The following record reveals the richness and depth of the First Annual Inland Northwest Permaculture Conference (later 'Convergence') that was held in Spokane, Wa in Nov. 2011.2011 Workshops and Presenters |
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Tom Allen: Workshop #1: Household and Homestead Energy: Conservation and ProductionOnce you've made the decision to do something about conserving and producing your own energy, how do you decide what to do? This workshop will cover many of the renewable energy systems available to homeowners, homesteaders, ranchers and farmers. See an innovative village-scale system based on solar thermal that takes advantage of the second law of thermodynamics rather than fighting it. The discussion will include solar thermal, solar electric, wind and low-head hydro. It will also provide a decision process for prioritizing your projects. |
Charlotte Anthony: Workshop #1: Victory gardensSustainable community garden in 4 hours by using microbes, compost, soil amendments, dynamic accumulators, etc, we create a garden with 4-6 volunteers in 4 hours for a 12 x 16 plot in heavy clay soils. Come and learn how we do it Charlotte Anthony, |
Charlotte Anthony: Workshop #2: How to establish a viable food forest ecosystem by communicating with the plantsWorkshop #2: How to establish a viable food forest ecosystem by communicating with the plants. We have reduced the time needed to establish a viable ecosystem in a food forest by observing with our hearts as well as our minds. This method has been used by indigenous people for thousands of years and still works well today, once we can get our hearts open. By bringing plants together before they are planted we can determine compatibility, filling of niches etc. There will be an experiential component to this workshop. |
Gary Bishop: Workshop #1: Applying permaculture to large-scale acreages in Central OregonWorkshop #1: Applying permaculture to large-scale acreages in Central Oregon. |
Sergei Boutenko: Workshop #1: Powerpoint presentation on wild edible plants and how to ID plantsWorkshop #1: Powerpoint presentation on wild edible plants and how to ID plants. Join author, Sergei Boutenko, for an entertaining lecture filled with valuable information regarding the missing ingredient to vibrant health. Come see how greens and wild edibles can transform the way you feel, while simultaneously pleasing your taste buds! Sergei Boutenko Missoula, Montana
Bio: Sergie is known as “the wild edible guy”. Sergei Boutenko is the author of several books on nutrition and wild edibles. When Sergei was 9 years old he was diagnosed with diabetes and told to take insulin shots for the rest of his life. Instead of taking the conventional approach, Sergei changed his diet and began a vigorous exercise regime. Within several months, Sergei had reversed his symptoms and received a clean bill of health from his doctor.
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Kyle Chamberlin: Workshop #1: Restoring Human Habitat: An exploration of permaculture as a tool for restoring humanity's damaged habitatWorkshop #1: Restoring Human Habitat: An exploration of permaculture as a tool for restoring humanity's damaged habitat. We will examine the deep ecological and cultural history of the Inland Northwest for direction and holistic solutions. We will also examine what the evolution of our own species and how this applies to permaculture design. We will also discuss, comprehensively, the region's potential for perennial polycultures, as well as strategies for plant establishment in semi-aridity. 2 hours. Period C plus one half into dinner period. Kyle Chamberlin Human Habitat Project Kettle Falls, WA https://sites.google.com/site/humanhabitatproject/ Bio: Kyle Chamberlain is a permaculture homesteader from Kettle Falls, WA. His Human Habitat Project is an effort to push permaculture further, by integrating the living skills of the past in a radically new way of living. He has a passion for ethnobotany and prehistory. He has worked as a survival skills instructor, wilderness therapy guide, and field conservation leader. Video of Kyle's Presentation in 12 Parts: |
Richard Kuhnel: Workshop #1: Building Resilient CommunitiesWorkshop #1: Building Resilient Communities: Presentation with participatory elements covering the story of the Transition Town movement and its specific evolving implementation in Sandpoint, Idaho, and around the world. It of a talk, if time permits video clips, short discussions, awareness building exercises and methods for working in groups. The Transition Movement is comprised of vibrant, grassroots community initiatives that seek to build community resilience in the face of such challenges as peak oil, climate change and the economic crisis. Transition Initiatives seek to mitigate these converging global challenges by engaging their communities in home-grown, citizen-led education, action, and community processes to increase local self reliance and resilience. They work by regeneratively using their local assets and creativity, innovating, networking, collaborating, replicating proven strategies, and respecting the deep patterns of nature and diverse cultures in their place. Transition Initiatives work with deliberation and a positive vision to create a fulfilling and inspiring local way of life that can withstand shocks and respond flexibly to rapidly shifting global systems. |
