By Anne Freiwald and Lydia Neilsen of Vital Cycles
We are excited to have Anne Freiwald and Lydia Neilsen of Vital Cycles return this summer for our next Permaculture Design Certificate course in Benicia — starting Aug. 23! In this blog, Anne and Lydia reflect on past programs, talk about what will be covered in this year’s program, and we share a few videos and upcoming talks. The program will run through December and is a great opportunity for people who are interested in an internationally recognized certification on how to design in a way that works with nature. Past participants have included landscaping professionals, passionate backyard gardeners, staff from land conservation and sustainability organizations and others. The program has attracted participants from around the region. We invite you to be part of building community in this year’s cohort! Learn more about the PDC and register here!
Participants in the 2023 PDC program install a garden during their hands-on weekends
We are thrilled to be returning to Benicia for another five-month deep dive into permaculture with Sustainable Solano. We are continually impressed and inspired by the commitment of Sustainable Solano and the larger community to regenerative practices and community resilience. Over the years the level of education and the multiple amazing projects that have been manifested are truly making a difference in the community. Do you want to be a part of it? Are you ready to find out what permaculture is all about and take the first or next steps on your permaculture journey? Join us this fall for your own deep dive into permaculture practice and design!
From August through December, monthly classes will guide participants through the permaculture curriculum, which covers patterns in nature, patterns in culture, design, water on the landscape, soil health and vitality, trees, plant communities and their pollinators, how water soil and plants stabilize climate on earth, urban considerations, greywater, sustainable technology, design for resilience and so much more. Hands-on activities for every topic bring conceptual learning into the practical realm. Every month will connect to the previous so that all material is integrated into one relational whole, closing loops, restoring cycles, and offering a paradigm shift in how we think about sustainable human culture. The course culminates in a group design project that brings it all together. Past projects have involved ideas for re-envisioning and rewilding public and urban spaces, designing homesteads and habitats, and healing spaces. They have gone beyond the landscape to look at how these reimagined sites could serve people and communities.
Come join us and make like-minded friends, open doors of opportunity for a career shift or just transform your own yard!
Learn More & Explore
If you’re interested in learning more about permaculture, check out these two exciting talks being offered in partnership with the Benicia Public Library. SuSol staff will be on-hand to answer questions about the PDC as well.
- 6-7 pm July 9: Summer Gardening Series: Designing Your Garden with Nature with Heath Griffith of Grow with the Flow
Natural ecosystems can be incredible models for our own home gardens and landscapes, if we know how to tap into their abundant wisdom. As a certified permaculture designer and water-harvesting practitioner, Heath will lay out principles from the natural world that can guide us in designing landscapes that create sustainable beauty and nourishment. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting to get your hands dirty, this presentation is ideal for anyone interested in collaborating with nature to grow sustainably.
- 6-7:30 pm Aug. 7: Summer Gardening Series: Song Birds, Caterpillars, and Native Plants with Lydia Neilsen
A yard full of songbirds is a joy to behold! Did you know that 95% of song birds feed their babies caterpillars, and they won’t nest where they can’t find enough? Many people see caterpillars as pests who eat our plants, but they are actually an essential part of a healthy ecosystem, and provide extremely nutritious food for birds and other creatures. These caterpillars are the larvae of our native moths and butterflies, which need native host plants on which to lay their eggs. It’s all connected! Come find out which are the best plants to provide good caterpillar populations for the wildlife we love, how to support our native songbirds in general, and create a beautiful garden adapted to our local conditions in the process!
Ready to sign up for the PDC now? Register for the PDC here
