Another Permaculture Class in Boulder

I wrote last year about the 2009 edition of Permaculture Through the Seasons, an eight month permaculture class that I took last year. If you missed that opportunity, there's another permaculture class happening in Boulder this April, 19-26th:

[An] 8-Day Permaculture Design Certification Course with an emphasis on Urban and Suburban Design. With the use of the Internet, students will begin this 72 hour course from their own home during the 3 week period prior to the week-long, on-site intensive, being hosted in the Boulder area. PIA certified instructor Wayne Weiseman will lead the course with local guest instructors. Boulder, Colorado.

I'd love to attend this course, but unfortunately have already made other commitments for that week. I especially am a fan of the emphasis on Urban and Suburban design--something we didn't really dig into in the 'Through the Seasons' course.

More info on the main instructor, Wayne Weiseman.

Ecoscape Article on a Permaculture Food Forest

The folks at Ecoscape Environmental Design, located in Boulder, have an article about Permaculture Food Forests. (I think the article is on an old version of their website, but the article is interesting so I'm going to link to it.)

When applied to a landscape design, Permaculture requires a more complex set of standards than the conventional approach. For example, a spatial aggregate of trees, shrubs, vines, flowers and grasses should work together functionally as well as aesthetically. Plants should provide each other (and us) services as they do in nature. Some plants process and serve up foods like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to other plants which otherwise can’t consume them. When sited and selected skillfully, plants can provide habitat for beneficial birds and insects that will keep pest outbreaks in line. They can also give wind protection and shade, act as visual barriers, control dust, mitigate noise, produce oxygen, yield food and medicine, and more.

Living Earth Center

The Living Earth Center is a Colorado based organization that is a

non-profit committed to bringing people into deeper relationships with nature through Permaculture education and programs that foster earth-centered values.

They have a calender with upcoming permaculture events on every page--well worth checking out.

Jerome Ostenkowski nominated to be White House Farmer

Via Oxadox, I found out that Jerome Ostenkowski, of CRMPI fame, was nominated to be the White House farmer (equivalent to the White House chef). You can read Jerome's nomination, the winners' statements, or more about the campaign.

Permaculture and Transition Talk

Feb 10 7-9pm at the Mercury Cafe, there will be a discussion on
"Sustainability and Beyond: Permaculture and Transition".

Ellen Rosenthal of the Living Earth Center, who will speak about permaculture and how it is deeply embedded in the Transition Movement.

More details

Permaculture Design Online

As in most permaculture classes, at the end I and a team of others did a design for a real live property.

We posted the initial design and supporting documentation on a wiki, and the design wiki will be evolving as the caretaker of the land implements one or more of them.