How did the course go?!!

We just had an amazing time during the Permaculture course, as it was expected... so, let me share with you some of the things we experienced...
Just before we started, Simone (who was at the land in the early beginnings) came with 7 other friends from Berlin, and they all helped us to set up the last things we needed for the course to start...It was a time for them to rest as well, so it was great how it all worked out...they could rest, and we could rest... We knew it would be a very intensive time, so we didn't want to do all things at the last minute... it all went smoothly...shantii, shantii, as we like...


The "class room" was ready... and we could enjoy the chilled times around the table during our meals as well...

Lesley Martin was our teacher, who, with a very sincere and humble heart, told us she had come to learn as well... We could all say that she is an amazing teacher... I loved the way she wouldn't simply download all her knowledge, but she would lead us to get there for ourselves... besides, we had the privilege to hear the many stories of her personal life...again, with a very humble heart...another kind of knowledge, one that is only gained by experience...

All together, we were 13 students...Emma, Maren and Steffi were coming in and out, as they were helping Ton in the kitchen... Amelie was also helping everywhere, and also taking care of baby Shiloh (who requires lots of attention, eh, eh)... The food was amazing by the way...Thanks to these ones... It was a blessing for me too, cuz I was already willing to not attend the course in order to help in the kitchen...but all went well, and I'm so thankful for all who helped...

As I said, we were 13 students...me, Chris (Amelie's husband... who came from California,USA), Dane and Jillie (also California...Hmmm,kinda...they were actually living here, and they invited Chris and Amelie), Josh and Rosie (who were living here but moved out to another piece of land in the south), Daniel (who was also living here before, and he's Ton's nephew), Nuno Raposo (who came from the surroundings of Lisbon), Miriam (Emma's friend from Belfast), Hanna (From London, who is about to move nearby here), David Juan (a Canadian who lives in Spain with his wife for many years), and Ishmael (from Sudan, who is living with David and Sharon in their community)...
what a diverse group hey?!! in age, we had Dane with 19 and we had David with 66... what a good mix...

As diversity is so important in Permaculture, I guess we had a good example with our group...
As you can see in these pictures, we didn't seat in "class" all day...we also had some nice "exercises" and fun experiences where we also learned...like this one, showing us how in all creation, everything is interconnected, everything plays an important role to create the original balance of it all... unfortunately we've been messing up a big deal, but hey, I don't like pessimism nor fatalism...There's Hope !!!

And this is something we also received from this course... We can all make a big difference, in our "littleness"...As Margaret Mead said : " Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
Here's Shiloh in this picture also making a point... we should all walk in our own shoes (even though it's fun to try big shoes sometimes, but not really if we want to walk, eh, eh)... We are to BE who we are, and not trying to be someone else...not comparing ourselves with others... we were created for COOperation, not competition...

" If we are being less than who we are, we're stealing the world a great treasure" (a quote from myself, eh, eh)... We're all so precious !!!
Anyway, I'm drifting away here...sorry about that !!!
Here are some other practical things we did...like here on the side, Miriam, David and Ishmael, making an easy and useful tool to measure contours...







The same tool, if we have other materials, like a hoze and tape...

And practicing...Off we went to the woods...


How to make a sheet mulch...

easy and fast...


ready to plant...

During the evenings we also watched different interesting Dvd's

And finally, the interesting part came...we had 3 groups presenting a design for the land... it was really interesting to see the different points of view of each group...

While a group was presenting their proposal, the others would listen...in the end we would all have to say something we really like about the design, and also something we would change...

I was glad with all the designs... and I'll definitely take some good ideas from each one...

Hanna and her beautiful presentation...

Nuno...a bit shy, but he did well...

Jared, in his rap style presentation :-)... I loved his veggie garden design, and the thought his group had about the amount of land we'd need with food to feed the average of people who live here...

Emma and Maren would participate while chopping veggies...I liked that !!! Thank you so much girls...

Amelie and Shiloh, picking some cabbage for dinner...aren't they sweet ?!!

The design the group I was with made (me, Rosie, David and Chris) end up not being much different than what I had in mind before...
even though I tried to interfere as least as possible... that was cool too...



It was nice to have some tips and opinions from Lesley, specially about the irrigation system...
Well, now it's time to move on...
To define priorities and establish the different stages to implement this design in this land... Of course, being always flexible... if something doesn't seem to work along the way, lets see other options :-)

WE NEED SKILLED PEOPLE NOW TO IMPLEMENT ALL THESE GREAT IDEAS... AND SOME MONEY AS WELL, SO, FEEL FREE TO PARTICIPATE :-)

We were all satisfied in the end, and this made me think about more possibilities for more workshops and courses...not only permaculture (maybe next year translated in Portuguese), but also natural building, like straw bale houses, cob, etc...
we'll see...
step by step...

In the evenings we'd often had dinner around the fire place, and we had such a lovely time in the last night...
It was so nice to get to know those who came , and get to spend some more time with those I knew already... it felt like family !!!
And I'm sure we'll all be connected somehow...

CONTENTS OF THE PERMACULTURE DESIGN COURSE

here are the general contents of the permaculture design course:

An Introduction to Permaculture Ethics and Principles
Cultivated Ecology
Water in the Landscape
Forests and Trees
Soils
Microclimate
Buildings and Structures
Social and Financial Structures

And ends with a Design Workshop.

we already have a good amount of people coming, but let us know if you're still interested...
It's gonna be great !!!

Last chance to make your inscription...

We're getting close to the 1st of March, the date we proposed to receive your confirmation to attend the Permaculture Design Course ...

