13th Annual NorCal Permaculture Convergence

Trained 1:1 by world renowned soil expert Dr. Elaine Ingham to convey complex ideas to a K-12 audience, Matt Powers is an educator that can make soil understandable. Dive deep with Matt and learn about the world beneath your feet in and out of the garden sourcing Dr. Elaine's work, Radical Mycologist Peter McCoy's work, and dozens of experts from around the world as well as his own experience growing in 140F soils in Central Valley California. Join Matt for a fun, inspiring, and informative workshop on how to build soils, how to remediate soils, how to feed soil life, and how it all works micro to macro, and then learn how to apply the information to your own site!

The Regrarians Platform® bridges the work of Permaculture, Keyline Design, and Holistic Management to determine the priority of different elements of landscape development, their respective permanence and the order in which we design and plan production landscapes and their associated enterprises.

In this presentation this all-star team will introduce the Regrarians Platform® for land planning. The presentation will examine the context from which The Platform was adapted by world renowned farm designer and educator Darren Doherty. The steps of the platform will be introduced and discussed with a focus on the concept of relative permanence in the landscape. We will examine each step through the lens of a live client, Fruitwood Nursery, an established Humboldt food forest and rare fruit nursery. We invite participants to bring their own questions and projects as this is an interactive session.

Intro to permaculture course taught by Bay Area urban gardener and urban ecologist, seedsman and seed librarian, community gardener and community organizer Christopher Shein. He brings 17 years of teaching a PDC at Merritt College, many more years of teaching in community gardens and public schools, and knows he doesn't know everything about permaculture or teaching or ...
Christopher brings the most diverse students together (race, class, gender, etc...) to build the most plant and species diverse public gardens in the commons in urban SF East Bay. www.wildheartgardens.com, www.merrittlandhort.com

GREEN ACRES PERMACULTURE VILLAGE is a small, retrofit, intergenerational intentional community in a core suburban college town neighborhood that integrates self-knowledge and expression with a shared culture among humans and the living Earth to encourage abundance on every level.

This panel assumes that water rights equate to the most basic human right to life. We will be looking at concepts that have lead to a global water crisis, where 1 in 4 people lack access to safe drinking water to be able to live.

“Right to Life” is defined not just for humans but for all life, including plants, animals, ecosystems, and microorganisms. Viewing policy reform not as a political entity but as an essential component to creating change.

A social, ecological and human rights perspective exploring themes such as environmental racism, social and environmental justice, landscape resiliency, and environmental, ecological, social, political, and structural repair of the water cycle in the modern day.

This panel intends to explore the frontlines of environmental consciousness: cultivating mindfulness in our relationship to water and discuss action steps that could lead toward a revolution where all beings have an absolute right to clean water.

Anchoring The New Dream of Earth
Since 2005

ANCHORING THE NEW DREAM OF EARTH is a large group visionary stewardship process that activates us into our bliss and sense of connection with one another and all of life so that we can create new “blueprints” for earth Life.

From this place of harmony and mutual cooperation. People from all walks of life and religious traditions are invited to participate, with the understanding that we are celebrating our Unity in our Diversity, and connecting with the Universal Power and Presence of Love in non-religious yet intrinsically “spiritual” ways that are non-exclusive.

THE PROCESS FOLLOWS PARTICIPANTS’ PASSIONS ABOUT PARTICULAR EARTH-LIFE TOPICS, FOR EXAMPLE:

• How could our children’s education be the most loving, empowering, confidence building, joy inducing experience possible for them?
• Could politicians be World Servers?
• What do you want the environment to be like?
• How do people get well?
• Can all corporations become Earth Stewards, creating with sustainable technologies?
• Can all our technologies to be sustainable?
• What does it look like? What does it feel like?
• How could government be in its highest aspect based on harmony and love?
• How could international relations be at their highest level of harmony and mutual sustainability?
• And more.

The group discovers their passion for topics of earth life that are most alive for them at that present moment of the workshop.

WHAT’S YOUR VISION FOR THE BEST OF THE BEST POSSIBLE FOR LIFE ON EARTH?

