Learn real world, hands-on, practical permaculture
Discover design strategies to work with nature instead of fighting it! Over 4 weekends, you'll get your hands dirty and your wheels turning as we walk through the theory, concepts, tools and techniques of permaculture design, from observation to execution!
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Permaculture is an ethically based design approach to creating sustainable human communities. Although rooted in agriculture, Permaculture design also touches on ecological restoration, community development, urban planning, energy systems, and architecture.
This Permaculture Design Course (PDC) is geared towards serious homesteading and commercial Permaculture farming in the Mid-Atlantic, while leaving plenty of room for the hobbyist and the simply curious. This is an opportunity to learn Permaculture Design from professional farmers who are doing the work! We base our courses in hands-on, practical Permaculture, and we focus on demystifying foundational concepts to give our students the confidence and skills to jump right into their own projects. We work to hone design skills as a group and as individuals, and we also really lean in to social Permaculture, giving students important framework for success in their communities. |
Course Information
COURSE STRUCTURE
Our days will run from 9 - 6pm, with an hour off for lunch midday. The course will be taught, in Permaculture fashion, by moving from patterns to details. We will learn foundations and core concepts first, drilling down into the details as we move along. Each day we will spend time both indoors and outdoors as we focus on observational skills and hands-on activities. Field trips and farm tours help cement concepts and allow on-the-ground learning to take place in real time. Typical days will see us both indoors and out, often at multiple locations.
WHO SHOULD TAKE THE COURSE
Anyone interested in developing a productive, efficient, and ecologically sustainable landscape, including backyard gardens, farms, homesteads, and communities. Permaculture Design applies to projects of all sizes and scales! This course will benefit the novice and the seasoned practitioner alike and is open to all regardless of experience. We have had students from many walks of life, including college students, extension agents, professional designers, homesteaders, soon-to-be retirees looking to plan their projects, apartment dwelling professionals, master gardeners and more. If you're uncertain where you fit into a course like this, please reach out to us at shenperminstittue@gmail.com. Whoever you are, there's a place for you in our Permaculture Design Course.
COURSE LOCATION
This course will be held in the greater Richmond area, based loosely out of the University of Richmond School of Professional and Continuing Studies. We will be traveling quite a bit on course weekends, with the full schedule to be announced before the New Year. We will likely spend 2 of our course weekends outside Richmond itself, so be prepared to travel a bit. For interested parties, we will help facilitate carpool organization for the group.
FINANCING
The University of Richmond offers a financing option called "Climb Credit" that allows students to utilize a low-interest short-term loan to pay their tuition fees over a 6 month time period. More info available at the bottom of the registration page linked above and below.
COVID
We will follow CDC and University of Richmond guidelines and protocols in regards to COVID. Hand sanitizer and masks will be available for student use.
FOOD
Heavy snacks, coffee, tea, and kombucha will be provided. Students will be responsible for providing their own lunches. If there is a serious COVID outbreak at the time of the course dates, shared foods may be limited.
LODGING
Rooming is not provided with the course. If you are travelling to the area, Richmond has a plethora of hotel and lodging options available.
Our days will run from 9 - 6pm, with an hour off for lunch midday. The course will be taught, in Permaculture fashion, by moving from patterns to details. We will learn foundations and core concepts first, drilling down into the details as we move along. Each day we will spend time both indoors and outdoors as we focus on observational skills and hands-on activities. Field trips and farm tours help cement concepts and allow on-the-ground learning to take place in real time. Typical days will see us both indoors and out, often at multiple locations.
WHO SHOULD TAKE THE COURSE
Anyone interested in developing a productive, efficient, and ecologically sustainable landscape, including backyard gardens, farms, homesteads, and communities. Permaculture Design applies to projects of all sizes and scales! This course will benefit the novice and the seasoned practitioner alike and is open to all regardless of experience. We have had students from many walks of life, including college students, extension agents, professional designers, homesteaders, soon-to-be retirees looking to plan their projects, apartment dwelling professionals, master gardeners and more. If you're uncertain where you fit into a course like this, please reach out to us at shenperminstittue@gmail.com. Whoever you are, there's a place for you in our Permaculture Design Course.
COURSE LOCATION
This course will be held in the greater Richmond area, based loosely out of the University of Richmond School of Professional and Continuing Studies. We will be traveling quite a bit on course weekends, with the full schedule to be announced before the New Year. We will likely spend 2 of our course weekends outside Richmond itself, so be prepared to travel a bit. For interested parties, we will help facilitate carpool organization for the group.
FINANCING
The University of Richmond offers a financing option called "Climb Credit" that allows students to utilize a low-interest short-term loan to pay their tuition fees over a 6 month time period. More info available at the bottom of the registration page linked above and below.
COVID
We will follow CDC and University of Richmond guidelines and protocols in regards to COVID. Hand sanitizer and masks will be available for student use.
FOOD
Heavy snacks, coffee, tea, and kombucha will be provided. Students will be responsible for providing their own lunches. If there is a serious COVID outbreak at the time of the course dates, shared foods may be limited.
LODGING
Rooming is not provided with the course. If you are travelling to the area, Richmond has a plethora of hotel and lodging options available.
PDC Scholarships
There are two need-based scholarships available for the Spring '23 course. Each candidate is asked to write an essay demonstrating need, current work, and vision for their future with permaculture. The essay should not exceed 1200 words. Please submit your application to pdc@shenandoahpermaculture.com by Friday, December 16, 2022.
What to Expect
FIELD TRIPS & GUEST TEACHERS
This course will be packed with field trips to regional permaculture projects and hands-on guest workshops. Students often tell us that these are some of their favorite parts of the course. Details for the Spring course TBD.
PERKS
The Shenandoah Permaculture Alumni Network is active, expansive, and growing all the time. You'll be one of many regional Permaculturists who share skills, knowledge, stories, labor and resources to build community and get the good work done!
For more information contact Jamaica Gayle at PDC@shenandoahpermaculture.com
This course will be packed with field trips to regional permaculture projects and hands-on guest workshops. Students often tell us that these are some of their favorite parts of the course. Details for the Spring course TBD.
PERKS
- Students receive a free custom t-shirt printed by a regional screen printer.
- Students receive free plant materials to take home to start their own projects. This varies seasonally, but previous examples include: Elderberry cuttings. Comfrey cuttings. Pawpaw seeds. Scion wood for grafting.
- Students will create and take home some sort of mushroom product. This could be an inoculated log, bucket, cardboard roll, etc.
- We will facilitate a seed swap during the course so that students may learn about new varieties and share their own seeds with the group.
- There will be a potluck on one of the Saturday evenings that students are invited (optionally) to attend. This is always a highlight.
The Shenandoah Permaculture Alumni Network is active, expansive, and growing all the time. You'll be one of many regional Permaculturists who share skills, knowledge, stories, labor and resources to build community and get the good work done!
For more information contact Jamaica Gayle at PDC@shenandoahpermaculture.com
Curriculum Overview
Below are some, but not all, of the topics covered in the course:
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Permaculture Foundations:
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Meet Your Instructors
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The Shenandoah Permaculture Institute is a collection of competencies whose mission is to "inoculate communities with the tools and strategies for health and resilience, from soil to self." The diverse and enthusiastic teaching team achieves this through teaching, writing, research, and design. We teach real world, hands-on, practical permaculture.
- Trevor Piersol, Emilie Tweardy, Ryan Blosser |
LocationUniversity of Richmond
School of Professional and Continuing Studies 490 Westhampton Way Richmond, Virginia 23173 The course will visit other locations regularly, but our home base this Spring will be at the U of R, at least for the first weekend. Following weekends will vary, TBD. |
