Upcoming Events

Below is an amazing collection of upcoming permaculture and sustainability events in the central Virginia bioregion, including great upcoming festivals. If you know anyone else that would like to sign up for this newsletter, or if you have an announcement, email Christine at christinegyovai@gmail.com for the next update, which are sent monthly.  

www.blueridgepermaculture.net  

View this as a webpage: http://www.blueridgepermaculturenetwork.blogspot.com/

BRPN is seeking volunteers for our table at the Edible Fest on Aug. 11 and the Heritage Harvest Fest on Sept. 15 (info below). We are also seeking volunteers to help organize regional permaculture gatherings.  Please contact Christine at: christinegyovai@gmail.com if you’d like to sign up to help. 

1.

Edible Food Fest in Orange, Virginia! We hope you will join us in downtown Orange on Saturday, August 11 from 11 until 5PM.  Come see us at the BRPN table!

Everyone knows the Earth to Table movement is gaining more and more steam around the nation and the world. Here in Virginia, as in so many other places, this growing trend became as a way of life, and remains so for countless people who in many cases have spent generations engaged in the sustainable lifestyle.  As we began to talk about this event, we were struck by how important a role our region plays and continues to play in both the Earth to Table movement, and in its history.

http://ediblefest.com/

2.
The Heritage Harvest Festival

on Monticello’s West Lawn
Friday Sept. 14 - Saturday, September 15; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Premium workshops on Friday, including with several BRPN teachers.

Come see us at the BRPN table on Saturday.

Celebrate the harvest and the legacy of revolutionary gardener Thomas Jefferson at the 6th annual Heritage Harvest Festival at Monticello. Taste a bounty of heirloom fruits and vegetables and learn about organic gardening and seed-saving during this fun, affordable, family-friendly festival — unlike any other — held on the breathtaking West Lawn of Jefferson’s Monticello.

http://heritageharvestfestival.com/

3. DIY Institute: Green Building Series at ECO City Farms, Port Towns, MD

Want to build a new world and not afraid to get your hands dirty?  Have you ever wanted to implement your own green building project at home or in your community but couldn't find practical hands-on experience?  We are excited to announce our new DIY Institute: Green Building Series, a program of hands-on courses in sustainability skills and strategies for local self-reliance.  Please check out our course offerings and do spread the word to your networks!  Come learn new skills with us in a dynamic farm learning environment with experienced instructors.

•   Intro to Permaculture : (Fri, August 17th)

•   Hoophouse Design/Build with PGCC : (Fri, September 7th)

•   Greywater and Rainwater Capture : (Sat, September 15th)

•   Greenroofs for small structures : (Sat, September 29th)

•   Build an Earthen Oven : (Sat & Sun, October 20th & 21st)

Click Here to view full description and see registration information:
http://www.ecoffshoots.org/farmers/diy-institute/

4.

Home Water Bath Canning Workshop



Sunday August 12
-- 10am - 2pm


Learn to preserve the summer's bounty!  Firsthand Farmer's Cooperative is excited to sponsor a Home Water Bath Canning Workshop.  This is a hands on introduction to the basics of water bath canning.  You will learn about supplies necessary, kitchen prep, food processing and safety techniques. Together, we will put up tomatoes and honey spiced peaches.  Participants will leave with jars of their own canned goods and the knowledge necessary to can at home!  All supplies are included.  Spaces are limited! RSVP by August 8.

To register or for more information please email Angel at firsthandfarmers@gmail.com.



Sunday August 12
10 am - 2pm
Sharondale Farm (near Charlottesville)
$40

5.

Forest Garden Training Day, August 18^th; September 15^th; October 13^th

Description
How to grow a forest garden, the best thing you can do with your land. Learn how to harmonize your environment and your goals into a garden-ecosystem that is bountiful and sustainable. Whether you have square feet or acres, understanding forest garden design and philosophy will prepare you to grow the most satisfying and sustainable garden possible.

This forest gardening training includes forest garden tours, lectures, discussions, planting demonstrations, and take-home resources. Topics include:
-        Working with forest ecology
-        Forest garden design exercises
-        Polycultures (plants together)
-        Forest garden care and harvest
-        Uses of forest garden plants  

Course Fee and Place : Special startup price $100.  Lunch is included.
Forest Garden Training Days run from 9am to 4pm. The Training Day is held in Bowie, MD

Forested, LLC

www.forested.us

301-892-8000

3707 Enterprise Road

Bowie, Maryland 20721

6.

