Upcoming Events

Greetings all,

 Below is an amazing collection of upcoming events in the central Virginia bioregion, including a film about WV tomorrow night!  Folks can sign up for the BRPN e-newsletter here.  Send us announcements to: blueridgepermaculture@gmail.com, or click here to view this email as a webpage. And check out the BRPN on Facebook here.

Best,
Christine, Terry, and the BRPN team
www.blueridgepermaculture.net 


1.

Now Hiring - CSG Teen Garden Educator in Charlottesville!

The City Schoolyard Garden cultivates academic achievement, health, environmental stewardship, and community engagement through garden-based, experiential learning and leadership development.  City Schoolyard Garden is looking for a motivated candidate to work with youth in the garden as our Garden Educator for Teens starting this summer. This is a dynamic opportunity to build the garden program at Buford Middle School and to direct CSG’s Youth Leadership Program, including our summer teen interns.  The Garden Educator is responsible for maintaining a vibrant, student-run garden and integrating garden-based curriculum ties at Buford Middle School; directing youth leadership programming for grades K-12; and engaging students, families, partners and community members to build equity and well-being for Charlottesville youth.

Applications will be accepted until April 18 or until the position is filled. Requested start date is June 1. This is a full-time, year-round exempt salaried position.
The complete job description and application details are listed below, and can be downloaded by clicking here:
CSG Garden Educator for Teens Job Description

For questions or more information regarding the position, email grow@cityschoolyardgarden.org.


2.
What Lies Upstream – film on Wednesday, April 18th
Jefferson-Madison Regional Library, McIntire Room
Free and open to the public!

5:00pm – Food; 5:30pm – Film; 6:45pm - Forum (discussion with panel of specialists)

ZERO-WASTE EVENT: Look for the compost collection!

The 2017 documentary film What Lies Upstream uncovers the truth behind a massive chemical spill that leaves 300,000 West Virginians without drinking water. Viewers are taken into scientific cover-ups and political malfeasance across all levels of government, poisoning the entire system meant to protect drinking water. Variety wrote it's "a quietly devastating documentary" that "builds a persuasive case against not only industry and political figures, but also the Centers for Disease Control and the Environmental Protection Agency." It won the Special Jury Prize for investigative filmmaking at the Seattle International Film Festival.

Panel featuring:
Beth Roach, Councilwoman, Nottoway Indian Tribe of VA, Vice-Chair, Governor's Advisory Council on Environmental Justice
           
Cale Jaffe, Assistant Professor of Law, UVA School of Law, Director, Environmental and Regulatory Law Clinic

David Sligh, Conservation Director, Wild Virginia

 https://www.facebook.com/events/184702558827632/


3.
Farfields Farm events near Afton, VA

Ecological Illustration Workshop and Plant Sale
April 29th
Plant sale: 10 am to 3 pm
Illustration Workshop: 12 pm to 3 pm
Here is our facebook event page
Farfields Lane, Afton, VA
Admission: suggested donation of $5 to $20

We will open with a potluck style lunch during which artist Federico Parolo, along with Jorian Polis Schutz, will be discussing ecological motifs and techniques in his work. Federico is an artist from Buenos Aires who has been the cover illustrator for Argentina's most important illustrated magazine, Caras y Caretas, over thirty times. His specialties include watercolor and graphite.

Our nursery manager, Ben Kessler will then give a short tour of our nursery. Native and medicinal plants will be available to purchase along with our meat and eggs from 10am to 3pm
____
Doniga Markegard talk and Q&A
May 6th
2 pm to 430 pm
Admission: $10 in advance, $15 at the farm
"‪Ever wonder how wilderness knowledge and permaculture can inform our farming practices?

‪Doniga Markegard, tracker, wilderness expert, rancher, permaculturist, has lived that intersection and tells about it in her fascinating book Dawn Again: Tracking the Wisdom of the Wild. With chapters on food, permaculture, and more, Dawn Again dives into Doniga’s real-life experiences while equipping readers with practical knowledge. Along with her husband Erik and four children, Doniga lives on a coastal ranch in San Gregorio, California. She’s passionate about finding ways to regenerate lands and community through practices that build soil, sequester carbon, capture and purify water, and enhance natural habitat. Doniga has a passion for the natural world and helping others live a life of balance with the earth.  She will be giving a talk about her experience, followed by a q&a at Farfield’s Farm on Sunday, May 6th."

_______
‪Mushroom Education Series

‪Class 1: Basic Biology/ Ecology/ Identification of Fungi
‪Date: Wednesday May 9
‪5 pm to 8 pm
‪Admission: sliding scale $15 - $45
‪Location: Farfields Farm

‪Class 2: Planting a Fungal Garden
‪Date: Wednesday May 30
‪5 pm to 8 pm

Admission: sliding scale $15 - $45  Location: Farfields Farm

_______
‪Class 3: Foraging for Fungi: The human as an ecological participant
‪Date: Sunday June 10
‪10 am to 1 pm
‪Admission: sliding scale $25 - $70
‪Location: TBD based on weather

‪All will be listed on our events page on Facebook


4.
Earth Day Garden Party
Hosted by: Edgewood Gardens and Design & Perennial Love Nursery

Join Edgewood Gardens & Design at Longtide Wellness Collective, where we personally designed and installed all the garden spaces! This will be a Fun-Filled Garden Party and Plant Sale from our Nursery: Perennial Love!
April 21st  9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
1219 East Market Street Charlottesville, Va.

We will have Family Friendly Games and Activities to enjoy while you check out our beautiful, organically grown Meadow and Woodland Plants from Perennial Love! While you enjoy our activities and check out our plant selection – we can also give you information on our business: we specialize in Creating and Maintaining Garden Spaces big and small at Edgewood Gardens and Design. We look forward to meeting and serving you all at our Earth Day Garden Party, while we celebrate this beautiful World we Live on!

For more information on this exciting event please visit our site and our Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/edgewoodgardensanddesignllc/
https://www.edgewoodgardensllc.com/


5.
Register Now for Living Earth School classes

Family Medicine Kit and Leather working
Dates: August 3 – 5, 2018.  Begins on Friday at 6:00
Location: Sugar Hollow
Ages: 8 years old with accompanying adult

Create an Herbal Medicine Kit for your Family! -OR- Make a hand crafted shoe made exactly for you, by…you! -OR- Create your very own bag, designed for your unique lifestyle!

