PEP1 Certification workshop/gathering/event May/June 2019

Rent a bunk:  those who indicated on their registration form that they would like to rent a place to stay here at wheaton labs were just e-mailed all the details.

"Now" I want to rent: if you've changed your mind, or forgot to indicate you'd like to rent a bunk, you can fill out your registration form again. Just find the registration form e-mail we sent you and it will work any number of times.

Tour:  on May 19th, the day before the PEP1 gathering starts, we now have a tour that you are invited to attend. See more details here.

Another reminder:

Please look back through previous pages to see conversations about how participants are organizing sharing food for this event. Since it is a free event, you are on your own for cooking your own food, or anything beyond basic staples*.

One participant indicated in their registration form that onions, leeks, shallots, (all kinds of onions), give them migraines, but garlic does not. That person is willing to bring their own food if the group is not able to accommodate their diet.

(*Edited thanks to Mike! Whew!)

Jocelyn Campbell wrote:Please look back through previous pages to see conversations about how participants are organizing sharing food for this event. Since it is a free event, you are on your own for food.

Just to clarify, I read this to mean we're on our own for cooking the food and for fancy food (nuts, meat, coffee) in excess of the normal boot-ish staples?  Looking back through the threads, here's one of the better summations of the food provided by our hosts:

Jocelyn Campbell wrote:People wonder about food. I wonder about food! So to explain more, and since this is a free* event, the food will be similar to our bootcamp program:

paul wheaton wrote:We provide staples like oats, flour, beans and rice, peanut butter, bread, eggs, coconut oil, fruits and vegetables ...  all organic or better.  So vegans are well covered.  Vegetarians are probably pretty happy.  Folks keen on meat will need to bring their own.  No problems with cooking meat here, but we generally aren't providing it for the boots.

Even more about bootcamp food is here. We are not providing coffee for this event.

*Note that this is considered "free" even for those paying the $100 per student or boot if they haven't been here before. This is because $100 hardly covers the organic food for two weeks, let alone utilities, materials used for the PEP1 projects, wear-and-tear of things and roads, or the time any of us are putting in to this. The $100 just puts some skin in the game for those registering for the event. I'm an accountant... :-P

It's mentioned many times that "organic or better" is provided.  I'm assuming any food brought onto the property should also be "organic or better" so that the willows are fed a clean diet of human poo, right?

You're the best, Mike - thank you for quoting me to correct me! Ha!

Mike Jay wrote:
It's mentioned many times that "organic or better" is provided.  I'm assuming any food brought onto the property should also be "organic or better" so that the willows are fed a clean diet of human poo, right?

Yes! We're trying so hard to build soils here and the non-organic residues do pass through us in both our pee and poo.

So, similar to what happens with livestock, if humans eat foods with persistent herbicides (which are in non-organic foods), their bodily waste will contain that, too.

And we don't have multiple stomachs like a ruminant! If you haven't heard or read about us talking about this, we could provide loads of examples of how tainted compost (or composted poop) either killed or stunted the growth of plants due to persistent herbicides.

I had a thought...  One BB I'd like to do while at this event is building a hugelkultur bed.  I doubt I'll be able to at my site due to a lack of an excavator.  Is there a place on the lab or at base camp that needs a bit more hugel?  Or if a boot/ant/Fred is planning to build one next week, could it work out better to delay till help arrives?

On a related note, should we try to do any coordinating of which BBs we'd all like to do?  Maybe so we could team up or so that the teachers can have a few more minutes to prepare for our arrival?  I realize this will be fairly chaotic, being the first PEP event.  Would some advance coordination be helpful or add more stress?

I think everybody should arrive having completed at least 4 BBs.  

And, yes, I think a primary thing we are going to do, at allerton abbey, is build hugelkultur beds.

It would be good if people could list off the 16 sand badges they are thinking of shooting for.

My expectations are fairly modest.  I've gone through most of the badges and sorted out which BBs I want to do at home and which ones I can't.  So I'd like to complete some (but not necessarily all) BBs in:
Round woodworking (just the scaffold log and bench)
Natural building
Gardening
Rocket Stove
Electrical (minus the tiny list)
Woodland Care (bow saw, junkpole stuff, shakes)
Community (I could teach a workshop in a few subjects if there is interest)
Earthworks (most of the list)
Edit to add: Tool Care (just the Freecycles bit)

I like Mike's list. When I get back home I will try to come up with my 16 areas, though for me this is more about learning things and anything on the list looks good to me.

I had meant to do the 200 foot trail clearing BB this week, but the mama turkey nesting there had other ideas.

