Below is a sample email of what we have sent to our 'Friends of Midwest Permaculture' list in recent months. Besides some general news or updates, we add a link to an interesting story or video that we feel is unique or useful. Remember, you can unsubscribe at any time and we never share our email addresses with anyone. These emails are a free educational feature of Midwest Permaculture. Above you may click on several other of our favorite emails. Bill & Becky Wilson
2009 Course & Training Schedule
We are rapidly fleshing out our permaculture course and Transition Town Training schedules for 2009. We have a preliminary posting of the locations and times of several permaculture courses if you would like to take a peek at those.
Permaculture Video Link for December – It’s Wonderful Simple Homes Built with Earth – 5 Min. YouTube Video
I just had to share a video with you that recently came across my desk. It is a quick look at one of the simplest and inexpensive ways to produce a solid shelter out of ‘good-ole-dirt’. We are not likely to see the likes of these homes in our American suburbs anytime soon, but just to know it is possible to build something this simple bolstered my confidence in being able to care for ourselves, our families and our communities should push ever come to shove.
Architect Nader Khalili (also writer and humanitarian) founded the California Institute of Earth Art and Architecture (Cal-Earth) in 1991 where he taught his Super Adobe building techniques. He became a prominent American leader on the value of ethically based architecture, where the needs of the homeless all over the world are considered paramount. This gentile genius of a man passed away this year in March.
Permaculture Course Completed in California Congratulations to our 25-New Design Course Graduates
Wayne Weiseman and I traveled to Grass Valley to deliver one of our design courses at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm. A recent course graduate of ours has been a long-time administrator and teacher at this yoga retreat center and asked us to bring one of our trainings there. It was truly a wonderful week (for all of us I think) which included not only creating a permaculture design for the center but we also began the earthworks part of the design by digging in some swales.
During the week we visited Village Homes and the N-StreetCo-op in Davis, both relatively famous in the permaculture world, and were given a brief tour of ‘The Dome Homes’ on the UC-Davis campus. I promise to get some pictures up of this interesting course and others from this year over the upcoming holidays.
Free Webinar
Introduction to the Transition Town Initiative Becky and I head to San Francisco this Wednesday to participate in the Train-the-Trainer program for the Transition Town Initiative. We both feel that this approach to community building is the companion piece to a permaculture approach to living. We are offering another free introductory webinar on Wednesday, December 17th.
This will be our final email of 2008 so Becky and I sincerely hope you all have a wonderful holiday season. This has been a pretty amazing year for us. We are grateful for all of the wonderful people we have met and the inspiring work that so many of you (of us) are doing. We look forward to sharing 2009 with you.
January Trainings
In Minneapolis Author Dave Jacke
to offer several
Edible Forest Gardening Workshops with our friends at PRI Click Here View The Flier (.PDF)
Introduction to Permaculture 3-Hour Seminar
In Chicago January 17th, 2009
20% Discount on The Transition Handbook By Rob Hopkins Click here
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Wayne Weiseman and I traveled to Grass Valley to deliver one of our design courses at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm. A recent course graduate of ours has been a long-time administrator and teacher at this yoga retreat center and asked us to bring one of our trainings there. It was truly a wonderful week (for all of us I think) which included not only creating a permaculture design for the center but we also began the earthworks part of the design by digging in some swales. 