Beauty and function combine in this amazing leather workshop offering! Choose your own adventure, and craftsman Peter Yencken will give you detailed instruction and guidance to create your own medicine kit, or a durable and comfortable bag, or a pair of shoes.  Those who choose to make a medicine kit during their time will make a leather bag, a handmade salve, a tincture and an herbal tea bag to use as an herbal balm for cuts. Others may choose to make a pair of leather shoes that are specifically cut and designed to the particular size of their own feet.  Finally some people may choose to use the time to work on a larger leather bag that is custom designed.

Basic tent camping is included, with options to sleep in our tent cabins or to bring your own tent.  Participants will bring and cook their own food and are welcome to use our primitive camp kitchen with supplies. http://livingearthva.com/adult-courses/

____
Family Archery: Making a Wooden Long Bow or Quiver and arrows
Dates: July 27 – 29, 2018.  Location: Sugar Hollow Campground
Ages: 8+ with accompanying adult

This Weekend Camp is designed for families.  Have you dreamed of making and shooting your own handmade bow and arrow, let alone making one with your child? What a gift to be able to do this together and to cultivate this shared skill as a family.  This is for real and this is your chance to do it!

All materials needed to complete the project are provided. Each participant will go home with their own hand made bow and one arrow, or a quiver with several arrows.  The camper and parent/adult a will make a wooden long bow from a piece of wood, carving it down, shaping it, and tillering the bow so it works optimally.  Each participant will make their own string for the bow.   Instead, they can choose to make a quiver out of leather to store arrows.  Participants will learn how to make arrows, fletching, shaping, etc.   They will leave with a few arrows to put in their quiver.

Basic tent camping is included, with options to sleep in our tent cabins or to bring your own tent.  Participants will bring and cook their own food and are welcome to use our primitive camp kitchen with supplies. http://livingearthva.com/adult-courses/

____
Family Knife Making and Leather Working

Dates: August 11-12, 2018.  Location: Sugar Hollow Campground
Ages: 8+ with accompanying adult

Come get your hands in gear making your own stainless steel knife with sheath, or leather bags.  Yes, you can do it all and you can use bags that you’ve made your self, or a beautiful hand crafted knife. This is for real and this is your chance to do it!
http://livingearthva.com/adult-courses/


6.
Sacred Plant Traditions - Upcoming Day Classes near Charlottesville, VA

FIELD BOTANY for HERBALISTS 
Wednesday May 23 or Thursday May 24, 2018  9:00am – 5:00pm

This class will cover the basics of plant identification with an emphasis on medicinal plants that grow in the Charlottesville area. Participants will learn how to identify plants from visual characteristics and how to recognize the area’s most common plant families. Taught by botanist and herbalist, Holly Poole Kavana.

Herbal teas will be provided at all the one day workshops. Please pack a bag lunch or plan to eat a local eatery. Students will need to bring a loupe ) and, if you have it, Botany in a Day, by Thomas Elpel. Please choose Wednesday or Thursday below.
Fee for the class is $70.

MORE INFO AND REGISTRATION
https://sacredplanttraditions.com/event/field-botany-for-herbalists/

_____
KITCHEN APOTHECARY ~ First Harvest
Beginners welcome!
June 2, 2018, 10am – 3pm

In this class for those new to herbalism, participants will make an array of herbal preparations.  These are safe and time-honored recipes to be used for the family. We will learn how to make salves, tinctures, oils and teas as well as how to stock our family medicine chest. We will harvest plants from the garden to make fresh preparations.This is an excellent class for those that are interested in learning sustainable ways of keeping selves and families healthy.  Taught by community herbalist, Heather Wetzel.
Herbal teas will be provided at all the one day workshops. Please pack a bag lunch.
Fee for the class is $80.  MORE INFO AND REGISTRATION:
https://sacredplanttraditions.com/event/kitchen-apothecary-first-harvest/

_____
PHYTOCHEMICALS: What, Why and How?
July 18, 2018, 9am – 4pm
This introduction to phytochemistry as it relates to herbal medicine will be taught in simple and friendly terminology. Topics will include polysaccharides, polyphenols, alkaloids, tannins, resins, volatile oils, and many more! This will be tied in with Organoleptic Assessment – assessing through taste!
Fee for the class is $90. More information about Mimi and Class Registration
https://sacredplanttraditions.com/event/phytochemicals-what-why-and-how/

______
HERB and PRESCRIPTION DRUG INTERACTIONS
July 19, 2018, 9am – 4pm
Mimi Hernandez, clinical herbalist and Director of American Herbalists Guild will take us through a perfect day of presenting these vital topics of herbal medicine with a clear and accessible power point that makes this necessary science for herbalism very understandable.

Fee for the class is $90.
MORE INFO & REGISTRATION
https://sacredplanttraditions.com

____
Wild Routes Ireland Tour - Deadline May 30

This trip is filling and we are delighted with all who are joining us.
We are asking  those that have questions to please get in touch with Chris or Tara,  our trip the leaders. We would love  all participants to sign up by May so we can get the best airfare prices.  https://sacredplanttraditions.com/event/herb-and-prescription-drug-interactions/


7.
From our Friends at Transition Cville

Wednesday 4/18
Intersectional Sustainability with Nia Martin-Robinson 12-1pm at Newcomb Hall, Kaleidoscope Room, UVA Since 2001, Nia Martin-Robinson has been a strong advocate for environmental justice, working to bring the voices of people of color, Indigenous Peoples, and low-income communities to the climate policy debate.  Nia will share her story and participate in facilitated dialogwhile attendees enjoy sandwiches and more from local caterer, Mona Lisa.  Hosted by UVA Sustainability, Office for Diversity & Equity at the University of Virginia, University of Virginia Women's Center, the Carter G. Woodson Institute, Office of African-American Affairs, and Black Leaders in Environmental Sustainability (BLES).  Free.  www.facebook.com/events/136440657070010/

********************
Wednesday 4/18 -- Meadowcreek Trash Pickup 1-3pm along Meadowcreek
Join The Nature Conservancy as they clean up this important waterway.  Not only will you find weird stuff, but you will help protect the critters there and downriver.  Register at jdalke@tnc.org.

