Courses and Workshops
Our Fall 2008 and Spring 2009 courses and workshops (so far)
Saturday, September 13th - Your Low Energy Use Home
You can help the environment, go green, and save money on utility bills all at the same time. This workshop is designed for homeowners or renters who want to retrofit their existing home and landscape, and it is also valuable if building a new home is in your future.
We will start with a tour of Mesquite Tree Permaculture Site, seeing examples of energy saving strategies at work. Many of these strategies are low cost or can be done for almost no cost, like planting trees to shade home walls and using passive solar design. Then we’ll see and discuss strategies 
that have a higher up front cost, like installing solar panels or a solar hot water heater. This workshop includes an easy to use handout that details how much each strategy will cost and how long it will take to make back in energy savings an initial investment. We will emphasize integrated design throughout the class and getting back in touch with the patterns of nature - sun, rain, and wind. We’ll show how working with these patterns can make our living environments healthier and more comfortable, while also helping us to save money on energy bills. Class size is limited to 15 participants.
that have a higher up front cost, like installing solar panels or a solar hot water heater. This workshop includes an easy to use handout that details how much each strategy will cost and how long it will take to make back in energy savings an initial investment. We will emphasize integrated design throughout the class and getting back in touch with the patterns of nature - sun, rain, and wind. We’ll show how working with these patterns can make our living environments healthier and more comfortable, while also helping us to save money on energy bills. Class size is limited to 15 participants.Location: Mesquite Tree Permaculture Site, one and a half miles north of downtown Tucson. Directions sent with registration.
Time: 9AM - 4:00PM
Cost: $49 - includes all course materials
Taught by Dan Dorsey (520) 624-8030 dorsey@dakotacom.net www.sonoranpermaculture.org/members/dan-dorsey
Call or e-mail Dan for information or registration.
Saturday, September 27th - Introduction to Permaculture
This is a fun one day overview of Permaculture, site analysis and integrated landscape design, based on Permaculture principles and ethics. We’ll learn how to design sustainable homes and yards that take care of people and the environment. We will also demonstrate and practice some of the skills and strategies needed to implement a Permaculture design. This class features a tour of a mature 14 year old urban Permaculture site. This outdoor classroom and site is one of the main teaching sites of the Sonoran Permaculture Guild. Class size is limited to 15 participants.
Location: Mesquite Tree Permaculture Site, one and a half miles north of downtown Tucson. Directions and more information will be sent with registration.
Time: 9AM to 4:30PM
Cost: $59 - includes all course materials
Taught by Dan Dorsey (520) 624-8030 dorsey@dakotacom.net www.sonoranpermaculture.org/members/dan-dorsey
Call or e-mail Dan for registration or information.
Saturday, October 4th - Native Foods and Herbs
Foods and Herbs collected during their seasons will be integrated into recipes featured in Barbara’s and Jill’s new cook booklet, “Wild Recipes, Seasonal Samplers”. We will prepare and share a feast for a wild and wonderful taste of the desert - our home. Wear comfortable clothes and walking shoes, as we will be identifying native plants in the field. Class size is limited to 15 participants.
Location: Dancing Rocks Permaculture Community, 15 miles north of downtown Tucson. Directions and more info sent with registration.
Time: 10AM to 3PM
Cost: $75 - partial scholarships available, includes all class materials
Taught by Barbara Rose (520) 572-7221 www.sonoranpermaculture.org/members/barbara-rose
call Barbara for registration or information
Saturda
y, October 11th - Complete Hands On Water Harvesting
y, October 11th - Complete Hands On Water Harvesting Learning how to use rainfall and storm water run-off is one of the keys to developing a successful Permaculture site. It helps us to reduce erosion and have a lush multi use landscape without having to import water from outside a site. In this fun workshop we will install a water cistern, learn how to read the water situation on a site, and do basic calculations on the water flow available. We will learn how to install basic earthworks to hold water on site, and talk about contours, plant selection, and mulching. This workshop is more than learning about techniques for harvesting rainfall; it will show you how water harvesting can be integrated into your own lifestyle and into a simple landscape 
design for your home.
design for your home.Location: Central Tucson Location, To Be Announced. This class is limited to 15 participants.
