I NDIA SCHEDULE, 2007 - 2008

MONTHLY:
SEPTEMBER: Darjeeling, India


OCTOBER: Madekari district, Karnataka, India


NOVEMBER: Darjeeling


DECEMBER: Siem Reap, Cambodia


JANUARY - FEBURARY: Various sites Karnataka state


MARCH -APRIL: Darjeeling


MAY - AUGUST: Taos, New Mexico, USA

TEACHING
**Check Blog for Changes and Updates of Schedule**


Permaculture Basic Design Certification course
December 5 - 19
Siem Reap, Cambodia

SOUTH INDIA TOUR
Community and Village Scale Design

The Green Community, Madekari, Coorg district, Karnataka, January 4 -14

Permaculture on a 5 acre family farm
Punarvasu Farm, near Udipi, south coast Karnataka, January 16- 29

3rd Site TBA



Permaculture Land Apprenticeship Program
May through August, 2009
Lama Foundation, Taos, New Mexico, USA


A Permaculture Experience Facilitated by International Permaculturalist Richard Rico Zook
The Land Apprenticeship Program is designed to provide the participant with real life hands on experiences of creating and maintaining the many varied and diverse systems that together constitute sustainable human habitation. While strongly focused on the physical we will also investigate the many different aspects and nuances of invisible structures. From communication skills to moving projects through the approval process to facilitating learning experiences the apprentice will gain valuable experiences of 'working' invisible structures to create physical manifestation


The components of the Land Apprenticeship Program will consist of 'classes', hands-on work, design/project proposals, field trips, teaching experiences, and an independent project.


'Classes' will be meetings with Rico and apprentices (at times including other Lama people) where we discuss, learn about, do exercises, see slides and films, hear presentations, and interact with guest presenters regarding the wide and varied subjects related to permaculture and sustainability. These classes will include Lama land orientation (existing systems, history, design, etc.), learning processes focused on sustainability and permaculture, design processes for land systems, garden design, planting/cropping at Lama, community level design, land management, and general check-in about how the apprenticeship program is proceeding. These classes will be longer and more frequent during the first month or so of the program (orientation, forming the team, integration with kitchen and community, garden planning and responsibilities, etc.), than less so until we have one per week.


The hands-on aspect of this program will occupy most of the participants time. For the apprentices this is the foundational intent; real life experience in creating land based systems that are relevant to environment and culture which contributes to the sustainable survival of a functioning community. This work will include, but not be limited to; land stewardship, maintaining and expanding diverse food production systems, growing food, maintaining and repairing existing land systems, designing and installing new systems, and educating, supervising, and working with summer stewards and other volunteers who are interested in working with the land. For a more complete list of subjects covered and work to do see below.


Design and project proposals will be based in and grow out of apprentices interaction with Lama's land and community. These proposals will be a reflection of what the apprentices understand the needs of the Foundation are, as well as, what their own insights about what will benefit the land and community. These designs will vary in scale from greywater systems to production through off site marketing and income utilization. Though many of these designs may not be implemented during the program's duration all will form a resource base that Lama will access and manifest as need and funds allow. These proposals will be subject to the Lama approval process as is appropriate to the proposal's scope and scale prior to any physical work being initiated.


Field trips are opportunities for us to learn about and facilitate the inter-linkings that are essential to any truly sustainable site and community. Without these mutually beneficial relationships with one's regional and global communities within which one lives actual, functioning and enduring human existence is impossible. Through these excursions apprentices will be building these relationships so that Lama Foundation is a more integrated, functioning and contributing member of the regional community. Field trips may include: interactions with people and programs focused on urban and bio-regional sustainability in Taos and Santa Fe, visiting functioning permaculture businesses, visiting, interacting, and assisting other permaculture and sustainability sites, consultancy at private sites, facilitating learning experiences off-site, and just exploring the amazingly beautiful cultures and environs of northern New Mexico. Field trips will occur as is appropriate to happenings and timings regarding retreats at Lama. Field trips will be open to other Lama people as is appropriate to the trip, is agreed to by the apprentice team, and as space is available. People joining contribute to the purchase of gasoline. Preference will be given to those who are assisting with stewarding the land.


Teaching experiences will be times when the apprentices design and facilitate learning experiences to communicate the many aspects and components of permaculture and sustainability. These programs will be lead by the apprentices and supervised by Rico. Participants will be Lama community members, visitors (especially during visitor days), outside groups as approved by Lama and any Lama retreats where this is deemed appropriate by Lama and retreat organizers. These teachings may also take place off site from the Foundation.


An independent project will be chosen by an apprentice that is of interest and has importance to them. The purpose of this is that the apprentice is engaged on a deeper level, they feel that they are personally contributing to Lama, and they have the experience of working on a project from design to installation.