********************
Wednesday 4/18  -- Cville TimeBank Orientation

2pm at the Senior Center, 1180 Pepsi Place Everyone has something to give, and the TimeBank is a way to trade services and build community at the same time.  Potential members set up a profile on the member portal, and attend an orientation prior to having their Timebank account authorized.  Once your account is authorized, you can begin browsing current offers and requests – and post your own!  Additional sessions are offered on 4/21, 12:30 at the Crozet Library, and 4/23 5:30 at JABA.   cvilletimebank.com/membership-information/

********************
Friday 4/20 - Saturday 4/21  -- Tech Takeback Friday
8am-4pm and Saturday 10am-3pm at UVA The Park at North Grounds, 1015 Massie Road This is an e-waste recycling event hosted by UVA Information Technology Services to recycle old/unwanted personally owed electronics.  E-waste represents 2% of America's trash in landfills, but it equals 70% of overall toxic waste.  Check out the list of what's acceptable e-waste (no televisions!): its.virginia.edu/events/techtakeback.html

********************

Saturday 4/21 -- Gardening with Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms
9am-noon at Sharondale Farm, Cismont Diversify your gardens with gourmet and medicinal mushrooms.  In this workshop, hands-on activities will include cultivation methods for annual, perennial, container, and forest gardens.  There will be discussion on the biology of fungi, selecting species, evaluating your growing substrates, and more.  $75.  Register at  www.sharondalefarm.com/shop/gardening-with-gourmet-and-medicinal-mushrooms-workshop-2018-04/.

********************
Saturday 4/21 -- Reservoir Tour and Trek
1-5pm at Ragged Mountain Reservoir, Reservoir Rd. Come out for a tour of Ragged Mountain Reservoir, Charlottesville's primary clean water source, led by Brian Richter of the Nature Conservancy.  Learn about the sustainable design of the reservoir and the impacts of Charlottesville's water demand on local ecosystems.  Afterwards, enjoy the beautiful landscape on a scenic hike of the natural area.  A free round-trip shuttle will leave from the UVA Chapel at 1:00pm and return by 5:00pm - email sydney.applegate@virginia.edu to reserve a spot. Limited parking is also available at the Reservoir.  Please carpool or take the shuttle.  www.facebook.com/events/1777395062567673/?notif_t=event_calendar_create&notif_id=1521430934671861

********************
Sunday 4/22  -- Wild Mushroom Medicinal & Foraging
10am-3pm at the Living Earth School Come experience the mysteries of edible, medicinal, and fantastic fungi with Charlie Aller.  A small feast will be had sampling the fruits of the unseen subterranean realm.  Prepare to have your gustatory horizons expanded and learn some crucial mushroom cooking techniques that can turn any mushroom, wild or cultivated, into a savory delicacy that will wow your friends (and you)!  $75.  If you can't make this session, the class is offered again on 5/6.  livingearthva.com/event/wild-mushroom-foraging-class-virginia/?instance_id=1110 ******************** Sunday 4/22 Earth Week Eco Fair 11am-4pm at IX Art Park Join Sierra Club and many others for the 17th Annual Cville Earth Week Eco Fair.  Live music, food trucks, kids activities and all your favorite earth friendly businesses and non-profits.  Join in on the fun and help grow your earth conscious community and knowledge.  www.eventsinusa.net/event-2018-cville-earth-week-eco-fair-on-earth-day-charlottesville-14782055

********************
Sunday 4/22 Film:  -- "Wasted!  The Story of Food Waste"
7pm at Alamo Drafthouse The UVA Food Collaborative is hosting  a screening of "Wasted! The Story of Food Waste", followed by a panel of local change agents in the food realm.  This documentary features famous chefs Anthony Bourdain, Dan Barber, Mario Batali and Massimo Bottura. Through their eyes, the film shows how they make the most of every kind of food, transforming what most people consider scraps into incredible dishes that create a more secure food system.  They discuss the measures that some individuals, organizations, and businesses have implemented, recognizing that problems exist all along the food chain, from production to distribution, to storage, to consumption, to disposal.  Reserve your seat now:  Free admission with the purchase of a $5 food voucher.  www.facebook.com/events/197131501018566/

********************
Monday 4/23 -- A Climate Conversation

7-9pm at City Space, 100 5th St. States, local governments, businesses and individual citizens are the new face of American leadership on climate change as a result of the federal government's announced departure from the Paris Agreement.  Learn what is being done in Virginia and here in our own community to address climate change, how it is affecting us now and will in the future, and what we can do in our daily lives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Conversation will empower our community to foster real change through education, engagement and action.  Sponsored by Indivisible Charlottesville, the City of Charlottesville, Albemarle County, the UVA Office of Sustainability, the Charlottesville Climate Collaborative, Sierra Club, Appalachian Voices, Charlottesville Renewable Energy Alliance, the Local Energy Alliance Program, Charlottesville Earth Week, Cville100 and Wild Virginia, Sigora Solar.  www.facebook.com/events/230724784155628/

********************
Tuesday 4/24 -- Insider's Tour with the Vegetable Gardener

11am-12:30pm at Monticello Discover great gardening ideas from Jefferson’s kitchen garden during this Q&A walk with Monticello vegetable gardener, Pat Brodowski.  Learn techniques that never grow old, and examine heirloom varieties to spark your own kitchen garden.  $18.  www.monticello.org/site/visit/events/insiders-tour-vegetable-gardener

********************
Wednesday 4/25 -- Albemarle County Natural Resource Protection Plan

7pm at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 100 Alderman Rd. David Hannah, Albemarle County Natural Resources Manager, will describe this proposed plan.  This biodiversity protection plan has been in the works for years and will soon be presented to the Albemarle Board of Supervisors.  Additional comments will be made by Tom Olivier, Piedmont Group Conservation Chair.

