Grass Valley Co-op Permaculture Design Training

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2008, Living Mandala
creative services by: 360 Degrees

Including

PERMACULTURE PRINCIPLES & ETHICS

PATTERNS INTO DESIGNS

WATERSHED STEWARDSHIP

HANDS-ON ACTION LEARNING

SOIL FERTILITY

FOOD FORESTS & PERENNIAL VEGETABLES

RENEWABLE ENERGY

NATURAL BUILDING

COMMUNITY ECONOMICS

AND MORE

In Association With

Sierra Permaculture Guild

Ananda Dhiira

Woodshanti Cooperative

Facilitators & Instructors

Kevin Bayuk

Matt Berry

Shawn Berry

Sean Culman

Sage Mata

Benjamin P. Jordan

Paul Racko

Kevin ��Karmendra�� Rossy

Scott Stoller

Course Description

This cooperative permaculture design certification course weaves together the creativity and energy of the participants and trainers in a 12-day exploration of how to design our world to work for all life. Amongst the breathtaking scenery of the Sierra Nevada foothills of Northern California, we will share our collective insights, wisdom and experience about how to create sustainable, self-reliant communities, low maintenance foodscapes, healthy homes made from the earth, greywater systems, alternative economic systems and all the many other hallmark techniques of permaculture design.

An Abbreviated List of Course Topics:

- Ethics, Principles and Methods of Permaculture Design

- Translating Patterns into Designs

- Watershed Stewardship

- Soil Fertility

- Food Forests and Perennial Vegetables

- Diversified Renewable Energy Strategies

- Community Economic Systems

- Natural Building

Innovative Cooperative Model

This course is designed within an innovative cooperative framework which allows us to:

* Share in the work, quickly build community, and learn in a hands-on environment

* Invest in this special site and leave behind artifacts memorializing our time together and what we have learned.

* Reduce Costs! A PDC of this nature typically costs $1475. By sharing the work and its fruits, we can offer the 12-day course for as low as $700. As the number of participants crosses certain thresholds, the economy of scale will reduce everyone's course fee further, so tell your friends! Work trade discounts are available.

The practical sustainable living and cooperative working skills built during course are set in the context of the ethics and principles of permaculture design �� the principles of natural systems.

Co-op Permaculture Design Training

Permaculture Training Through a Cooperative Model

April 24 - May 5 2010

Ananda Dhiira

Grass Valley, Califronia

Collaborative Pricing Discount

To increase course affordability and interaction amongst collaborators, we are offering tiers of discounts that apply to the entire group. The more people we have to participate, the more everyone saves! Our host site, Ananda Dhiira, promotes the development of cooperatives. We will all participate in small teams to prepare our vegetarian meals, help with light housekeeping and most importantly organizing and working together in hands-on activities. We also are interested in sharing this experience with as many participants as can be accommodated (30 max). To encourage a larger group we are offering a collaborative discount. Each additional five registrations enable all attendees to receive up to $100 discount. The more the merrier, and greater savings. Help to spread the word!

TOGETHER WE ARE A COMMUNITY OF ABUNDANCE !

Total Course Fee:

�� $1200 per collaborator (if less than 10 Collaborators)

�� $1100 for 10 Collaborators

�� $1000 for 15 Collaborators

�� $925 for 20 Collaborators

�� $850 for 25 or more Collaborators

* Additional $120 discount for camping

A $500 deposit is required to register. Balance to be paid by April 14. Fees are not refundable after this date. Register here.

Lodging

There are 7 male dorm beds and 7 female dorm beds available on a first come first serve basis. There also is an additional $120 camping discount. The course starts Saturday morning, April 24, accommodations are available Friday evening April 23.

12-Day Certificate Course

About the Location - Ananda Dhiira

Ananda Dhiira is beautifully located in the Sierra Foothills adjacent to the South Yuba River State Park, a few miles from Grass Valley, California. The 20-acre parcel consists of about 12 acres of sloped oak-woodland, and 8 acres of meadow bisected by a perennial creek. It is a place of self-discovery where subtle energy flows throughout the land. Ananda Dhiira holds space for personal and community development. It is a place for you learn, contribute, and leave a lasting impact for future generations.