The program is grounded in Lama's existing Summer Steward Program. The apprentices will have similar responsibilities as the stewards, except with less involvement in maintaining Lama's non-land based systems and a more specific focus on developing and caring for Lama's approximately 108 acres. Due to the program's breadth and depth the apprentices will commit to an additional 8 hours of work per week for an average total of 40 hr/wk. It should be understood that this hourly figure is an estimate and will fluctuate, as is to be expected with a program intimately linked and responsive to the local environment. As such expect to have more filled weeks during the beginning of this program as we form the team, learn about the site, and prepare and plant the many gardens at the Foundation. As the weeks progress and the gardens grow our time relaxes till once again the busyness of autumn harvest picks up the pace in preparation for winter.


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 the physical systems for appropriate and sustainable human habitation. The Lama Foundation is located at 8,200 feet in the Sangre de Cristo mountains. It is a wilderness site. Apprentices will be given a camping site. No indoor accommodation will be available. Even in summer the nights may be cool to mildly cold.


All of this, the apprentice, the work and the site conditions, are held within the embrace of the Lama community. A community dedicated to the empowerment and evolution of human consciousness. A community that engages in creating a supportive and enriching environment where individuals have the opportunity to explore, play and grow. It is not a perfect place or community. It is a community committed to an honest exploration and understanding of the human condition in all it's crazy, beautiful, mysterious manifestations.


During program duration Rico and apprentices will document activities, designs, projects, etc. to create a record that participants will have of there learning and work to take with them. Upon successful completion of the Land Apprenticeship Program a certificate will be awarded in recognition of your achievements and contributions.


Due to Rico's international commitments he may be required to depart New Mexico as early as !st September. This will have minimal impact upon program. All arrangements will be made for the easy completion of program through 15th September.

Subjects covered and potential work to do will include:


Permaculture Concepts: Pattern Literacy and Application, Observation and Site Analysis, Zonation, Applying the Principles
Soil: Nurturing and Building, Indigenous Micro-Organisms, Composting, Vermicompost
Water: Harvesting, Storing, Irrigation, Cycling, Grey and Blackwater, Living Water
Food Production: From Bed Preparation to Harvest and Delivery, Annual and Perennial, Techniques and Strategies
Gardens: Design, Systems, Cropping Patterns, Microclimates
Structures: Design, Siting, Natural Building, Integrating, Systems, Microclimates
Edges: Designing, Utilizing, Windbreaks, Bunds, Paths and Roads
Design: Methodologies, Process, Client Relations, Community Scale, Individual Projects-design to implementation
Facilitating the Learning Process: How People Learn, Designing the Process, Designing the Environment, Forms of Communication, Games, Exercises, Actually Doing It
Community Processes: Mindful Communication, Facilitating Group Process, Consensus Decision Making
Animal Systems, Appropriate Technologies, Invisible Structures, Alternative Economics, Bio-Regionalism, Urban Permaculture, Peak and Post Petroleum, Globalization, Permaculture and The Majority World, International Work

 

FACILITATED BY RICHARD RICO ZOOK
Rico first came to the Lama Foundation soon after the 1996 fire that devastated it. As foreman of the land restoration crew he worked with many others to assist and speed up the processes by which the land heals and evolves. Several years later he became the land manager. Over the years he expanded the gardens and food production systems, designed and installed a variety of land based systems (water, soil, structure siting, systems, and integration with landscape, road siting and erasing, path design and construction, etc.), was a founding member and instructor of the Build Here Now natural building and permaculture colloquium, and taught permaculture and sustainable techniques and strategies to a variety of people and forums. He was a member of the team that over a two year process created the Lama Permaculture Site Plan Tool. After an absence of three years Rico returns to assist Lama in it's ongoing effort to live sustainably and become a resource for those who wish to learn the concepts and skills necessary for this.


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. While in New Mexico he lives on six acres a short walk from the Lama Foundation.


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.

DETAILS
DATES: May 15* - September 15, 2009
SPACES AVAILABLE: 4
FEE: us $2,200


REQUIREMENTS: Permaculture basic certification or equivalent**
Commitment to stay for full duration of program

A quality pair of hand pruners and a hori hori (soil knife)

DEPOSIT REQUIRED to reserve space
Full Payment upon arrival


*tentative, may begin a week earlier, check Lama website
**to be considered and decided by Rico
Fee covers all meals, tent site, course activities and materials
There will be a one week vacation scheduled by apprentice team


For Application and More Information about the Lama fFoundation go to
www.lamafoundation.org

 


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© 2007 Richard Zook • richard@lamafoundation.org • PO Box 240 San Cristobal, NM 87556