********************
Wednesday 4/25 -- Wild Virginia Scenic Film Festival

7pm at the Violet Crown The Wild and Scenic Film Festival introduces attendees to wild and special places and to the courageous individuals who are working to protect and preserve them. The film festival not only highlights environmental concerns, but also provides solutions, reaching people through beautiful imagery.  This annual festival is always an inspiring evening of empowering films. $15-25.  wildvirginia.org/our-programs/recreation/film-festival/

********************
Thursdays 4/26 - 5/4 -- OLLI Course:  "The End of Plastic-Covered Plastic Forks: Women, Waste, and the Legacy We're Leaving Our Kids"
11am-12:30pm at Homewood Suites Trash is piling up while our soil degrades, oceans acidify, and plants, animals, and even shorelines grow increasingly imperiled. Meanwhile, we've outsourced wage slavery so that we can buy, buy, buy more, better, faster all the time. The facts say this is unsustainable. Our hearts know it's true. But we feel small and helpless to stop it. Yet women are uniquely poised to help craft a better world if we’d just add our voices in greater numbers to the energy, consumption, and waste conversation. Join Lindsay Curren in finding out how and why.  $50 OLLI Members/$100 non-members.  olliuvaregistration.org/Home/Course/2582

********************
Friday 4/27 - Saturday 4/28 -- Hazardous Waste Day
9am-2pm at the Ivy Materials Utilization Center Here's your opportunity to safely dispose of those strange acids, oils, and fluorescent tubes that are accumulating in your garage or basement.  Full list of acceptable items here:  www.rivanna.org/hhw-acceptable-items/.

********************
Saturday 4/28 - Sunday 4/29 -- Wilderness Disaster
8:30am-6:45pm both days at Mountaintop Montessori School Learn how to save life and limb when mired in the wilderness of an urban disaster zone, rural area far from a hospital, or natural area miles from an access point.  In this course, learn how to care for an injured/ill person during the critical minutes or hours before ambulance/hospital arrival.  Blend of classroom instruction, and hands-on, problem-solving rescue scenario practice.  Know your loved ones are safe wherever they are.  $185.  Register at https://www.solowfa.com/register-SOLO-disaster-wilderness-first-aid-course.htm

********************
Saturday 4/28 OR Sunday 4/29  -- Wild Edible Plants - Foraging and Feasting

10am-4pm at the Living Earth School, Afton In this class, you will be guided by expert wildcrafter Rain and taste the wild abundance right at your fingertips.  Come learn what you can eat, basic plant i.d., advanced i.d. for those that want it, harvest basketfuls, and then gather to cultivate them into tasty offerings and cook them over the fire.  If the timing is right, you will likely forage for the ever elusive morel mushroom!  Add a little local flavor to your meals, connect with the earth in a more intimate way, and go home with skills that will feed you and your family and friends.  The feast at the end of the class has had rave reviews!  $75.  More info. at livingearthva.com/event/wild-edible-plant-class-virginia/?instance_id=1101. ******************** Sunday 4/29 Casa Alma Spring Celebration and House Concert 6pm at 911 Nassau St. Come enjoy community, food, and a house concert with Claire Hitchins at Casa Alma, a unique urban homestead.  This is a family-friendly, outdoor event - please feel free to bring friends. RSVP's appreciated to cvillecw@gmail.com. ******************** Tuesday 5/1 Medicine Maker Series:  Fresh Tinctures 5:30-7:30pm at The Elderberry, 1917 Commonwealth Dr. Join herbalist Jan Wolfe for this useful class on herbal extract making.  Learning how to make your own tinctures is an easy and essential skill you can use to start your home apothecary and to make herbal medicine more affordable.  Demonstrations of how to make a fresh plant extract plus how to press one will be covered.  Students will have the option of making a tincture to take home.   $25.
 https://www.elderberryherbals.com/event/medicine-maker-series-fresh-tinctures/

 8.
DISCOVER THE HEART THROUGH PERMACULTURE

A Permaculture Design Course with a different approach
The PDC course content of Bill Mollisons 72 hours teaching, is embedded in an empowering approach to Self and others, leading to design and implement your own project with a heightened awareness and deepened values. It is offered in three parts. Each day is embedded in a morning yoga class and an evening heart meditation.
Encounter with Nature and Earth  - May 1-3

PART I - A three day immersion learning to get to know yourself, unfolding the qualities of the heart. This initial experience will be extended to embracing others, nature and the earth. This will allow for a deepened experience in applying the PDC ethics, earth care, people care and sharing surplus, live, in action and the principles of multidimensional  design (Part One can be taken independently). Cost $US 280.00.

Heart and Hands on to Soil and Nature – May 1-9
PART I+II - An additional five day facilitation of morning theory, techniques and lectures of PDC. Learn about connectivity, diversity and observation. The afternoon you will spend exploring the garden and applying the Heart energy directly through your hands to soil, plants and nature. Learn about laws and principles of design. Part I is prerequisite for Part II. Cost $US 560.00

Multifaceted Design, Concepts, including Time and Space – May 1-13
PART III - During three last days you will work with conceiving design and its application. Based onthe previous experiences and learning in part one and part two, the approach to conception and design becomes integrated and leads to a multi disciplinary and multidimensional approach. Part I+II is prerequisite for Part III. Cost $US 840.00.
Accommodation costs are separate; please see application at the link below.

http://www.jiwadamai.net/permaculture-design-course


9.
AMI Farm Manager Position -- Applicants can apply through the AMI website:
www.alleghenymountaininstitute.org 

Please submit a single compiled .pdf file including a cover letter, resume, AMI application form, and list of at least 3 professional references  No phone calls or mailed applications, please.
Or click here to apply today!
...
PROGRAM: AMI manages a multi-faceted farm project on the main campus of Augusta Health hospital in Fishersville, VA. The farm includes educational gardens and a production farm to grow food for the hospital’s food service and the “Food Farmacy” program that serves at-risk patients. The farm supports AMI’s mission to promote sustainable agriculture and connect communities to local, nutrient-dense food.

GENERAL DEFINITION AND PURPOSE OF WORK: The Farm Manager is responsible for all operational aspects of the AMI Farm at Augusta Health, including managing vegetable production, education garden, and the farm team’s efforts. The Farm Manager assists and reports directly to the AMI Executive Director and works closely with AMI Board, Farm Operations Committee, Augusta Health partners, and consultants to install and maintain appropriate infrastructure to ensure smooth operation of the farm, and ensure adherence to sustainable, regenerative, organic practices.