Chrys Ostrander: Workshop #1: Rearing Dairy GoatsWorkshop #1: Rearing Dairy Goats. Period C Session Media:
Rearing Dairy Goats.pdf
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Chrys Ostrander: Workshop #2: No-till Annual CroppingWorkshop #2: No-till Annual Cropping. Period E Session Media:
no-till-annual-cropping.pdf
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Jan Spencer: Pre-conference Presentation: Neighborhoods, Uplift, Permaculture and the EconomyPre-conference Presentation by Jan Spencer, visiting Spokane from Eugene, Oregon. The venue will be at Salem Lutheran Church, 1428 West Broadway. There will be a potluck starting at 6:30 followed by a friendly mix, mingle and checking out the table top educational displays provided by participating organizations. At 7:30, the presentation begins. The event will be free and open to the public. The presentation is titled "Neighborhoods, Uplift, Permaculture and the Economy." The presentation is about individuals, families, neighborhoods and communities recognizing exciting opportunities for taking positive actions, given the trends, in these times of deepening social, economic, resource and global uncertainty. Jan has been transforming his own suburban property for over ten years. The grass is gone and so is the driveway. Edible landscaping goes horizontal and vertical. There is solar design and a 6500 gallon rain water catchment system. The place is a destination for hundreds of people - curious neighbors, green tours of various kinds, school and permaculture classes, out of town visitors, media. The site is a regional landmark for showing what can be done with a quarter acre suburban property, reinvented with the principles of Permaculture. The power point presentation will also touch on current trends in resources, the environment, culture and economics. Also core to the presentation is upscaling actions from a single property into the neighborhood. Jan has been on the board of his neighborhood association for 10 years and has identified many tools and assets to work with for greening where we live that are already available in most neighborhoods nation wide. Further, there are citizen initiated social actions that can serve multiple benefits by buidling community, learning new skills, accomplishing useful tasks and much more, all at the same time! No permission needed, its simply a matter of people taking the time to make it happen. Much of the presentation will describe real life examples of individuals and groups creating safer, greener, more secure and healthier neighborhoods and communities. Please join us and invite friends and neighbors. For more information, go to www.suburbanpermaculture.org or call 541 686 6761. In Spokane call 509-325-6282 or e mail bark4snow@comcast.net |
Neil Bertrando: Monday Keyline WorkshopNeil Bertrando, RT Permaculture, Reno, Nevada Neil works for an organization that owns and operates a Keyline plow for land restoration. Neil wrote a grant to purchase the plow. It is too expensive to bring the whole plow but neil will bring a couple of shank tines with wombat points and shin guards. They will be on display at the conference and our goal is to mount them on a tool bar for a Monday demonstration. The Keyline Plow developed by P.A. Yeoman of Australia is an excellent farm tool which, used correctly, can stop erosion, loosen compacted soils and build topsoil. Widely used in Australia, it has great potential in the Inland Northwest. |
Marisha Auerbach - Workshop #1: Access for All: How Permaculture can be applied anywhere in the world to end hunger, provide jobs, enhance habitat, and provide absolutely delightful places to be!Permaculture is a design system, based in the unique considerations of each place, that focuses on meeting the needs for the inhabitants onsite. In application, we create fecund habitats to minimize limiting factors and provide for local resilience. Period A * Marisha Auerbach, Herbn’ Wisdom, Portland, Oregon. Bio: Marisha Auerbach is one of the Northwest’s most active permaculture design course teachers. Her hands-on specialties include forest gardening and turning yards into food production systems.
