|
2009
SOUTH
INDIA October 3 - 5th:
Intro to Permaculture, Beeja, Mysore
October 6 - 9th:
Hands-on PC Learning, Punarvasu Farm, south of Udipi
Contact:: beejalife@gmail.com See
below for descriptiion.
•••
2009
Darjeeling, India: PERMACULTURE DESIGN CERTIFICATION October 22nd to November
5th, Ambotay village, near Darjeeling, India
November 9 - 12th:
Farmer Training, CEPF Bioconservation Project
November 17 - 21st:
Tea Worker Training, Quality of Life Improvement
Homestay,
all meals, mixed group of locals, Indians, and Foreigners
Cost: rs.13,000 for Foreigners, reduced rates for Indians
Contact: dlrprerna@yahoo.com
•••
CAMBODIA
December 7 - 11th: Khmer Farmer Training,
sponsor: Int'l Volunteer Centre of Yagamata
*December 14 - 16th: Intro to Pc for
Expats & NGO workers, Singing Tree, Siem Reap
December 18 - 22nd: Khmer Farmer Training,
Harmony Farm
•••
2010
HANDS-ON PERMACULTURE
LEARNING SOUTH INDIA
* January 5 -18th: Permaculture Design Certification course
for Indians and Foreigners
January 5 - 10th: Beeja Farm, Mysore
January 11th: travel to Punarvasu Farm
January 12 - 18th: Punarvasu Farm, south of Udipi, costal Karnataka
DARJEELING, INDIA
Permaculture Design Certification Course
February 5 - 8th , February 19th to 21st, March 5th to 7th, March 19th to
21st
•••
**SUMMER
2010 PROGRAMS**
These programs will be run as separate programs with much overlap
and support between them. Apprentices from one program will be
exposed to and
interact with the other sites,
programs, and apprentices.
•••
FARM
& HOMESTEAD APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS
April
15th - October 15th: Farm Apprenticeship
Program
Hanuman Temple, Taos
May
1st - October 1st: Homestead Apprenticeship
Program
La
Lama, Taos, New Mexico
SEE
BELOW FOR LONG DESCRIPTIONS AND FULL
DETAILS
Contact: Richard@lamafoundation.org with
questions, inquiries, and to register.
•••••••••••••••
long course descriptions below ••••••••••••••
PERMACULTURE DESIGN CERTIFICATION
COURSE
4TH TO 19TH JANUARY, 2010
BEEJA, MYSORE, INDIA
&
PUNARVASU FARM, SOUTH OF UDIPI, KARNATAKA,
INDIA
RS.
15,000
(EARLY REGISTRATION DISCOUNT AVAILABLE)
ONLY 8 POSITIONS AVAILABLE FOR FULL 2
WEEKS
SOME ONE WEEK POSITIONS AVAILABLE
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT BEEJA GO TO:
www.beeja.net
TO REGISITER GO TO: beejalife@gmail.com
This is an excellent opportunity
to learn permaculture in a culturally and
environmentally rich environment. The course
will be a mixture of both Indians and foreigners.
The first week will be held at Beeja on
the outskirts of Mysore. This developing
site for sustainable technologies and practices
is ideal for our first week where we will
learn permaculture basics and have several
hands-on projects appropriate for small
sites and urban applications. Set at the
base of beautiful and sacred Chamundi hill
this site provides the serenity of the
country with proximity to Mysore.
Our second week will be at Punarvasu Farm,
a developing Permaculture demonstration
site 15km south of the temple town of Udipi,
on the southern coast of Karnataka state.
Punarvasu is a 5 acre traditional farm
that is using Permaculture as a means to
revive, preserve, and adapt traditional
agriculture in our rapidly globalizing
world. We will stay in the traditional
family home and eat delicious traditional
food prepared by amma. During this time
we will focus both on hands-on projects
that will directly benefit the implementation
of punarvasu’s transformation, and
do a real life design that will be used
by the farm in its revival. During this
week Udipi has a well know and beautiful
religious festival that we hope to witness.
Cost covers all course materials, accommodations,
food, and travel between sites. We are
currently looking at a field trip during
the second week, which will be included
in cost.