Allegheny Mountain Institute Office (540) 886-0160
ANNOUNCING: The AMI Farm at Augusta Health, a new farm-to-hospital project to provide nutrition programming and improve food access. Visit www.alleghenymountaininstitute.org to learn more! 
 

Upcoming Events 

January 2018

Greetings all,

Below is an amazing collection of upcoming events in the central Virginia bioregion!  Folks can sign up for the BRPN e-newsletter here.  Send us announcements to: blueridgepermaculture@gmail.com, or click here to view this email as a webpage. And check out the BRPN on Facebook here.

Best,
Christine, Terry, and the BRPN team
www.blueridgepermaculture.net 


1.
Shenandoah Permaculture Institute is will be hosting a 2018 Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course in partnership with University of Richmond!

This 9 day, 72-hour PDC will be held over 4 weekends at the University of Richmond in Richmond, VA.
Dates: Feb. 9-11, Feb. 24-25, March 10-11, March 24-25, 2018
Cost: $999 (includes lunches)

For more information and to register please visit:
https://spcs.richmond.edu/noncredit/programs/permaculture/index.html

Questions? Contact: Trevor Piersol shenperminstitute@gmail.com
www.shenandoahpermaculture.com


2.
Tricycle Urban Agriculture Fellowship
March 5th - December 14th, 2018
20 hours a week

Tricycle's Certificate in Urban Agriculture is the result of an innovative collaboration with the USDA-National Resources Conservation Service and Bon Secours. Offered within Tricycle’s 10-month Urban Agriculture Fellowship, participants spend 20 hours a week in the classroom, on farm sites, field trips, or participating in Tricycle mission programs. Together, the Certificate and Fellowship program form a learner-centered, transformational education experience.

Applications are due by January 19, 2018 and are available on our website.  Full scholarships for tuition & fees for 2018 Cohort provided by Bon Secours
For more information, please email beth@tricycleurbanag.org or call 804-231-7767.


3.
10% off Vintage Virginia Apples and Albemarle CiderWorks workshops (below)

Join Vintage Virginia Apples and Albemarle CiderWorks for one or all of our winter orcharding workshops, and as a member of the Blue Ridge Permaculture Network, we’ll give you a 10% discount.  Just enter BRP10 during checkout at this link:  https://vintagevirginiaapples.myshopify.com/discount/BRP10

Pruning 101- with Vintage Virginia Apples; February 24
Careful pruning ensures a more bountiful harvest. Find out how much to prune, where to make the pruning cuts, and when it should be done.  This class is structured to take orchardists from the planting of the nursery tree, through the early years of training and pruning, into lifetime maintenance, rejuvenation, and even bringing old or feral trees back into production.

Planning and Planting the Home Orchard- with Rich Marini, PSU Horticulture specialist; March 3
Dreaming of starting your own orchard?  Join Rich Marini, Penn State University pomologist, and the team at Vintage Virginia Apples and Albemarle CiderWorks for a day-long course on planning and planting fruit trees.  Topics to be discussed include site selection and preparation, water and protection options, varietal and rootstock selection, the physical planting of the trees including notes on high density planting, and care over the life of the tree.  VVA staff will be on hand all day for orchard consultation, and tree orders may be scheduled for pick up while you're here.

Pruning Intensive- with Jim Moniz; various dates
For the fourth year, Jim Moniz teaches a hands-on pruning workshop. Classroom instruction is combined with work in the orchard to give examples of different pruning techniques.

Grafting- with Vintage Virginia Apples; March 10 and March 17
Since apples do not reproduce true from seed, propagation depends on grafting the desired variety onto a reliable rootstock.   Expert hands-on instruction by the Vintage Virginia Apples staff will introduce you to the fine art of grafting.  Each participant will graft two trees from a choice of scionwood from the Vintage Virginia Apples collection to take home with them, along with a copy of our grafting handbook.

Organic Orcharding- with Michael Phillips; April 7
Vintage Virginia Apples is delighted to welcome Michael Phillips, the country’s leading authority on organic fruit culture, author of The Apple Grower and Holistic Orcharding for a workshop on orcharding with ecological awareness.  Michael is an energetic proponent of healthy orcharding, exploring a variety of topics such as soil health, alternatives to fungicides, insect management, drawing connections between home orcharding and permaculture; the importance of native pollinators and beneficial allies; the world of understory plantings with shade-tolerant berry bushes; detailed information on cover crops and biodiversity; varietal rundowns of all the major tree fruits, and the newest research on safe, locally-inspired solutions to pest and disease challenges.
Understanding Pests & Diseases in the Orchard - with Dr. Daniel Frank and TBA, June date TBA
Visit https://www.albemarleciderworks.com/news/workshops for more info and to sign up.


4.
Living Earth School seeks to hire a Director of Administration and Development to help us continue the work of nature connection and personal development in the central Virginia area. 

Position description:  This is a full-time position with an immediate start date and a competitive salary commensurate with experience as well as annual vacation.
Duties include office administration, coordinating day camps, and some fieldwork. The candidate should be community-minded, outgoing, a student of life, committed to nature education and personal growth, and has the skills to administrate efficiently.  The ideal start date for this position is January 31, 2018 after training with the Living Earth School team.  For serious interest only!

      Please send resume to: livingearthva@gmail.com
www.LivingEarthva.com


5.
Sacred Gardening Workshop - Feb 23 - Feb 25, 2018
Workshop at Montfair, near Crozet, Virginia

Wanting to recommit to gardening in a sacred way? Hands-on workshop to learn steps to
a vibrant Polyculture with Steven Martyn founder of the Sacred Gardener School of Golden Lake, Ontario.

Gain hands on experience to integrate your life with the land where you live. WIldculturing can work with any landscape to increase the fecundity and perennial abundance of the land. The wildculturing tool box is full a traditional techniques from simple ways to increase the quality of a forest or existing forage to creating complex plantings of successional polyculture.
Steven Martyn, M.A. (traditional plant use), B.F.A. honors, artist, farmer, wild crafter, builder, teacher, writer, visionary.  In 2014 Steven and his wife started the Sacred Gardener Earth Wisdom School. Steven released his first book, “The Story of the Madawaska Forest Garden” in 2016, and his second “Sacred Gardening” was released in June 2017.

