Wednesday, February 1
This pre-conference track will present the basics of permaculture principles, focusing on integrated systems design, intensive food production, energy conservation and storage and biodiversity enhancement of a living landscape. Participants will walk away with a general overview of permaculture, inspiration and a desire to learn more.
AGENDA
| 9:00-10:15 am |
Permaculture: Design for Regenerative Descent
Darrell Frey, Three Sisters Farm; Dave Jacke, Dynamics Ecological Design
After thousands of years of cultural development, humanity now stands on a mountaintop. Though we can see the whole world from here, storms threaten from many directions, so descending to safety is an attractive and sensible proposition. How do we as a species gracefully and ethically descend from this peak of population, debt, ecosystem damage, energy and resource use, and pollution and waste production? Permaculture offers a practical vision, an inspiring design approach, and a worldwide network of engaged practitioners to help us get off the exposed peak, heal the planet, our communities and ourselves, and make our homes in healthy, rich and productive landscapes.
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| 10:30am-12:00pm |
Principles of Permaculture
Juliette Jones, Pittsburgh Permaculture
Juliette will share the principles which guide permaculture design.
These principles are based on observation of natural ecosystems. Some of the principles discussed include: observe and interact; small and slow solutions; catch and store energy; design from patterns to details; and creatively use and respond to change. Learn how to apply these principles to make your farm and home gardening systems more efficient and enjoyable.
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| 12:00-1:00pm |
Lunch |
| 1:00-2:30pm |
The Medium is the Message: Ecological Design Process
Dave Jacke, Dynamics Ecological Design
Permaculture seeks to create human habitats that mimic natural ecosystems, offering productive, dynamic designs for our challenging times, climate, and future. Yet, we can only achieve an ecological design result if we use an ecological design process. This process—articulating our goals, analyzing and assessing our site, designing from patterns to details, implementing, and evaluating—is itself an integrated system. It teaches us not only how to integrate each person's and site's inherent characteristics, but also how to create healthy "human natures." We'll explore ecological design processes using a forest garden design case study, and discuss how the process changes who we think we are and our relationships with the land.
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| 2:45-4:00pm |
Permaculture Principles & Practice at Three Sisters Farm
Darrell Frey, Three Sisters Farm
Since 1985, Darrel Frey has developed Three Sisters Farm by applying permaculture design. This session will examine in detail the use of permaculture principles and good ecology in the design and management of the market gardens and bioshelter at Three Sisters.
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| 4:00-4:45pm |
Permaculture Community & Resources
Juliette Jones, Pittsburgh Permaculture
The key to permaculture's success, and what makes it such powerful tool, is its emphasis on collaboration and community development. Learn how to tap into the developing permaculture network within PA and the Northeast region. Hear about active organizations and projects. Gain a list of useful websites, textbook resources and publications.
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| 4:45-5:00pm |
Wrap Up & Questions |
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Dinner on Your Own |
| 7:00-9:00pm |
Optional: Design Clinic & Lounge
Pre-conference permaculture workshop participants are invited to bring information on their homes, gardens and farms to gain more specific insight into how to apply permaculture design to their own situation. Workshop instructors will be on hand to answer questions in groups and individually, and may also have design projects of their own to share. All participants are invited to share resources and information as time allows. |
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Presenters:
Darrell Frey, Three Sisters Permaculture
Darrell Frey, author of Bioshelter Market Garden: A Permaculture Farm, has been a permaculture practicioner, consultant and teacher since 1986. Darrell is owner and manager of Three Sisters Farm in Sandy Lake, PA. The bioshelter at Three Sisters is a 3000 sq ft. solar and wood heated greenhouse. Since 1989 the bioshelter and gardens at Three Sisters have provided herbs, flowers, plants and produce to customers in western Pennsylvania.
Juliette Jones, Pittsburgh Permaculture
Juliette Jones studied sustainable agriculture and permaculture design at Slippery Rock University. She has worked with Permaculture experts Dave Jacke and Darrell Frey, teaching courses on Edible Forest Gardening and Permaculture Design. She is currently teaching Growing Sustainably Lab for Chatham University's Food Studies program. Notable design experience includes design and installation of Pittsburgh's first food forest in Hazelwood, demonstration gardens for Phipps Conservatory and an edible garden for the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh.
Dave Jacke, Dynamics Ecological Design
Dave Jacke coauthored the award-winning two-volume book Edible Forest Gardens. After graduating from the Conway School of Landscape Design in 1984, he homesteaded in NH for number of years. He has designed gardens, homes, communities and farms throughout the US, as well as overseas. His main crops now: forest gardeners and permaculture teachers and designers. |