•••
FARM APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
FACILITATED BY SUSANNAH GELB AND RICHARD
RICO ZOOK
April 15, 2010- October 15, 2010
INTRODUCTION
This program’s focus is both to
grow annual and perennial crops on a
farm level, and to begin implementation
of a 5 acre Permaculture farm. This past
summer an initial farm design was created
that consisted of the broad strokes;
annual fields, ponds and acequia, structure
sittings, orchard, windbreaks, forest
garden, perennial herb production area,
etc. This coming summer will be the beginning
of this design’s implementation,
with the apprentices as a key part of
helping this happen. Initial projects
will be the delineation and initial plantings
of the three annual vegetable production
fields, orchard care, irrigation set
up, along with some perennial herb plantings,
and productive windbreaks of trees and
shrubs. These annual fields will be this
summer’s main production focus,
with the fruit trees and herbs being
secondary and dependent on their maturity.
The annual fields will total just under
one and a half (1_) acres, of this, about
one half (1/2) acre will be vegetables,
with the remainder mostly in cover crops,
plus some test beds of grain. The primary
dedicated herb production area and orchard
cover just less than 1/2 acre each. An
integrated and important component of
production this summer will be a 24’ x
36’ greenhouse, used most effectively
with starts for our gardens and sale,
shifting into flower and specialty
cropping and finishing up with greens
in the fall.
There
are three (3) apprenticeship positions
available. The apprentices
will form
a cooperative integrated team, with
Susannah acting as facilitator and
team leader
for the apprentices. Twice a week
Rico will be with the team facilitating
various learning experiences as outlined
below.
The team’s primary responsibility
will be the day to day running of the
farm, which will include soil building,
preparation of annual beds and fields,
seeding and planting, irrigation, crop
maintenance (fertilizing, and pest control),
harvesting, marketing, greenhouse production,
seed collecting and storage, crop storage,
food preservation and research. There
will also likely be WWOOF’er volunteers
that the apprentices will help focalize,
supervise and interact with. Supplemental
to this will be design and project opportunities
that support and further the implementation
of the farm’s design. Design
possibilities include: pond with
aquaculture, food
forest, multi-yield orchard, windbreaks,
various structures, herb production,
paths and access, farm irrigation
system, increasing diversity, integration
of
animals and more.
This farm has come out of and is
an expression of the Neem Karoli
Baba
Ashram and Hanuman
Temple’s focus on selfless service
and feeding people. The goals of this
project are several fold. Ideally, we
would like to be producing a large portion
of the vegetables, fruit and flowers
that are used daily at the ashram. We
also will be donating a certain percentage
of food to the community in need as well
as creating several cottage industries
based around our resources and abundance.
While it is an integrated aspect of the
temple and ashram, apprentices need not
be devotees. Everyone is encouraged and
welcomed to become part of this program.
There will be no expectation or effort
by this program or the temple to convert
an apprentice’s spiritual or
religious beliefs. However, apprentices
must understand,
respect, and follow the rules and
behaviors that are a fundamental
part of ashram
and temple life. These include: wearing
non-revealing clothing, no swearing,
no alcohol or illegal drug usage
on site, no meat, eggs, onions, garlic
or mushrooms,
respect and self awareness of ones
energy in relation to the devotional
activities
taking part. The apprentices are
also
welcomed and encouraged to participate
in other aspects of the ashram such
as cooking, cleaning, Aarti, festivals
and
the myriad of projects and daily
tasks.
SITE
Located next to and a part of the
Hanuman Temple in Taos, New
Mexico, this 5.2
acres of fertile bottom land
is ideal for an urban farm. Presently
almost all
the land is open pasture, parts
of which were in annual production
or covered
cropped this past season. With
an abundance of water and good
soil there is high
potential and many possibilities.
Located within a 15 minute
walk of Taos plaza,
this farm will serve the community
by growing a diversity of food
and important
plants, as well as helping
to create
a strong local economy and
community.
