Permaculture Design10-Day Intensive in Fluvanna County, Virginia





​ENROLLMENT IS NOW CLOSED.
Join SPI August 12th - 21st (Register by 8/1/16) for their inaugural 10-day intensive Permaculture Design Certificate course in beautiful Palmyra, VA.  We have the unique opportunity of working with ShireFolk Farm's nearly 64 acres of woodland and pasture to learn hands-on skills, Permaculture Principles, and design methodology, which will culminate with students presenting their full, professional designs of the site.  ​
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Upon completion of the course, students receive the internationally recognized 72-hour Permaculture Design Certificate, and may then use the term "Permaculture" in their business, professional practice, or resume.  Many students go on to work in the field of Design, or as farmers, small business owners or teachers.  The Permaculture Design Certificate course gives students a toolkit of techniques and strategies to build a sustainable, resilient future for themselves and their communities.  It is the first step along a path to becoming a Permaculture practitioner.

Curious what the experience is like?  Check out our testimonials and photo galleries from previous courses.
Here's a brief list of some of the topics, techniques and ideas covered in a Shenandoah Permaculture Institute PDC: ​
  • Permaculture Ethics and Principles
  • Landscape Ecology and Succession
  • Soils and Soils Management​​
    • Soil life and ecology
    • Soil testing
    • Cover cropping
    • Sheet mulching 
    • Composting
  • Zone and Sector Mapping and Analysis
    • Site Mapping
    • A-Frame and transit use
    • Understanding Contour
    • Reading the landscape
    • Developing the pattern eye
  • Forest Ecosystems
  • Food Forests
    • Guilds
    • Orchard Design and Placement
    • Permaculture plants
  • Social Permaculture
    • Living the ethics
    • Communication skills
  • Design Exercises
    • The Permaculture Design Process
    • Crafting a Goal Statement
    • Client Interactions
  • Water
    • Water ecology
    • How to sink, store, spread
    • Understanding water on your site
  • Permaculture Health
    • Herbal Medicine
    • Medicinal herb cultivation
    • Fermentation
    • Communication
  • Earthworks
    • Swales
    • Ponds
    • Key line
  • Mushroom Cultivation
    • Homestead-scale cultivation
    • Mycoremediation
  • Greenhouse Design
  • Natural Building
  • Livestock
    • Multi-species grazing
    • Silvopasture
  • Profitable Permaculture
    • Market gardening
    • Permaculture business
  • Permaculture Field Trips & Tours

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Location

ShireFolk Farm
10099 West River Rd.
Palmyra, VA 22963

ShireFolk Farm, owned and operated by Logan and Emilie Tweardy, is a Permaculture Farm located between Charlottesville and Richmond, VA committed to producing pastured, naturally-raised meats, eggs, and vegetables.  They are excited to be hosting this course, brainstorming about possibilities for their site, and sharing their lives and larder with the class.

Photos from Previous Courses - For more photos click here