LOCATION
San Isidro de Penas Blancas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
DESCRIPTION
Permaculture is a set of design principles centered around whole systems thinking using the patterns found in Nature. By implementing permaculture we're creating new systems for the way we grow our food and steward the land that are in harmony with Nature. This course is applicable to anyone with an interest in designing resilient and regenerative futures as well as professionals in the fields of architecture, planning, ecology, education, farming and community development.
Join our diverse team of permaculture instructors led by Hugo Soto and Scott Gallant of Porvenir Design for this life-changing 2-week experience. The course covers the core Permaculture Design curriculum and emphasizes creating diverse multi-functional human landscapes based on ecological patterns. This is the second annual course offered in conjunction with the Brave Earth community and Finca Luna Nueva.
Utilizing these sites as a living classroom, the class will mix lectures and hands-on work, exploring design solutions for both temperate and tropical regions. Putting Permaculture into practice, the course concludes with students working in teams to create their own permaculture site design.
The whole-systems design thinking outlined in the course will give participants the tools to re-design and improve their surroundings; from gardens, farms and homes, to livelihoods, relationships and communities.
Topics covered include:
History of Permaculture
Principles and Ethics of Permaculture Design
Design Methodologies and Site Analysis & Assessment
Pattern Languages in Culture and the Landscape
Reading the Landscape and Pattern Recognition
Simple Mapping and Surveying Techniques
Client Interviews and Goal Setting
Map Reading
Master Planning and Design Presentations
Climate and Microclimate Design
Water: Cycles, Catchment, Ecology, Conservation, Treatment
Greywater and Blackwater Systems
Earthworks, Pond Construction, & Water Storage
Soils: Biology, Ecology, Fertility Strategies
Biochar, Biofertilizers, Mulching, Biomass Production, Microorganisms Cultivation, Compost Making
Introduction to Keyline Design and Holistic Management
Gardening from the Tropics to the Temperate Regions
Orchards Management and Agroforestry
Plant Propagation, Grafting, Nursery Management
Silvopasture and Aquaculture Systems
Fermentation, Post Harvest Handling, and Harvest Strategies
Shelter and Siting
Natural Building Techniques
Urban and Suburban Permaculture Applications and Case Studies
Energy and Appropriate Technology: Photovoltaics, Biodigestor Design, Alternative Cooking Models
Regenerative Economic Models
Social Structures, Decision Making, and Community Organizing
Professional Designer Project Case Studies
LANGUAGE
The course will be taught in English. All instructors speak Spanish and can help provide occasional translation support.
LEAD INSTRUCTORS
Scott Gallant
Scott Gallant is an agroforestor and food system designer with nearly a decade of experience working in Central America. He is the co-founder of Porvenir Design, a landscape design firm specializing in productive landscapes. He graduated from Wabash College in 2008 with a degree in Economics. He was the farm manager at Rancho Mastatal for nine years, and has worked with diverse projects such as VersaLand, Open Source Ecology, Project Bonafide and many more as he has developed his skill-set in permaculture design.
Passionate about regenerative agriculture, holistic thinking, ethnobotany, community development, and re-skilling, he still makes time to hike and bike, read exhaustively, and work on his basketball jump shot and frisbee throw. He has traveled extensively in Latin America, leading to a love of the culture, food, and language, which he attempts to speak. Scott writes for the Permaculture Research Institute and has been featured on the Permaculture Voices , Abundant Edge, and Making Permaculture Stronger podcasts.
You can find him on instagram here.
Hugo Soto
Hugo started down the permaculture path in 2012; Hugo’s study of organic agriculture led him to continue to deepen his ways of relating to people and the place. A native of San Jose, Costa Rica, Hugo began by promoting urban permaculture through projects such as community gardens and creating edible spaces featuring native plants. While developing communal gardening projects Hugo also focuses on leading workshops and courses within communities to shift to better soil management and production strategies.
Hugo compliments his passion for design by tying communal design for living well into his approach to planning; he has been trained in working with several forms of design for invisible social structures. Hugo is a member of the Red Permanezca, which seeks to creatively promote permaculture in Costa Rica with the end goal of inspiring deep societal change. Hugo’s goals include promoting permaculture through education and site visits, having time to swim and hike in the mountains while living in a collaborative eco-community.
Elena Valverde
Elena Valverde is a designer, holistic therapist and herbalist who works to integrate her talents, putting them to service towards her community. Her search for a fuller understanding of the nature of the human being and the planet earth lead her to explore of the principles of permaculture as a guide to self-knowledge (including the planet earth as part of our existence and experience). Permaculture has become her ally not only in her work with the earth but in her spiritual path
Designing and illustrating are some of her passions. She has worked with Porvenir Design as a designer and photographer for more than 2 years; as well with diverse permaculture projects in Costa Rica such as Brave Earth, Rancho Delicioso and the SOL Center.
As an herbalist, she continues to deepen her connection with plants, in particular discovering the wisdom of plants as co-evolutionary and intelligent species, here to help humans overcome obstacles and imbalances.
Two years ago she began to work on an emerging permaculture and herbalism project Cuerpo Subtil in the southern part of the country on family land. Here she is excited about deepening her experience administer projects while creating ancestral medicine. The projects’ goal is to promote permaculture and natural medicine, thus generating a more independent, resilient and balanced population.
Additional Instructors
Sarah Hartley: Brave Earth Farm Manager
Alnoor Ladha: Brave Earth co-Director
Aly Khan “the Guru” Ladha: Brave Earth co-Director and Project Manager
COURSE START AND ARRIVAL DATES
The course will start at 8a.m. on November 13, 2021. Students are encouraged to arrive on November 12th Lodging the night of November 12th is included in the cost of the class.
COURSE END AND DEPARTURE DATES
The course will end at around 6 p.m. on November 25th. There will be optional post dinner celebrations. Most students will depart on the morning of November 26th. Lodging the night of November 26th is included in the cost of the class.
COST
Camping
Bring your tent, access to hot showers & luxury composting toilets - $1300 per person (pp)
Farm Loft Single/Room
Semi private/shared facilities - $1750 pp
Jungle Hut/Earth Tambo
Private/shared facilities - $1900 pp (double occupancy) $2400 pp (single occupancy)
Gaia Dome
Private w/shower/shared facilities - $2000 pp (double occupancy) $2500 pp (single occupancy)
These prices include 15 nights lodging, all meals, course instruction and full access to Brave Earth and its facilities.
ENROLLMENT
To register for the course fill out this online application.
A $500 deposit will secure your spot in the course.
You can make your deposit with PayPal or go to our contributions page for more information and options.
For more information contact hello@braveearth.com.