THIS IS YOUR GRANDMOTHER’S KITCHEN:
August 2012 classes near Charlottesville, VA with Leni Sorensen
All classes have a 5 student minimum

- Putting By #1: HOT WATER CANNING TOMATOES AND PEACHES: $65 per student
Wednesday, August 15, 9 am – 2 pm
Saturday, August 18, 9 am – 2 pm
Sunday, August 19, 9 am – 2 pm

- Putting By#2 PRESSURE CANNING CORN AND GREEN BEANS: $65 per student

NOTE: Class #1 or previous experience with the boiling water bath technique is necessary to take Class #2
August 25, 9 am – 2 pm

- Yeast Breads: $65 per student
Wednesday, August 29, 9 am – 2 pm

- Mexican TAMALES: $65 per student
Sunday, August 26, 9 am – 2 pm

http://indigohousehistory.com/?page_id=191

7.

Sacred Plant Traditions

Six-Month Day Foundations

This program is for those wishing to help their friends and families maintain health, deepen their plant knowledge or begin the training as a community herbalist. The curriculum is dynamic, contemplative and provides a sense of community. We move through the seasons learning the medicine of those changes and the foods and plants to help us transition.

We believe energetic herbalism to be most appropriate for our culture today. It requires direct experience of nature: observing winds that dry, waters that swell, heat that excites. We then learn how to apply these principles/energetics to our health, foods and plant medicines. This is Western Energetic Herbalism and includes understanding tissue states and vitalism.

This program runs on Tuesdays from 9:00 am – 3pm. We will begin September 4, 2012, not meet in January and complete classes March 19, 2013. For more information please see the website. An interview is required.  Applications are being accepted for September 2012. For more info please visit website or call for an interview.

Getting to Know the Spirit of the Plant at Sacred Plant Traditions

 With Internationally acclaimed Master Herbalist Matthew Wood RH (AHG)

October 5 – 7 near Charlottesville, VA

In this class, taught by an herbalist of thirty years experience, we will learn both practical herbalism and the wonders of Nature revealed by herbalism.

Friday Night: The Shamanic Side of Herbal Medicine

 Weekend: Energetics of Western Herbalism

www.SacredPlantTraditions.com

Digestive Wellness at Sacred Plant Traditions
Saturday,  August  11 -- 10am - 2pm

All traditional medicine cultures know that the first step to good health begins with digestion. This introductory class will describe this vital system, ways to maintain good digestive health and some common remedies used to help correct imbalances.

Fee for the class is $75. Deposit $30.

The Art of Fermentation with Suzanna Stone at Sacred Plant Traditions

Sunday, August 12 ~ 10am – 2:30pm 

   This is a perfect balance to the Digestive Wellness class as fermented foods are a staple to good health. Learn to make delicious lacto-fermented foods in this hands-on workshop.

Fee for the class is $75. Deposit $30.

 http://www.sacredplanttraditions.com/index.shtml

8.

Heartmoor Education Center opening this September serving children age 11-14.

The Humanities and Occupations projects at Heartmoor Farm are designed to meet the unique needs of the emerging adolescent in an intimate social setting.  The adolescents will engage in physical work as well as academic study.  Practical problem solving will be experienced through collaboration.  On our land we will foster self-confidence, responsibility, and community engagement.

www.heartmoorfarm.org or call Rob or Elizabeth at 434-589-2961

9.

Richmond, VA home for sale.  Grow lots of food 10 minutes from downtown Richmond, near VCU/MCV.  Completely renovated, two-story, charming brick house, bright and open, hardwood floors throughout.  Large basement and unattached garage offer lots of storage and workshop possibilities. Large corner lot with six foot privacy fence and 20 x 40 fenced garden space with established organic beds, walkways, perennial herbs and raspberries.  Lot also includes a fig tree, asian persimmon tree, wineberry patch, rosemary shrubs, passion-fruit vines.  Two rain barrels and compost bin convey.  Perfect city set-up for dogs and gardens.  $164,950 Owner-804 855 8739, Agent - 804 405 4007   

10. 

 “Incredible Edible” article may be of interest:

This article might be of interest to readers of the events newsletter..

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2072383/Eccentric-town-Todmorden-growing-ALL-veg.html

11.

Here is group in North Georgia who hosts occasional workshops on primitive skills, medicine making, etc. 

http://www.concentricrings.net/calendar.html

Also, this event is coming up in Sept.

http://beyondyonder.net/

12.

