Sivananda Yoga Ranch Permaculture programs

Memorial Day Permaculture Retreat: Creating a Backyard Permaculture Garden with Julia and Charles Yelton May 23 – 26 2008 Includes the full ashram schedule plus 14 hours of Permaculture Design and Hands-on sessions. Cost: $100 (plus accommodations) Certification Course for Permaculture Design with Toby Hemenway and Larry Santoyo August 16 – 29 2008
	What is Permaculture? “Permaculture is a design system for creating sustainable human environments,” Bill Mollison, an Australian ecologist and father of Permaculture. It is a living system that creates a richer harmony between human dwellings, food production, animals, plants, water consumption and waste. In the 1980’s Swami Vishnudevananda set the Sivananda Ashrams on the path of sustainability. He saw the dangers of a social infra-structure of energy, agriculture, transportation, and waste disposal cut off from sustainability and local control. He used to joke about what would happen to New York, if the electricity, the water, or the sewage system stopped working. He fitted his house with solar panels, and passive solar heating; installed green houses and found ways to use the water power of the local stream. He built a log house and a pyramid from the logs in the forest. In 1979 he sent me for a weekend intensive with Bob Mollison. – Srinivasan (Ashram director)
	About the Teachers Julia and Charles Yelton, formerly of Crystal Waters Permaculture Village in Queensland, Australia, have been traveling, teaching and living Permaculture for the last 15 years. Julia is a master gardener skilled in landscape design. Charles teaches design engineering and management skills. Together they have built a sustainable, energy efficient demonstration home and gardens in Whitefield, ME and continue to travel, teach and design Permaculture systems. “Permaculture is an all encompassing framework of life skills that can be applied no matter what your occupation, where you live or what the climate. There are also spiritual aspects of Permaculture – who we are, where we came from, and our place in the cosmos. In these workshops, we include the full daily schedule of the Yoga Ranch as well as Permaculture classes with hands on training.” – Charles Yelton
	Toby Hemenway is the author of the first major North American book on permaculture, Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, and an adjunct professor at Portland State University. He is also Scholar in Residence at Pacific University. Toby and his wife spent ten years creating a rural permaculture site in southern Oregon. He was associate editor of Permaculture Activist, a journal of ecological design and sustainable culture, from 1999 to 2004. His current project is developing urban sustainability resources in Portland, Oregon, where he now lives. He teaches permaculture and consults and lectures on ecological design throughout the country. His writing has appeared in magazines such as Whole Earth Review, Natural Home, and Kitchen Gardener. He is available for workshops, lectures, and consulting in ecological design.
	Larry Santoyo is an artist, land use planner and green business consultant. He is among the most experienced Permaculture Designers and Educators in the US and has taught environmental design at colleges and universities nationwide, including UC Berkeley and California State Polytechnic University. Larry is Director of EarthFlow Design Works,a community planning and design firm that integrates economic development strategies with ecological systems management.
	Permaculture Design Course August 16-29, 2008 A Certificate Course for Urban and Rural Residents, Planners, Land Managers & Design Professionals. This training covers the fundamentals of ecological design, given by two of the country's most experienced permaculture instructors, and many local guests. Join us at a rural retreat center near Woodbourne, New York. Upon completion, attendees will receive a Permaculture Design Trainee Certificate from the Permaculture Institute. Course topics include: Re-Localizing Food Production Organizing Eco-Neighborhoods Simple Steps Toward Sustainable Lifestyles and Communities Natural Building & Property Development Adding Beauty & Value to Your Home Strategies for Energy Descent & Peak Oil Green Business Strategies and Finding your Right-Livelihood Career Who should take this course: The Permaculture Design Course has transformed the lives and enhanced the careers of thousands of architects, landscapers, community developers, social workers, city planners, teachers, students, farmers, gardeners, homeowners, business owners and others. It's for anyone serious about creating a sustainable future! Permaculture principles apply to any scale of design, to highly urbanized areas, suburbs, and rural communities and properties. Curriculum includes inspiring examples of sustainable land use from around the world. The course is taught via lecture, images and videos, group discussion, exercises, hands-on work, a final design project, and other methods that suit a wide variety of learning styles. The teaching team: TOBY HEMENWAY is the author of Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, Scholar-in-Residence at Pacific University, and adjunct professor at Portland State University. He is Director of the Center for Pattern Literacy and Field Director for the Permaculture Institute (USA). Toby is the former editor of Permaculture Activist Magazine, and his articles have appeared in Fine Gardening, Natural Home, Whole Earth Review, and other national magazines. LARRY SANTOYO is Vice President of the Permaculture Institute (USA), Co-director of The Terra Foundation, and is the founder of the MicroVillage Network. He has taught environmental design at colleges and universities nationwide including UC Berkeley and California State PolyTechnic University. For over twenty years, he has assisted private individuals in the design and construction of "Home Ecosystems" and has assisted companies in developing industrial ecologies and sustainable business practices. PLUS local experts and guest speakers to be announced. Including, DAVE JACKE, the author of "Edible Forest Gardens". http://www.edibleforestgardens.com The course fee of $1450 includes all classes, course handouts, tent campsite with facilities, vegetarian meals, and optional yoga classes. Rooms are available at additional cost. Note: $250 non-refundable deposit required to guarantee your space. Contact Sean Maley at semaley at yahoo.com or (646)721-7541 to register and for additional information. Designer Trainee Certification Certification as a Permaculture Designer Trainee is awarded upon full attendance, satisfactory completion of Design Team Project and participation in the Talent Show. A Certificate shows you have been formally trained in basic Permaculture Design. A certificate also entitles you to attend advanced training programs and enroll in a Permaculture Designer Apprenticeship. After 2 years full-time apprenticeship, a Trainee is eligible to apply for Permaculture Designer Certification. http://green-phoenix.org/08-08-pdc.html