Price of Workshop per person: $200.00
            Additions (Call Montfair Office to pay for additions)
             Add on Monday February 26 for an additional $85.00
Food $36.00 for 3 days of meals -- 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 2 dinners.

Accommodations at Montfair Resort Farm:
Camping in Lodge will be $50.00 per night per person includes use of kitchen, restrooms, shower, heat and use of fire place. Guest will need to provide own sleeping bag/ linens and or cot.  Cottage option: $112.00 per night for up to 4 guests and $20.00 per additional person up to 6 guests.

https://www.montfairresortfarm.com/


6.
From our friends at the Transition Cville Team

www.transitioncville.org
www.facebook.com/transitioncville

********************
Tuesday 1/9 Cville TimeBank Orientation
6pm at City Hall (across from City Manager's Office)
Everyone has something to give, and the TimeBank is a way to trade services and build community at the same time.  Potential members set up a profile on the member portal, and attend an orientation prior to having their Timebank account authorized.  Once your account is authorized, you can begin browsing current offers and requests – and post your own!  An additional session is offered on 1/17 at 2pm at the Senior Center.  cvilletimebank.com/membership-information/

********************
Wednesday 1/10 Sierra Club Progam:  Our Underwater World
7pm at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 100 Alderman Rd.
Underwater photographer Gary Powell will show images of 6 or 7 groups of animals and narrate their natural history.  His presentation will focus on sharks, anemone fish, nudibranchs, seahorses, manatees, squid/octopus and/or sea otters.  Gary will also discuss ocean conservation and include handouts from the Monterey Bay Aquarium called "Seafood Watch" which guides consumers to make the best choices when buying seafood.  The more we can see and relate to our underwater world, the more we will care and conserve it.

********************
Thursdays 1/11 - 3/15 Ham Radio License Class
7-9pm at Our Lady of Peace, 751 Hillsdale Dr.
Be prepared!  Hurricanes, earthquakes or fiber optic line cuts can be serious for a community, but ham radio gets through when all else fails.  These ten classes will teach you the basics of radio and electronics and prepare you to get your Technician Class License.  $30.  www.albemarleradio.org/

********************
Monday 1/15 Meadowcreek Restoration Project
10am-1pm at
Join the Nature Conservancy at  the monthly cleanup of the Meadow Creek Restoration Project.  Help find treasures and keep them out of the Rivanna, James and Chesapeake Bay.  Registratio n required at jdalke@tnc.o rg.

********************

Friday 1/19 - Sunday 1/21 Holistic Sustainability Weekend Immersive
All Weekend at Living Energy Farm, 1022 Bibb Store Rd., Louisa
Have you ever seen a 100 year old battery that still works? Would you like to learn how to wire a homestead using DC electricity?  Would you like to learn how to grow all of your own food in organic gardens and orchards?  Would you like to be part of a movement to create sustainable villages?  Come and live for a weekend at LEF, and experience a series of workshops to help you understand how to live comfortably and happily without fossil fuels.  $200.  Contact Brie at 443-417-7328, briennagerard@gmail.com, or livingenergyfarm@gmail.com.  More details at livingenergyfarm.org/workshops/2018jan19immersive.html.

********************
Saturday 1/20 Vinegar Making
10am-noon at Monticello
Vinegar was an integral ingredient in various Jefferson-family recipes, and there’s more to vinegar, translated literally as “sour wine,” than salad dressing.  Most people are unaware of the rich traditions of using vinegar in cooking, as a food preservative, and even as a wholesome beverage.  Join wine-maker and master-chef Gabriele Rausse in reviewing the basic principles of vinegar-making, and then learn how to use it in preparing vegetables and meat and in concocting delicious aromatized dressings.  $24.  Register at  www.monticello.org/site/visit/events/vinegar-making.

********************
Saturday 1/20 Garden Basics:  To Prune or Not to Prune
2-4pm at Trinity Episcopal Church,  1118 Preston Ave.
Have you ever been afraid to prune that overgrown shrub? Do you want to train that new tree? Have no fear! This lecture will tell you how to keep your plants looking great.  Free.  To regiser send your contact information (name, address, phone number, and email address) and name of class to info@piedmontmastergardeners.org.

********************
Saturday 1/27 Drop Spindle Class
11am-noon at Ashlawn-Highland
Led by crafter Russell Hubert, participants will learn how to spin wool using the traditional drop spindle method.  Wool used during the drop spindle class will be provided by Highland from their flock of Dorset sheep. Participants in the class will learn how this wool is processed from fleece to yarn using early-nineteenth century techniques.  Admission to the drop spindle class is $10 per person.  No materials or experience are needed to participate.  Register at  highland.org/drop-spindle-class/.

********************
Saturday 2/3 Orchard Planning and Pruning
9am-3pm at 912 Woodfolk Dr.
Come learn how to grow food on trees, without chemicals!  If you buy everything in a mainstream nursery catalog and plant it, you will not grow much food.  You have to know what to plant, and how to take care of it. Sponsored by the experts at Living Energy Farm, they will also talk about pruning and winter maintenance of fruit trees.  Cost is $25 at the door. Please RSVP to livingenergyfarm@gmail.com.

********************
Sunday 2/11 Film:  Hometown Habitat, Stories of Bringing Nature Home
2-5pm at PVCC, Dickinson Auditorium
Wildlife habitat isn’t just wide open spaces and dense green forests. Habitat can be created almost anywhere. This acclaimed film shows homeowners, landowners and community leaders how to improve wildlife habitat and revitalize ecosystems right in their own backyards and neighborhoods.  This is an environmental film by Catherine Zimmerman, an award-winning director of photography and independent documentary filmmaker.  Included are helpful pointers by Dr. Doug Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home, about how our landscape choices can sustain insects, birds, and other wildlife around us.  Zimmerman will be in Charlottesville to introduce the film, and selected segments will be shown.  Panel discussion to follow.  Light refreshments available at 1:30.  Free.  www.pecva.org/events/808-film-screening-hometown-habitat-stories-of-bringing-nature-home


7.
Apply today for AMI's Farm and Food Education Fellowship Program

AMI's flagship program is an 18-month Fellowship that prepares individuals to become teachers and ambassadors for a more vibrant and accessible local food system. AMI's flagship program is an 18-month Fellowship that prepares individuals to become teachers and ambassadors for a more vibrant and accessible local food system. Selected Fellows are fully funded to spend six months in immersive training on AMI’s Mountain Farm campus (Phase I) and one year in service work with AMI’s partner organizations (Phase II). AMI Fellows gain a deeper understanding of the relationships between food production, natural systems, diet, and optimal human health and participate in hands-on educational program in sustainable agriculture.