Hi Paul,

Here is my list. The first 7 are the ones I most desire to accomplish.

Gardening
Earthworks
Woodland care
Animal care
Greywater and willow feeders
Foraging
Electricity
Rocket
Natural medicine
Natural building
Metal working
Round wood working
Textiles
Homesteading
Food prep and preservation
Tool care

Could someone share a link to a central place where all current possible badges are located?  I kind of feel like I’m working toward an aimless forum browsing badge.

the top of the forum has links to most stuff:

https://permies.com/f/178/

including the link to the 22 badges:

https://permies.com/wiki/96022/aspects-PEP

Here's my complete list of sixteen, with the ones I'd like to think about during the workshop bolded:
dimensional lumber woodworking
round wood woodworking
rocket
electricity (including solar)
woodland care
community living
earthworks
greywater and willow feeders
plumbing and hot water
natural medicine
foraging
gardening
textiles
tool care
Food Prep and Preservation
animal care

Ok... apologies if this has been asked already.  I’ve been out of the loop but am interested in the event.

Is there a kind of “general overview” written up about this event? Big picture, purpose, schedule, etc ?  (To help me not ask a lot of basic questions)

I believe the first post of the thread has most of the information.

The first post in this thread sort of explains it, and sort of doesn't.

PEP = Permaculture Experience according to Paul
PEX = Permaculture Experience according to X (where X is whomever wants to define their own program)

The PEP program is a way to document and certify homesteading and permaculture skills. Each skill or task follows a pretty specific outline and then pictures (or video) are posted to document that you did that task/thing/skill.

There are SO many skills and aspects involved in creating this program that the information is rather deep, wide and dense. We're hopeful that this certification could be a practical way to demonstrate to someone that you have the skills to help on their farm or homestead, or get a job in one of these fields (aka aspects here in the PEP forum), or maybe even to inherit or be given a farm or homestead from someone.

This is the main PEP/PEX forum with links at the top to more info:  https://permies.com/f/178/.

And this link about the 22 badges is helpful, too:  https://permies.com/wiki/96022/aspects-PEP.

Jocelyn Campbell wrote:PEP = Permaculture Experience according to Paul

You know, it just dawned on me that while Paul initially designed this program, there has been SO MUCH help and input from the permies community in defining PEP that this makes sense to me, too:

PEP = Permaculture Experience according to Paul/Permies community

I haven’t done any BBs yet, and kinda short notice for me (just saw the Kickstarter about 9 days ago and jumped in, wasn’t even thinking about the PEP1 course) but I’m interested in coming! Gotta clear it with wife first, and explain my pledge... lol, but as long as I can swing that and make sure bills are met, I’m in. Can I let you know by Sunday evening?

Oh yes, am willing to work on about anything, but especially interested in round wood working, hugelkultur, earthworks, and rocket mass heaters. I’ve applied to the local Heavy Equipment Operator apprenticeship program, but gotta wait until they need more apprentices... but, some of these skills I could add to my application! Welding, chainsaw use, driving machines, etc. Long term goal is land to work and pass on to my 7 year old twins as family land. My son has been saying he wants to be a farmer for a year or two now, and loved having chickens last year.

Leif Ing wrote:I haven’t done any BBs yet, and kinda short notice for me (just saw the Kickstarter about 9 days ago and jumped in, wasn’t even thinking about the PEP1 course) but I’m interested in coming! Gotta clear it with wife first, and explain my pledge... lol, but as long as I can swing that and make sure bills are met, I’m in. Can I let you know by Sunday evening?

Hi Leif Ing,

We have spots open for now! We may have spots by Sunday. keep us updated.

I'm interested in rocket mass heaters, earthworks, natural building, greywater, rainwater catchment, gardening (in the desert), hugelculture, composting, homestead design planning (What goes where), passive solar design, how too install solar panels.

OK, thanks for the helpful responses, plus I looked more carefully and found more of the info I was hoping for.  I am very intrigued.  

Let me tell you what I'm thinking....... I was a "$100+ backer" from the book kickstarter and the opportunity to possibly come for this event is awesome.  However, I have realized I am not the target audience, so I'll step aside for anyone else who qualifies and wants to attend.  I'm not in a place right now to do two weeks intensive like this looks.

I think I would be more interested in the SEPPer program.  Basically, I would love to get in on some of the training / practical experience stuff.... but I am literally disabled.  Not like bedbound, but I can only manage a handful of hours a day right now (hence wanting to learn about healthier life options!).  So I will explore sepper stuff more as I get time, because the idea of "hanging out on vacation and just go do or learn something when I feel like it" is quite appealing!

