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The Blue Ridge Permanculture Insitute will be hosting a 5 weekend, 72-hour course in permaculture this Spring:

Sustainability Strategies for the Blue Ridge: Permaculture Trainings in Charlottesville, VA with Ted Butchart, Christine Gyovai, Dave Jacke, Dave O’Neill and Joel Salatin. Dates: Feb. 13-15, Feb. 28-Mar. 1, Mar. 14-15, Mar. 27-29, and Apr. 4-5, 2009.

Readers may recognize some of the instructor’s names. Dave O’Neill owns and operates Radical Roots Community Farm in Keezeltown, VA and Joel Stalatin owns and operates a Polyface Farms in Swoope, VA and was featured in Michael Pollan’s “Omnivore’s Dilemma” which has come up in several comments and discussions on hburgnews.

Course Description: The Permaculture Design Course: Sustainability Strategies for the Blue Ridge. This Permaculture Design Course lays the foundation for understanding and working with natural systems to design sustainable environments that produce food, shelter, and energy. It also provides participants with models of community development and extension by which they can create networks of support for themselves and empower others to do the same. The course provides tools to help design and develop urban or rural properties or neighborhoods in a sustainable manner, revitalize local communities, and restore ecological balance. Permaculture promotes land use systems that work with natural rhythms and patterns to create regenerative cultivated ecosystems. Participants will learn how to design and build gardens, homes, and communities that model living ecosystems. By understanding patterns in nature students will learn how to grow food, manage water catchment and storage, utilize
renewable energy and build community. 

Cost for the course is a sliding scale of if registered on or before January 15, 2009 is $895-$1200 and after January 15 is $995-$1200.

Terry Lilley, course organizer and back up teacher with the Institute, informed me that the Institute “has been existence for one year and has certified over 50 Permaculture Designers.” I noticed on the website that courses have been taught in the area by those working with the Institute since Spring 2007. In addition to these weekend courses, the Institute also puts on several one day workshops including plant propagation, permaculture drawing and mapping, and rain catchment and rain barrel making.

The people who participate in these courses and workshops are from diverse backgrounds. Many participants do garden and/or farm on very small to large scale.  “We have also had students who are architects, medical students, a gentleman who works for the World Bank, teachers/professors, own natural food stores, university students, non profit organizers, stay at home parents, builders, etc.”

For more information, email tygerlilley [at] gmail [dot]com or visit the website www.blueridgepermaculture.net. Applicants are currently being accepted for the workshop now and there is room for 30 students. An application form is available on the website.