Permaculture Design Certificate Course

This is a reminder… exactly one month until the PDC, register NOW to join us at the Phipps Garden Center!

6 WEEKENDS (January to April 2011):
Jan 29-30; Feb 12-13, 26-27; Mar 12-13, 26-27; Apr 2, 9:00am to 4:30pm

– Earn your internationally recognized Permaculture Design Certification!
– Share 6 weekends immersed in a fun, supportive learning environment!
– Increase your understanding of local ecosystems and your confidence in ecological design
– Experience a thorough, on-site, permaculture design from start to finish for a historic landmark
located in an urban setting
– Learn practical skills to nourish your landscape, home, community
– Visit rural and urban examples of permaculture systems
– Empower yourself to create positive, regenerative changes in your life, your landscape, and your
community

Course Topics:
Permaculture Ethics & Principles
Observation & Ecological Design
Site Analysis & Assessment
Edible Forest Gardens
Water Harvesting
Natural Building
Compost & Soil Building
Greenhouse & Bioshelter Design
Mapping, Surveying, & Presentation
Group Design Projects & Design Charettes
Transition Town Movement

Fee:$770 members, $850 non-members

Lead Instructors:
Darrell Frey of Three Sisters Farm and Bioshelter
Elizabeth Lynch of Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Juliette Jones of Pittsburgh Permaculture

For more information or to register, call the Garden Center at (412) 441-4442 ext. 3925. Or visit the Phipps website to download a registration form.

Be your own landscape designer! This intensive weekend course will teach you the secrets of ecological design; learn how to garden like nature! Capture and store water on your site, reducing irrigation costs; build soil and use plants that mulch, reducing your need for artificial fertilizers; and design more sustainable garden systems, reducing your maintenance and maximizing the yield and aesthetics of your property. Visit local examples of permaculture design, use mapping and site analysis tools and complete a guided design project. This course will challenge both beginning designers and experienced gardeners alike.
Permaculture design is rooted in agriculture and horticulture, yet is far reaching and interdisciplinary in nature, making connections to city planning, ecology, architecture, and appropriate technology. This course covers the foundations of ecological design and addresses how these concepts can be applied to both urban and rural settings in order to create regenerative landscapes.

The Food Forest Gets a Tool Shed

Log Cabin Tool Shed

The Hazelwood Food Forest finally gets a tool shed!!!  This is very exciting especially to me as I will no longer have to transport tools from my home to the site via my pick up truck!  :)  The tool shed was designed by Katie Krantz, recent graduate of Slippery Rock University.  Katie worked on the tool shed with her grandfather.  The tool shed was a part of Katie’s internship project.  She devised to use reclaimed material for the tool shed which will then be outfitted with rain barrels for rain water harvest.  So the tool shed will not only hold all of the food forest’s tools; it’s roof will be used in order to capture and store rain water for watering the site.  Katie and her grandfather were able to locate beautiful wood from a demolished log cabin.  Katie completed the structure last Friday with the help of her grandfather, a family friend and devoted food forest volunteer, Matt Peters!  Thanks everyone!!!  This is the most beautiful tool shed in town!!  If you haven’t seen it up close and personal… please visit soon!  Workdays are still Monday evenings 6-8pm.

Hazelwood Food Forest featured on the Allegheny Front

Check out this link to listen!