Full 12-Day Permaculture Design Certification Course

Completion of the 12 day training results in the internationally standardized Permaculture Design Certificate. Register here.

Introductory Weekend Permaculture Course

The first two days of this course, April 24 and 25 will be offered as a stand-alone ��Introduction to Permaculture course for those with weekend availability only.

The training is appropriate for beginners just learning of permaculture for the first time and experienced designers looking to apply what they have learned before on an inchoate site, for job seekers looking to invent the new economy and for those interested in the intersection of spirit, yoga and sustainable living.

Contact

For questions and more information regarding the course

e-mail: education@livingmandala.com or

call: (707) 634-1461

Instructors & Facilitators

Kevin Bayuk

Kevin Bayuk started as an artist and filmmaker, explored an eight year meander as a technology entrepreneur (in an attempt to fund his films) and has now graduated into his life as an activated advocate for ecotopian living. Kevin is currently leveraging his skills and relationships to develop organizations and projects that regenerate healthy ecosystems and socially just environments. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Urban Alliance for Sustainability, and teaches with the Urban Permaculture Institute, Urban Permaculture Guild, and Earth Activist Training. Kevin facilitates permaculture trainings and shares his skills in organic gardening and composting in playshops and community workshops.

Matt Berry

Matt Berry offers a unique approach to ecological education, blending his interests and expertise in field biology, primitive skills, and Permaculture. Matt has been practicing and teaching primitive living skills and nature awareness for over a decade. Matt has a BS in Forestry and Wildlife. With his Passion for wild foods he created a Wildcrafting Series in the Bay Area and helped start a wild food CSA in Flagstaff AZ. He currently lives in Grass Valley and works for the Forest Service as a seasonal wildlife biologist and teaches wild crafting courses at the Regenerative Design Institute at Commonweal Garden in Bolinas, Ca.

Shawn Berry

Shawn also co-founded the Urban Alliance for Sustainability in 2000, working on integrating the sustainability movement in the SF Bay Area. Shawn is also leading the Master Planning Committee at Ananda Dhiira where he has been a member of the community since it's purchase in 1999.

Sean Culman

Sean Culman, AIA LEED AP has found the most effective way to develop ideas into reality is through collaboration. Using this dynamic process of engagement, he works with homeowners, designers, and contractors to integrate built environments with living systems. Sean will share his collaborative team-building experience in the process of practicing permaculture. After completing a degree in Applied Physics and Art Studio, Shawn co-founded the Woodshanti Cooperative in San Francisco in 1997. Woodshanti builds high quality custom cabinetry with responsibly harvested woods and natural finishes and continues to be a leader in the green building industry to this day. As a member of the green building community he serves on the board of Build It Green.

Saga Mata

Sage is a permaculture designer, earthen builder, gardener, teacher and community organizer passioned by her love of the Earth. With nature and community as her teachers and inspiration, she spreads her laughter and light as she works to reflect the harmonious and regenerative patterns of nature into human design systems. She earned a Bachelor's degree of Ecopsychology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she taught a UCSC course of Ecopsychology and Social Change and co-facilitated a UCSC cob bench building workshop in 2004. She received her Permaculture Design Cerificate in 2004 through the Earth Activist Training and has then been involved in various permaculture projects from British Colombia to Argentina. She worked as a natural building site leader at O.U.R Ecovillage and co-manager of the bountiful gardens at GingerHill farm/retreat center on the Big Island of Hawai��i. Sage has worked for several organizations, such as the Homeless Garden Project and the Garden Path Project of Berkeley Youth Alternatives. Sage has completed a Permaculture Teacher's Training Course at the Bullock's Homestead, WA. Currently, she is an associate of Gaia University earning her Master's in Integrative EcoSocial Design, where she is studying action-learning as a system to integrate patterns of consciousness and the development of culture.