AMI's Fellowship Program creates strong leaders who successfully work to build more cohesive community food systems. They go on to work as local food coordinators, farmers, school garden facilitators, market farm managers, food systems educators, and advocates for sustainable food systems.

Applications are due by February 1, 2018
For more information, e-mail Jessa Fowler: jessa@alleghenymountainschool.org.
https://www.alleghenymountaininstitute.org/

_________

Now Hiring  AMI Farm Manager
The Allegheny Farm Manager will be responsible for most operational aspects of both Farm and Facilities at our Allegheny Mountain Farm in Highland County, VA.
 Competitive applicants should have a strong commitment to organic, regenerative agricultural practices and an interest in education of the broader community.
 This is a full-time, exempt, year-round position with regular weekend and periodic evening work.

Salary is commensurate with experience. Benefits package includes housing, farm-grown food share, workers’ compensation coverage, and earned vacation/sick leave, plus holidays.

Click Here for full position description.
APPLY NOW!


8.
If you haven't already, please go to GrowFoodFilm.com to get free access to our new documentary Grow Food when it launches this Spring! I am so excited and really want to share it with as many people as possible, because I know that together, we can make a difference in food quality and availability in our communities. Such a great way to contribute to a healthier future! ^_^
It would mean so much to me if you would take a moment to share this film with your friends and family. If you are inspired to donate, we welcome your contribution. Every dollar counts toward reaching our goal!
We are almost finished with our fundraiser (4 days to go) to finish the final editing of our film and want to thank you for taking the time to check it out and share!
The easiest way to share our project is to:

• Go to our Kickstarter.
• To share, click the Facebook or email icon to the right of our video on our Kickstarter page.
• To donate, click the “back this project” button and choose the reward you would like to receive.

9.
The Piedmont Landscape Association Seminar
February 15, 2018

The Paramount Theater - Charlottesville, VA

Every February the Piedmont Landscape Association hosts an annual seminar. This event strives to bring gardening enthusiasts and landscape professionals together in an educational setting.

http://www.piedmontlandscape.org/seminar2018.html


10.
Permaculture in Nicaragua
February 2 - 11, 2018

What you will learn

• What is permaculture, how to become certified in it, and why
• A variety of sustainable agriculture, design, and construction techniques
• How to observe nature and what to look for
• The difference between exotic and invasive plants
• How to grow organic coffee the right way, and what makes it taste so good

Amenities

Stay in eco-lodges and economical hotels for a rustic, culturally-immersive and communal experience. Most accommodation will be in shared rooms.

Cost

$1580/person
20% deposit due Nov 2, 2017, balance due Dec 15, 2017.

What's included

Includes: all meals, lodging in shared accommodations, transportation, activities, and guide/translator.
Excludes: airfare, health insurance, $10 tourist visa, and personal spending.

Upcoming Events

Greetings all,
 Below is an amazing collection of upcoming events in the central Virginia bioregion!  Many thanks to all the great folks from the Wildflower Festival and First Colony Winery who donated the proceeds from their July festival to the Blue Ridge Permaculture Network (BRPN)!  Come help plan next steps for BRPN on Wed. Oct. 18 – additional details are below.  Folks can sign up for the BRPN e-newsletter here.  Send announcements to: blueridgepermaculture@gmail.com, or click here to view this email as a webpage. And check out the BRPN on Facebook here.  We look forward to seeing you on October 18^th!

Best,
Christine, Terry, and the BRPN team
www.blueridgepermaculture.net  

1.

Blue Ridge Permaculture Network -  get-together and meeting  

Wednesday, October 18 from 7:00 – 9:00 PM

Crozet Library - Community Room

2020 Library Avenue
Crozet, VA 22932

7 - 7:30 pm – Bring a snack to share and meet other good folks

7:30 – 9:00 pm – Come help plan BRPN’s next steps at this meeting

Questions: blueridgepermaculture@gmail.com

Upcoming Events 

June 2017

Greetings all,

Happy summer! Below is an amazing collection of upcoming events in the central Virginia bioregion including the Wildflower Music Festival, SE permaculture gathering, an Agroforestry conference, and job opportunities!  Folks can sign up for the BRPN e-newsletter here.  Send us announcements to: blueridgepermaculture@gmail.com, or click here to view this email as a webpage. And check out the BRPN on Facebook here.

Best,
Christine, Terry, and the BRPN team
www.blueridgepermaculture.net 

1.
 Wildflower Music Fest is a 3-day music festival on July 28th - 30th, 2017 near Charlottesville featuring bands, community art, vendors, camping, wine, workshops, and wildflowers. Our mission is to raise funds for sustainable agriculture while showcasing some of the best underground music in Maryland and Virginia!

Bands include: Deaf Scene, Squaring the Circle, The Dirty Grass Players, A MARC Train Home, Tomato Dodgers, Humbalaya, 4our Flights Up Orchestra, Diamond Canopy

With First Colony Winery at Natural Time Farm is located on six beautiful acres in Charlottesville, Virginia. It is a permaculture farm dedicated to the ideal of human flourishing in harmonious relationship with our Earth that sustains us.  Natural Time Farm will be hosting camping, workshops, vendors, and all other events at Wildflower.  facebook.com/NaturalTimeFarm
​Proceeds from the festival will be donated to the Blue Ridge Permaculture Network.

