Urban Permaculture

Design Course

tree

We know the problems, get the tools to design the solutions.


Learn more about the PDC

.

Make Your Own Worm Bin

Written by Zoey Kroll | 08 November 2009

Drilling-BinIn our Permaculture Design Course, we learned the quick and dirty method of making a worm bin -- drill holes into a storage bin, fill it with ripped up newspaper, add worms and food scraps, and put another bin below to catch the precious worm juice. Add water to moisten the paper scraps so that the contents has the texture of a "blueberry muffin." Use the worm juice as a regular fertilizer in your garden. Vermiculture gives you the chance to observe and interact with cool wrigley creatures, and is great for apartment dwellers to make use of their food scraps. Check out this visual step-by-step tutorial for making your own bin.

 

Read more
Add comment (0)
Hits: 1182

My Urban Village...An Invisible Utopia

Written by Robin | 15 November 2009

“But-head” thoughts vied for my attention last night during our PDC class discussion of “Community-Scale Urban Design.” Three student teams brainstormed on the “ultimate” layout of a 1,000 person, 2-block Urban Village.  Our imaginations ran wild with lush gardens, efficient sun, wind, water and waste systems, community spaces dedicated to “wellness,” “workshopping,” and “sharing meals” wih wild organic architecture  linking so many people and resources together in mutually rewarding ways.  Still, the reality of transfoming any 2 existing SF city blocks into such paradises seems “but” a pipe dream.  In my experience as  a San francisco homeowner,  you’re lucky if the city lets you replace a dead street tree (for a steep fee!)  or a neighbor doesn’t report your (crying baby, barking dog, cackling hens, ravenous vines etc...) to the police.  Taking down fences is out of the question (believe me, I’ve asked).

Trees Are The Answer

Written by Sarah Willis | 08 November 2009

n507082325_2047002_802

One of the PDC field trips the class got to visit the M.A. Center in San Ramon to get a visual look of the land and what is going on there. That piece of land is a very special place for it serves as the Northern California Ashram for Amma. "Ordered" by Amma, 1000 fruit trees are to be planted on the land. The above photo is from that tree planting day with Common Vision last February. Michael Flynn, who is one of the helpers on this project and others such as Common Vision, walked the class around and discussed keylines and keypoints, and swales off and on contour. Common Vision is a non-profit spreading awareness and interconnectedness to kids up and down California. Their project is planting fruit trees in the spring with young children at schools and community centers. There answer are trees. With trees comes life.

It was really great to be able to walk around the property and see it all. Being able to visually see what was happening there and to see the key lines, points and swales were great knowledge enhancers for everyone.

Its one thing to read it and another to see it; there the knowledge is nourished.

We had a wonderful time hanging out at the center and enjoyed the delicious food that was brought form the food elves.

Read more
Add comment (0)
Hits: 1081

Starting with Zone Zero

Written by Robin | 15 November 2009

Just imagine my husband’s reaction when, upon asking me in the early weeks of my permaculture design course, “Whadya  learn in class tonight, honey?” I sweetly smiled, looked him straight in the eye, and replied “That you are a major BUT-HEAD!”

Watching his face fall, I quickly added “It’s okay, I’m a but-head too!”

It’s true.  Probably the most valuable thing  I’ve learned thus far in my PDC course has absolutely nothing to do with soil, water, or plants—but rather applying the principles of “observe and interact” and “apply self-regulation” to MY OWN MIND. “But-heads” like me (and my hubby) fancy ouserlves as intelligent, productive, practical people. We like to get stuff done. Though we long for change, we don’t like to waste time entertaining grandiose idealistic visions that could never actually be implemented at a mass scale.  We are quick to notice flaws in this sort of fantasy thinking, the obstacles inherent in our systems of government, culture, and the mighty dollar, and the insanity of fighting against them....Admittedly, our first reaction to a truly wonderful idea (even our own) is often a “Yeah, but...” Hence, the name.

Geoff Lawton on CNN

Written by Administrator | 08 October 2009

Read more
Add comment (0)
Hits: 1055

More Articles...

Join the Yahoo! Group to keep in touch.

Blog FrontPage RSS

feed-image Feed Entries