Friday, January 6, 2017

Upcoming Events

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.
Returning to Eden: Polyculture Gardening with Steven Martyn

Sun, February 5, 2017 -- 1:30 PM – 4:00 PM EST

Montfair Resort Farm 2500 Bezaleel Dr, Crozet, Virginia 22932

Montfair Resort Farm is excited to host an afternoon with Steven Martyn and Megan Spencer, co-creators of The Sacred Gardener School in Golden Lake, Ontario. Steven's talk will be based around his new book, "Sacred Gardening," in which he explores concepts and practices of polyculture forest gardening. Steven has over 30 years' experience practicing traditional living skills, including gardening, foraging, building, herbalism and healing. This event will be hosted at the Events Lodge at Montfair Resort Farm. Light refreshments provided. Call for more information: 434 823-5202.
Tickets available online or at the door: $15


2.
Spring 2017 Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course with Shenandoah Permaculture Institute in partnership with University of Richmond

This 10 day, 72-hour PDC will be held over 4 weekends at the University of Richmond in Richmond, VA.
Dates: Feb. 10-12, Feb. 25-26, March 10-12, March 25-26
Course days will run from 9:00am to 6:00pm
Cost: $1,150 (includes lunch)  -- Scholarships are available!
For more information and to register please visit:
Questions? Contact: Ryan Blosser shenperminstitute@gmail.com


3.
Agroforestry for a Vibrant Future
Connecting People, Creating Livelihoods, Sustaining Places
The 15th North American Agroforestry Conference is for agroforestry producers, researchers, educators and those involved with related work in the fields of permaculture and agroecology.

June 27-29, 2017
Virginia Tech, Squires Student Center, Blacksburg, Virginia

Keynote Speakers
Victor Harris, Editor-in-Chief, Minority Landowner Magazine 
Eric Toensmeier, Author, The Carbon Farming Solution

Early registration begins February 15, 2017
Last chance to submit abstracts for the North American Agroforestry Conference held in Blacksburg, VA this June! Deadline has been extended to January 15. Please consider submitting a poster, oral presentation, special topics, and/or a round table discussion topic. Reduced price for farmers ($150).
Go to this link to submit abstracts and learn more about the conference: 
https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/tab2.aspx…


4.
Garden position
Experience in market gardening, permaculture, or estate management is useful
Position is 3+ days/week, 11 month/year (negotiable)    (two people could share)
Ongoing landscape projects can be adapted to the interests of the applicant
Room to grow: on-the-job learning through advisors and workshops
Will pay well for experience, aptitude, and enthusiasm!
This is a project that has been underway 35 years and involves land shaping, ponds, experimental architecture, and extensive edible plantings that provide year-round organic produce for a small family.  My research as a landscape architect, architect, and former student of John Jeavons has been essential to the operations and maintenance of the land and gardens. I teach architecture at UVa.
contact: Lucia Phinney  phinney@virginia.edu  or leave message at 434-823-4969


5.
18th Annual Virginia Biological Farming Conference
January 10 – 11 Tuesday - Wednesday
All Day at The Homestead Resort, Hot Springs, VA
The VA Association for Biological Farming is hosting their 18th annual conference.  In collaboration with VSU and VA Cooperation Extension, there will be multiple workshops, 35+ tradeshow exhibits, a film series, and much more.  Special resort rates available.  Register at  vabf.org/conference/.


Questions?  Email our conference registrar, Jacqueline, at conference@vabf.org or call 434-735-0139.


6.
Living Earth School – near Charlottesville, VA
Summer Camp 2017

Day Camps
Join our Explorers Foundation Day Camp and then enjoy Themed Day Camps~ Choose from - Animal Lovers/Natural History - Wood Working- Elements of Survival -  Forest Ninja Scouts -  Nature Arts  - (NEW!) Fort-topia (Only requirement is one previous LES Day camp. Go to our website to learn more.)

Summer Explorers Camps for ages 7-12/Themed Camps for ages 9-13:

Skipping Stones for ages 5 and 6:

Overnight Camps for ages 8-17:
     Earth Roots 1: June 18-23; Earth Roots 2: June 25-30;  Earth Roots 3: July 30- Aug 4; Earth Roots 4: Aug 7-11

Advanced Camps:
     Teen River Expedition: June 24-30; Way of the Scout: July 23-28; Archer's Camp: June 25-30; Fire Tenders Camp: July 30- Aug 4  *New! Wood/Leather/Metal Camp: July 30- Aug 4 

Adult Spring Programs

Wild Edibles
~Harvest Wild Abundance~
Come learn about tasty wild food growing right outside your door! Our expert wildcrafter will help you identify, harvest, and prepare delicious wild edibles. This class has sold out every time we offer it- be sure to sign up now to secure your space!