Buy Tickets
General Admission- $30, Camping pass (per tent)- $20, Parking pass (per car)- $5

https://www.whatiswildflower.com/ 


2.
The 2017 North American Agroforestry Conference in Blacksburg, VA June 27-29, 2017
Come join to learn about the latest advances in agroforestry research, practice, outreach, and policy; see innovative on-the-ground systems with agroforestry farmers; share your agroforestry experience, skills, and knowledge; and participate in pre-conference training and tours. Find out more information and register at this link.


3.
24th Annual Southeastern Permaculture Gathering
August 4th-6th, 2017
nestled in the Southern Appalachian Mountains
Celo, NC

We come together after another year for our yearly late summer Permaculture Gathering having gone through another full season cycle and experiences that take us beyond our past experiences and imagination, and back to ourselves.

Call 303-931-7586 or email registrar_AT_southeasternpermaculture.org
http://www.southeasternpermaculture.org/


4.
C'ville Foodscapes, based in Charlottesville, VA is looking for new collaborators with experience in ecological/edible landscape/permaculture design, installation, maintenance, education, financial management, customer service, marketing, cooperative culture, food justice, and just generally being awesome. If that sounds like you, shoot us a cover letter, resume, and references to info[at]cvillefoodscapes[dot]com.


5.
Sacred Plant Traditions Courses in Charlottesville, VA
The ART of FERMENTATION   June 24, 2017,    10am – 2:30pm

Learn to make delicious lacto-fermented foods in this hands-on workshop. Fermentation is a traditional way of food preparation that not only preserves the harvest but also yields greater nourishment, a healthier digestive system, and thus increased vitality.  We will make kimchi, brined garlic, lacto-fermented beets and ginger carrots as well as fermented and cultured beverages including kombucha, honey wine and sodas that are good for you. You will leave with the skills necessary to begin lacto-fermenting foods at home. Taught by community herbalist, Suzanna Stone

Herbal teas will be provided at all the one day workshops. Please pack a bag lunch.
Fee for the class is $75.      
Click here for REGISTRATION


6.
From our friends at VABF:

Organic Seed Alliance - Seed Internship Program
This is your chance to participate in addressing one of the most pressing needs in organic agriculture - and to develop a new enterprise for your farm.
Organic Seed Alliance ( https://www.seedalliance.org) is seeking to match the organic seed growers of tomorrow with the experienced growers of today.
The Seed Internship Program combines online and classroom learning, farm-based independent study, and real-world experience through a diverse network of family farms. Hosted by Organic Seed Alliance and the Multinational Exchange for Sustainable Agriculture (MESA), the Seed Internship Program matches individuals who want to learn about seed production with experienced growers.
Learn more and apply today

Become an Intern
The Seed Internship Program matches interns with host farms that provide on-farm experience and formal training in seed production. The six-month internships offer interns:
        Online, class, and field-based education
         Independent studies on the host farm
        Experience with the organic seed trade
Become a Host
Are you experienced seed producer looking for interns? We need you to train the next generation of seed producers! Host farms receive:
        Assistance with matching the right intern for your farm
         Educational materials, webinars, and other support

The Catawba Sustainability Center is now accepting applications for its 2017 Small Farm Incubator program!
Download the program overview and application.
The Catawba Sustainability Center’s Small Farm Incubator Plots program aims to incubate and grow viable, independent farm businesses and to serve as a model new-farmer program by providing access to land and resources in a low-risk environment.
Program Goals

• Accommodate up to 8 new growers and small farms
• Build infrastructure necessary to fulfill mission and serve as a model agricultural development organization
• Provide educational opportunities and skills training
• Support the local economy and local food system

The Catawba Sustainability Center (CSC) is establishing “Land-Use Agreements” with new and established farm businesses to utilize a portion of designated farmland to grow produce. The Center is committed to developing the incubator program, facilitating learning opportunities, and ensuring that land is available annually for new participants. All participants must follow the CSC’s Land Use Protocol and new farms must participate in one of the Catawba Sustainability Center’s training programs.
For questions, please contact:
Adam Taylor
Catawba Sustainability Center Manager
540-588-0283
adamht@vt.edu


7.
Living Earth School presents

Living Earth Adult Foundations (LEAF) – Empowering 9 Weekend Adult Program
ADULT COURSES EARTH SURVIVAL SKILLS PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT
One weekend per month beginning Sept 2017 – May 2018

Do you want to feel more alive and connected and in the flow with life? Come learn what your long ago ancestors have known, all along!

• Discover the time-tested practices that Living Earth have been implementing to connect people deeply with nature for the past 15 years.  These practices have been shared and honed by visionary leaders and elders from around the world.
• Learn real skills, under the guidance of skilled instructors, who have taken thousands of people along this journey.
• Feel supported and at home in an environment of like-minded people…….your tribe.

This Just In…Early Bird Discount if you register by June 1! Check out other discounts at the bottom of the page…
REGISTER NOW


8.
 Come to Learn and Network
Leave with Resiliency Tools and Know-How
The theme of the 2017 Resilient Virginia Conference, August 1–2 — Connecting Communities, Business, and Educators for Resiliency Solutions — means that for the second year, this statewide conference aims to inform, educate, and activate leaders from the public, private, and academic sectors.

Leaders from local government, the private sector, academia, and Virginia Sustainable Building Network have come together to form Resilient Virginia, a new organization to accelerate resiliency planning in Virginia communities.
Click the icons below for information on select resiliency components.

http://resilientvirginia.org/


 9.
Allegheny Mountain Institute
The Annual Farm to Table Event is hosted in partnership with the VSDB Foundation and will take place Saturday, August 12, at 5:00 PM, at the AMI Urban Farm on the VSDB campus. The event will feature produce grown on the AMI Urban Farm and fresh regional foods. Chef Mike Lund will prepare the evening’s fare be on-site that will be served in an open air seating under a tent at the campus farm. Attendees will also enjoy Virginia cider, craft beer and wine from Highland Counties and Augusta Counties. The evening will include music, tours of the Urban Farm, and a Live Auction.

Tickets are $75
($50 IS TAX DEDUCTIBLE) + $4.67 PROCESSING FEE
To purchase your tickets online, please CLICK HERE
Tickets can also be purchased Young True Value Hardware in Staunton, VA. 
For more information, contact the VSDB Foundation at 540-332-9039.