upcoming events

Greetings All,

Below you will find info on upcoming permaculture and sustainability events in the near future in the central Virginia bioregion.

For more information about permaculture events, see our website: www.blueridgepermaculture.net. 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.

Best,
Christine and the Blue Ridge Permaculture Network team
www.blueridgepermaculture.net


1.
Upcoming Blue Ridge Permaculture Network classes
Stay tuned here and on the website for information about 2011 permaculture classes

Gardening Like the Forest Workshop with Dave Jacke, author of Edible Forest Gardens
near Charlottesville, VA in February 2011

Friday Evening Public Talk:
February 4, 2011, 7-9 PM; Suggested donation $10 at the door.
Gardening Like the Forest: Home-Scale Ecological Food Production
Healthy forests maintain, fertilize, and renew themselves, naturally. Wouldn’t you like to grow an abundant food-producing ecosystem like this in your back yard? You can! Edible forest gardens mimic the structure and function of natural forests through all their stages of development and grow food, fuel, fiber, fodder, fertilizers, farmaceuticals, and fun. We can meet our own needs and regenerate healthy ecosystems at the same time! This talk introduces the vision of forest gardening with some scientific background, a few living examples, and a sampling of some useful perennial edibles you can use in your own garden. The ecology of forest gardening can also teach us some interesting things about how we might organize human societies. Contact Terry Lilley at tygerlilley@gmail.com or see the website www.blueridgepermaculture for more information.

Weekend Workshop with Dave Jacke:
February 5-6, 2011, 9 AM – 5 PM, with a Saturday evening lecture.
Gardening Like the Forest: Designing Perennial Polycultures
Effective perennial polycultures combine useful perennial plants into vegetation patches that minimize competition, create additive yields, and minimize the gardener’s work and outside inputs. Guild and polyculture design are the most interesting and challenging part of the forest garden design process. This in-depth, intermediate-to-advanced workshop explores the specific ecological theories behind polyculture design through experiential exercises and games. Participants will design perennial polycultures together using a variety of design processes. We’ll also explore the implications of what we learn for the design of ecological human cultures. No prior experience necessary!

The cost for the weekend is a sliding scale of $250-$295. A few work trade positions are available for partial tuition; inquire soon about work trade guidelines and availability.
Contact Terry Lilley at tygerlilley@gmail.com or see the website www.blueridgepermaculture for more information.

2.
EXPLORING THE SMALL FARM DREAM - Is starting an agricultural business right for you?

What is it?
“Exploring the Small Farm Dream” was first developed by the New England Small Farm Institute to address a gap in practical short courses for small farm explorers, who are interested in starting a small farm operation but, unsure how to evaluate ideas, opportunities and resources.. If you’ve considered starting a small farm enterprise, but aren’t sure where to start, this course is for you!

Participants can expect:
- Creative exercises, research and class, discussions that will help you assess your skills and resources
- Interviews with local farm business owners that will assist you in deciding how to carry your dream forward
- The opportunity to connect with others interested in starting new agricultural enterprises in our region

This is the third time the course is being hosted by the Local Food Project at Airlie and The Piedmont Environmental Council in Warrenton, VA.

When is it?
Sundays from 4 PM-7 PM
November 7, 21 & Dec. 5th
(Course is all three session)

Where is it?
Airlie Center, 6809 Airlie Road, Warrenton, VA

For more information or to register:
Contact Pablo Elliott at pelliott@airlie.org or 540-347-1300 ext. 3163
Visit http://www.airlie.org/activities/foodproject.htm or
http://pecva.org/anx/index.cfm/1,266,3408,0,html/Nov-7-21-amp-Dec-5-Exploring-the-Small-Farm-Dream

The course costs $90 for nine hours of instruction and accompanying Exploring the Small Farm Dream workbook costs $30. A limited number of reduced-fee scholarships are available.
" How we eat determines, to a considerable extent, how the world is used." - Wendell Berry, What Are People For?


3.
http://transitionvoice.com/

Here's a new online magazine about transition, put out by a couple in Staunton, VA. Good reading and they are also looking for contributions about peak oil, resilience, etc.


4.
Is there a Food Policy Council in Your Future? A to Z with Mark Winne

Mark Winne is Community Food Security Coalition's (CFSC) Food Policy Council Program Director, and provides training and technical assistance to communities that are developing local or state food policy organizations.

