|
Seattle Permaculture Guild SPG wiki
How to do Wiki Setup |
Main /
February2007Newsletter Newsletter for (Mid)February 2007 CONTENTS
ARTICLES EVENTS Fri, Feb 2: Sustainable Solutions - "Mama Earth - Her Destiny - Our Hands" with co-host SCAN TV Feb 10 (Sat), 9:30 AM - Noon. Biodiesel Basics. South Seattle Community CollegeBioLyle's For those interested in learning how to make biodiesel from used restaurant oil. You will learn the chemistry and tricks of making quality biodiesel by making small batches and experimenting with different vegetable oils, catalysts, and pH indicators. We will also cover washing, quality control, sources of supplies and equipment, methanol recovery, disposal of wastes, and reactor design, with an emphasis on the "Appleseed" reactor made from an electric water heater- which will be demonstrated in class! Other topics to be covered will include: myths and facts about biodiesel, cold weather issues, local availability, and what's going on locally and nationally with the movement. Whether you just want to learn more so you can decide whether or not to use biodiesel, or you want to make your own brew, this class will help you get underway. After the class, students will be invited to visit a small-scale home biodiesel processor. Registration and more info at http://biolyle.com February 10th - SOLAR HOME DESIGN CLASS Presented by Winter Sun Design & The University of Washington, ASUW Experimental College SATURDAY - 10AM – 4PM - on campus Course covers: Basic home energy types, systems, characteristics & conservation. The solar resource, solar gain, site assessment & feasibility. The emphasis is on practical design issues including; system types, characteristics, sizing, heat storage, construction details, efficiencies & costs. Green building materials and systems are discussed throughout. Instructor: Chris Herman, CPBD, owner of Winter Sun Design, (http://www.wintersundesign.com) established 1987 & Co-Founder of the Northwest Eco-Building Guild (http://www.ecobuilding.org) & the Solar Washington Association (http://www.solarwashington.org) . Cost: ($43 public or $31 UW Student) + $10 Exp. Col. Regis. fee Information: http://experimental.asuw.org or call Chris @ 206-525-3969 after 2:00 PM Registration: Call 68Learn (206-685-3276) http://depts.washington.edu/asuwxpcl/ NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY February 17th - "In A Jam?" Is your freezer overrun by all those berries you picked last summer? Do you need to make way for Spring and Summer’s bounty? Come and make delicious jams, jellies and chutneys. Marilene Richardson: Snohomish, WA - Suggested donation $25 More info here: http://www.communitysustainable.org/our-work.html February 17th - Wild Thyme Farm Saturday workshop series - Pruning, grafting, soil amendments, afternoon special: twig art for the garden
February 21st - Alternative Energy Around the Home & Farm Understanding Alternative Energy Use
With rising prices and recent power outages, many landowners are exploring alternative sources for energy. Come join us as we explore biofuels, and wind and solar technologies for around the home and farm. David Trione from Sound Power, Inc. will be on hand to discuss things to consider when adopting supplemental power sources. What you’ll learn:
Who should attend:
This is the first of our Tools for Resourceful Living series in Carnation, WA. The next class, Cisterns and Water Catchment: Getting Started is scheduled for March 21st, 6:30-8:30p.m. For a complete schedule of our Extension Education Events, please visit us at: http://www.king.wsu.edu/enviro/events.htm. February 24th - Saturday - Western Washington Fruit Tree Foundation - Winter Open House and Field Day More info here: http://www.seattlepermacultureguild.org/wwfrfnewsletter.pdf February 24 - 9:30 AM-12:00 Noon - Climate Impacts Forum set for Woodinville February 24 Location: Council Chambers, Woodinville City Hall, 17301 - 133rd Ave NE, Woodinville, WA Contact: Brenda Vanderloop, Phone: 425-788-9846, Cell: 206-498-9731 bv@vanderloop-pr.com If this winter's floods and windstorms are any indication, changing weather patterns will have a dramatic impact on the Puget Sound region. To discuss these issues, the public is invited to a free community forum, Climate Impacts-Storms & Stormwater, February 24 in the Woodinville City Hall Council Chambers, 17301 - 133rd Ave NE, Woodinville. Urban