Participates learn to retrieve Source Sanctioned Visions for Life on Earth and/or their Organization or Community in this Visionary Stewardship Playshop. Accolades for the experience have come in since its inception in 2005. Pods co-create a visionary theater piece to express this new vision for earth life, with the most fun ever! Dynamic, synergistic Reality Creation at its best.

How can we bring permaculture into homes and neighborhoods? What are some effective strategies for neighborhood organizing using our permaculture know-how? How can local governmental agencies support permaculture and community resilience?

Learn about the Resilient Hubs Initiative, a collaboration between the NorCal Resilience Network and Daily Acts, is an exciting new model that uses permaculture principles to create create a network of homes, schools and neighborhood centers that are “ready for anything” - better prepared for natural disasters, climate change and other stresses in our community.

The first hour will describe the project and the organizations behind it, supported by a panel of representatives from community farms and homesteads who are part of the pilot project. The second hour will look at specific sites and how this model can be used to transform the site into a model Resilient Hub. The third hour will look at how this project can go viral, from looking at government agencies and other funding sources to getting media attention.

Collaboration is happening! Explore new collaborative potential within our regenerative movement. GENNA Alliance is a growing platform of individuals and organizations for a thriving communities network in North America. Five organizations have partnered to reimagined the Commons for practical application - shared agreements, resources, projects, and technology. Learn how you can engage, explore similar initiatives around the world, and network with fellow participants during this interactive session.

GENNA Alliance initial partners: Global Ecovillage Network (GEN), Foundation for Intentional Community (FIC), VillageLab, NuMundo, NextGENNA

More and more, the worlds of radical land defense and tending the wild are converging. As witnessed at Standing Rock, as well as at other long-term land occupations and encampments, the knowledge and skills of the permaculture world are needed for the successful defense of sacred sites. Whether guerilla gardening to provide food for the occupiers, building biosand filters to provide clean water, or installing composting toilets in sub-zero temperatures, permies are needed on the frontlines. This panel discussion will hold a conversation between the cultures of resistance, reskilling, and rewilding, as a means of cultivating greater resilience in these times of the Great Turning.

Brandi Mack, AKA, Mama B, will share her 5 steps to Resilient design that support people and the planet, with and infuses on highlighting melanated women and children.

Join international permaculturalist Jillian Hovey on a pictoral odyssey of her work in over 30 countries, from large eco communities, to urban ag, to biological waste treatment systems, and large-scale swales. See Tamera community and other work with Sepp Holzer, Hobbit House builder's home, projects across Europe, arid lands in the Middle East, coastal sites in Africa, the recent IPC in India, and David Holmgren's home and other projects in Australia, Jillian will be will be your guide with stories, knowledge, and humour. Be inspired by seeing people like you, bringing the patterns of permaculture to life in a range of landscapes. Suitable for beginners to advanced.

Our inner & outer landscapes are created by the elements; by listening, communicating and taking action, balance is possible.

Our human form is experiencing very similar imbalances as the earth itself. If we can learn to listen to the elemental symptoms of our bodies, perhaps we can better support the environment around us.
Why reinvent the elemental health wheel, when so many amazing cultures have already figured it out? Let’s back up and look at how we are all brilliantly designed maps, unique in nature, and be willing to listen to ourselves and act accordingly for the sake of balance and shared space.

Interactive discussion that strategizes The People’s use of the permaculture power tool!

Come join Town and City Permaculture as they facilitate another interactive and invigorating workshop. That will implore participants to really delve into the question “What is Permaculture?” and how can the community use it a diverse and dynamic tool for building ecological economies of environmental equality.

Learn how to effectively apply Permaculture ethics, strategies, and principles to build a thriving movement for community resilience right where you live.

The international Transition Towns Movement was founded in 2005 by UK-based Permaculture teacher Rob Hopkins in order to engage entire communities in implementing Permaculture solutions for a more resilient future. Since that time, the Transition Movement has spread to over 1,200 communities in 50 countries, including 163 official Transition Initiatives located throughout the US. These initiatives have been successfully revitalizing local food systems, strengthening local economies, reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and reweaving the torn fabric of community for more than a decade now. Come learn from Transition US Co-Director and certified Permaculture Designer, Don Hall, about how to effectively apply Permaculture ethics, strategies, and principles to build a thriving movement for community resilience right where you live.