Date: November 15th
Time: 2 to 4:30 P.M
Where: Mary Baldwin College – See directions to Spencer Hall attachment.

Let ' s all car pool. Please RSVP to this email.
If you want to stay on for his book talk at 7:00 PM, let me know. See below info.

Joanie Freeman
Dave Redding
Healthy Food Coalition
hfcusa.info
434-826-9505
434-770-5765


5.
Food Rebels, Guerrilla Gardeners, and Smart-Cookin’ Mamas
Fighting Back in an Age of Industrial Agriculture

Shenandoah Valley Book Talks by Author Mark Winne

Mark Winne, author of Food Rebels, Guerrilla Gardeners, and Smart-Cookin’ Mamas will be speaking at two locations this November in the Shenandoah Valley. Winne’s second book, which carries the subtitle Fighting Back in the Age of Industrial Agriculture asks if factory farms, genetically modified organisms, and mega-food and farm corporations are the best way to feed a hungry world. The book suggests that we are fast approaching the point where we will be forced to sacrifice our democracy and freedom in return for the industrial food system’s promise to feed us.

Of Food Rebels Academy Award-winning actress Meryl Streep said, “This book is a lively, personal journey through one man’s efforts to make sustainably grown food available and affordable to regular folks.”

Mark Winne will be speaking at:
Barnes and Noble Bookstore in Harrisonburg, November 14 (Sunday) at 1:00 PM. The store is located at 289 Burgess Road at Harrisonburg Crossing shopping center.
Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, November 15 (Monday) at 7:00 PM in the Hunt Gallery on the campus of Mary Baldwin College.


6.
Social Media for Farmers Where to be on the Web: From Google Maps to Facebook Fee: $15
Thursday, November 18 6:30 - 8:30 pm
J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Western Campus
1851 Dickinson Road, Goochland, VA 23063
Instructors: Theresa Nartea, Marketing & Agribusiness Specialist, VSU, VCE
Sandra F. Tanner, Tourism Development Specialist, Virginia
Tourism Corporation
Mark Klingman, Computer Literacy Expert, VSU Small Farm
Outreach
Virginia Tourism is collaborating with Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) to train small entrepreneurs and existing local businesses on how to effectively use social media, like Facebook and Twitter, and self-list on Google Maps and Virginia Tourism web directories to boost business profitability.

Hosted By Center for Rural Culture
The Center for Rural Culture is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization whose mission is to educate, promote and inspire members of our community to sustain a culture that supports agriculture and the local economy, protects natural and historic resources, and maintains our rural character and traditions. Since 2004, we have been working hard to provide the members of our community with quality programs that serve to sustain our rural culture. As founders of the popular Goochland Farmers Market and now a licensee for an online Farm to Family Co-op Program through Lulus Local Food, we have helped to keep valuable agricultural land in use by providing a means for farmers to sell fresh, local, seasonal food and other land based products. We serve as a conduit for handing down the history, stories, music and lifestyles related to a rich, rural culture and have helped to cultivate our local roots.
We also offer classes, workshops, movies, panel discussions, seminars and forums relating to land and water conservation, smart growth, sustainable agriculture and issues relating to our local food system. Please contact us if you are interested in sponsoring or attending a CRC event.

www.centerforruralculture.org

Questions? email programs@centerforruralculture.org or call 804-955-7986.

Beth Hopkins
Program Coordinator
804-955-7986
Center for Rural Culture - Cultivating Local Roots


7.
New Branch Farm will be making a weekly delivery of produce to Charlottesville this fall and winter. First delivery starts November 4th. The pickup location is Fifth Season Gardening (900 Preston Avenue) on Thursdays from 4-6pm. Each week, we will send an email with a list of what produce is available and the prices. Folks email back what items and quantity they want and then we will deliver every Thursday.

Farm produce credit is purchased - initial deposit of $20 to start. As desired, you can add money to your "farm account". Each week, we deduct the produce ordered from your balance. You can choose what vegetables you want and the quantity. Anticipated crops for fall/winter: lettuce/lettuce mix, greens mix, arugula, radishes, kale, and collards. More information and a sign-up sheet is available on our website: www.newbranchfarm.com

Thanks-
Stephanie Meyers

NEW BRANCH FARM
Charlottesville, Virginia
www.newbranchfarm.com


8.
Hello friends!

We hope this message finds you fulfilled and healthy after a wonderful summer/autumn. I'm writing because Mark Krawczyk and I have begun writing what will be, to our knowledge, the first North American manual on coppice agroforestry, and we have two favors to ask of you.

