a bit of a part of that.

We have sold all of the PDC tickets, BUT we have figured out a way to squeeze in six more people at $1850 per pdc ticket.  So, we now have six PDC tickets available.




just 2 ATC tickets LEFT!

The two weeks prior to the PDC, Wheaton Labs residents and guest instructors will be hosting a Log-Earthed building Workshop!

Anybody looking to come early for the PDC can find more learning back-to-back. The topics covered will be log-framing, earth berming, thermal inertia, earthen plasters, slip straw insulation, low cost building methods.

Erica Wisner will be guest instructing plasters and slip straw.
Paul Wheaton will be guest instructing Wofati design.

$590 for a two week course, May 13-26 (early bird special pricing)

We have 2 work trade openings!



It might be more accurate to say "1.5".  

Earlier we said we had 4 people filling 3 slots.  One of those people never sent in their gapper fee.  So then we have 3 people filling 3 slots.  One of those people had something come up, so they forfeited their gapper fee.  So then we have two people filling 3 slots.  And one of those people shifted stuff in their life so they will attend just the ATC, not the PDC and ATC.

So we have two work trade openings for the PDC, and one for the ATC.   Somebody will probably want to attend both the PDC and the ATC and a second person will probably want to do the work trade for just the PDC.  

So, if you wanna do a work trade, send $100 via paypal to paul at richsoil.com.  

paul wheaton wrote:John,

As fred said, there was a bit of a snafu with paypal with #3, so, since you inquired before I announced it was closed, you are allowed to be #4 of 3.   A bit like harry potter in the tri wizard tournament

Hi Paul, my apologies. I would LOVE to do this. I've solved the fight problem (well, I've rationalised parting with the big pile of gold to get the air ticket). The problem I've just confirmed the details of is my availability. Could there be a way I pay my $100 today to attend the ATC and PDC, arrive early May (notice I need to give people here), and complete a portion of my work trade after the event? I realise there is a trust issue there, and perhaps is conditional on the requisite trust having been earnt by the start of the courses?

Kind regards,
John.

John,

100% of the people who flaked out used the words "trust me" or "you can count on me" or "my word is my bond" or "I promise" or "I am not a flake" or something to that effect.   And the flake out rate is about 60%.  If all of these people had kept their word, we would be about seven times further along now.   The wofatis would be done and we would probably have four more built.  I would have posted about 60 more youtube videos and I would probably have ten times more coin in my pocket right now.  So we are taking extremely strong steps to mitigate this problem.  

Therefore:  sorry, no.

Perhaps you could come in may to do work trade for the ATC?

Perhaps you would like to try our work trade stuff for next year?

paul wheaton wrote:John,  

Therefore:  sorry, no.

That is entirely fair Paul, I've listened to your lab review podcasts only recently, I understand entirely and think it is awesome you are protecting your progress. I can't even fairly say I'm not a flake, as at least once before I have been.

The barrier is getting the visa, ticket and insurance. The combination looks to be approaching $1800, so the two courses would be what justifies such a hit to funds.

In the specifics I think I meant I could pay you the 5 or so week work shortfall before the courses started and earn it back, minimising your risk? I get that is a pain though- just I'd been checking the richsoil routinely for this since January looking for updates.

Either way, thank you for taking the time to explain Paul.

Kind regards,
John.