Design Course Fall 2019 – APG (2023)

FALL ‘6 WEEKENDS’ 2019 PERMACULTURE DESIGN CERTIFICATE COURSE

The Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) signifies completion of the 72-hour curriculum set forth by Bill Mollison in ‘Permaculture: A Designers’ Manual.’ This course is an in depth introduction to every topic listed in the schedule. Graduates can use this course as their jumping off point to begin teaching permaculture modules, creating a portfolio of permaculture designs, and establishing a permaculture consulting practice. It is a life and world-view altering event – living more kindly on their land, creating & caring for their community, conserving & renewing precious resources, respecting all beings, and designing & cultivating sustainable human settlements that work with and use Nature as the grand designer.

Austin,TX and the surrounding area is unique in that we are home to many mission driven organizations working to build sustainability and community. This course is designed to connect the participants with many local organizations with an array of missions. Students will finish this course with a toolbox of design techniques and strategies as well as connections with organizations and people who can help guide them towards new opportunities to learn, volunteer and work in various fields of interest related to sustainability.

Our Fall 2019 Permaculture Design Certificate Course is currently CLOSED for registration. It is a ‘6 Weekends’ format course, spread out over the course of 6 months-1 weekend per month. This format is preferred by many people because it can fit snugly into a busy schedule. We provide a sliding scale tuition format, to make this course more accessible to a wider audience. YOU choose the highest amount within the range provided that works with your budget. We trust your judgement and do not set your tuition price for you.

Tuition is set as sliding scale, with the tuition ranging from $650-$1,050. A $300 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your seat in the course. The second tuition installment of $200 is due 1 month before class starts. The last tuition installment is due on your first day of class, where you will pay $150-$550.

This course is currently CLOSED for registration.

Click the HERE To fill out our waiting list form.

FALL 2019 PERMACULTURE DESIGN CERTIFICATE COURSE SCHEDULE

This course includes classroom instruction from lead facilitator Caroline Riley and guest instructors. It features hands-on learning activities, including your final site design project. Required reading: Rosemary Marrow’s Earth User’s Guide to Permaculture Design. Each weekend will have additional readings for reflection and resources for personal extensions. The final design project sites are chosen from student’s properties. Each student will create a conceptual design and choose at least one area to solidify in all of the details needed to implement. For more details about the content and schedule, scroll down this page.

Weekend 1:

September 28 – Day 1:Introduction to Permaculture, Permaculture Ethics & Principles, Tour Whole Life Learning Center- Permaculture in Action

September 29 – Day 2:Methods of Design, Patterns in Nature,

Weekend 2:

October 19 – Day 3:Climate, Soil Biology and Science with Taelor Monroe of APG

October 20 – Day 4:Earthworks, Ponds, Keyline Design, & Hands-on activityWith Mike Wolfert ofSymbiosis Regenerative Systems Mycology with MycoAlliance

Weekend 3:

November 9 – Day 5:Climate Based Home Design, Natural Building Techniques and Hands-on cob building activity with Kindra Welch and John Curry ofClay, Sand, Straw

November 10 – Day 6:Zone I Garden Techniques and Strategies, Companion Planting,Sustainable Food Center, Field Trip: SubUrban homestead tour and tree walk at Caroline’s house

Weekend 4:

December 7 – Day 7:Design Project Workshop

December 8 – Day 8:Trees, Perennial Forest Gardens, Medicinal plants for Central Texas, Forest Garden design activity,Chris Sanchez with Festival Beach Food Forest

Weekend 5:

January 11 – Day 9 :Holistic Management and Animals in design activity, propagation

January 12 – Day 10 : Community, Invisible Structures, Community and Food Security with Taelor Monroe of APG

Weekend 6:

February 1 – Day 11:Design Workshop, Zone 0

February 2 – Day 12:Final Design Project Presentations, Graduation & Design Certificates and Celebration

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS:

The Fall 2019 Course will be will be held at theWhole Life Learning Center (WLLC), a living and ever evolving example of permaculture design. Over the past 8 years this site has been completely transformed into a holistic learning center for people of all ages! WLLC has on site a maturing food forest, pond, chickens, goats, a 10,000 gallon rain water catchment system, greenhouse, grey water system, 2 yurts, schoolhouse, and a geodesic dome classroom. In between your permaculture design course weekends, the space serves as a learning center for children ages 3-14, who use the outdoor environment as a canvas for exploring their understanding of sustainability. Over the years hundreds of students of all ages have offered their hands and hearts to creating this unique site that is truly Permaculture in action.

This is a commuter course. Along with classroom instruction, we have hands-on projects (including your site design project), and presentations by guest instructors.DRESS FOR THE WEATHER. Always come prepared to spend at least some time outdoors. Bring lunch, snack and water bottle. Lunch is a great time for socializing and sharing personal experiences. There is a full kitchen on site.

Class meets 9:30am – 5:30pm each day; arrive anytime after 9 to get settled in. YOU ARE REQUIRED to be in your seat, ready to learn, at 9:30am. (NOTE: If you can’t make all 12 days, don’t worry — you can make up the missed days at any of our future courses for no extra charge.) If you are absent more than 2 days, your certificate will be held until all class days are made-up.

Class starts promptly at 9:30.Arrive by 8:30am on the first dayof the course to get settled in, pay your tuition balance, meet your classmates, chat over coffee/tea, etc. Bring your own lunch (and some to share with others if you like). This course follows the internationally recognized 72-hour curriculum outlined in Bill Mollison’sPermaculture Design Manual. Although, this course offers over 84 hours of instruction. The certificate you receive at the end of this course signifies completion of this curriculum.

SCHOLARSHIPS

We are providing two reparation scholarships for this design course for people of color. These full ride scholarships require no payment in exchange for taking the course. If you would like to apply for either of these two available spots please submit letter of intention attached in an email addressed to Taelor Monroe, monroe DOT taelor AT gmail DOT com. The letter of intention should give a brief history of your current work in this world and how you think you can make the biggest impact in your community if you were to receive a permaculture design certificate.

Scholarship Deadline: Only scholarship applications received on or before September 1st, 2019 will be accepted. Responses will be given Friday, September 6th, 2019.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:

Caroline Rileyis a Texas native who grew up in the garden and free ranging on the Texas gulf coast with her family. She discovered permaculture design while living in Colorado in 2004 and soon incorporated the ethics and principles into her Montessori classroom as a foundation to learn from nature with youth.

Caroline founded One World Permaculture in 2010 with the mission to connect and serve people worldwide through the study and practice of permaculture design ethics and principles. OWP collaborates and inspires to create integrated regenerative community, ecology and economy. This project took her on world travels connecting with communities in need through permaculture design projects and evolved into local design and consultation work in Austin, TX.

In 2011 she and her husband founded the Whole Life Learning Center in Austin, TX which is where she currently focuses her creative efforts. This site is an example of permaculture in action. Over the years as the learning center has grown and matured, so have the permaculture systems in place including animal systems, a beautiful forest garden and farm space, the outdoor living classroom and 7 Feathers Trading Post. The trading post is the community store which focuses on preparing herbal medicines, seeds and starts from the plants growing onsite.

With a passion for experiential learning and creative design, Caroline instructs Permaculture Design Courses through Austin Permaculture Guild and herbalism classes through Sacred Journey School of Herbalism. Her goal is to create a unique learning opportunity for her students from her vast experience.

When not at the learning center Caroline can be found with her husband and two children while enjoying the retreat of her South Austin homestead. Contact Caroline at caroline DOT riley DOT carberry ATgmail.com, 512-217-0661