Advanced Permaculture Training 60-Hr. Advance Design Course at the MREA August 2-9, 2008
Students enrolled in this advanced training will be challenged with developing a complete permaculture design for the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA).
The intention of the organization's Board of Directors is to implement the design following the training at the earliest possible time.
The work done in this course will have positive and lasting effects, long into the future.
Every student will be invited to sign-off on the final design, their names going down in perpetuity as being part of the original MREA Permaculture Design Team.
Instructors / Lead Designers
Permaculturists Wayne Weiseman and Mark Shepard
bring their years of design and teaching experience to this comprehensive task.
Design Objective:
To assess the resources available to the MREA (including, but not limited to, the land, soil, wildlife, plants, sun, rain, wind, water, topography, buildings, people, financial resources, governmental programs, etc.) and create a permaculture design that will:
Harvest the available and abundant resources in a sustainable manner, to
Improve the quality of the soil and the natural environment, while
Producing a myriad of products and services, that
Require a minimum amount of work and effort, that will
Support the MREA's vision, to
Drive the transition of renewables to mainstream use, acceptance, and understanding in the Midwest, while
Demonstrating how we can all live honorably and sustainably, while
Creating an authentic-living environment for students, visitors and members of the MREA to work within, for generations to come.
About the MREA and how this course came about (Click Here).
Further Details of the Course
What is Expected of our Student Designers
Wayne and Mark will be guiding the design process, but the students will be doing the research and elements of the design work necessary to create the comprehensive and final design. Some of the research will have already been done by the students from the May, 72-hour Design Certification Course. Much of their work will be forwarded on via email to the students taking this training so that it may be reviewed before arriving in August. There may be some additional research/homework assigned or recommended as well.
Students will be asked to arrive with a few designer tools (low cost, easy to find) such as graph paper, pencils, protractors, stencils, tape measure, compass, etc. (a full list will be provided before course begins).
Student designers are also required to bring their copy of the Mollison text Permaculture - A Designer's Manual and are invited to bring any other reference books that they find to be their most trusted source of information.
For those without a Designer's Manual, a copy may be purchased through us at the time of registration for $97. This price includes shipping.
Students are encouraged to bring their lap-top computers as well, especially those students with landscaping or architectural CAD programs. WiFi is available in the classroom area.
Finally, we expect our students to come ready to work and to learn.
What Student Designers Should Take from this Advanced Training
Students will have the opportunity to gain the practical skills and actual experience necessary to feel confident in performing research, making assessments, and creating a comprehensive permaculture design.
This knowledge and experience may be applied to just about any piece of property whether it be for residential, commercial or community use, while being able to meet personal, client or community objectives.
Student Qualifications/Prerequisites
Students desiring to participate in this course must hold a Permaculture Design Course Certification (PDC) before this advanced training begins - - or - - poses the life skills commensurate with a PDC training. Certification can be from either MIdwest Permaculture or any other recognized PDC offering.
Pre-Registration Application Process
Everyone desiring to be a part of this course must first go through our simple application process. When applying for this course, PDC graduates will be asked to list the date, location, and name of the instructor(s) of their course. Those who have not completed a PDC course will be asked to list their skills and experience. All applications will be reviewed within 1-7 days by Mark Shepard and Wayne Weiseman and either accepted or denied. If accepted the applicant may then register for the training. A seat in the course is not guaranteed until paid for.
Take Both Courses? For those without a PDC certificate or the commensurate life skills, you may register for this advanced training provided you are also registered for the May 3-10, 72-hour certification course also being held at the MREA, or are registered with another recognized PDC training.
Please Note: We will be filling the course as registrations and applications arrive. If we accept a non-PDC student, and they fully register (pay for the course), they are guaranteed a place in the training even if the course fills and other PDC graduates continue to apply. Students are not dropped once enrolled into the course. The course is limited to 40 students.
Webinars and Site Tours
There are no scheduled webinars or site tours as a part of this advanced training. It is expected that our students already have a basic understanding and background from which to deepen their permaculture training. We will however give registered students of this course the link to the 12-hourwebinar series recording from the May course . These sessions are likely to give students some fresh inspiration with which to bring to the course, as well as the opportunity to get to know Mark, Wayne and Bill.
Register Early and Join the Webinars Live: For those who register before the May webinar series begin (early April) you will be invited to join us, live, in the webinar portal with the new design course students, as well as having access the recordings later.
During some evenings there will be instructional-permaculture movies available but these will be optional. Students should come to this training ready and focused to work.
Lunch Provided
Students are responsible for their own breakfast and dinners. Lunch will be provided from Sunday through Friday (Note: not on the first or last Saturday). There will also be coffee, tea and water available all day with light snacks for morning and afternoon breaks. Most of the lunch food will be organic, and as often as possible, locally grown. There will be a meat and vegetarian option at each meal. Those with other food requirements may be asked to supply some of their own needs.