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Joe Barreca - Workshop #1: Getting Serious About Grapes. A look at planning, hardy varieties, diseases and pests, pruning and trellising, soil and water, and grape marketingJoe Barreca, Northeast Washington Grapes, Rice, Washington. Bio: Joe Barreca has been growing grapes for 25 years and making wine for 44 years. He lives in an underground house and works in a straw bale office on 7 acres near Rice, Washington.
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Neil Bertrando: Workshop #1: Keyline Design: History, scales of permanence, geography of keyline, implementation strategies and timelines, tools and techniques, carbon farming, Q&ANeil Bertrando |
Tim Corcoran: Workshop #1 - Part 1: “Deep Nature Connection, Permaculture & Cultural Restoration – Rekindling Community Resilience”. A two-part, 3 hour experiential workshop. Rekindling Community ResilienceWorkshop #1 - Part 1: “Deep Nature Connection, Permaculture & Cultural Restoration – Rekindling Community Resilience”. A two-part, 3 hour experiential workshop. Rekindling Community Resilience |
Robert Merrill: Workshop #1: Redemptive Solar Ark-itectureWorkshop #1: Redemptive Solar Ark-itecture. A powerpoint on the conversion of major waste stream items into viable building materials. These materials are then assembled into “Hybrid Habitat.” Period A |
Paul Wheaton: Workshop #1: Rocket Mass HeatersWorkshop #1: Rocket Mass Heaters. Period A |
Seth Williams: Workshop #1: Livestock grazing, permaculture and Holistic Resource ManagementSeth Williams, |
Jim Baird - Workshop #1: Cloudview Ecofarm: An example of converting monoculture cropland into permaculture homesteads* Jim Baird Cloudview Ecofarm, Ephrata, Washington. Bio: Jim Baird has been farming and orcharding for over 35 years in the irrigated lands of the Columbia Basin. Recently, he has turned his attention to helping co-create Cloudview Eco Farms. Cloudview is an experiential center around growing food, creating healthy spaces, and creating community located right in the heart of the agribusiness farming area. Jim is 58 years old- the average age of the american farmer. |
Joanna Castro and Yura Kazantsev: Workshop #1: Anastasia’s Visions and the Ringing Cedars of Russia seriesWorkshop #1: Anastasia’s Visions and the Ringing Cedars of Russia series. Period B |
Tim Corcoran: Workshop #1 - Part 2: “Deep Nature Connection, Permaculture & Cultural Restoration – Rekindling Community Resilience”. A two-part, 3 hour experiential workshop. Rekindling Community ResilienceA two-part, 3 hour experiential workshop. Rekindling Community Resilience |
Brooke Medicine Eagle: Workshop #1: Earth healing, Earth harmonyBrooke Medicine Eagle Bio: Brooke Medicine-Eagle is an American native Earthkeeper, teacher, ceremonial leader, sacred ecologist, songwriter, Feng Shui practitioner and catalyst for wholeness, whose dedication is to bring forward the ancient truths concerning how to live a fully human life in sustaining harmony with All Our Relations. Brooke is a graduate of a permaculture design course taught by Bill Mollison in Australia. |
Jerry Graser: Workshop #1: Solar electric applications in PermacultureWorkshop #1: Solar electric applications in Permaculture. Photovoltaics, controls, batteries, wind & hydro, grid-tie solar, electrical conservation. Period B |
Charles Lightwalker: Workshop #1: Creating a Permaculture Village/Eco-CommunityWorkshop #2: Creating a Permaculture Village/Eco-Community. Period D |
James Reed: Workshop #1: Local food distribution systems: challenges, examplesJames Reed, |
Jan Spencer: Workshop #1: Transforming Suburbia – Part One - Transforming a Suburban PropertyTransforming a Suburban Property - This presentation will be a show and tell describing an eleven year project transforming a quarter acre suburban property in Eugene, Oregon. The presentation will include a great deal of practical, how to information. Dramatic images of grass to garden, reclaiming automobile space -removing a concrete driveway, carport remodel. Also solar redesign, different aspects of a 6500 gallon rain water collection and distribution system, fitting plants into odd spaces, aesthetics. Managing the site as a community education resource. Finally, a look at multiple benefits. Key words, taking the time, human potential, home economics, multiple benefits. Preview of Part Two - Transforming Suburbia - Into The Neighborhood. Finding new uses for mainstream civic, social and physical infrastructure. Period B |