Benjamin P. Jordan

Benjamin P. Jordan, P.E., Technical Consultant, provides civil engineering expertise for sustainable ecological design projects including water conservation, biodiesel production and permaculture education. He has extensive experience in the design and construction of municipal and residential utility infrastructure, biodiesel market development and sustainable community development projects. Before establishing an ecological design and education firm, Mr. Jordan worked for years for private engineering consultants and has certifications in green design, composting education and tank inspection. Mr. Jordan holds a California Professional Civil Engineering License and a B.S. degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Michigan. He is the founder of Biofuel Recycling, a non-profit organization that promotes sustainable and environmentally sound biofuels and Peoples Fuel Cooperative a worker owner company that provides alternative energy and fuel implementation services in addition to the delivery of pure high quality biodiesel to large and small fleets.

Paul Racko

Paul Racko, PD is a Certified Permaculture Designer (Regenerative Design Institute) and has been an avid organic gardener for over 15 years. He has lived in the Sierra Foothills since 2006, and co-owns The Sacred Bee in Grass Valley with his wife Andrea. In the autumn of 2007, he founded the Sierra Permaculture Guild, an education and networking venue for those interested in applying Permaculture to their landscapes. In January 2008, he started his own design firm Sierra Permaculture Design, through which he offers Permaculture consulting, site evaluations and design services. From 2000 to 2006, he ran a successful video production, post-production, and media encoding & authoring services firm (NetKontent / Sunset Multimedia) where he pioneered some of the earliest techniques in video-based online advertising. From 1998 to 2000, Paul served as the Executive Director of Long Beach Organic, a non-profit organization dedicated to converting vacant, urban lots into productive, organic foodsheds. During this same period, he studied Horticulture at Long Beach Community College. He is the co-founder of The Greenbelt Committee, a community-based organization which preserved 12 acres of abandoned railway from development in the heart of Long Beach, California and converted it into a vibrant, natively-landcaped open space featuring walking trails and animal habitat. In 2000, The Long Beach Greenbelt was designated by President Bill Clinton as a White House Millennium Trail, and later placed into the City of Long Beach's inventory of protected parks and open spaces. In 1999 he was appointed by 4th District Councilman Delano Roosevelt to serve as district representative on the 2010 Long Beach Strategic Plan Environmental Taskforce. Mr. Racko holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film and Video Production from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Paul enjoys yoga, alpine skiing, photography, gardening, swimming, camping, Earth-based spirituality and traveling with his wife and four children.

Kevin ��Karmendra�� Rossy

Kevin ��Karmendra�� Rossy is a passionate community builder, artist, yogi, and permaculture designer, who focuses on bridging the gap between ourselves, our society and our enviroment through collective experience and common-unity. He is an associate of Gaia University where he is pursuing his Bachelors in Integrative Eco-Social Design. Karmendra is currently living with his wife in Sebastopol, Ca where he organizes a weekly meditation for Transition Town Sebastopol.

Scott Stoller

Scott Stoller has been focused for the last decade on balancing humanity's need for water with the needs of ecosystems by designing systems that harvest, treat, and reuse our most vital resource for the benefit of all life. Scott has worked with communities in Nepal and Ghana to safely treat drinking water with slow sand filtration for human consumption. Throughout California, Scott has designed numerous ecological wastewater treatment systems for communities and agricultural food processors. Scott currently works to restore ecological function of streams and tidal wetlands that have been degraded due to human activities. His academic and professional foundation consists of a MS in Ecological Engineering from UC Berkeley and registration as a Professional Engineer (PE) in California.

Affiliate Organizations & Sponsors

Become a Sponsor of this Course!

For details email: affiliates@livingmandala.com

For Upcoming Courses, Workshops, & Events Click this Spring & Summer in Permaculture, Ecovillage Design, Sustainable Living Skills, & More Click Here.