Upcoming Regional Events

special screening of Numen: The Nature of Plants

Wednesday, February 3rd at 7:00 pm at the Lake Harriet Spirituality Center
4401 Upton Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN  55410
Presented by the North Country Herbalist Guild
$5-10 suggested donation

Numen: The Nature of Plants is an 80-minute documentary film focusing on the healing power of plants and the natural world.  Numen, defined as the animating force in nature, brings together innovative thinkers to discuss how 0our disconnection from nature affects human and environmental health and the healing made possible by embracing our place in the wider web of life.  We hop to inspire viewers to think deeply about the source of their medicine and the impact of healthcare systems on their health and the earth.

"Numen is a magnificent depiction of the healing essence of plants.  The filmmakers captured the magic, the mystery, the beauty of plants and their importance as herbal medicine in our contemporary health care systems.  Inspiring and educational, Numen has a place in the library of anyone interested in medicine, plants, gardening and earth ecology.  It's a powerful film that I'll recommend that everyone see."  - Rosemary Gladstar, Herbalist

For more information visit nchg.org and numenfilm.com.

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Workshop: Water Harvesting and
Erosion Control Strategies

Water defines landscapes and cultures.It is a key element in farm and settlement design. Waters inherent properties allow it to either be a life giving element or a violent and erosive force depending on land use and design. In this one day course we will explore the nature of water and ways to make it an ally in any situation. Infiltration measures such as swaling as well as keyline design, ponds, aquaculture and erosion control strategies will be looked at in depth. The majority of the techniques to be discussed are simple low technology strategies that can be implemented on a human scale. It is our hope that folks will leave the course with the knowledge and skills necessary to slow and eventually stop any erosion on their land while building soil and extending the time water is in the landscape. This last point is increasing in significance as drought is extending and rain is coming more and more in pulses that flush out of the system taking soil and minerals with it.

When: February 6, 9a.m-5p.m

Cost: One day workshop-$50 or one day worktrade
Both one day workshops-$75 or one day worktrade

Contact: Nathaniel or Shyam Larson: 715-779-0155, 34320 Old Cty K / Bayfield, WI 54814, http://www.thedraw.org

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Workshop: Thinking in Systems

One way to describe permaculture is settlement design based in systems thinking (also known as cybernetics and complexity). It is just about the opposite of how most of us were trained to think. How we think is so deeply ingrained in us that most of us don’t ever even realize there are alternative ways of knowing. The limits to the dominant way of knowing in our culture, namely reductionism, is becoming increasingly evident as human and ecological systems continue to degrade. Thinking in systems is the foundation upon which regenerative ecological and social solutions can be implemented. In this one day workshop we will explore a new way of knowing that is holistic and biological. We will look at biology generally and ecology, evoloution, physiology and ontology (individual development) specifically through the lens of systems thinking and see just how radically different they become. We will also relate this new way of knowing to agriculture, politics and communication to come up with a pattern language for a regenerative society. We hope people will leave the course with a better understanding of the framework of their thought (assumptions) and an understanding of a new way of knowing that will empower them to look at old problems with new lenses and come up with holistic solutions that instead of creating more problems solve them.

When: February 8, 9am - 5pm

Cost: One day workshop-$50 or one day worktrade
Both one day workshops-$75 or one day worktrade

Contact: Nathaniel or Shyam Larson: 715-779-0155, 34320 Old Cty K / Bayfield, WI 54814, http://www.thedraw.org

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2010 Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society Winter Conference

Tuesday, Feb. 9th thru Thursday, Feb. 11th
Watertown Event Center
Watertown, S.D.

Guest Speakers Include:

• Tom Stearns - High Mowing Organic Seeds
• Dr. Paul Dettloff, DVM
• Karl Schmidt - Glacial Lakes Permaculture
• Dwayne Beck - Dakota Lakes Research Farm

Workshops • Entertainment • Over 50 Exhibitors

Details and registration at http://www.npsas.org/events.html.

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Ecological Agriculture

In this two day workshop we will focus on the agricultural component of the
permaculture agenda. Topics will include: forest gardening, aquaculture, integration of systems, animals large
and small, water harvesting techniques, terra forming, erosion control, ecology, natural history, indigenous land management techniques, implementation strategies and more. We will look at agriculture with a systems perspective and see how we can design our farms and gardens in the image of an ecosystem.

When: February 20-21

Cost: $75 or one day worktrade

Contact: Nathaniel or Shyam Larson: 715-779-0155, 34320 Old Cty K / Bayfield, WI 54814, http://www.thedraw.org

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Sustainable Farming 2020: What does it look like?  How do we get there?

Saturday, February 20, 2010
St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN
Click here for more conference information

At the close of the first decade of the 21st century, many people are
looking back at the decade that was. The Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota (SFA) is looking forward to living, working, learning, building, eating and farming in the decade to come and beyond. There are many challenges that sustainable farming will face; however, there are many opportunities as well. No one can predict the future, but you can farm and live with an eye towards sustainability and work towards more resilient farming systems.

