We’re transforming an abandoned school into a model for how to become more self-sufficient and sustainable in:
FOOD • SHELTER • ENERGY • CULTURE • EMPLOYMENT
Get into The Nitty Gritty or see:
Two-Eyed Seeing: Presentation by Mi’kmaw Elder Albert Marshall, May 21
“Two-Eyed Seeing” is learning to see from one eye with the strengths of Indigenous knowledges and ways of knowing, and from the other eye with the strengths of Western knowledges and ways of knowing … and learning to use both … Continue reading
Hands-On Permaculture Workshops
Here are details for the “Implementation Week” workshops that will be offered by Graham Calder of P3 Permaculture Design at the Blockhouse School Project during the week of May 28 to June 1, 2012. Hours: 9 am to 5 pm. Lunch is included. … Continue reading
PDC Day 5: Water
Permaculturalists design for water before anything else. Water is the limiting factor in many landscapes. Even in wet places like Nova Scotia it could be, and often is the limiting factor in late summer. As the climate changes, we can … Continue reading
PDC Day 4: Climate and microclimates
Today’s theme encompassed the broad strokes of world climate as well as the small details of microclimates created by features in the landscape. Graham emphasized the oversimplification of the hydrologic cycle as it is usually taught in schools, ignoring the … Continue reading
PDC Day 3: Patterns
Today was less intense than yesterday and rather fun, as we looked for patterns in individual plants and then on the grounds themselves, and speculated on the causes. For example: Only one of the apple trees is in full blossom … Continue reading
PDC Day 2
A few times during today’s class, immersed in techniques for living well on the earth without depleting its resources, the spell broke and I recalled my life and how very far most of us are from that goal. So far, … Continue reading
Abundance is the goal, sustainability is just the path.
A spontaneous Graham Calder quote from Day one of the PDC. Natural systems are abundant. They produce a surplus. Squirrels, for example, only eat about 15% of the nuts they store away. The rest become compost or oak trees. Sustainability … Continue reading
Merci Alexandre
Today we said goodbye to Alexandre Royer, who spent the last week with us at a very busy and sometimes chaotic time as we prepared for the PDC course. Alexandre is a Katimavik volunteer from Victoriaville, QC. He is part … Continue reading
PDC Day 1
We are 15 students in the Permaculture PDC course, and there were others who attended the Intro talk on Friday night who would have jumped in if they could. It’s a very interesting collection of people, some from the South … Continue reading
Permaculture students arriving
Today is arrival day for the Permaculture Design Certification course. Students are arriving from near and far with their camping gear. Last night Graham gave his very interesting Intro to Permaculture talk to about 20 people from the community. It … Continue reading
From zero to 120 in 3-and-a-half weeks
With the arrival of a Katimavik volunteer and PDC course work-share participants on site, the school is coming back to life and taking on a new energy. Various rooms are finding new uses. The kitchen is being cleaned, supplied and … Continue reading