Located at an altitude of approximately
7,000 ft the farm is on the
edge of Rio Pueblo’s
cold drainage. Due to this
frosts can happen late
and
return
early. We have a shorter and
cooler growing season. Overall
expect cooler
to cold
springs with winds that are
gusty and often strong. Winds
lessen early
to
mid June. Traditionally the
summer monsoon
starts latter June to early
July and ends in August. Generally,
summers
are cool with warmer clothing
needed for
most nights. The air is exceptionally
dry. This and the high altitude
allow the sun to be particularly
strong.
Covering clothes, hat, and
skin protection are
strongly recommended. For the
last three summers the weather
has been
cloudier,
wetter, and cooler than usual.
Prior to this there was a ten-year
drought.
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
This program will consist
of hands-on work, check-ins, ‘classes’,
design/project proposals and independent
project, field trips, and supervision/teaching
experiences. A wide level of skill and
experience will be accepted into this
program. Those with less experience and
trainings are welcome as long as they
have some hands–on experience
in growing food, as well as,
some other contributing skills
and/or
training.
This basic level is necessary
so that every apprentice contributes
to the
team
and farm equally. For these
apprentices
a curriculum that leads to
basic permaculture certification
will be
followed. Upon
successful completion of this
program certification will
be awarded. This
program will also well serve
those who already
have permaculture certification
by providing a wide variety
of hands-on
experiences,
interactions, exposures, learning
and teaching opportunities.
The hands-on aspect of
this program will occupy
most
of the participant’s
time. This is its foundational
intent, to have a dedicated
and skillful
group of people learning and
growing by doing
the work of growing healthy,
organic food, flowers and herbal
medicines
while helping to implement
the permaculture design for
the farm. This work will
consist
of: annual and perennial food
production, including greenhouse
production;
harvest and processing; irrigation
systems;
compost production and soil
building, designing
and installing new land/life
systems; marketing; and educating,
supervising,
and working with others who
are interested in helping on
the farm.
Check-ins will happen
every morning and are
the path
by which the
team forms
and maintains its focus
and cohesion. During
this time
we stay current
with each other regarding
personal needs and
experiences, work and
other needfuls of the
coming
day, as well as
plans and processes
necessary to move
forward with
the farm and program.
'Classes' will be meetings
with apprentices
and Rico (at times
including students
and apprentices from
other programs) or
other expert
guest teachers
where we discuss,
learn about, do exercises,
see films, hear presentations,
and interact with
guest presenters regarding
the wide
and varied subjects
related to the farm,
permaculture,
and sustainability
in general.
These classes will
include educational
processes
focused on sustainability
and permaculture,
design processes for land
systems, farm and
garden design, planting/cropping
on site and
off, community level
design,
and farm management. ‘Class’ frequency
will depend on working schedules
and will be both informal (while
doing
other things) and formal (scheduled
and structured).
They will occur at least once
a week.
Design and project
proposals will
be based in and
grow out of the
participants interaction
with the farm and
program as a reflection
of
the insights about
what will
benefit the
site and its
larger community.
Implementation
of a proposal
will be dependent
upon
its quality, farm
needs, how
it
fits into
the overall design’s
implementation, and funds. Rico will
assist the apprentices in this process,
from choosing a design or project through
its implementation. These proposals will
be subject to the program’s
approval process as is appropriate
to the proposal's
scope and scale prior to any
physical work being initiated.
This is a real
life site-specific opportunity
as there are many design layers,
components,
and details still to be created
for the farm,
an occasion to put lessons
and personal creativity to
work on a practical
level.
Field trips will
occur as is appropriate
to
happenings and
timings regarding
work on site.
There will be several
throughout the
summer. These
trips will
likely be in
combination with our sister
program (see
below). Fuel and some food
expenses
will be covered
by the program,
however,
apprentices
will
be expected to
contribute to
some food costs
(eating out)
and other non-basic
expenses. Trips
may
include; a Santa
Fe
trip (exposure
to
different pc
businesses), a high
end ‘green’ hotel
with tropical greenhouse and
living machine, a local high
altitude tree
nursery specializing
in heritage fruit trees, an
organic wholesale nursery that
uses only
rain catchment
water, nearby organic farm(s),
plus more as time and inspiration
allows.
As there will
be volunteers
throughout
the summer,
from both the
temple community
and WWOOFers,
apprentices
will be expected to
give guidance
and
supervision.
