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)

Permaculture Design Certificate Course

Juliette | December 29th, 2010

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 Art of the Homemade Graft

Troy | May 17th, 2010

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A utility knife was my primary tool, however, my blade was brand new and sprayed with a bleach/water solution.

A very technical diagram of how I cut the receiving tree and the scion for the graft.

Black electrical tape serves to hold the graft union together and resist moisture loss through the open wound.

The Gala scion grafted to the McIntosh tree as it was in late March.

The graft as it is now in May, about a month and a half later. You can see the buds breaking and new leaves forming.

To scroll through the slideshow click next above the picture.

So… last year we bought a McIntosh apple and promptly filled up the rest of the yard to the point that we didn’t feel like we had enough space for another semi-dwarf tree, nor do we need that many apples. The problem is that apples need a different variety nearby in order to set their best fruit and we aren’t sure if there are any other apples or crab apples that would be close enough to do the job (sweet cherries, pears and others have similar needs).

The solution?…… Two varieties on a single tree! Continue reading The Art of the Homemade Graft

Pittsburgh Permaculture