So far we have 2 brothers coming from Ghana, 1 american who live in Spain in another pioneering community who will bring a friend from Nigeria, 1 girl from Porto, still to be confirmed, and a group from Ireland also needing to be confirmed...
It's looking good !!!
But you still have time to join this amazing opportunity... If you ever consider learning more about permaculture, this is a real good chance as the costs are not so expensive... 9 days intensive course, with food and camping facilities, in a beautiful piece of land in the centre of Portugal, with a well experienced lecturer...
Consider all these !!! And get in touch this next week !!!

We've also been involved here in some building projects as you can see here ... If you'd like to come and help or support any of these projects with some donations, that would be most appreciated and needed :-) ...

We'd also need some volunteers to help cooking during the permaculture course, so let us know if you'd like to support us that way...

Thank you all !!!

Upcoming courses and events

Permaculture Design Course

We shall be holding a permaculture design course at the land from the 28th March - 5th April.
This is a 72 hour course, spread over 9 intensive days of practical experience and learning the principles, methods and applications of permaculture, sustainable land design and growing.

The course will be led by Lesley Martin a teacher with twenty years teaching experience.
The course will cost 150 euros including food. Believe me, it's a bargain compared to the usual costs of this course.

Accommodation is camping so bring a tent and your sleeping bag.

We will need your confirmation and a 50 euro deposit till the 1st of MARCH so that we can know the number of attendees and if it's viable to run the course.

We'll also need 3 or 4 volunteers to help with cooking :-). That would be great as we all here want to attend the course. That would be great !!!
We'd need your confirmation ahead of time too, till the 1st of MARCH. Thank you so much!!!

Please contact us for more information:
house phone: (00351) 275561057
mobile (Barbara) : (00351) 965429083

THE VISION...

so far there is a seed...
THE VISION (the potential of the seed)...

...a MONASTIC, LIFE GIVING, ECO-COMMUNITY...

let me first bring you some ideas about these 4 concepts:

MONASTIC :

• "in the world, but not of the world"... being separate yet part of...
  
• a spiritual way of living and being...
• reaching a balance between prayer, work, rest, fellowship and service
• an holistic & organic vision, where everything plays its part in order to function as a whole... we can see things separately, but we cannot really separate one thing from the other...

LIFE GIVING :

• Centred on/in The Giver of Life : The Bigness :-)
  
• Accepting the gift of Life
• Acting out of gratitude to our Creator
  
• Share with others what is given

ECO :

• In harmony with all creation... respecting, caring, nurturing...

COMMUNITY :

• Being a Family...
• Inward and outward focused...
• caring for one another and those around...
• Inclusive, and not exclusive...

Lets see the picture again and the different parts of it...

-- THE ROOTS... What sustains the whole vision:

PRAYER, Spiritual growth in/with The Bigness 

• A place for individual and community prayer (being with The Bigness)
• A place for daily & seasonal rhythms of prayer, rest, fasting, meditation and contemplation
• A place to seek The Bigness' presence
• A place for rest & healing (body, soul and spirit)
• Enjoying our gift of Life
• A place to pray for others
• Keeping a network of people who pray for the land and community

-- THE TRUNK... What holds it :

THE CORE COMMUNITY OF LONG TERM NURTURERS :

• A place for intimate fellowship...being a family...
• A place to grow with each other and in our selves (healing & transformation)
• A place to find out more about who we are, developing our gifts and talents
• A place of Peace and Graceful acceptance of who we are and how we are
  

-- THE BRANCHES... 4 different expressions...

1. NURTURING THE LAND / EARTH CARE : living the principles of permaculture, be sustained as much as possible by the land, and help it to sustain itself...

• Natural Farming / Earth Stewardship
  
• Natural & self-sustainable buildings
• Forest Gardening
  
• Respecting the natural limits of the land and not over consuming, over populating or polluting our home.
  
• Use of natural resources for energy (sun, wind, water, etc...)
• Recycling, Reusing, Repairing...
• Crafts : wood, wool, leather, clay, metal, baskets, glass, etc...
• Transforming products (drying, dairies, flour, bread, jams, soaps, medicines, etc...)
• Respecting Rest, for the land, animals and people 

2. NURTURING PEOPLE / PEOPLE CARE

• Inclusive and accepting - Seeing each person as human and equal, irrespective of ethnicity, gender, sexuality, social class and/or spiritual beliefs.
  
• Provide hospitality, rest, healing & retreat spaces
• Provide FUN :-) for children and adults :-)
• Provide opportunities for people to serve as volunteers
• Helping and playing an active part in the local community
  
• Hosting workshops, seminars, camps : permaculture, natural building, "peace&reconciliation", different spiritual issues, music, dance, etc...
• Hosting school groups (educational)
• Going to markets, fairs and festivals (ways to share)

3. SEEKING JUSTICE / FAIR SHARE

• By the way we live and how that affects others, both locally and globally
• Networking with other communities for a fair exchange of products
• Developing ways to support communities, projects or individuals in dificult circumstances : Through Education, Support and Resources.
  
• Giving part of what we produce to those in need
• Offer space & voice for organizations / associations and individuals who seek justice, both locally & globally
  

4. MULTIPLYING / BEING THE CHANGE
Every tree holds the seeds, within which is the potential of countless other trees

• Encouraging and supporting others to do the same in other places...
• Visit frequently those in pioneering stages
• Praying for more communities to start or for those who are already starting
• The goal is not to grow big, but to grow strong and steady in our values... being a model to be multiplied :-)...

Trees bear fruits with seeds, to produce the same kind of trees... but of course, there will never be 2 trees who will look exactly the same...

uNdEr cOnStRuCtiOn...

working on it during the winter season ...