Kelly Ware: Workshop #1: The permaculture transformation of an ordinary town lot in Polson, MontanaKelly Ware |
Deborah Berman Workshop #1: Silvopastoralism and forage forests
Deborah Berman, |
Ed Bryant: Workshop #1 - Waste Handling the Permaculture WayEd Bryant |
Annette Cottrell: Workshop #1: Urban FarmingIs that a goat in your subaru and a duck in your rain barrel? Find out just how much farming can happen on a small city or suburban lot. Workshop will cover integrating small livestock into your garden, maximizing small-space harvests and strategies for optimizing city light conditions. Period C Annette Cottrell Author "The Urban Farm Handbook" Carnation, Washington http://www.SustainableEats.Wordpress.com http://www.SustainableEats.com Bio: Annette Cottrell is the co-author of the Urban Farm Handbook: City-Slicker Resources for Growing, Raising, Sourcing, Trading, and Preparing What You Eat and the blog www.SustainableEats.com. She managed to raise meat, eggs and vegetables on her in-city lot and made many mistakes which she's hoping to spare you from making too.
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Kai Huschke: Workshop #1: Giving Away the Farm: Why We Need a Local Food Bill of RightsAdvocating for a healthy, sustainable, local food system means taking big agriculture head on. Communities continue to battle factory farms, GMO’s and the practice of using sewage sludge as farm fertilizer. This presentation covers why we can’t say no to these threats or yes to local food vs. big agriculture, and what communities in Maine, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Washington are doing to change that. Period C. |
Bezaleel Israel: Workshop #1: Growing and cleaning vegetable seedsBezaleel Israel, |
David Kirchoff: Workshop #1: Education of the HeartThis workshops will introduce a model of learning for our children and community that draws out our genius, creativity, uniqueness, talents , gifts, virtues (i.e. our true nature); respects feeling and true needs (especially our need to connect and contribute to life); use language that supports life; and incorporates permaculture ethics and principles. Film 30 minutes of a school where all of this occurs. Period C |
Julie, Kim, Kelly Pagliaro: Workshop #1: Kamiah Permaculture: FNA Ranch, a North Central Idaho Permaculture ProjectA look at how a family of Permaculture Design Course graduates have transitioned from a mainstream lifestyle in Las Vegas, NV to becoming as self-sufficent as possible on a 44-acre farm in Kamiah, Idaho. Highlights will include rainwater harvesting, ram pumps and a short presentation from our daughter Kelly who got her PDC at 11 years old. Period C |
Bud Papin: Workshop #1: Title and Description ForthcomingBud Papin, |
Jan Spencer: Workshop #2: Transforming Suburbia - Part Two - Finding New Uses For Mainstream Civic, Social and Physical InfrastructureThis presentation includes a show and tell of real life cultural and economic transformation. There are many assets and allies for transforming suburbia, our culture and economy all around us. Taking the time to recognize them and to put them to use provides an access to enormous opportunities. The presentation will briefly touch on transforming a suburban property, then describe several examples of expanding the scale of transformation with friends and neighbors. Also described will be making use of neighborhood programs, emergency preparedness, Neighborhood Watch and finding common cause with communities of faith. The presentation takes a look at social activation tools such as work parties, front yard gardens and place making. Finally, a look at multiple benefits from transforming suburbia. Period C |
Jordan Fink: Workshop #2: Village Building
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Paul Cienfuegos: Workshop #1: The corporate assault on our democracy, and what can (and is) being done to reverse this trendWorkshop #1: The corporate assault on our democracy, and what can (and is) being done to reverse this trend. Period D |