At SFA’s 19th Annual Conference on Saturday, February 20 at St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN, the day will revolve around: “Sustainable Farming 2020: What Does it look like? How do we get there?” The
conference will also feature a variety of breakout sessions, speakers
and exhibits on the future of sustainable farming in the face of
climate change and rising input costs, practical skills sessions,
sessions on local foods and youth, and the debut of the sustainable
farming movie, “Farm Forward.”

“Farming 2020: A Sustainable Vision”
Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie will be the keynote speaker
at our 2010 conference. In the 1980s, Ritchie worked for Governor Rudy
Perpich in the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, addressing the
economic crisis threatening family farmers and rural communities. From
1988 to 2006, he served as president of the Institute for Agriculture
and Trade Policy. Ritchie will speak on the subject of “Farming 2020: A
Sustainable Vision.”

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Wild Ones 2010 Spring Conference: Design with Nature - Creating healthy communities above and below ground

Saturday, February 27, 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Radisson Hotel Roseville, 2540 North Cleveland Ave., Roseville, MN 55113

The St. Croix Oak Savanna and Twin Cities chapters of “Wild Ones” are
partnering with the Minnesota Chapter of the American Society of
Landscape Architects (MASLA), and "Blue Thumb-Planting for Clean Water"
to present noted speakers Douglas Tallamy, Ed Plaster, Welby Smith, and
Evelyn Hadden speaking about creating healthy communities above and
below ground. Our experts will share the latest research in designing
beneficial habitats using native plants to provide essential support
for insects, birds, and wildlife. Also featured are exhibitors from
native plant nurseries, natural landscape designers, and environmental
organizations. Please join us for an exciting day of ideas in
preparation for spring.

Space is limited so sign up early. For more information, and to
register, visit: http://for-wild.org/chapters/twincities/expo.html.
Register by Feb. 22nd by mail or on-line. Cost is $40 for Wild Ones and
MASLA members, $45 nonmembers. Fee for full-time students is $20. Price
includes buffet lunch. For additional information call 612-293-3833 or
email designwithnature.conference@gmail.com.

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Presentation: Regenerating Communities, Ecosystems and Landscapes by Design

Friday, March 12
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm (registration at 5:30 pm)
University of Iowa Pomerantz Center, 21 E. Market Street, Iowa City
$10 per person
Pay at the door or pre-register online. Free to University of Iowa Students-show your student ID at the door.

The keynote presentation will be given by Dave Jacke, award winning author of Edible Forest Gardens.

How can we regenerate healthy human communities and natural
ecosystems while meeting our own needs? What is the future of food in
an era of economic disruption, peak oil, and climate chaos? Healthy
forests maintain, fertilize, and renew themselves naturally, while
creating habitats of high productivity and deep beauty. These
ecosystems can serve as models for garden and culture design and offer
the same benefits. Edible forest gardens mimic the structure and
function of natural forests and grow food, fuel, fiber, fodder,
fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, and fun!

This presentation introduces the forest gardening vision and presents
living examples of gardens as well as a sampling of perennial edibles
you can grow. It shows how the underlying ecology of forest ecosystems
can teach us ways to organize our own communities and cities to meet
the challenges of the future right here, right now. We will also ask
what role our species can and should assume in our local and global
ecosystems and how that translates to concrete action where we live.

The evening will end with a panel discussion about bringing sustainability to our community. Panelists include:

• Liz Christiansen, University of Iowa Sustainability Coordinator
• Jason Grimm, Iowa Valley RC&D Food Systems Planner
• Dave Jacke, author and ecological designer
• Brenda Nations, Iowa City Environmental Coordinator

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Workshop: Principles and Practices of Regenerative Design

Saturday-Sunday, March 13-14
9:00 am – 5:00 pm (doors open at 8:30 am)
University of Iowa Pomerantz Center, 21 E. Market Street, Iowa City
$110 per person ($125 after March 1. Includes lunch and snacks.)
Pre-registration required: register online.

This weekend workshop will be led by Dave Jacke, award winning author of Edible Forest Gardens, Chris Jackson, ecological landscape designer and educator.

Evidence of planet-wide damage caused by humans abounds: polluted
rivers and waterways, toxins in our soil and food, climate change, loss
of biodiversity, peak oil and more. We stand on the verge of
threatening our own survival, as well as that of other species. We
cannot maintain our economy if we deplete the natural resources that
support our jobs and businesses. People are asking, “What kind of
future are we creating for our children and grandchildren?”

What can we do? As caring residents, now is the time to learn new ways
to positively contribute to improving our community’s environmental and
social health. We must heed the words of Einstein: “We cannot solve the
significant problems we face at the same level of thinking we were at
when we created them.” We need to ask, “What new ways of thinking will
get us out of this mess and help us restore our world to health?”

