Ecovillage Training Center/Courses

Learn mycoforestry with the mycorrhizal masters. How to grow gourmet mushrooms, reverse climate change, save the forests, and make money doing it. The workshop at The Farm is a half-day intensive for commercial growers ($50 includes lunch and workbook).

Permaculture Design Certificate Course
March 12 - 24, 2010 Maya Mountain Research Farm, San Pedro Columbia, Belize
with Albert Bates, Andrew Goodheart Brown, Maria Martinez Ros, Hector Reyes, Christopher Nesbitt, and friends.
For bookings and further information contact Chris Nesbitt (christopher dot nesbitt at mmrfbz dot org)

Global production of petroleum per capita peaked in the 1970s. From here on, we need to how to live with less, and yet our profligate lifestyles are still expanding, still straining the web of nature. At the same time, climate change is in a curve of acceleration that will pose unprecedented problems. Get off of your fossil fuel dependence now! This workshop in the Permaculture Design Course teaches ecology, energy and resource conservation, "permafuel" conversion, social and community skills, and the economics of environmental sustainability. Travel far south; to the back of beyond; to a remote valley accessible only by dugout canoe. Study permaculture surrounded by a lush, productive forest of edibles, medicinals and tropical hardwoods. Eat organic food, sleep in dorms powered by renewable energy, bathe in a sparkling pure river.... Field trips will include visits to a Mayan cacao farm, an underground river cavern and local permaculture projects. $1250 with meals & lodging. Contact www.mmrfbz.org info@mmrfbz.org for information or to register for the Belize course.

"We should be the heart and mind of the Earth, not its malady. So let us be brave and cease thinking of human needs and rights alone, and see that we have harmed the living Earth and need to make our peace with Gaia. We must do it while we are still strong enough to negotiate, and not a broken rabble led by brutal war lords. Most of all, we should remember that we are a part of it, and it is indeed our home."
James Lovelock, The Revenge of Gaia

Permaculture Design Certificate Course
August 20th - 29th 2010 The Village, Cloughjordan, Tipperary, Ireland
with Albert Bates, Graham Strouts, Claudia vanGool, Davie Phillip and friends
For bookings and further information contact Davie Philip (davie at cultivate dot ie)

Ireland: land of rising morning mists over lush green fields, the sound of horses hooves on granite paving stones, men in tweed caps bicycling in the lane. Ireland: a leading edge of Europe’s collapsing economy, the celtic tiger tamed and toothless, but now with a Green Party Minister for Energy, Communications, and Natural Resources, who says “We need a myth to be created, a modern myth that people can identify with which actually explains this future that we're heading into.” Experience the full PDC immersed in the thriving and innovative environment of Ireland's premier ecovillage. Permaculture is a practical design concept applicable from the balcony to the farm, from the village to the city. It enables people to establish productive environments providing for food, energy, shelter, material and non-material needs, as well as the social and economic infrastructure that supports them. More precisely permaculture is a “design system based on ecological principles” which provides the organizing framework for implementing sustainable living.

September, 2010
Financial Permaculture Course.
Hohenwald, Tennessee: The 3rd annual Financial Permaculture course will pick up where the last, extremely successful course, left off. We will be designing businesses for Lewis country that give back to people, the planet and make a profit. We also look at the over all business ecology, using systems thinking and permaculture design to fit groups of businesses together and mimic natural systems to create a healthy local economy. We will be weaving the ideas generated during the carbon farming workshop and the complimentary currency workshop into the curriculum and designs. $650 tuition, discounts for local residents and early registration.

Do you know where your prescriptions are coming from when petrocollapse strikes?

Medicinal Plants: Exploring the Science Behind the Folklore with Wendel Combest, Ph.D.
May 19-22, 2010
Contact: midwives@midwiferyworkshops.org
931-964-2472
Del Combest has been doing this workshop at The Farm for the past 6 years. Del teaches pharmacology at Shenandoah University in Virginia. $475 and includes lab fee, three and a half days of classes with CEUs, two meals a day during the workshop and a 200 + page, illustrated, notebook.

Solar Installation with David DelVecchio
THIS COURSE HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO 2011.
Become a CERTIFIED solar installer with this four day course, The $500 fee includes food and lodging or $350 if you just want the instruction without accommodations, and $50 discount for early registrants or bringing a friend. Students will receive the textbook entitled Photovoltaics: Design and Installation. Upon completion of this course the students should understand the detailed functionality of PV system components, and all common PV systems from straight water pumping to stand alone battery based systems, and grid tie PV with and without batteries. Students will be able to design and size these systems. They will see what is involved with interconnection to the utility. This course prepares students to enter work as a competent installer. However, there are a great many National Electric Code issues that cannot be adequately addressed in one week and further training and experience is recommended.

Ecovillage Apprenticeships
Summertown, TN, The Farm community.
April 5-June 5
June 7-August 7
Sept 6 - November 6

For more see our apprenticeship FAQ

The advanced permaculture immersion apprenticeship program combines Community Foodshed, Natural Building, Community Resiliency Design and Bioregional Networking. The Foodshed program includes production from seed through harvest, biodynamic and permaculture methodologies, soil building and market gardening. The Construction program includes hands-on experience with natural buildings of all types as well as the fundamentals of permaculture design and ecovillage master planning. This year we will be continuing work on our gardens, 11,000 sq.ft. constructed wetlands, our cob visitors center, our cob,strawbale and earthbag "hipitats" and compost toilets, and many other interesting projects within the Farm community. Possible field trips to nearby Amish community, canoeing on the Buffalo River, a local bamboo nursery, and more. Apprentices will learn ecology, energy and resource conservation, social and community skills, and the economics of sustainability. A small weekly fee is charged to offset food and lodging costs. To apply, contact us at apprenticeship at thefarm dot org.