planners, stormwater managers, farmers, builders, and homeowners are invited to learn about practical, environmentally sound strategies for responding to increased rain and flooding. The forum will focus on ways everyone can play a role in making our community more resilient to climate change. The doors to the Woodinville City Council Chamber lobby will open at 9:30 AM for greetings, refreshments and viewing informative displays, with the forum beginning at 10:00. Speakers include Lara Whitely Binder, water resources specialist with the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group, who will present the latest science on the effects of climate change in our region. Yosh Monzaki, City of Woodinville Surface Water Engineer, will report on stormwater management and how the City may respond to new state and federal regulations. And David McDonald of Seattle Public Utilities will provide an overview of low impact stormwater mitigation strategies. As Kentucky farmer Wendell Berry stated, "Urban people have agricultural responsibilities." One of those responsibilities is not to pollute the land that feeds them. According to the Department of Ecology, urban stormwater is Western Washington's primary source of water pollution. Rapid urbanization and increased stormwater runoff directly contribute to the destruction of local farms. East King County farmers suffered more than $1 million dollars in damage from last November's floods. Stormwater runoff is considered toxic by the FDA, which has ordered that crops inundated by flooding must be destroyed. At the Climate Impacts Forum we will highlight the increasing threat of urban stormwater to local farms. Stormwater mitigation is one way everyone can help protect our food supply. This will be the second in a series of forums sponsored by 21 Acres, a non-profit organization committed to sustainable agriculture practices while putting into place an infrastructure that will help support small farms. The new agricultural and environmental education site planned for the Sammamish Valley will demonstrate new ways to work with our natural resources while addressing sustainable, low impact approaches to stormwater management. For more information about the Climate Impacts Forum, call Brenda Vanderloop at 425-788-9846, or visit: http://www.21acres.org/ Biodynamic Composting Workshops with Barbara Scott,M.Sc.
The single most important thing to know about gardening is how to make good compost. The longer we garden, the more we understand that the answer to most garden questions is living compost. Good, lively compost ...
Soil fertility is the key to serving future generations and is the foundation of any farm or garden. With a sufficient supply of good compost, the gardener is prepared to co-create with the spirit world a wonderful garden. To understand plant life we must expand our view to include all that affects plant growth. Biodynamics recognizes the basic principles at work in nature and uses these principles to bring about balance and healing. Based on the work of Rudolf Steiner, it integrates precise observation of natural phenomena, clear thinking and knowledge of the spirit. This workshop gives you the foundation you need to balance your soil and grow plants that have the life forces needed to create free human beings. For more info, see pdf image here: http://www.seattlepermacultureguild/BDCompost.pdf February 25th - Sunday - Seattle Permaculture Guild February Potluck/Skillsharing What: Seed sharing/planning/plant propagating knowledge, Potluck and SPG Meeting. Where: Steve's - 12009 26th Ave so, Seattle When:
Who: Anyone interested in permaculture and would like to become more involved and shape the future of the Seattle Permaculture Guild. What to bring: Extra seeds you want to share, your favorite seed catalogs, books on plant propagation, Potluck dish(preferably vegetarian), a plate and spork, and your ideas for the SPG's future. Please RSVP to: Steve February 26th - Phinney EcoVillage: SaveTime, Save Money, Save the Planet