We can look to nature for answers. Healthy ecosystems are based on
interdependence and mutually beneficial connections. With nature’s
help, we can heal landscapes, our community, our planet, and ourselves.

This workshop will give you the solid base of a holistic, ecological
worldview, while simultaneously offering practical solutions that
demonstrate how we can create a sustainable, abundant community.
Ecological principles form the foundation of this way of seeing, and
offer concrete directions for finding solutions to multiple problems
with maximum effect for least effort. These principles apply at all
scales, from your garden bed, to your neighborhood, to cities, to whole
regions, and in every realm of human endeavor. We invite you to
experience a new way of looking at our world, and through that lens,
you will find empowerment and skills you never knew existed.

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Twin Cities Training for Transition, March 26, 27

Good Work, Inc. (GWI) is pleased to announce the Twin Cities first Training for Transition. GWI, a St. Paul based nonprofit organization, is committed to helping and inspiring people to create innovative solutions that build a more resilient, just and caring society. As an ally of the Transition Towns movement and rooted in the Twin Cities area, GWI catalyzes and supports the development of local Transition Initiatives.

The Training for Transition (T4T) course is designed to give a detailed introduction to the most important skills necessary to successfully set up, develop, and run a Transition project in your locality. It is designed for people who are already in a group working to achieve this, or are thinking of creating such a group. The full curriculum for the T4T can be found here.
At the end of the course participants will:
·      * Have a clear understanding of the context for Transition Initiatives, the current global situation and the transformational possibilities that arise from climate change, peak oil and the economic crisis.

·      * Know what the Transition model is – including an in-depth look at the 12 steps, from inspiration, setting up the initiating group, all the way to having active and effective working groups.

·      * Have experienced a joint visioning process.

·      * Understand how to organize effective meetings such as public talks, open space days, and small theme working groups.

·      * Understand the purpose and principles of an Energy Descent Action Plan.

·      * Have the outline of an effective and inspiring talk on the Transition movement.

·      *Have formed useful contacts with other Transition Initiatives and individuals interested in the Transition model.

·      * Have a plan of action for themselves and their locality.

This training will follow the Transition model in paying attention to both the outer work and the inner work necessary for a successful transition process. The course is participatory, action learning-based and fun, with participants invited to share their own experience and learn from the many different transition projects represented in the group.

Location: Twin Cities Friends Meeting House
1725 Grand Avenue, St Paul, MN
Date: March 26-27, 8am-5pm
Limit: 22 participants
Costs: $220 before February 5, 2010, $250 after February 5, 2010

A Limited number of scholarships are available. Please inquire.
For those we are able, paying the entire fee allows others who can’t afford it to participate.

Healthy snacks, available throughout the training, are included in the fees. Lunch, on your own, is available within walking distance from the site, or participants may bring their own lunch. Please contact us for housing options for traveling participants.  An optional evening dinner gathering on Friday night is being planned. If you're interested in offering a place to house traveling participants, please contact us.

To register, please contact Mao Moua at Good Work, Inc.
Phone: 651 298 1343
Email: Training@goodworkinc.org
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All-Seasons Permaculture Design Course starting in April 2010

Learn about permaculture throughout the seasons, with a focus on cold climates
This team-taught Permaculture Design Course covers the standard PDC curriculum commonly taught all over the world, but will include extra information tailored to the colder climate of the northern plains, as well as practical, hands-on components to spur active learning about permaculture processes and design. The PDC will run one day or weekend per month from April 2010 to March 2011. Come learn how to apply permaculture to your home, farm, and life throughout the four seasons!

Topics will include:

• History, Principles and Ethics of Permaculture
• Permaculture Design
• Whole farm design and planning
• Trees, forests, and windbreaks
• Water harvesting, storage, recycling
• Ecosystems, landscapes and soils
• Earthworking
• Urban and suburban permaculture
• Kitchen gardens, season extension
• Orchards and forest gardens
• Animals in permaculture design
• Sustainable building design
• Preserving the harvest
• And much more....

DON’T MISS OUT ON THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY!

FOR MORE INFORMATION, OR TO REGISTER, PLEASE CONTACT US:
WEB:    http://glaciallakespermaculture.org
E-MAIL: karl@glaciallakespermaculture.org
ADDRESS: GLACIAL LAKES PERMACULTURE, 46554 SD HWY 28, ESTELLINE, SD 57234-6032

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Permaculture Design Certification (PDC) Course

The Global Environmental Education Center (GEM) is offering a Permaculture
Design Certificate Course Aug. 9-20, 2010. This is an intensive, 72-hour
course in the design and use of sustainable-living systems, and will be
held at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Saukville Field Station.

More information and an online registration form is available at
http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/gem/PermacultureCourse/PermacultureHome.htm.

Please contact gem@uwsp.edu with any questions.

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