Permaculture Diploma

The Pathway

Primary permaculture design certification achieved in February 2012 with teacher Christian Shearer and Geoffroy Godeau.  During the following internship at Rak Tamachat Permaculture, a peer review and support group was formed between myself, Theron Beaudreau, and Chowgene Koay. The goal was to receive a permaculture diploma through the British Permaculture Association by completing 10 projects over 10 weeks. In the four years since that initial goal, Theron has entered a program with Gaia University as a Diploma Mentor. Chow has shifted his attention to managing the family business.

Through many conversations with students, friends, and colleagues, the most resonant path was an independent study and self-validation. The pathway came to completion in January 2016.

+Summary of field work 2012-2016

+Video thesis 2016

+Picture Gallery

+Budget Summary

Projects: One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten

My goal is to complete a two year study of Applied Permaculture Design using the standards of the British Permaculture Association, in association with materials designed by Richard Perkins,in order to become an accredited permaculture practitioner.

After taking my PDC, I realized that I had just grazed the surface of sustainable systems, and I was eager to put these new concepts and strategies into practice… we realized there are limited options for higher level permaculture education in the United States. We decided to break some new ground…

-Bright Sky, Page 1, Project 1

 

The Teaching Seed

January 4 2013 Correspondence

Theron Beaudreau <theron@eco-pioneers.org>

To: Wesley Thoricatha <thoricatha@gmail.com>

Cc: Bright Sky <fearlessrevolutionary@gmail.com>

…”One assumption is that Bright Sky would also want to Co-Teach with us. I think she is ready and also understands the most important aspect of the course as “creating an experience”. “…

Austin Permaculture Design Course – April 27th – May 12th 2013
Course Listing
Course Feedback
Financial Data

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Maine Primitive Skills School – Kitchen & Cob Workshop

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Permaculture Design & Empowerment Course – September 21st – October 6th 2013

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Design Work Accompanying the Implement Sector

PDEC Promotional Material

Teaching Notes [ need link ]

Photos from PDC

Photos from MPSS

Photos from PDEC

 

Certification & Trajectory Analysis

Primary permaculture design certification achieved in February 2012 with teacher Christian Shearer and Geoffroy Godeau.

During the following internship at Rak Tamachat Permaculture, a peer review and support group was formed between myself, Theron Beaudreau, and Chowgene Koay.

The goal was to receive a permaculture diploma through the British Permaculture Association by completing 10 projects over 10 weeks.

In the two years since that initial goal, Theron has entered a program with Gaia University to develop a Masters program in EcoSocial Design.

Documenting myself has been like trying to catch a unicorn on camera. I constantly implement micro designs based on long-term multi-scale observations.

This is a folding of the two year actual with the two year projections.

EVO PDEC Promotional Material

I produced promotional material for the PDEC in September, which went through many phases as we pinpointed what we wanted our vision to look and feel like. Organized earliest to latest.

EVO PDEC LVLUP EVO PDEC LVLUP4 EVO PDEC LVLUP3 EVO PDEC LVLUP6 EVO PDEC LVLUP8 EVO PDEC LVLUP12 EVO PDEC LVLUP14 Cover_Photo_Level_Up4

Project Four: Process Reflection

  1. Project report title: Project Four: A Hero Finds Her City

 

 

  1. Summarize how and why you organized this Project Output as presented (Reflect on your design, process, method and purpose):  A character sheet reinforces the “real life platform” game I play as a superhero. Many varied activities can be focused into a catalogue that motivates me to do more, and then feedback about how I’m doing over a longer period of time, in this case 20 weeks.

 

  1. How did this process go? I found it was helpful to have a central point to keep checking back in with, even when it felt like I wasn’t doing anything or contributing or being productive, I could go to my character sheet and think, “A-ha! I’ve been raising chickens for 3 weeks. Now they’re outside, eating compost, fertilizing, and being awesome! I think I can add a skill point to soil-building. And also, animal communication! Stacking functions, yes!!” Parts of me want to pull away from the silliness of the tights and cape, but I continue to find such a deep resonance in my work, and it seems to integrate into everything else I want to do. The character sheet helps me keep grounded even while I’m playing.
  1. What did you learn? I learned I want to incorporate everything all the time. There is a great need for focus, and to consciously limit the area of activity. I tend to take on more responsibility than I can handle. This sheet helps me keep track of what I am capable of, and how to get just to the edge and go a little beyond. Small and slow solutions, after all. I learned about participation, pattern, and risk. For more, see the skill points. :)

 

  1. What tools did you use (An explanation of the technical side of creating this project report.  What software did you use? What digital literacy was required to put this together)? The sheet is hand drawn on a posterboard. I used markers and ink to update it. The report came through my phone-robot and my lap-robot working together with my fingers.

 

  1. Did you find any people or tutorials particularly useful in creating this project report? Creation Flame, Superhero Training Academy, Avatarism.

 

  1. How much time did you spend in creating this project report? The project report itself was created in under 8 hours.

 

  1. How well have did you showcase your learnings in this project report? Would you consider this project report satisfactory if it was prepared by another person? I can definitely see an improvement from past projects. When it was time, it presented itself and I worked to complete it. I would be really stoked to see someone else’s character sheet and how they track their own progress.

 

9.    Any final reflections on your pathway integration and development? Project Four feels like a hump. It took me twice as long as originally anticipated. But that extra time allowed me to dig in, grow some roots, really put a lot of effort and focus into one place. The place I’ve found is central to the designs, because I operate according to my environment. I would like next time to do more 2D design work on paper. A lot of what I do now is intuitive, and teasing the design and process out of my brain continues to be elusive, and helped by the incorporation of symbols.