Susannah
and Rico will
help
the apprentices
develop this
very important
skill.
Depending
on an apprentice’s skill and knowledge
level, more structured teaching experiences
will be available to further assist them
in developing this skill. This will include
exposure and assisting in learning experiences,
as well as designing and running 'teachings'
to communicate the many aspects and components
of permaculture and sustainability. These ‘teachings’ will
be supervised by Rico. Teachings
may occur on-site or at other
sites, and
may include apprentices from
our sister program.
SISTER PROGRAM
The Homestead
Apprenticeship
Program (HAP)
is our sister
program.
It
is located
on six (6)
gently
sloped
acres
of mixed
meadow and
stands of
Gamble Oak
at 8,000ft
on the west
facing
slope of
the Sangre de Cristo
mountains,
30 miles
north of Taos, New
Mexico.
Its primary
focus is
creating
a sustainable
homestead
based on permaculture,
with
an emphasis
on appropriate
technologies.
These two
programs, HAP and FAP,
will enhance
each other
through site
exposures,
work
exchanges,
design team
collaborations,
joint
teaching
opportunities, shared field
trips, and
other yet
to be discovered/created
possibilities.
Together
these
two programs
offer the
opportunity to learn
about permaculture
and sustainability
on both the
farm and
homestead scale.
FACILITATORS
SUSANNAH
GELB
Susannah
is the first
and
current
farm
manager at
the Neem
Karoli Baba
Ashram.
A dream a
long time
in the
making she
has recently
taken
the position
of farm
manager after
two seasons
of smaller
scale growing
at the
ashram. Along
with a dedicated
group of
people from
the
community
has helped
facilitate
the
proposal,
visioning,
design, and
implementation
of the agricultural
future at
the ashram.
Susannah
has
spent the past
10
years studying
permaculture
and
its
many facets with
many
gracious and
learned
individuals in many parts
of
the world. Always with
a keen
focus on
the
plant world,
her
dream of
being
a full time farmer
has
come
true, accentuated
and
deepened with the
dynamic
vision of the
NKB
agricultural program.
Always
open
to new
ideas
and inspiration,
she
hopes to create
a beautiful,
welcoming
and
overall
sustaining landscape
to
enrich the local
community
and
those who
come
to visit from
afar.
RICHARD RICO
ZOOK
Rico
currently
divides
his
time
between
Northern
New
Mexico
and
India,
with
stops
inbetween.
He
is
an
International
Permaculture
designer,
consultant,
and
instructor
working
with
private
clients,
small
farmers,
villages,
local
organizations,
and
NGOs
(non
government
organizations)
to
create
site
and
culturally
specific
solutions
to
the
many
challenges
facing
us
in
this
globalized
world.
After
living
most
of
his
adult
life
in
the
wilderness
settings
of
Yosemite
and
northern
California,
Rico
came
to
permaculture
in
1996
as
foreman
and
co-director
of
the
restoration
crew
for
a
wilderness
community
devastated
by
wildfire.
After
three
years
he
transitioned
into
this
community’s land manager. He was
deeply involved in creating the community’s
permaculture
design,
and its
implementation
over
the next
7
years.
During
this
time
he helped
to create,
facilitate,
and
instruct
a nationally
recognized
natural
building
and permaculture
colloquium.
For
the past
5+ years
he has
lived half
of the
time in
India where
he uses
permaculture as
a tool
for a
wide variety
of applications.
Current projects
include: bio-conservation
working with
5 forest
villages in
a critical
Himalayan bio-corridor,
ongoing trainings
for tea
workers so
they can
improve their
quality of
life, design
and implementation
of a
16 acre
demonstration and
training centre
in a
the Darjeeling
hills, and
adaption of
a tradition
family farm
in south
India into
a model
of how
permaculture helps
revive, support,
and preserve
cultural and
agricultural traditions.
Additionally, Rico
is involved
in a
wide variety
of trainings,
from two-week
Pc design
courses with
foreigners and
locals to
multi-day trainings
for villages
and farmers.
This will
also be
his second
year of
trainings in
Cambodia, where
he is
also focused
on helping
empower the
locals through
education.