Learn how to create a slower more enjoyable and sustainable lifestyle while getting to know your neighbors and making a difference. We need to learn to live simpler, slower, and smaller! For more information on the Phinney EcoVillage, go to http://www.phinneyecovillage.net. Taught by Cecile Andrews, author of "Slow is Beautiful: New Visions of Community, Leisure, and Joie de Vivre" To register , go to http://www.phinneycenter.org or call 206/783-2244. $5 at the door February 28th - Sustainable Heating Systems - 7-9pm Come and join us as we have Buzz Burgett of NW Mechanical, John Lower with Total Energy Concepts, Inc, and Amy Warren of PSCAA talk about sustainable heating system options and methods in 2007. We will have a roundtable after all of the presentations. Bring your questions and come out to the Phinney Center on the 28th of February from 7-9pm. Full List of Topics that will be discussed:
Where:
Contact:
Fri, Mar 2: Reducing our Ecological Footprint with co-host Sierra Club Seattle Group Weekend Property Design Workshop - Permaculture for the Suburbs
This workshop is for people with small suburban properties who want to work in harmony with nature to produce an abundance of food in a functional environment of beauty. Through an interactive and hands-on approach, participants will learn how to integrate the following into the small space of a typical suburban section: organic vegetable gardens, herbs and flowers, orchard, physical structures, children's play spaces, small animal systems, water features and small wilderness areas. Using a Permaculture approach to landscape design, this workshop takes place on a residential lot in Snohomish, a property we utilize as our learning ground, culminating in an integrated design and practical activities on their land. The workshop includes observation skills, site analysis, holistic goal setting, permaculture design principles and practical organic growing techniques. The workshop generally begins with a public Slideshow Presentation: Small Space: Big Harvest: an introduction to Suburban Permaculture followed by two full days of Property Design Workshop. It is necessary to attend both days.
981 State St, Raymond WA 98577 TUTORS: Huckleberry Leonard & Brent Naylor Both are highly accomplished in functional, landscape design & installation and participatory-style Permaculture education.
March 3rd - Seattle Permaculture Guild Movie Night - "The Future of Food" showing. Come join our first "Movie Night" with the viewing of "The Future of Food", followed by a desert potluck. About the film: "The new(2004) documentary, created by Deborah Koons Garcia, uses archival footage and interviews with farmers and agriculture experts to argue that GMO foods are jeopardizing our food safety. During the past 10 years, the film tells us, genetically engineered crops have infected our food supply and undermined cultivation methods that have been refined over thousands of years. The Future of Food lays out a detailed case against genetically engineered crops. Exploring a gamut of issues from so-called suicide seeds to lax food-safety enforcement laws, and from the controversy over patented genes to infected cornfields,...." -excerpt from Wired News- The schedule is to begin the film at 6pm, with a discussion and desert potluck afterwards. Because seating is limited, please RSVP to Nelda for directions. March 3rd - 10-2pm Green elephant plant swap at Holy Cross Church in Redmond. BARTER ONLY. some freebies. will trade for sweets!! More info here: http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/bar/274521180.html March 3rd&4th, 9:30 – 5:30 - Living Willow Landscape Structures - A Hands-On Weekend Workshop Pratt Fine Arts Center, 1902 S. Main St., Seattle $180 Living willow structures are an English countryside landscape technique that can be used to create sculptural forms like domes, tunnels, fences, arches, chairs and benches. Willow is a plentiful and vigorous native plant, easily harvested and useful in ecological restoration projects. When planted and woven, it continues to grow, making a delightfully wild accent in the landscape that evokes a collaborative relationship between humans and nature. This hands-on workshop will cover all aspects of working with living willow, including locating, harvesting, and processing the material, and all the tools and techniques needed for making domes, tunnels, and benches, while building a unique structure on the Pratt grounds. We will also discuss further possibilities for practice and research, and students will have the option of making a simple basket form to take home. Instructor: Josho Somine has been studying and practicing the techniques of ecologically sustainable living for 10 years. He has done sculptural, natural