Presenting an organizational model utilizing dynamic self governance coupled with dynamic equity splits to creat a fair and legal framework for collaborative business.

The Dynamic Farm Organization workshop is a presentation of the Passiflora Model, an organizational framework for creating fair share collaborative enterprise. The model blends Dynamic Self Governance (sociocracy) along with Dynamic Equity (Slicing Pie) into an LLC corporate structure specifically built for regenerative community farms. This is CSA 2.0, a manner by which community investment of all types can be legally appropriated to a collectively stewarded Farm business. The truly dynamic nature of this model allow for a tremendous amount of flexibility as it applies itself to various iterations and contexts.

Bloom and Anahata have travelled globally with their organization, the Blooming Biodiversity Permaculture network, living at and visiting a rich diversity of Eco-villages, intentional communities, indigenous farms, and Permaculture projects.

Bloom and Anahata have travelled globally with their organization, the Blooming Biodiversity Permaculture network, living at and visiting a rich diversity of Eco-villages, intentional communities, indigenous farms, and Permaculture projects. Through their slideshow presentation, you will have the opportunity to dive into their journey and experience vibrant photos and videos of the Permaculture gems they have been to. They will share best practices, innovative inventions, inspiring models, and paradigm shifting lessons they have learned from the multitudes of positive impact centers, followed by an open solutionary discussion counsel and action plans.

Why It Matters

One of the main reasons our current economic system doesn’t work for everyone is because the revenue flow from the commons has been privatized. This privatization is one of the root causes of economic recessions, wealth inequality, ecological destruction, as well as social and cultural decline.

All of nature is community wealth, including—and especially—land. As communities become more attractive to live in, land becomes increasingly scarce and more expensive to live on. But since the value of land is created by the community, it therefore belongs to the community. Land has to be owned in common, and whenever people use land for themselves, they need to reimburse their local community for their exclusive use of it.

It is all about relationships.

Social Forestry is about local communities working together to enhance and restore Oak Pine savannas, riparian corridors, brush lands, community woodlands and fire resistant old growth forests.
Our work in Ecotopia (or is it Cascadia?) of re-indigenation, de-colonization and re-wilding takes place on our forested landscapes. We are all relations of the trees, the tall standing people. Our attitude needs be of gratitude.

A panel discussion on the intentional communities movement – past, present, and future.

Join us for a panel discussion on the future of the intentional communities movement. Where have we been, what is happening now, and how do we imagine the role of intentional communities into the future? Learn from community founders and network leaders. Bring your questions to this exploratory conversation.

Is your community ready for anything? Join this workshop to explore the dynamic intersection between transition, permaculture, and emergency preparedness. Let’s get resilient!

How resilient is your community? How ready are you for the natural and man-made disasters and disruptions that inevitably accompany climate change? Did you know that our work in permaculture, homesteading, and building resilient community is also disaster preparedness work? Join this vibrant discussion about these overlapping fields, and explore ways of leveraging ‘crisis consciousness’ to enhance your efforts to build truly resilient community. Learn how to assemble your own “go bag,” receive great practical resilience and emergency-prep tips that could save lives, and share your wisdom and experience in this interactive workshop, hosted by experienced certified First Responders Nils Palsson of Transition US and Lesley Moore of Transition Berkeley.

Dragon Dreaming is a systemic design process, a philsosophy and a methodogical framweork, for the realisation of collaborative and sustainable projects, organisations and platforms, built upon three principles:

personal growth – commitment to your own healing and empowerment
community building – strengthening the communities of which you are a part
service to the Earth – enhancing the wellbeing and flourishing of all life
Our activities are build upon a culture of a triple win-win-win. A win for ourselves personally, for the communities we live in and for the Earth as a whole. With applying principles of Dragon Dreaming we are able not only to develop new skills. We also may discover new sides to ourselves and deepen our relationship with life. At the same time Dragon Dreaming helps strengthening community, building and sustain teams based on trust and cooperation, in which communication and appreciation are especially valued. Dragon Dreaming facilitates diversity, creativity and vitality, not only for ourselves and the team but rather for the whole world. Dragon Dreamings helps creating more sustainabile projects.

Dragon Dreaming offers simple and playful methods for visionary processes, planning, implementation and evaluation