Rico
is a
graduate of
Sonoma State
University, from
which he
holds a
Bachelor of
Arts degree
in Environmental
Studies, focused
on land
restoration, with
minors in
Biology and
Philosophy.
*
IMPORTANT NOTE*
Due
to Rico’s
international
commitments
he will
arrive
late
April
and depart
mid September
for this
work.
As such
there
will
be a
brief
period
at the beginning
and end
of this
program
where
Rico is
unavailable.
PROGRAM SPECIFICS
April 15, 2010- October 15, 2010
COST: $2,700 (tentatively, check rico’s
website for update)
CAMPING
There is at present no indoor housing
available on site, as such camping
sites on the farm will be available
for the
apprentice to use. The apprentice will
need to provide their own tent and
camping gear. As explained earlier,
the farm
is mostly open field at present so
all except a few camp sites will
be exposed.
Some do have partial shade during the
day.
REQUIREMENTS
• To be in good physical
health (see IMPORTANT
below)
• A good pair of hand pruners
• A soil knife (hori-hori)
• Good sun hat
• Water bottle
• Flashlight
PAYMENT
Upon acceptance into
FAP 50% payment of cost
secures your place. Remainder
of cost is due upon arrival. Refunds
3 months prior to 15th April, 2010
will receive 80% of deposit back. Refunds
1 month prior will receive 30% of
deposit
back. No refund will be given less
than
a month prior to program’s start.
WHAT THE APPRENTICE RECEIVES
• Camping site
• All meals (vegetarian,
no eggs, onions, garlic,
or mushrooms)
• The various and multiple learning
experiences as detailed in this
description.
• One week vacation time between
latter June to latter August. Specific
timings
for the vacations will be agreed
upon by the apprentice team and
be dependent
on the needfuls to do.
APPRENTICE AGREEMENTS
• To stay and work for the duration
of their apprenticeship.
• To work an average of 40 hours
per week.
• To work with equanimity within
a team structure with Susannah
as facilitator
• To be aware of their physical needs
and limitations.
• To communicate with Susannah regarding
their needs and expectations in
a timely fashion. This includes
difficulties,
emotionally charged situations
and/or issues, physical difficulties,
and emergencies.
• To conduct themselves as is appropriate for a Hindu temple. (as described
earlier)
• To accept Susannah as final arbitrator on program and site needfuls.
• To treat and use all tools, equipment and infrastructure in the manner
they are designed for. Damage to or loss of these directly related
to neglect or improper usage by the apprentice will be the apprentice’s
responsibility to replace, repair or cover the costs for as deemed
necessary by Susannah.
Normal wear and tear is not included in this responsibility.
IMPORTANT
Apprentices need to be
in good physical condition.
As is explicitly expressed
in this program description,
apprentices will be engaged
in the very
rewarding and demanding tasks of farm level food production and design
implementation.
The farm is located at 7,000 ft in a dry cool climate. Apprentices
will be camping for the duration of the program. At times it will
be
raining,
with
no indoor accommodation available. Even in summer the nights may
be cool to mildly cold.
It is the apprentice’s responsibility to
be aware of their physical needs and limitations, and to communicate
these to Susannah
as is
necessary. We will do our best to observe and check in with apprentices,
however, we cannot monitor nor replace your own self-awareness.
If you have physical
limitations, or special
needs, this does
not necessarily exclude
you from joining
this program. We
encourage everyone
to apply
if they are interested. Your honesty and candor in the application
will allow
use to
understand your needs more fully. We will do our best to provide
for everyone who wishes to join us.
•••
HOMESTEAD
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
FACILITATED BY INTERNATIONAL PERMACULTURALIST RICHARD RICO ZOOK
May 1, 2010 to October 1, 2010
INTRODUCTION
This program’s focus is to provide hands-on learning experiences for creating
a sustainable homestead. The program’s foundation will be food production
in existing beds and expansion of the overall food production capacity, both
annual and perennial, of the land. From this foundation other aspects of creating
a sustainable homestead will be designed and installed by the apprentices. This
could include grey and blackwater systems: structural and broadscale water harvesting;
perennial cropping systems for forage, fodder, fuel, medicinals, crafts material,
etc.; pond and aquaculture; composting and soil building; animal systems; as
well as other potentials or needfuls as identified by this program and/or the
apprentices.