Tim Corcoran: Workshop #2: “Introduction to Bow & Drill Primitive Fire making”, experiential workshop. Rekindling Self SufficiencyThis hands-on workshop will introduce participants to the ancient and extraordinary skill of fire-by-friction via Bow & Drill fire making. Learn to make fire without matches! Through this inspirational introduction to Bow & Drill fire making, participants will have an experiential, firsthand opportunity to learn and practice this art that was once so common to all of our ancestors. The workshop will include: Principles of fire-by-friction, tree id, wood selection, natural tinders, proper form, troubleshooting, and more. Workshop will be held outside. Optional, bring a straight-edged knife. All materials provided. Period D |
Annette Cottrell: Workshop #2: Farmer to Consumer ConnectionsJoin the growing number of consumers who want to cultivate direct relationships with farmers. This workshop will explain why farmer's markets aren't enough to increase local food security or make local, organic produce affordable for the masses. We'll cover how consumers can find farmers, how farmers can find consumers, and how together they can craft bulk buys. Period D Author "The Urban Farm Handbook"
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Jordan Fink: Workshop #1: Thinking about Design in PermacultureIn the menu of Permaculture Solutions, how do we decide which to use? Design is how we direct our attention to the people, place, and possibilities and evaluate and investigate which we’ll move on. In this workshop we will explore some simple exercises that allow us to practice and improve our design skills. |
Bezaleel Israel: Workshop #2: The Food Sovereignty Movement in the USBezaleel Israel, |
Daniel Kirchoff: Workshop #1: An Introduction to Braintanning BuckskinLearn about a sturdy, elegant, easy to use, easy to make, local material for making clothing, bags, and footwear. Learn the basic steps in the alchemy of turning hairy deer hides (that often go to waste) into soft, beautiful, water-resistant buckskin. We'll talk about the process, give a list of resources and tools and inspirations for getting started on your own, show some handcrafted clothes and bags, and if there's time, make a small medicine bag of your own. Period D |
Richard Kuhnel: Workshop #2: Working title: Project CirclesAn intensive workshop together with Tim Cocoran and potentially limited to 5 participants, besides us; we are not 100% clear yet on the format, so it could be open to anyone |
Kelly Lerner: Workshop #1: Title and Description ForthcomingKelly Lerner |
Mike Mullin: Workshop #1: Regaining Passion in our CommunitiesMike Mullin speaks about what it takes to create change in our communities-- Living with passion, perspective, and where the current outlook is in our cities with our different organizations and where it needs to go to create lasting change. It ties together the message of permaculture with a message about regaining passion for something new, as we all "feel" that something is missing in our current structure. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rogue-Theory/101408919935002?ref=ts
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Josho Somine: Workshop #1: Applying permaculture design to urban water systemsStormwater management, water catchment, aquifer recharging, and highest rainfall utilization on urban lots. Period D |
Robert Swanson: Workshop #1: Creating a forest garden in SpokaneRobert Swanson, |
Marisha Auerbach: Workshop #2: Permaculture Soil Improvement Techniques: Put Your Carbon Into the Soil, Not the AirThis presentation will inspire and inform you with permaculture strategies to build soil. Learn about the critters that live in the soil and how they make nutrients available for plants. Learn strategies for enhancing their habitat and thus, increasing nutrients in your soil. We will discuss a diversity of ways that you can use local resources and plants to enhance your fertility in your garden beds including:
Marisha Auerbach, Herbn’ Wisdom, Portland, Oregon. Bio: Marisha Auerbach is one of the Northwest’s most active permaculture design course teachers. Her hands-on specialties include forest gardening and turning yards into food production systems.
