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Bear Roots Farm Permaculture Design Certificate Course

The course will be held at beautiful Bear Roots Farm in South Barre Vermont. This 87 acre farm is comprised of the farm house multiple barns and support buildings, 50 acres of open pasture and 37 acres of rolling hills and forest. There are views to the east of Spruce Peak and lovely private camping areas.

Bear Roots farm is a year-round, certified-organic, vegetable farm in their second year of operation as an organic CSA. In 2015 they will be developing a master plan to transition this former VT dairy to a resilient, perennial system, which will build soil, create clean water and provide diverse yield.

Bear Roots Farm and Bright Blue EcoMedia are offering a 72-hour Permaculture Design Course (PDC). This PDC will present the core Permaculture curriculum with an emphasis on the following:

• Converting a conventional VT Dairy farm to a diversified, ecologically regenerative farm
• Design and critical components of a regional food system
• Media and cultural components (redefining the cultural narrative, from consumptive & wealth-centered to equitable and resilient).

Course Highlights

PERMACUTLURE CORE CURRICULUM

•Orientation – Universal scale (Formation of the Universe, Earth Cycles and Systems)
•Principles of Natural Systems
•Pattern Understanding
•Trees and Their Energy Transactions
•Soils / Compost
•Water Cycles and Management
•Classical Landscape Profiles
•Wildlife Management and Biological Pest Management
•Wild Plant ID, harvest, edible & medicinal
•Earth Resources / Ecosystem Services
•Forests / Agroecology / Perennial Plants
•Regional Biology – Aaron Guman
•Climate Factors and Adaptation
•Methods of Design
•Humid Tropics / Dryland Strategies / Humid Cool to Cold Climates
•Appropriate Energy Conserving Technology

REGENERATIVE FARM DESIGN

•Keyline Design & Agroforestry
•Grazing & soil building
•Multi-species intentional rotational grazing
•Infrastructure / Natural Building
•Greenhouses
•Aquaculture
•Waste Disposal and Recycling
•Ecological “Waste” Water Systems
•Site Design, Homestead & Skills
•Master Planning (Biology, Energy and Infrastructure)

FOODSHED DESIGN / ECONOMICS

•Regional Agricultural Economy
•Local Wealth/Worker Coop’s
•Regional Currencies / Food Currency Project
•Public land plan policy, Investment models

CULTURAL NARRATIVE AND EDUCATION

•Staple Crops, Protein in our culture
•Permaculture Network & Education
•“EcoMedia”

Lead Teacher

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Andrew Faust

Andrew Faust has been practicing permaculture and biodynamics since receiving his Permaculture Design certificate in 1996. Faust has extensive experience in doing designs for a wide range of climates and habitats including desert, forest and mountain. He is a certified Alternative School Teacher, focusing on Bioregional Education; he instructed at Upattinas Open Community High School for ten years. Faust holds a B.A. in comparative religions from Guilford College. He is the founder of the Center for BioRegional Living, a design, education and consulting center located in Brooklyn New York.

This Course will be catered by Vermont Bean Crafters. Vermont Bean Crafters is a team of artisans and friends who have a deep-set care and passion for quality food and the relationships, techniques, and equities antecedent to any such quality. Everything that they make is at least 90% locally grown and organic by weight, with some products being 99%. Outside of cumin and curry, the furthest they go for any ingredient is their sea salt.

For registration, bookings or more information please click here.

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