This program will also
have an emphasis
on appropriate technologies.
This will include
passive solar water
heaters, solar cookers,
and bike technologies.
This is a new area for this site, which currently has only one solar water
heater.
As such we will be starting from a simple base line and working up.
An uncommon component of this program is the possibility of income generation
for the apprentices from sale of on-site production (e.g. produce, value
added items, etc.). This is not a guaranteed income as motivation will be
required
of the apprentices, the local market is limited and the farmers market has
a high ratio of producers to shoppers. This does not mean income generation
will
not happen, just that it will depend directly upon the energy and creativity
of the apprentice team. Rico is committed to helping this happen.
There are three (3) apprenticeship
position available.
The apprentices and
Rico will form a cooperative integrated team, with Rico acting as facilitator
and
consultant for the apprentices by mentoring the learning process, guiding
design opportunities, overseeing and assisting with work and installations.
The apprentice
team will have primary responsibility for doing the physical work and needfuls
in all aspects of maintaining and cultivating the homestead.
Roderick Oknich, a long-term
apprentice of Rico’s, will also be living
on site and will be an active part-time member of the team.
This program is particularly
interested in having
a couple as members
of this team. This is both a reflection of structural housing available
(see ‘Program
Specifics’ below) and the commonality of couples doing homesteads. It is
the intention that both people in this couple be fully involved in this program.
Program Structure
This program will consist
of 'classes' and/or ‘check-ins’, hands-on
work, design/project proposals, field trips, teaching experiences, and an independent
project.
'Classes' will be meetings
with apprentices
and Rico (at times
including students
and apprentices from
other programs) where
we discuss, learn
about, do exercises,
see films, hear presentations, and interact with guest presenters
regarding the wide and varied subjects related to sustainability.
These classes
will include
educational processes focused on sustainability and permaculture,
design processes for land systems, garden design, planting/cropping
on site
and off, community
level design, land management, and general check-ins about how
the
apprenticeship program is proceeding. ‘Class’ frequency will depend on working schedules
and will be both informal (while doing other things) and formal (scheduled and
structured). They will occur at least once a week. These ‘classes’ are
different from the day to day learning that is integrated and foundational in
this program.
The
hands-on aspect of this
program will occupy most
of the participant’s
time. This is the foundational intent; to have a dedicated and
skillful group of people
learning and growing by
doing the work to create
a sustainable homestead.
Hands-on work will consist of: annual and perennial food production,
harvest
and processing; maintaining and repairing existing land systems;
designing and installing
new systems; construction
of a ferro-cement cistern
for roof catchment;
and educating, supervising, and working with others who are interested
in sustainability.
Design
and project proposals will
be based in and grow out
of the participants interaction
with the land and homestead.
These
proposals
will be a
reflection of the apprentice’s insights about what will benefit the site and it’s
larger community. These proposals will be subject to the program’s
approval process as is appropriate to the proposal's scope
and scale prior to any physical
work being initiated.
Field
trips will occur as is
appropriate to happenings
and timings regarding work
on site. There will be
several throughout
the
summer. These trips
will likely be in combination with our sister apprenticeship
program (see below).
Fuel and
some food expenses will be covered by the program, however,
apprentices will be expected to contribute to some food costs
(eating out)
and other non-basic
expenses. Trips will include; a Santa Fe trip (exposure to
different pc businesses), a high end ‘green’ hotel
with tropical greenhouse and living machine, a local high
altitude tree nursery
specializing in heritage fruit trees, an organic
wholesale nursery that uses only rain catchment water, nearby
organic farm(s), plus more as time and inspiration allows.
Teaching experiences will be times when the apprentices design
and run 'teachings' to communicate the many aspects and components
of
permaculture and sustainability.
These programs will be supervised by Rico. Teachings may occur
on-site (as is appropriate and created by the apprentices) or at
other sites.
