Columbus Permaculture Design Course

Troy | May 5th, 2011

Weekend Permaculture Design Course
Columbus, Ohio

Dates: July 16-17, August 13-14, August 27-28, September 10-11, October 8-9, and October 22-23.

Location: Columbus, Ohio at the Olentangy River Wetland Research Park

Description: Join us as we explore the power of ecological design to create resilience and beauty in our communities. Over six weekends, Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon, we will present the internationally recognized curriculum in permaculture design. Participants will gain experience with permaculture by developing designs for emerging urban garden projects, installing a demonstration garden and visiting established systems. This course will also include a weekend at a well developed permaculture homestead located on a long term community land trust in Athens county, Ohio.

Instructors: Josh Beniston, Peter Bane, Ryan Hottle, Deb Knapke, Mark Cohen, and guests.

Cost: $875

Website: columbuspdc.wordpress.com

Contact: Josh Beniston 740-818-8422

Upcoming Pittsburgh Permaculture Workshops- register now!

Michelle | April 8th, 2011

Hey all, please check out the next 2 workshops to happen at the Hazelwood Food Forest. Hope to see you there!

~~Grafting with Troy Hottle~~- CANCELLED

April 17^th 11am-1pm (yes it’s a Sunday)

Learn the basics of grafting for pome fruits and stone fruits. You will learn how and when to graft in addition to multiple techniques for attaching varieties of the same fruit to a single tree.

Since 2008, Ohio native Troy Hottle has lived and worked in Pittsburgh. Troy received his Permaculture Design Certification under Josh Beniston, soil scientist and owner of Habitats Landscaping, Mark Cohen, founder of Far Valley Farm and The Belize Agroforestry Research Center, and Peter Bane, founder and editor of Permaculture Activist. . Troy has travelled to more than ten different countries studying the social and biological systems which shape and create the ecosystems of the world. He has met with dignitaries such as the Minister of Education of Bhutan and Maldives’ Minister of the Environment discussing social and environmental issues. Recently, Troy works for GTECH Strategies, managing the reclamation of vacant land within the city. In 2009, Troy founded the PittsburghPermaculture.org website and in the following year cofounded Pittsburgh Permaculture. He has taught several permaculture workshops and courses including some of those offered by Phipps Conservatory. Troy is also a Penn State Master Gardener.

CANCELLED DUE TO LOW ATTENDANCE

Mushroom Logs with Matt Peters

May 7^th 12-2pm

Workshop attendees will learn-by-doing how to grow Shiitake mushrooms on logs. Materials provided, and logs will be available for purchase.

Workshop facilitator Matt Peters has been growing shiitake mushrooms since 1997, and will share his experience with you in this hands-on two hour workshop.

Cost: $10 to attend or $35 to attend and bring home a finished log (retail value of log ~$40)

Sun Path

Troy | March 31st, 2011

As we all know light exposure is a very important part of garden design. Evaluating the light exposure in the context of the sun’s movement through the sky both daily and season-to-season will help us understand the influences of the sun. With this greater understanding our designs can harness the warming light when we need it and block it out when we don’t.

The changing angle of the sun in the summer and winter.

In the two pictures included, we can see how the sun’s angle changes based on the season we are in. The winter brings low angles which can easily shine into a southern window, while the summer sun is nearly straight overhead.

If we think about skylights in this context we realize that they get direct solar exposure in the summer and just glancing light in the winter. In this way we are increasing heat in the house, and with the window at the ceiling (where the heat goes) we are likely losing heat in the winter, both are the opposite of what we would want from a sustainable design.

Furthermore we know that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. People commonly state in a clever, know-it-all way that “you can save on your cooling bills by planting a shade tree on the south side of a house,” but with the sun taking its long flight overhead in the summer, it has little opportunity to shine on the south face of a building. In fact, the south side of a building should be as clear as possible to take advantage of the warming sun which will shine deeply into the house in the winter when we need it the most. If you are worried about the house heating up in the summer you are much better off planting those shade trees to the west and then the east or creating seasonal awnings with vining plants.

Knowing where to place different plants in our designs or how to orient our buildings are good ways of using this info, but it can also be useful in evaluating or designing microclimates in the garden. South facing brick walls or large rocks in the garden can capture the low-riding sun in the winter and help make the garden a more hospitable place for plants that prefer milder climates.

Investigate, experiment and share your comments below!

3D view of the sun's path in summer and winter

The change of the sun's angle and path through the sky

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Pittsburgh Permaculture