building, and permaculture teaching work nationally and internationally, working with a wide range of sites and communities. He has a BFA in Sculpture from the California College of Arts & Crafts, and willow sticks have been his favorite medium for 5 years. Further information at: http://pratt.org/CATALOGUE/WINTER_07/sculpture.pdf March 10th - "Starting Seeds from Scratch" - We will cover seed selection, cool crops and heat crops, pricking out and potting up as well as how to propagate herbs by cuttings. Marilene Richardson: Snohomish, WA - Suggested donation $35 + $10 materials fee More info here: http://www.communitysustainable.org/our-work.html March 12th-16th - Implementing Permaculture Principles - Wolf Camp Cooperative This Intensive Adult Camp has no prerequisite. It runs Mon-Fri 9:00-6:00 and is also open to ages 13-17 by special acceptance and with prerequisites. $275, minus credit for previous permaculture courses you may have taken, plus $50 if beyond the March 1 registration deadline. After reviewing permaculture principles and their application to what we are doing here at the Wolf Camp Cooperative, we'll work with our farm animals qne we'll caretake the land to quicken portions into productive forest gardens of fruits and nuts; we'll cultivate vegetable and herb gardens using the Fucuoco (nono-tilling) method with the goal of feeding all campers throughout the season. Sustainble energies projects include hooking up a water mill and solar panel for power, making a bicycle powered generator , make biodiesel, and tinker with our veggie-oil powered vehicles. Scroll down or click on logistics for information such as directions, packing list, plus camping options the night before and after. For info on special discount, email: Jeri For more info on Wolf Camp Cooperative go to : http://wolfcamp.com/adult/intensives.html March 14th - Rainwater Harvesting, Catching, and Management
Join Mike Broili in an in-depth discussion about rainwater harvesting systems, design and management strategies. Mike will discuss rainwater harvesting systems for flushing toilets and doing Laundry. This class includes a tour of the Phinney Centers rainwater catchment system, used for flushing toilets. To register , go to http://www.phinneycenter.org or call 206/783-2244. $20 PNA member/ $25 non-member. March 17th - Spring Equinox Celebration and Potluck with "Bread & Barter" Come with something "old" and leave with something "new". Share in music and storytelling as we gather around the bonfire. Stef and Corinna Frenzl: Snohomish, WA More info here: http://www.communitysustainable.org/our-work.html March 17th - Wild Thyme Farm Saturday workshop series - Gardening in the Spring - Planting, mulching, soil fertility
March 18th(sunday) - Cold Frame / Worm Bin Workshop from recyled materials- SPG monthly potluck Build your own cold frame or worm bin, or help someone else build theirs. All recycled material provided for free. Quantity is limited, but come learn about sources of materials. Tools provided also.
Location is at Steve's in the south end of Seattle. Please RSVP to Steve, for directions. March 24th - Biodiesel Homebrew Workshop
An introduction to biodiesel with hands-on experience for those interested in making biodiesel from waste restaurant oil. Learn the chemistry and tricks of making quality biodiesel by making small batches and experimenting with different vegetable oils, catalysts, and pH indicators. Various reactor designs are presented, followed by a visit to a nearby home reactor. Instructor Lyle Rudensy makes his own fuel. For more info on the class go to http://www.biolyle.com To register , go to http://www.phinneycenter.org or call 206/783-2244. $60 PNA member/ $65 non-member April 17th - Integrating Permaculture Principles Into Your Organic Garden
Learn the principles of permaculture and how to apply them in a backyard setting. Permaculture takes us beyond organic gardening and uses "systems" thinking to create efficient and abundant gardens that integrate human needs with the natural ecosystem. Its goal is to create a landscape where inputs are minimized and relationships between plants, animals and people are nurtured. To register, go to: http://www.seattletilth.org - $25 PNA or Seattle Tilth member/ $27 non-member. April 21st - Wild Thyme Farm Saturday workshop series - Edible landscaping and agroforestry, food forest maintenance.