Ben Bash wrote:Hey Paul! I'll be riding with someone that's coming already. Are there any spots left?! :0

Ben, I'm in KC, MO... any room for another for the ride? Gotta discuss in the morning with my wife, but I want to participate so much! I'm thinking this could be my 50th Bday present (after supporting the Kickstarter at the $200 level...) Hoping my wife will be okay with it and can swing everything. Gotta make sure bills are covered, but this actually may be the best timing I could ask for, since I drive for a living as a contractor currently, and have no boss to ask for time off work... except my beautiful advisor! LOL

Anyways, let me know please! Otherwise I'll drive up too if I can come. ;-)

Leif

Ok, wife didn’t kill me... I am going to Montana if y’all still want me! lol I couldn’t figure out how to fill out the app without going through PayPal... ideas?

Also, willing to work on whatever, but especially interested in hugulkultur and the excavator, round wood working, electric and plumbing, hmm, lots of stuff!

Leif Ing wrote:Ok, wife didn’t kill me... I am going to Montana if y’all still want me! lol I couldn’t figure out how to fill out the app without going through PayPal... ideas?

Also, willing to work on whatever, but especially interested in hugulkultur and the excavator, round wood working, electric and plumbing, hmm, lots of stuff!

Leif,

I have verified that you put in sufficient coin.   Your gapper fee is covered.   I look forward to seeing you at the PEP1 event!

Thanks Paul, isn’t there some sort of application to fill out? Going to work on a BB today... fixing a leaky faucet. My wife has been asking about it a couple months, but it doesn’t usually leak after I shut it off... and at worst it seems to drip maybe a quart between bedtime and breakfast. So I explained that I was going to learn hands on stuff, and am starting now with this... refilled the Berkey last night and took some pics of that too for a BB.

Let me know about the app, if I should watch email for it, or ...?

Leif, Coco will send you a registration form to fill out on Monday. She has the weekends off. (For now.... <insert evil grin! / joking!> )

Here are my prioritized pursuits for the PEP1 course. The first 16 are a good general goal, but I’m flexible as I’m keen to knock out the whole list over time. I hope to spend some time accumulating documentation of that which I’ve already completed before arrival.

1. Natural Building
2. Woodland Care
3. Round woodworking
4. Rocket
5. Gardening
6. Earthworks
7. Electricity
8. Tool Care
9. Metal Working
10. Dimensional woodworking
11. Foraging Badge (nearly complete - curating photographic evidence)
12. Natural Medicine (3/4 complete)
13. Textiles (halfway done)
14. Animal Care (1/3 complete)
15. Commerce (complete - need to document)
16. Community  (complete - need to document)
17. Nest (complete - need to document)
18. Food Prep (1/2 complete, lacking haybox experience)
19. Homesteading
20. Plumbing
21. Grey Water and Willow Feeders
22. Oddball

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum. Actually any forum. This is the first time I've posted on any. I don't use social media almost ever. My wife, Caitlyn, has posted here though. Anyways, I am coming to the pep1 workshop, here is my list of 16 badges I wish to obtain. While in Montana: Electricity, Plumbing and hot water, Round working (scalfold for huglekulture), Natural building, Food prep and preservation, Gardening, Metalworking, and Earth works. Here are the rest of the 16: Foraging, Woodland care, Grey water and willow feeders, Natural medicine, Homesteading, Oddball, Tool care, Animal Care.

Welcome Daryl, will be my first time to the Labs too, although I've been (mostly) lurking on the boards here for maybe 2-3 years I think. I keep coming back to them! LOL, anyways, looking forward to meeting you and everyone else, and let's learn some stuff together.

I will be needing to rent a tent and sleeping bag or cot. My wife sent a form in a while ago but has not gotten a reply yet. There is a program where I live that builds, repairs, and maintains bikes for community use. It is called Green Apple Bikes (GAB). If I were to build a bike for this program, could that count towards the tool care badge? I also hope to be there in time for the tour on the 19th.  Thanks Leif. Looking forward to it

Daryl Pierce wrote:I will be needing to rent a tent and sleeping bag or cot. My wife sent a form in a while ago but has not gotten a reply yet. There is a program where I live that builds, repairs, and maintains bikes for community use. It is called Green Apple Bikes (GAB). If I were to build a bike for this program, could that count towards the tool care badge? I also hope to be there in time for the tour on the 19th.  Thanks Leif. Looking forward to it

Welcome to the forums, Daryl! Rental info e-mail sent just now. So sorry for the delay on that.

Folks who supported the Better World book Kickarter have been signing up - WOOT!!