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Deborah Berman - Workshop #2: Animals in permacultureDeborah Berman, |
Neil Bertrando: Workshop #2: Broadening our permaculture perspectives with congruent systems. A review of systems for land management and social change that synergize with the permaculture design systemNeil Bertrando |
Robert Merrill: Workshop #2: Tool of the Future: hands-on demo of a hopper-sprayer (Tirolessa) applying fibrecrete to a strawbale
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Michael Pilarski: Workshop #1: Trees, Permaculture, and the Inland NorthwestMichael Pilarski, |
James Reed: Workshop #2: Winter farming in the Inland NorthwestJames Reed, |
Paul Wheaton: Workshop #2: Wofati Eco BuildingsPaul Wheaton |
Daniel Kirchoff: Workshop #2: A Naturalist's Journey to Practicing PermacultureOne of the first and most basic principles of permaculture is practicing protracted and thoughtful observation before acting. Listen to the inspirational stories and try on some core practices of a naturalist that will help you practice permaculture in an immediate and meaningful way right in your own back yard and neighborhood. These stories and practices will also deepen your connection to place, link you up peacefully to people around you, and help your own unique gifts emerge and blossom. Period E Daniel Kirchoff Inland Northwest
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Neil Bertrando: Workshop #3: Permaculture education round table: How can we increase accessibility and competency to create permaculture jobs? The APT modelNeil Bertrando |
Joanna Castro and Yura Kazantsev: Workshops #2: What is happening with the Anastasia movement in the US and worldwideJoanna Castro and Yura Kazantsev |
Richard Kuhnel: Workshop #3: Transition town round table discussionParticipants, who are actively involved in transition are talking about their experience. Opportunity for questions and answers. Period F |
Paul Wheaton: Workshop #3: Replacing Irrigation with PermaculturePaul Wheaton |
Field Trips |
Field Trip: Spokane's Community Building and the Main Market. The Community Building is one of Washington's greenest buildings-- LEED certified. Hear why this building has become an example of ways to build in the future. Also, a walk across the street will take you to the Main Market where you can see the roof-top greenhouse and how they are happy to bring GMO free foods to the local Spokane community. 35 West Main. |
Field Trip: Kelly Lerner's Home
Kelley Lerner has a small urban landscape, designed by Kelley and Ed Bryant with Urban Solutions. This is a micro-scale perennial food forest. Kelley is a local Green architect that loves to grow her own food. This site has been in the building process for 3 years now. Friday 800-9:30 Breakfast at One World Restaurant 1428 E. Sprague Ave. 9:30 10:30 announcements,... |
Field Trip: Elizabeth Gulick's Home
Elizabeth Gulick, a young woman from Spokane, has started an urban edible medicinal landscape this past year and is offering her site for visitors to come and see and hear why she has chosen the sustainable approach with her yard. This is also a young permaculture site that is geared torward beginning permaculture activity. |
Field Trip: Strawbale Home
Also on the tour is a straw-bale home in an existing historic neighborhood in Spokane, WA designed for aging in place. Passive solar design, daylighting, solar hot water heating, stained concrete and cork floors. Beautiful tile and plaster throughout. Delightful perennial and vegetable gardens designed by the owners. |
Field Trip: Robert Swanson's Home
Robert Swanson has been at his piece of property for over 20 years working with plants, wildlife, and insects bringing a food forest garden to his front steps. Robert's property features a great design with water, climbing vines, lots of exoctic growing techniqes and unusual crops such as wild rice, hardy kiwi, and lovage. Robert is working on being self sufficient with a root cellar and solar features to learn about. Robert is interested in creating community. |
Field Trip: The P.e.a.c.h. Community Farm
The P.e.a.c.h. Community Farm is a 32-acre diversified farm operated by the Spokane non-profit People for Environmental Action and Community Health. The farm offers on-farm education and instruction in food production and simple living skills to children, farmers, farmer wannabees, and backyard gardeners. P.e.a.c.h. raises certified organic vegetables and bedding plantsv (much of which are donated or sold to low-income customers at steeply discounted prices) as well as laying hens and is building a dairy herd of goats. |
Field Trip: Harmony Farms
Daniel and Colette Harrington own Harmony Farms. This unique farm is in Spokane Valley and offers a great example of organic ideas & energetic feng shui. THis site offers herb spirals, greenhouses, a small water structure and creative ideas with the valley's never ending rock abundance. |
Field Trip: Project H.O.P.E. Riverfront Farms
Project Hope’s Riverfront Farm is a scattered-site urban farm in West Central Spokane. Neighbors donate their property and the farming is done by at-risk youth from the neighborhood, Green Collar Job Corps. Young people also receive workforce training in lawn care and marketplace development. |