A Permaculture Design Certificate is strongly recommended for this program. We offer two certification programs for those who have not studied permaculture, one in Belize in March, the other in France in July. Both certification courses are given in English.

The nearby Earth Advocates Research Farm is also offering internships with emphasis on the development of skills, knowledge, and insights and welcomes inquiries.

To make the transition toward a sustainable society it is imperative that we take responsibility for our own lives and meet our basic needs for food, shelter, energy, gainful employment, and supportive community. The purpose of our courses is to offer you practical training in ecological design principles so that you can begin the application of these skills within your own home grounds, workplace, and local community.

We also focus on building the support systems, networks, and alliances we all need in our work of remaking our culture. We strive to create a balance between classroom time, hands-on experiential learning, and personal empowerment work. Our courses will be useful for people with varying levels of experience, from backyard gardeners to design and educational professionals.

At the ETC we are creating a holistic, comprehensivist, "total immersion school," co-evolving creative designs that move us toward sustainability. All projects and buildings on site provides a walk-thru visit to the future. You can walk through our strawbale cabin, dome, organic gardens, and soon-to-be-completed cob Visitors Center (the largest cob structure in North America, the first east of the Mississippi) and wetlands filtration system. We have a large creek flowing through the Center and the headwaters of the Swan watershed are located on the property as well. Over 1000 acres of The Farm are designated as wilderness preserve.

The Eco-hostel is an old Farm house that has been renovated and expanded. The house was originally constructed by members of the Farm in the late 70's out of completely recycled materials. Our renovations have included three dormitories, four solar showers, rainwater collection, solar electricity, wastewater recycling, 2-story greenhouse and a third story observation deck.

For our policies on discounts and cancellations, please visit our Discounts page.

Class size limited so early registration is recommended.

Accommodations:
Bunk houses and tent sites are available for the entire course. There are showers and bathrooms nearby. Bedding is provided. A limited number of private rooms are available at typically $30 per night. Wheelchair access provided. Language translation services can be arranged. Bring rain gear, swim gear, comfortable walking shoes, flashlight and towels.

For more information, please write or call:

What some past participants say about the courses:

It was a safe place to take risks. Whole living can't be taught, as it has to be experienced and absorbed, so this week at The Farm was an experience of osmosis for most.

We accumulated knowledge and direction for our lives while absorbing some of the wisdom and spirit represented around us. I saw a catharsis in many of these individuals. An immediate sense of community and purpose. It was a seminal experience in my life and a reawakening to a journey ...

Wednesday, May 19, 2010		Friday, May 21, 2010
12:00-2:00	Registration	7:30 – 8:30	Breakfast
2:00-4:00	Rest/get settled in rooms	8:30 - 10:30	*GI and Urinary Herbs: Ginger, Licorice, Milk Thistle, Peppermint, Chamomile, Boswellia, Picrorhiza kurroa* , Turmeric, Cranberry, Uva ursi, and Dandelion.
4:00-5:00	Orientation at Farm Clinic	10:30 - 12:00	*Herbs used in Diabetes: Ivy gourd, Bitter melon, Gymnema sylvestre, Fenugreek, Stevia, Ginseng, Aloe vera*, Nopal, Jackass bitters, Bilberry, Evening primrose, Ginkgo
5:00-6:00	Dinner	12:00 – 1:30	Lunch Herb Walk: Plant Identification
6:30-9:30	*Introduction and History of Herbal Medicine with Compounding*	1:30 - 2:30	*Gardens as Therapy: Evidence for Therapeutic Benefits*
Thursday, May 20, 2010		2:30 - 3:30	*Growing and Harvesting Herbs*
7:30 – 8:30	Breakfast	3:30 – 6:30	*Laboratory: Herbal Compounding*
8:30-10:00	*CNS Herbs:* St. John’s Wort, Valerian, Gingko biloba, Kava, Lavender, Chamomile, Catnip, Hops, Passion flower, Linden, and Feverfew	7:00 – 8:00	Dinner
10:00 - 12:30	*Herb Walk*: Plant Identification	Saturday, May 22, 2010
12:30 - 1:30	Lunch	7:30 – 8:30	Breakfast
1:30 - 2:30	*Aromatherapy*	8:30 - 10:30	*Cardiovascular Herbs: Garlic, Psyllium, Red Yeast Rice, Guggal, Plant Stanols, Soy, Hawthorn, Ginkgo biloba*, Bilberry, and Fenugreek.
2:30 - 4:00	*Reproductive/Endocrine Herbs*: Black Cohosh, Soy, Red Clover, Flax, Evening Primrose, Chastetree berry, and Saw Palmetto.	10:30 - 12:30	*Immune System, Expectorant and Antitussive Herbs*: Thyme, Eucalyptus, Mullein, Slippery Elm, Marshmallow, Peppermint, White Horehound, Echinacea, Goldenseal, Astragalus, Ginseng, Eleuthero, Tea Tree, and Vitamin C & Zinc.
4:00 - 5:00	*Introduction to Herbal Compounding*	12:30 - 1:30	Lunch
5:00 - 7:00	*Laboratory: Herbal Compounding*	1:30 - 2:30	*The Art and History of Tea*
7:00 - 8:00	Dinner	2:30 - 3:30	*Plants as Sources of New Medicines*
8:00 – 9:00	*Herbs used for Women’s Health* (with Pamela Hunt)	3:30 - 5:30	*Laboratory: Herbal Compounding*