Permaculture Design Course

Permaculture Design Course
& Optional Practical Application

Regenerative Lifestyle, Integrating Health, Practical Design,
Community and Social Awareness

Explore all aspects of sustainable practices by learning from those in the field.

Program Includes:

~ 72 hour Permaculture Design Course & Certificate upon completion
~ Discussions in: Triple Bottom Line Business, Education Alternatives, Slow Food, Economics in Agriculture, Green Building, Alternative Energies, Community Development and more…
~ Hands on Projects (more focus for hands on activities during the practical)
~ Daily Yoga
~ Sea Kayaking, Mud Bathing & Snorkeling

 

Topics Covered: what to expect…

The World Situation
What is Permaculture?: Ethics, Principles & Characteristics
Ecological System Basics & Bioregions
Design Methods & Map Reading
Climates, Elements & Microclimates

Understanding Soil
Earthworks
Water Management
Plants to Trees & Trees to Forests
Windbreaks and Wind Corridors
Patterns in Nature; Context (culture, climate, etc.)

Zone 0: Bio-Architecture
Zone 1: Home Garden
Zone 2: Fruit Tree Forest; Animals & Orchards
Zone 3: Field Crops & Large Animals
Zone 4: Harvest Forests
Zone 5: Forests
Wildlife Management & Integrated Pest Management
Ethical Investment, Land Ethics and Access, Incomes from Acres
Suburban & Urban Permaculture

Ecovillages
Invisible Structure Models

Design for Disaster

 

Workshops & Field Activities:

Orientation to Punta Mona and Tropical Ecosystems
Weekly Sharing Circles
Compost Making, Biofermentation & Micro Organisms
Permaculture Design group project

Water Management Exercise

Soil Exercise
Fermented Foods: Kimchee, Kombucha, Vinegar, Noni, etc.
Bio-Char

Chinampas
Onsite Analysis
Herbal Medicine Studies: Useful plants for the homestead Garden projects & Personal projects, medicine making, herbal body care

Kitchen Remedies

 

Discussions:

Value Added Products, Triple Bottom Line Business Models and Fair Trade Practices
Creation of an Ecovillage: Tacotal & La Ecovilla

Integrating a sustainable lifestyle in the modern world
GMO crops, CSAs, Economics in Agriculture and the Slow Food Movement

 

Daily Flow:

6-7 am: Morning Yoga

715-830 am: Breakfast

830-9 am: Farm Duties

9-12 pm: Class Time

12-2 pm: Lunch Break

2-5 pm: Class Time

5-6 pm: Break

6-7 pm: Dinner

7-9 pm: Evening Activity

 

~ Optional 7 Day Field Practical: Apply what you learned during the first two weeks in water systems, garden projects, green house work and green building. Includes filed trip to local permaculture projects and community service at a local school.

 

* all projects determined based on group interest

 

Tuition for 2 Week PDC: $1500

Includes program, Permaculture Design Course, all meals, lodging, activities and daily yoga.

 

7 Day Practical Post PDC:

January 19 – 24, 2015
July 12-18, 2015

Practical Tuition:
$500 for those participating post 2 week PDC at Punta Mona.

For those who already have a PDC
and would like to learn about tropical techniques,
tuition is $700.

 

~ Work in the Green House, Chinampas, Milpas

~ Participate in Field to the Plate, Slow Food cuisine in our outdoor jungle kitchen

~ Workshops in Plant Medicine, offer daily. Learn about energetics, first aid, plant id, medicine making, body care, aromatherapy and more!

~ Fermented Foods and Value added products

~ Kitchen Remedies: everyday ingredients for health, wellbeing and first aid

~ Chocolate Making

 

Tuition includes all meals, lodging, all activities, internet access and all workshops/activities.

* Transportation to Punta Mona by boat is not included, cost is $10-50 per person.

* Meals are organic and primarily vegetarian. Eggs and cheese are included and occasional fresh, line caught fish & organic chicken.

* Costa Rican citizen/resident prices available upon request.

Refund Policy: All deposits are NON-Refundable, Course fees are refundable up until ONE month before the course starts.

 

Facilities, Housing, Meals & Participation

Permies will be housed in shared double and triple co-ed accommodations for the entire program. We have availability for couples to come and have a private room, we also have a few private cabins, which are available for an additional $400. Private cabins can house two people and are good for a couple or a small family.

Lodging is rustic and comfortable with custom-made no-see-um bed nets and screened rooms with locks. Beds are singles and doubles and will be first come first serve in regards to who sleeps where.

Facilities are shared by all living at Punta Mona. We have 3 showers with solar hot water and dry-composting toilettes in two locations.

Most classes are hosted in our outdoor classroom, in the living room of our main lodge or in the Yoga Shala. We recommend you bring your own yoga mat or little pillow to sit on.

Meals are communal and prepared fresh daily from fruits and vegetables grown organically on site or purchased from an organic farm in Costa Rica. At Punta Mona we are dedicated to wholesome, organic meals prepared with love. We consider the cuisine to be “jungle gourmet” and have a trained and seasoned staff to make sure all meals are mind blowing. We serve vegetarian meals and can accommodate vegan and gluten free diets.

We will serve farm fresh eggs daily as well as local cheeses and once weekly organic, free-range chicken from a neighbor’s farm. Fresh line caught fish is also available when we go fishing.

Permies will participate in various daily activities around the farm such as trail maintenance, beach clean up, housekeeping, composting and helping to clean the kitchen after meals.

We are an off-the-grid farm and all energy usage must be fully respected. Permies can have one shower per day and can charge their devices during the day-time only. We have internet available during specified breaks and encourage you to disconnect to reconnect.

Located in the deep tropics, on the beach, Permies can expect bugs, rain, sunshine and humidity. Please follow the packing list that is sent to you upon registering to ensure comfort and a pleasant living experience”.

 

Contact: Sarah Wu, Co-Director, [email protected]