April 22nd - HANDS-ON FERMENTATION WORKSHOP with Sandor Ellix Katz, author of Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods 10:00AM-3:00PM at the Fertile Ground Guest House, Olympia Come experience how simple it is to make your own miso, kimchi, kefir, and other fermented delicacies. Learn about the healing qualities of live-culture ferments and their illustrious history. Be part of the fermentation revival! $35-50 sliding scale, lunch included. Pre-registration is required, as space is limited. For info and registration details contact Marisha via email at queenbee@herbnwisdom.com or phone 360-943-5262. For info on Sandor, his books, and fermentation, check out http://www.wildfermentation.com. April 29th - Sunday - "Cheese Glorious Cheese" - Learn to make delicious country-style cheeses. Stef and Corinna Frenzl: Snohomish, WA. Suggested donation $35 + $10 materials fee More info here: http://www.communitysustainable.org/our-work.html May 11-13 - Native Plants and Permaculture: A Gathering of Plant Enthusiasts
The Lost Valley Center has been one of Oregon's main venues for permaculture events and courses since the 1980s. The gathering's goal is to find common ground and encourage new alliances between the Native Plant and Permaculture communities in developing ecologically-integrated self-sustenance and native habitat preservation in the Pacific Northwest. Throughout the weekend, walks, talks, discussions and activities will explore the roles of native and nonnative plants in our cultivated and noncultivated landscapes. Presenters include Michael Pilarski (Friends of the Trees Society), Toby Hemenway (author, Gaia's Garden), Jude Hobbs (Agroecology Northwest), Rick Valley (Lost Valley Educational Center) and many others. May 11-13 BASICS OF COB - 3 days Whidbey Island, WA $250 Cob is a mixture of sand, clay, soil, and straw ingredients that are readily available for little or no cost. Think of it as sculpting with clay. Walls, benches, furniture and bookshelves are just a few of the things that you can build with cob. Cob will not burn or rot and provides insulation and, more importantly, thermal mass. It’s also pleasing to the eye and comfortable to live in. This will be a hands-on 3-day course covering the basics: site selection, materials, mixing and building techniques. Come prepared to get dirty. Workshop begins Friday at 4pm. Bring a dish to share for dinner. Lunch provided Saturday & Sunday. to Register go to : http://naturalbuildingschool.org/workshops.html May 12th - "Herb Vinegar and Oil Workshop" Keep a little bit of Spring with you all year. Make delicious and nutritious herbal vinegars and oils. Marilene R. & Corinna Frenzl: Snohomish, WA - Suggested donation $35 + $10 materials fee More info here: http://www.communitysustainable.org/our-work.html May 18 - 27: Village Building Convergence, Portland, OR The Village Building Convergence is part of The City Repair Project Placemaking Program, fulfilling City Repair’s mission to educate, inspire and activate local communities and develop our city and bioregion as a network of interconnected Village Centers. As villagers, we seek to combine our highest knowledge and understanding of history, contemporary conditions, social, appropriate ecological and technological innovations, and our respect for future generations. For more info go to: http://www.cityrepair.org/wiki.php/projects/vbc7 May 19th - Saturday - "Earthen Oven Workshop" Come stomp in the mud as you learn how to construct your own earthen oven. Marilene R. & Amy Kramer-Hawks: Snohomish, WA - Suggested donation $45 More info here: http://www.communitysustainable.org/our-work.html May 19th - Wild Thyme Farm Saturday workshop series - Native landscape restoration for wildlife, noxious weed control.
June 13th - Rainwater Harvesting, Catching, and Management
Join Mike Broili in an in-depth discussion about rainwater harvesting systems, design and management strategies. Mike will discuss rainwater harvesting systems for flushing toilets and doing Laundry. This class includes a tour of the Phinney Centers rainwater catchment system, used for flushing toilets. To register , go to http://www.phinneycenter.org or call 206/783-2244. $20 PNA member/ $25 non-member. June 19th - Wild Thyme Farm Saturday workshop series - Summer garden planting, creating an herb spiral.