If you have received a PEP1 registration form from us, that means we have confirmed you backed at $100 or more and are IN.

Daryl Pierce wrote:There is a program where I live that builds, repairs, and maintains bikes for community use. It is called Green Apple Bikes (GAB). If I were to build a bike for this program, could that count towards the tool care badge?

Hi Daryl,

To help all of us with this question: Can you go to the thread https://permies.com/wiki/105868/PEP-BB-tool-sand-freecycle and ask it? That would be a big help!

For all our PEP1 event comers:

We are planning on going to freecycle for the tool care badge.
maybe week two on 28th?! I'm talk to Bob at freecycle to work out the best time!

Looking forward to see you all soon,

Hi Joyce, I'm relatively new on this sight and I supported the kickstarter for this wonderful project.  I know your mail goes to Missoula, MT but where exactly is Wheaton labs, the site says near missoula; trying to determine if I can get there this year but I may have to defer to next year if that's at all possible.  I have a 25' trailer if thats allowed, and I'd like to convert it to solar, right now its 30 Amp with one deepcell.

R Hill wrote:Hi Joyce, I'm relatively new on this sight and I supported the kickstarter for this wonderful project.  I know your mail goes to Missoula, MT but where exactly is Wheaton labs, the site says near missoula; trying to determine if I can get there this year but I may have to defer to next year if that's at all possible.  I have a 25' trailer if thats allowed, and I'd like to convert it to solar, right now its 30 Amp with one deepcell.

Hi R, thanks for backing the book through Kickstarter! I confirmed you backed at a level that would get you in to this event - nice!!

wheaton labs is near Missoula. We send directions after folks register. We would have room for a trailer in Arrakis (our sandy parking lot behind the shop/auditorium).

Since we're talking a trailer and you mentioned amps and such (I looked it up once, and then promptly forgot which amps are for which system, so I'm dodging that), and in case any one else is considering RV'ing it, I figured it's a good idea to note that we do not have RV hookups*.

That said, we do have some limited capacity for regular extension cords (you'd supply your own cord) to plug in at the back of our shop/auditorium and extend out in to our parking lot (Arrakis) behind there. So it's regular power only, not RV hookups. We could probably only let two campers plug in at most. And that would be first come, first served.

We don't allow generators being used because we don't want the noisy, smelly generator action spoiling things for others.

*In the past I've explained to non-RV users considering renting RV's, that RV hookups usually include power - usually with a higher amp plugin that we do not support - water, and some times sewage. We do not have any of these kind of hookups for RVs.


If you want to attend, let us know because you would be taking the last spot!

Thanks Jocelyn, I would be fine with just an extension cord to trickle charge the battery and keep the fridge going without running it on propane, I have a 50 gallon tank for water which should last me a bit and the pump runs off the battery too, and I can dump when I leave at a station off site; I wouldn't even consider exposing anyone to the racket of a generator, hence my desire to upgrade my camper to solar. I wish I had known about your site earlier; I am planning retiring soon and downsizing so I can return to the land and self sufficiency.  I have plans of building an earth bermed home with my sites on net zero energy usage.  Hopefully I can come out later this year, maybe the September SEPPers, but if I bring my camper am I limited to times of my visit or can I come anytime, "with notice of coarse"?  I only asked for the location because I would be driving direct.  I definitely will be visiting you all, if not sooner, later.  Sounds like a lot of fun, and like minded people.

R Hill wrote:Thanks Jocelyn, I would be fine with just an extension cord to trickle charge the battery and keep the fridge going without running it on propane, I have a 50 gallon tank for water which should last me a bit and the pump runs off the battery too, and I can dump when I leave at a station off site; I wouldn't even consider exposing anyone to the racket of a generator, hence my desire to upgrade my camper to solar. I wish I had known about your site earlier; I am planning retiring soon and downsizing so I can return to the land and self sufficiency.  I have plans of building an earth bermed home with my sites on net zero energy usage.  Hopefully I can come out later this year, maybe the September SEPPers, but if I bring my camper am I limited to times of my visit or can I come anytime, "with notice of coarse"?  I only asked for the location because I would be driving direct.  I definitely will be visiting you all, if not sooner, later.  Sounds like a lot of fun, and like minded people.

Okay, so I'm not sure, but it sounds like you're not interested in the PEP1 event, but might want to do the SEPPers program, is that correct?

And by the way, thanks for not wanting to do a generator and for understanding all of our RV stuff.

I have lots of things to say about the SEPPer stay while in an RV, but I'm going to move that over to the 2019 Kickstarter ticket stuff thread since none of that is about the PEP1 event.