Permaculture Training

For these 3 weeks, Melanie has been participating in a Permaculture Class at Wren Song. The class has the standard 76 hours of instruction which leads to Permaculture Certification. We are blessed that this very special offering is close by, at Wren Song, an intentional community and learning center 3 miles south of the Farm.

Melanie's participation is taking all 3 of us to new levels of possibility at the Farm. Our Friends at Wren Song also call themselves the "Possibility Alliance". That makes sense. Instruction there is giving us a plethora of New Possibilities. Melanie is there from 9 a.m. until about 5:30 p.m. She comes home, does chores, eats dinner and then we are briefed on the Day's Gleanings.

The 2 teachers have a rich background of experience. Christian Shearer developed the Panya Project, which is a Permaculture Center in Thailand and has been in operation for several years. (http://www.panyaproject.org/) Melissa Breed has also taught Panya. She has also lived and taught in intentional communities where Permaculture is practiced. She is currently at Aprovecho in Oregon. (http://www.aprovecho.net/pg/wishlist.htm

Melanie is 1 of 19 enrolled in the class who are diving right into Permaculture in the context of their lives, whether that be urban or rural. With the snippets of stories Melanie has told and the interactions we have had with participants, I am amazed with the breadth of experience of those who are drawn to this training. While we 3 C's have read of many of the concepts, those concepts have been "remote" for us prior to this Training.

At this time, we have walking right through our lives people who have have been experimenting or exploring many of these things. The "outside the box" thinking and experience are simply refreshing. Our heads are spinning with new ideas that we had never even known were possible. Plus, many Dreams we have had for the Farm have now arrived onto the Slate of Plans.

On Saturday, the Class came to our Farm for a Field Trip. We were excited to share and to have their magical footprints right here on the Farm.

Probably most exciting is that 7 class members have chosen our Farm as the site for their final projects: Karen, Jerry, Chris, Hannah, Melanie (yes, our Melanie), Sarah. Ethan is assisting too. The 7 are divided into 2 groups so we will have 2 plans. Wow!

We spent a lovely time of sharing about the Farm with them for 2 hours after the Class Tour. We thanked them profusely. The timing is so right for us. Their project is due on Thursday. In the meantime, this has stimulated great conversation, clarification, and visioning of the 3 C's right here at the Farm. I even finally got to make the map of the Farm which I have wanted to create since last Christmas. Who knows where we will go ahead? Stay tuned.