For those of you who don't know, coppicing is a traditional forest management practice where deciduous trees get cut during dormancy and then regrow from the stump. We can later harvest these sprouts to make crafts, fuel, fodder for livestock, and many other useful products. Though humans have coppiced for over 6,000 years, no comprehensive resource exists that describes coppice system design, management, and establishment for our continent, well-suited North American species and projected yields, and the economics of coppice systems. It's a big gap to fill and we're eager to fill it as best we can!

We're already well underway, writing, researching, and building connections and a portfolio of case studies. Mark will travel to the west coast and Midwest this December to learn more about how folks have been using coppice there. Dave has begun combing the literature for any and all existing research on the subject so we can consolidate what researchers know. He is also building a database of species and their coppicing characteristics. We hope to complete our first draft by winter's end.

The first favor: while we've contacted publishers about this project (and they are interested), we've elected to self-fund our manuscript development. We ask you, our friends, colleagues, students and supporters, to help make it happen by engaging in our Kickstarter campaign. If you're not familiar with it, this wonderful web-based service enables folks to financially support creative projects in return for various creative rewards and a connection to the project’s creative process. Like Community Supported Agriculture, this Community Supported Authoring structure helps us maintain our financial viability while we create a resource the permaculture community needs. Even small amounts—$5 and $10 offerings—will help us achieve and pass our $5,000 goal so we can travel to interview and photograph practitioners, acquire resources from overseas, and cover at least some of our living expenses while we work. Check out the write-up, video, and rewards on our campaign page at:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/coppiceagroforestry/dave-and-mark-write-a-coppice-agroforestry-book.

The second favor: if you or someone you know already uses coppicing as a way to produce crafts, biochar, animal fodder, or other products, we would LOVE to hear about it. Please send the person’s contact information to both of us at the email addresses above. Also, if you have or know of any written materials, research papers, or references, we’d also love to hear about those. You can send references to Dave at davej@edibleforestgardens.com or at 308 Main St. #2C, Greenfield, MA 01301.

We feel grateful for whatever support you can provide (moral and otherwise) and will deeply appreciate you passing this email along to friends, listservs, and networks that may also be interested in helping support our work. (I guess that makes three favors! Thanks! :-)

With sincere thanks,

Mark and Dave

-------------
Dave Jacke
Dynamics Ecological Design
308 Main St. #2C • Greenfield, MA • 01301
603-831-1298 • davej@edibleforestgardens.com

Visit www.edibleforestgardens.com for information on or to purchase my award-wining two-volume book, Edible Forest Gardens.

Mark Krawczyk and I are now writing a new book on Coppice Agroforestry! Find out more and support our effort at
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/coppiceagroforestry/dave-and-mark-write-a-coppice-agroforestry-book.

9.
Greetings from the Permaculture Institute of El Salvador (IPES),

IPES is a grassroots, not-for-profit organisation in El Salvador which
supports Permaculture practices throughout the country to ensure that
subsistence farmers are farming sustainably and in a way that is not
harmful to the environment and to the health of rural families.

Please find our October Newsletter at the weblink below informing you of the
latest advances within Permaculture, the Institute, and El Salvador.
I hope you find it of interest!

Feel free to contact with any questions or comments,
And thank you to everyone who has already lent their support to IPES!

Thanks,
Ally Shepherd

The Permaculture Institute of El Salvador
www.permacultura.com.sv
503.2335.1891

The Permaculture Institute of El Salvador
(IPES)
- TROPICAL STORMS AFFECT THE COUNTRY
- CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT APPROACH TO AGRICULTURE IN EL SALVADOR
- DEVELOPMENT OF IPES´ DEMONSTRATION SITE
- SUCCESSES OF THE PERMACULTURE DESIGN COURSE IN TWO MUNICIPALITIES
- ENVIRONMENTAL YOUTH GROUP SUPPORT

http://permacultura.com.sv/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/IPES-Newsletter-October-2010.pdf