Week Name Description
6 January - 10 January File Course Syllabus
Page Reading: Instructions for Navigating this Course

This document will help you understand what is expected from you with each unit and gives instructions for submission of course assignments.

Folder Slides of Presentations (PDF)

PDFs of Presentations

January 10 - January 16 Page Presentation: What is Permaculture? (Narrated Lecture 36 minutes)

Since some of you have not taken the "Fundamentals" class yet I have included two very similar videos. The second video was made for Fundamentals, the first for Mimicry.  Pease watch the edition you did not view previously. Much of this week is an introduction to core ideas of permaculture, similar to the first week of the Fundamentals class.

Page Reading: Essence of Permaculture

Reading: Essence of Permaculture

File EXAMPLE

Download this for an example of the assignment.

URL Cradle to Cradle: William McDonough

The principles and approaches of the work William McDonough has done parallel closely with permaculture. This TED talk gives a shortcut version of the ideas outlined in the highly recommended book he wrote Cradle to Cradle

URL Biomimicry: Janine Benyus

The Biomimicry movement is quickly moving through many facets of science and technology development. This is specifically drawing lessons from nature to solve problems. See http://biomimicry.net/ for more.

January 17 - January 23 Page Presentation: Reading the Landscape (Narrated Lecture 38 minutes)

Presentation: Reading the Landscape (Narrated Lecture 38 minutes).

Page Presentation: Pattern #2 (Narrated Lecture 33 minutes)

Some of the basic content may be review if you took Permaculture Fundamentals, however this presentation expands on the basics covered in Pattern #1.

Page Reading: What is a Pattern Language, Anyway?

 

URL The Structure of Pattern Languages by Nikos A. Salingaros
URL The Design of Everyday Things by Donald Normal

Donald Normal, author of The Design of Everyday Things (a highly recommended book) offers a TED talk on the ways good design can make us happy.

His website is: http://www.jnd.org

January 24 - January 30 Page Presentation: Soil Basics (Narrated Lecture 37 minutes)

 

Page Presentation: Compost Happens (Lecture, 35 minutes)
Page Presentation: Vermicompost, A Living Soil Amendment (Video, 9 minutes)


Page Presentation: Ray Archuleta on Soil Health (Video, 27 minutes)

 

Page Reading: Selections from Cornell Garden Based Learning

Reading: Selections from Cornell Garden Based Learning 

January 31 - February 6 Page Presentation: Water (Video, 40 minutes)


Page Presentations: Water in Permaculture Systems (Videos, 52 minutes)

Four videos:

URL Geoff Lawton - Swale Plume

This very short video helps demonstrate the potential of swales.

URL Google Earth for Farmers: Intro
URL Google Earth for Farmers 2 - Draw and Measure
URL Water – Simple, Yet Complex with Craig Sponholtz (audio)

Water – Simple, Yet Complex with Watershed Artisan Craig Sponholtz

URL Earthworks to Capture Rainwater Runoff and Prevent Erosion (audio)

Earthworks to Capture Rainwater Runoff and Prevent Erosion

URL Water Harvesting with Brad Lancaster (audio)
URL Brad's Rainwater Harvesting website

Brad's Rainwater Harvesting website

February 7 - February 13 Page Presentation: Trees and Forests (Narrated Lecture, 51 minutes).

 

Page Presentation: Agroforestry Systems (YouTube Videos)

 

 

 

URL Agroforestry with Steve Gabriel (audio)

This is optional. Listen to some additional commentary on agroforestry.

Page Mushroom Cultivation (Cornell Resources Online)
URL Paul Stamets: 6 Ways Mushrooms Can Save the World

Paul Stamets has been at the forefront of advocating for the role mushrooms play in natural cycles, and healing them. This is one of his most famous presentations.

More: http://www.fungi.com/about-paul-stamets.html

File Reading: Excerpts from Profitable Farms and Woodlands
URL Forest Farming: Growing Crops Under the Canopy of an Existing Forest (audio)

with Steve Gabriel

URL Hazelnuts. A Viable Broadacre Crop for the Midwest? - Phil Rutter (audio)

Hazelnuts. A Viable Broadacre Crop for the Midwest? Almost. with Phil Rutter

URL Farming the Woods (Steve's Book)
February 14 - February 20 Page Presentation: Animals in Permaculture Systems (Narrated Lecture 46 minutes).
Page Presentation: Aquaculture and Aquaponics (Videos, approximately 48 minutes)
Page Reading: Rabbits Love Roses by Stella Jane
URL Joel Salatin - Polyface Farm

One of the most popular farmers who has changed the name of ethic animal farming is Joel Salatin. This video tours his farm and looks a some of the philosophy and systems in his design.