Date: April 29, 10am-4pm
Ages: Adults (and mature teens)

Build a Wooden Long Bow -OR- Make a Quiver and Arrow Set
Dates: March 18-19; Ages: 14+; 9am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday

Leather Working
Dates: May 6-7; Ages: 16+


6.
From our friends at Transition Cville

Saturday 1/7 Fourth Annual Seed Swap
11am-1:30pm at 1208 Meriwether St.
Gardeners!  Bring leftover seeds from 2016, or seeds you harvested in 2016 (or from years before if they're liable to be viable).  Come to swap seeds and garden stories.  Questions?  Email  stephen.bach@runbox.com

********************
Saturday - Sunday 1/7 - 1/8 Disaster + Wilderness First Aid
8:30am-6:30pm, Montessori School, Pantops
Learn how to save life & 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. You come away with actual do-it-yourself care-giving confidence.  No prerequisites.  Know your loved ones are safe wherever they are. $185.  Register at www.solowfa.com/

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Tuesday 1/10 Edible Landscaping Volunteer Work Day
9am-3pm at 361 Spirit Ridge Lane, Afton
Have fun working at the nursery and receive a credit of $10.00 hour. Type of labor to be determined. You will need to bring pruners, gardening gloves, and make sure you dress for the weather.  Please bring a bag lunch. Come anytime from 9am to 3pm. You  must pre-register as space is limited. Credit expires 1 year if not used and there is a limit to the amount of hours you can earn in a year.  Call (434)361-9134 or email info@ediblelandscaping.com.

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Tuesday 1/10 Cville TimeBank Orientation
6pm at the Mary Williams Center, Jefferson School City Center
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!   cvilletimebank.com/membership-information/ 

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Monday 1/23 No Fracking Way! Rally
Noon-1pm at the Capitol Grounds Bell Tower, Richmond
In this year's General Assembly session, there is potential for various pieces of legislation that could leave us exposed to the dangerous environmental and health impacts of fracking.  Join a chorus of voices asking our legislators to strengthen Virginia's standards on fracking.  Come out during Conservation Lobby Day to say "No Frackin' Way!" with the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club.

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Living Energy Farm Seeks Intern
Living Energy Farm is an intentional community, organic farm, and environmental education center in Louisa that is off the grid and uses no fossil fuels. Interns pitch in 35-40 hours of work per week on the farm and as needed throughout the community. To apply, contact  livingenergyfarm@gmail.com or call or text 540-205-9815.


7.
From our friends at VABF

The Virginia Beginning Farmer & Rancher Coalition will have its next Coalition meeting on:
Wednesday, January 18th, 2017
Staunton, VA
The Management team and Advisory group have been meeting regularly since our last meeting in May, and it is time to come together again with all of our partners and Virginia’s farmers to:
               Network
               Discuss the work has been completed by the Coalition through our whole farm planning teams, action teams, and partners who have completed mini-grant projects
               And plan for future Coalition work and partnerships.
We can compensate round-trip mileage ($.45/mile) for those participants who choose to use their personal vehicle (or VT Fleet vehicle) to attend the training and/or meeting. We will provide the appropriate forms for this process on-site. If you will be traveling a long distance (e.g. over 3 hours one-way) or have any special needs, we can provide hotel accommodations.


Beginning Farmer Workshop Series that will be held in and around Louisa County
A Beginning Farmer Workshop Series that will be held in and around Louisa County meeting monthly beginning in January. The cost is $10 per person per workshop.  You must register at least one week before each workshop (for workshops with less than 10 participants one week out we reserve the right to cancel.) PS- You don't have to be a "beginning farmer" to register- many of these workshops are very applicable to anyone who farms! Please contact Sarah Sharpe, seweaver@vt.edu to register.
-Farm Financials Part 1- January 26, 6 pm - 8:30 pm at the Louisa County Extension Office (The two part series will cover managing financial risk, farm budgeting, financial statements, and more)
-Farm Financials Part 2- February 15, 6 pm - 8:30 pm at the Louisa County Extension Office
-An Overview of NRCS, FSA, and Soil and Water Incentive Programs- March 16, 6 pm - 8 pm at the Louisa County Extension Office
-High Tunnel Production and Farm Walk- April 25, 5 pm—7pm, Hill Farm, Louisa County (address will be given to those who register)
-Goat Production- May (Date and Time TBA)
-What can I do with my forested lands?- August (Date and Time TBA)


2017 Southern SAWG Conference:  Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms
Lexington, Kentucky
Pre-conference short courses, minicourses, and farm tours -  Wednesday and Thursday, January 25-26
General Conference - Friday and Saturday, January 27-28
This is a unique opportunity to gather with over 1,000 farmerr, researchers, educators, and advocates for sustainable agriculture from across the Southern region (TX, OK, AR, LA, MS, AL, TN, KY, VA, NC , SC, GA, FL, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands) to learn, shar resources, make new connections and deepen existing ones.  Two days of short courses, farm tours and the 2017 Organic Agriculture Reseasrch Symposium, then two more days of plenary and breakout sessions on a wide range of topics from how to build soil or grow vegetables organically to sustanable food systems, food sovereignty, and policy issues.  For more information, visit http://www.ssawg.org/january-2017-conference/.
Early registration closes December 21 (you can still register after that, but it costs a bit more).  Registration for all pre-conference events and general conference at: http://www.ssawg.org/registration.


8.
Regional permaculture reflections website  - I'm trying to keep everything up to date on my website so if you're interested in what's happening you can keep track of it all there.
www.permaculturebob.org
9.
AMI Fellowship Program: 2017 Applications Now AvailableGROWING FOOD. BUILDING COMMUNITY.
Allegheny Mountain Institute (AMI) is seeking inspiring individuals to participate in the sixth cohort of our AMI Fellowship program. The 18-month Fellowship prepares and empowers individuals to become teachers and ambassadors for a more vibrant and accessible local food system.
Visit alleghenymountaininstitute.org for details and to apply!
Applications are due by February 1, 2017




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