Green Building Institute, Jessup, MD

Permaculture Class: September 17 and 18-25, 2012  

Wayne Weiseman is offering a Design Certification Class September 18-25, 2012 with an Introduction to Permaculture Discussion on the evening of September 17, 2012.

Permaculture, very simply, is providing what humans need by working with nature instead of against her. In the land and built environment around you, you can provide your own food, collect water, produce energy and improve the environment for the benefit of all creatures great and small - including humans. Permaculture, from the words "permanent" and "culture" teaches us how to observe and learn from nature and natural processes in order to design the places in our lives - homes, balconies, yards, schools, rooftops, offices, farms - whatever space or building you have the power to change. The Permaculture Design Certificate is a course that teaches the methodologies developed by Permaculture founder Bill Mollison and covers the basics of: natural observation, soil, water, climate, waste, food and shelter.

Green Building Institute web site: www.greenbuildinginstitute.org

Green Building Institute email:  info@greenbuildinginstitute.org

Green Building Institute phone: 443-733-1234

13.

To Central Virginia Beekeepers – new potential beekeeping opportunity

There has been a call for developing a series of programs for both new and experienced beekeepers in our area, to be held within Nelson County, VA.  Please let me know if you would be interested in such a program.

Michael Lachance, ANR Extension agent

434 263 4035

Lachance@vt.edu

14.

Please come check out the site: www.WeTheTrees.com

or read an article about it on the front page of the Permaculture Research Institutes website:

http://permaculture.org.au/2012/07/20/a-new-fundraising-tool-for-permaculture/

Just really quickly a couple things I want you to know about this site: 

1) it is open to crowdfunding campaigns for almost anything related to environment or social change as long as they are in line with the Ethics of Permaculture: Care for Earth, Care for People and Fair Share

2) it can even be used to crowdfund tuition for courses, so if you are involved in hosting courses or going to be taking a course, please consider using the service and sharing it with you possible participants.  A great way to empower more people to take high quality courses.

What can you do to help WeTheTrees be a success?

We think an important first step is just making sure more of the permaculture and sustainability community knows about this tool. Please share it with your contacts you think would be interested, and

Like us on facebook! www.facebook.com/wethetrees

15.

Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals 
Professional Development Webinar Series
2012 Schedule

The City of Charlottesville is pleased to host the following APBP webinars in 2012. All webinars will be held at the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission’s Water Street Center (407 E. Water Street) from 3:00 - 4:00 pm. Webinars are open to all interested parties and individuals and are offered free of charge. Most presentations offer credit for professional certification. Information on the APBP Professional Development Webinar Series and a description of each webinar are available at www.apbp.org.

•   August 15, 2012 - Transforming Streets into Inviting Public Spaces

•   September 19, 2012 – Land Use Planning: Routine Inclusion of Bicycling and Walking in New Developments

•   October 17, 2012 - FHWA Experimentation for Advancing Best Practices

•   November 14, 2012 - Maps that Guide, Encourage and Inform

•   December 19, 2012 – Wayfinding Options for Cyclists

For additional information on the webinar, click here: http://www.apbp.org/events/event_list.asp?show=&group=&start=4%2F11%2F2011&end=&view=&cid=4146

16.

Hi there folks, my name is Ian McConkey. You may know of me from Edible Landscaping. First off let me say it is great to be back in VA!  We are the only place in the world where it is just such thick, full, green, foliage...we picked a good place to live i reckon! Cheers VA dwellers! Home sweet home. But as i have been gone for the better part of half a year i am looking for some work. Mostly anything, but i specialize in manual labor. Stemming off of Pops Edible Landscaping I am great at picking the best plants from there and planting them in the best place in your yard to yield a healthy crop of fruit for you and yours. I am educated in some Permaculture ways, and familiar with Horticultural ways growing up at our Plant Nursery. I am a hard worker and charge a good price. Please get back to me if you have anything i can do some productive damage too. I am available this coming August. Tell your friends! Thanks very much!

        Sincerely hard and legit worker! Ian McConkey  gravelroadz@hotmail.com

17.

Brandon Monroe has some beekeeping equipment for sale.  You can contact him by phone at

434-466-2221 or email  mellomushroom19@yahoo.com

The equipment is:

-deep, medium and shallow supers

-deep, medium and shallow frames

-inner covers

-queen excluders

-bottom boards (some are screened)

-top covers

-1 pollen trap