June 23rd - Saturday - Summer Solstice Celebration and Potluck and "Bread & Barter" Come with something "old" and leave with something "new". Share in music and storytelling as we gather around the bonfire. Marilene Richardson: Snohomish, WA More info here: http://www.communitysustainable.org/our-work.html June 23rd - FAMILY ARCHITECTURAL MODEL-MAKING WORKSHOP For Adults and Youth 9 and up
Get a special guided viewing of SAF’s permanent Blueprints: 100+ Years of Seattle Architecture exhibit and make your own model to take home. This intergenerational workshop will pair adults and youth together to design a building and make a model. Learn about design elements such as scale, texture, pattern, and perspective, while exploring how buildings and spaces impact communities and influence the ways people live, work, and play. Registration is limited to ten (10) family teams. Advance registration and pre-payment are required. To register, call the SAF office at 206.667.9184. Online registration is not available at this time. July 12-14 - BASICS OF COB - 3 days Whidbey Island, WA $250 Cob is a mixture of sand, clay, soil, and straw ingredients that are readily available for little or no cost. Think of it as sculpting with clay. Walls, benches, furniture and bookshelves are just a few of the things that you can build with cob. Cob will not burn or rot and provides insulation and, more importantly, thermal mass. It’s also pleasing to the eye and comfortable to live in. This will be a hands-on 3-day course covering the basics: site selection, materials, mixing and building techniques. Come prepared to get dirty. Workshop begins Friday at 4pm. Bring a dish to share for dinner. Lunch provided Saturday & Sunday. To Register go to : http://naturalbuildingschool.org/workshops.html [[#ancientearth3] August 3-5 PLASTER - 3 days Whidbey Island, WA $250 This workshop will explore the versatility and application of earthen plasters. We will be doing interior and exterior plasters, window and door detail work, bah relief, and fresco applications. This is your chance to get really muddy and learn plastering techniques that you can use with your own building projects. We will be plastering over a number of different materials, including light straw clay, earth bags, and wood. Workshop begins Friday at 4pm. Bring a dish to share for dinner. Lunch provided Saturday & Sunday. To Register go to : http://naturalbuildingschool.org/workshops.html ORGANIZATION OF THE GUILD
Non tribe members can send event info to seattlepermacultureguild@gmail.com. This info will be compiled by a rotating volunteer twice a month and posted to the permaculture website, the tribe, and emailed to the guild list. If you've planned an event, and didn't make the newsletter, take advantage of tribe and post your event there.
check out the Seattle Permaculture Guild at http://tribes.tribe.net/seattlepermacultureguild and join the tribe. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
(anyone can post on this wiki, password is 'spgedit')
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
Greetings! I have been nestling into my new location in Olympia, Fertile Ground Guesthouse and Community Center. This beautiful example of urban permaculture is on a double lot in downtown Olympia, directly behind the Timberland Library. We are available to host many events, including pizza parties for local non-profits using our cob oven. Fertile Ground will be the location for many upcoming events in the future. We have diverse facilities here at Fertile Ground, including a great kitchen for classes, musical instruments, and a studio/classroom space with projection possibilities. Please contact me if you are interested in using our space for your event as well. Check out our website at http://www.fertileground.org And here for calendar of events: http://www.fertileground.org/community/calendar.html
WORK OPPORTUNITIES Job Openning: Community Garden Coordinator (DON-702326)
For complete description go to: http://www.seattle.gov/personnel/employment/view.asp?j=DON-702326 Washington Toxics Coalition (WTC)is seeking an enthusiastic, creative, and self-motivated Development Associate to help us grow our organization. This is a full-time position whose primary responsibilities include: coordinating membership activities, working on our annual fundraising dinner and auction, providing administrative support for development activities, and acting as our database manager. The Development Associate reports to the Development Director. Application deadline March 27th. For more info go here: http://www.watoxics.org/about/job-dev-associate Climate Protection job opportunity with City of Seattle http://www.seattle.gov/personnel/employment/view.asp?j=DON-702264 There is a very exciting job opportunity open right now at the City of Seattle's Department of Neighborhoods to help communities in Seattle develop projects and apply for funding to address climate change at the community level. The position announcement closes 2/18. Many, many thanks! Cheers, Pam Emerson - Seattle Office of Sustainability & Environment
|