An independent project will be chosen by the apprentice that is
of interest and importance to them. The purpose of this is that
the
apprentice is
engaged on
a deeper level, has a freedom of creative scope and expression,
feels that they are personally contributing to the site, and has
the experience
of
working on
a project from idea to design through installation.
* IMPORTANT NOTE*
Due to Rico’s international commitments he will most likely need to leave
no later than mid September. This will have a minimal impact upon the conclusion
of this program. Roderick will be present through the end of the program.
Sister Program
Over the past year Rico
has been assisting the
Hanuman Temple in Taos
to design a five (5)
acre urban Permaculture
farm. An
initial
design
has been
created
that consists of the broad strokes; annual fields, ponds, orchard,
windbreaks, dedicated
herb production area, structure sittings, etc. As part of the
implementation and development of this farm a similar program
to HAP will occur
at the temple with Rico as co-facilitator and instructor. This
program is called
the ‘Farm
Apprenticeship Program’ (FAP). These two programs, HAP and FAP, are sister
programs that will enhance each other through shared site exposures, work exchanges,
design team collaborations, joint teaching opportunities, shared field trips,
and other yet to be discovered/created possibilities. Together these two programs
offer the opportunity to learn about permaculture and sustainability on both
the homestead and farm scale.
Site Description
The site is six (6) gently
sloped acres of mixed
meadow and stands of
Gamble Oak at 8,000ft
on the west facing slope
of
the Sangre
de Cristo
mountains,
30 miles north of Taos, New Mexico. It is part of the La
Lama community, which
has
a history dating back a couple of hundred years. The acequia
madre (mother water ditch) runs through the site dividing
it in half.
Currently there
is a small
deep pond, a small garden, small hoop house, some covered
beds, and a young forest
garden/windbreak. Structures
include a small
house
with loft, school
bus, chicken
coop, and Rico’s seasonal home.
For the last three summers the weather has been cloudier,
wetter, and cooler than usual. Prior to this there was a
ten-year drought.
Generally
expect
cooler to cold springs with winds that are gusty and often
strong. Winds lessen early
to mid June. Traditionally the summer monsoon starts latter
June to early July and ends in august. Overall summers are
cool with
warmer clothing
needed for
most nights. The air is exceptionally dry. This and the altitude
allow
the sun to be particularly strong. Covering clothes, hat,
and skin protection are strongly
recommended.
Community Linkages
The La Lama community
consists of more than
30 parcels ranging in
size from one acre to
10+ acres, plus a summer
youth ranch
with large
acreage
and a
couple of parcels of more than 100 acres. As true sustainability
is directly dependent
upon the relationships we create and nurture, on multiple
levels, this program is committed to creating and strengthening
its
community relationships.
Currently
there is a functioning
and growing community based
goat cooperative. This
program will be an active
member of
this co-op
through financial
contribution, plus shared milking of and caring for the
goats. From this we will receive
a weekly supply of goat’s milk.
There is also a community
garden in the community
that offers produce
for sale on a weekly
basis. We, as a team,
will be
exploring how
to link up
with this
garden to create mutually beneficial relationships.
We are currently in discussion
with the youth ranch
that is part of the
La Lama community.
This large site is
moving towards
a
wholistic management
model for
their land and pastures. We hope to be assisting them
in this process. There
is also discussion of creating a Permaculture demonstration
model at
a ranch home and some land around it. We will be interacting
with youth staying
at
the camp through hands-on projects, as well as creating
and facilitating learning opportunities. www.budsranch.org
We will also be interacting
with several of the
other homesteads
on the mountain.
These interactions
could
include exposure
visits, consultations,
work opportunities
(for barter, learning, income, or combinations of
these), or any other
opportunity that
we recognize and/or
create.
One site we will be engaged
with is a developing
herbal school. Tovia Safford is an experienced
herbalist and
teacher with
over 20 years
of experience
working with local wild food and medicines. She
regularly has apprentices
learning
with her. Her site is 7 acres, half wooded, half
pasture. She is currently working
to increase the health of the woods, creating a
native food and medicine
foraging forest,
growing storable
crops, and
working with animals.
Tovia is committed
to using permaculture as the approach for realizing
all of these.