Camping & Local accommodations
Students will be responsible for their own accommodations during the course. The MREA does have plenty of camping space available at a modest fee ($10/night)either near the educational center or at the 'back 40' just a mile or so away. Camping arrangements are made directly with the MREA upon arrival to the course and students choose their space on a first come - first served basis.
For more on camping and cooking options ...click here.
For motel options in the Custer/Stevens Point area ... click here.
What to Bring:
4-6 weeks before the course begins, every student receives a welcome packet (by email) which includes a list of things to bring as well as more details about your course and your fellow students.
Transportation
We encourage students to coordinate transportation needs with one another in an attempt to minimize energy use in transportation. We will help facilitate this process in the weeks immediately preceding the course.
For those using mass transit, make your best deal to arrive at a major hub and be prepared to rent a car, if need be. However, many of the students who are driving in have typically gone out of their way to pick up air, rail or bus travelers.
Continuing Support Following Completion
Students who have completed a Midwest Permaculture design course or advanced training are then invited to become part of our growing network of graduates. There are three ways we attempt to support our students:
We have a separate website where all graduates can connect, share ideas and look for some assistance.
Graduates may audit any future 72-hour certification courses at half price (provided space is available).
Our objective is to support our students for as long as they need it or want it, and to encourage them to support each other.
Registration Fee
The price for this advanced training with Mark Shepard and Wayne Weiseman as full-time instructors/facilitators is $1,200. A discount of $200 is available for your spouse, significant other, or a second (immediate) family member (they must be qualified as well).
Application Process for the Training
Before registering for this advanced training all students must first qualify by going through a simple application process.
Registration Process Following Acceptance
Once you have been notified of your application acceptance, you may then fully register for the course using any of the three following options.
Option 1 Click here to register on-line. We take MasterCard and Visa. Option 2
Call Becky at 815-256-2215 to registers with your credit card over the phone. Option 3
Click below for a registration form which you may print out, fill out, and snail-mail in with your check. Word Document (.doc) - or - .PDF File Form
Down-Payment / Course Reservation
Our simple e-commerce page is not set-up to handle partial or down-payments. If making a partial payment will assist in your ability to participate, please call Becky at 815-256-2215 to work out an arrangement.
Cancellation and Refund Policy - Should a student have to cancel their enrollment in the course, there will be a full refund less $200. The students will still have access to all of the recorded webinars ($165 value) and will be given the full credit of $165 towards any future Midwest Permaculture design course or advanced training, good for 3 years.
About the MREA (Copied from May-MREA Course Description)
The Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) has done an excellent job over the last 18 years of promoting renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable living, through a variety of educational programming. More importantly, they have done it by demonstration and walking the talk.
Starting as a handful of friends with a simple desire to share their love and knowledge of renewable energy, the MREA was born and has grown to over 3,200 active members (some from other countries) with 20,000 visitors attending their Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Fair in 2007.
MREA Renewable Energy Fairgrounds
Fair Exhibitor
Creating a Long Term Vision
As they have grown over the years, the MREA has acquired 60 acres of land and built an educational-demonstration center called the ‘ReNew the Earth Institute’ that hosts a myriad of workshops all year long. Now that the organization is moving away from their start-up years and into maturity, the MREA board of directors (all volunteers) wants to create a long-term design for their property. This should model environmental sustainability while maximizing its productive and educational capabilities for generations to come.
Not surprisingly, the idea of creating a substantive and long-term permaculture design for the property began to surface. During conversations at the 2007 MREA fair between Mark Shepard and a few MREA members and its staff, the idea of Midwest Permaculture and the MREA collaborating to accomplish this design was embraced.
After a bit of discussion, Mark and Wayne suggested that Midwest Permaculture could co-host two design courses on the property. The first, a 72-hour design certification course being hosted in May of 2008, could be attended by any interested persons, and they would research some of the components for an MREA permaculture design.
A second course made up of trained permaculturists would compile this work in August of 2008, add their own insights and research, and create a final design.
This would create an educational experience allowing the public and MREA personnel to assist in the creation of an actual permaculture design. The MREA board accepted the proposal thus, the birth of these two courses.
Hands-on Workshop at MREA
Course objective:
Quite simply, here is the task before the students and instructors:
Assess the resources available to the MREA (including, but not limited to, the land, soil, wildlife, sun, rain, wind, water, topography, plants, buildings, people, financial resources, governmental programs, etc.) and create a permaculture design that will:
Harvest the available and abundant resources in a sustainable manner, to
Improve the quality of the soil and the natural environment, while
Producing a myriad of products and services, that
Require a minimum amount of work and effort, that will
Support the MREA's vision, to
Drive the transition of renewables to mainstream use, acceptance, and understanding in the Midwest, while
Demonstrating how we can all live honorably and sustainably, while
Creating an authentic-living environment for students, visitors and members of the MREA to work within, for generations to come.