Via a barter agreement we will learn with her in
exchange for some site
work. Individual
long-term learning is possible with Tovia. Her
business website
is www.motherstouchoils.com
Any agreements will be
between Tovia and
the apprentice in
consultation with
Rico. Any outside
agreements,
with Tovia
or other sites
and teachers, are
not to impact nor lessen an apprentice’s commitments to HAP.
Program Specifics
May 1, 2010 to October
1, 2010
Fees and Costs (see below
for accommodation descriptions)
HOUSE: single: $2,400
couple: $3,700
BUS: single: $1,900
couple: $3,100
CAMPING: single only:
$1,400
ALL APPRENTICES
- share cost of utilities
(electricity and propane)
- share costs of food
purchased
- share costs for household
items (soaps, cleaners,
toilet paper, etc.)
Requirements
A permaculture basic
design certification,
equivalent* or experience*
A good pair of hand pruners
A soil knife (hori-hori)
A strong commitment to stay for full duration
of apprenticeship
*to be decided by Rico. Please do not hesitate
to inquire if you do not have a pc certificate!
If you’re accepted basic pc certification will be given
with successful completion of this program.
What Apprentices Get
- Housing.
- All food produced on
site or traded for from
on-site production.
- The various and multiple learning experiences
as detailed in this description.
- Income sharing; 75% of all income generated
from their work (split equally among the apprentices).
This will
primarily be from annual
production. The percentage will be smaller
for single harvest, multi-year production,
as
with some medicinals
(e.g. Echinacea). For value added products
the percentage may
be higher depending on the work an apprentice(s)
puts into the value-addition.
- one week vacation time between latter June
to latter August. Specific timings for the
vacations will be
agreed upon by
the apprentice team
and be dependent
on the needfuls to do.
PAYMENT
Upon acceptance into
HAP 50% payment of cost
secures your place. Remainder of cost is
due upon arrival.
Refunds 3
months prior
to 1st May, 2010
will receive 80% of deposit back. Refunds
1 month prior will receive
30% of
deposit back.
No refund will be given less than a month
prior to program’s start.
HOUSING
HOUSE
The small house mentioned
earlier has a loft.
This loft will be the private
space of an
apprentice or apprentice
couple.
However, the
lower space,
which has a
kitchen, shower/bath, and toilet, will
be a community area.
This community area
will
have
restrictions
regarding its
uses and
times
of use to
respect the privacy
needs of the apprentice(s) living in
the loft. The apprentice
team, which includes
Roderick
and
Rico,
will meet and
agree on these.
During the
summer we will
build a solar shower and create a humanure
system. These and the already existing
solar
shower will lessen the community’s
dependence upon the house.
SCHOOL BUS
This will be the other
apprentice accommodation.
It is spacious, has electricity and is
waterproof. There
is
a wood burning
stove, though
this is not to
be used unless there is exceptionally
cold weather, which is
unlikely. This
is due to
the inefficiency of the set-up.
CAMPING
If no couple joins this
program than camping
will be the third form
of accommodation.
The apprentice
will
need to
provide
their own tent
and
camping gear. We are
part of a wilderness community, which
includes
deer, bear, squirrels, coyote, etc.
As such, there will be strict restrictions
on what may be kept at the campsite.
This includes food,
toiletries, incense,
film,
and
scented
items. Rico
sleeps outside every summer and will
assist in
setting up a functional campsite.
IMPORTANT
Apprentices need to be
in good physical condition.
As is explicitly expressed
in this program
description, apprentices
will be
engaged in the very
rewarding and demanding tasks of
creating
and maintaining a sustainable homestead.
The homestead is located at 8,000ft
in a dry cool climate. There will
be much
physical
work. It is the apprentice’s responsibility to be aware of their physical
needs and limitations, and to communicate these to Rico as is necessary. We will
do our best to observe and check in with apprentices, however, we cannot monitor
nor replace your own self-awareness.
If you have physical limitations,
or special needs, this does not necessarily
exclude
you from joining
this program.
We encourage
everyone to apply
if they are interested. Your honesty
and candor in the application will
allow use to
understand your needs more fully.
We
will
do our best to provide for everyone
who wishes to join
us.
.
|