Time: 9AM to 4:30PM
Cost: $59 includes all class materials
Taught by Dan Dorsey (520) 624-8030 and guest instructors dorsey@dakotacom.net www.sonoranpermaculture.org/members/dan-dorsey
call Dan for registration or information
Sunday, October 19th - Water Harvesting Designs That Work (and Why)
This is a chanc
e to visit several sites that demonstrate water harvesting landscapes. The visits will include in-depth discussion and observation of residents’ vision, site resources and constraints, and budget, which led to the final design. The course focus is not on hands-on training but on design ethics, site observations, and doing more advanced run-off calculations. It is geared toward owner builders and water harvesting installers with some experience. A lunch incorporating native foods is included with a focus of connecting the dots between integrated water harvesting design, urban habitat restoration, community food security, and heritage foods. Class size is limited to 15 participants. Carpool or Van travel will be arranged.
e to visit several sites that demonstrate water harvesting landscapes. The visits will include in-depth discussion and observation of residents’ vision, site resources and constraints, and budget, which led to the final design. The course focus is not on hands-on training but on design ethics, site observations, and doing more advanced run-off calculations. It is geared toward owner builders and water harvesting installers with some experience. A lunch incorporating native foods is included with a focus of connecting the dots between integrated water harvesting design, urban habitat restoration, community food security, and heritage foods. Class size is limited to 15 participants. Carpool or Van travel will be arranged.Location: Sites in and around Tucson, TBA
Time: 9AM to 3PM
Cost: $65 includes all class materials
Tour led by Barbara Rose and guests
Contact Barbara Rose (520) 572-7221 for registration and information www.sonoranpermaculture.org/members/barbara-rose
Tuesday, October 21st - Build A Straw Bale House or Wall
Co-Sponsored by Pima Community College
Learn about straw bale construction and the advantages of super insulation, thick walls, and ease of construction. Handouts and a complete discussion of the current straw bale code, detail drawings of windows and doors, and additional tips to make your building experience easier are included. This class also includes a complete slide show from start to finish on how to build a straw bale house or wall, as well as a demonstration of special tools and props that work well with straw bale construction.
Location: Catalina Methodist Church, 2700 E. Speedway
Time: 6:30 PM to 9 PM
Cost: $49, set by Pima Community College. Call PCC at 206-6468 to register
Class size is limited to 15 participants
Taught by Dan Dorsey, B.S., local straw bale designer of over 50 permitted single family residences and auxillary buildings throughout Arizona.
First Annual Tucson Advanced Permaculture Design Course
Have your Permaculture Design Certificate? Ready to take your Permaculture practice to the next level?
This course is for you. You will learn new skills and a new way of looking at Permaculture design, practice, and presentation:
- Practice pattern understanding with new tools- learn to see projects within the diverse community scales and contexts we all work in as nested wholes.
- Explore how to use simple, clear presentation methods, as well as efficient ways to partner with design teams on larger projects.
- Study dynamic real world case histories of Permaculture projects.
- Enhance your understanding of the often neglected “Zone 0″ of Permaculture Design
- Explore how to create working teams which enhance and empower communities to find their own sustainable solutions.
- Learn effective communication skills with clients and the public
- and much more
Dates: Two long weekends - November 7th, 8th, and 9th and November 14th, 15th, and 16th. One or both Fridays may be shorter than a full day.
Cost: $650 Fee includes all course materials and a delicious lunch and snacks each day made from local foods. Although the course is non-residential, accommodations to stay the weekend may be made with the course host (contact Barbara Rose for lodging and/or camping info). There are also a few tent sites and a small guest house available at the Guild’s in town urban site near downtown Tucson. Contact Dan Dorsey.
Teaching Team: Joel Glanzberg, Regenesis, Santa Fe, N.M; Dan Dorsey, Brad Lancaster, and Barbara Rose, Sonoran Permaculture Guild, Tucson; Ann Audrey, City of Tucson, Office of Conservation and Sustainable Development; and guest instructors from various professional fields. To register contact Barbara Rose, 572-7221, brosearth@aol.com www.sonoranpermaculture.org/members/barbara-rose
or Dan Dorsey, 624-8030, dorsey@dakotacom.net www.sonoranpermaculture.org/members/dan-dorsey
The Fourteenth Annual Permaculture Design Course - Spring 2009
Five Weekends, February 7th and 8th, February 14th and 15th, February 28th
and March 1st, March 14th and 15th, and a final weekend, March 21st and 22nd
(March 22nd will be morning only for final design project presentations, potluck, and
party).
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM each day.
Cost $650, $595 for early registration (by December 15th). There is also
a class book fee of $39 for a copy of Introduction to Permaculture by Bill Mollison. Also
highly recommended is Brad Lancaster’s Rainwater Harvesting for
Dry lands Vol 1 and Vol 2. For the last five years the course has
completely filled up, so early registration is encouraged. To give a high
quality educational experience, we limit the size of the class to
eighteen participants. Contact dorsey@dakotacom.net or 624-8030 to register.
This course is one of the longest running Permaculture courses held each
year in the U.S. and leads to a Permaculture design certificate. It
covers all aspects of sustainable design and core Permaculture topics with an emphasis on Southwest dry lands, including a balance of hands on experience, classroom time, and design practicum. Dynamic exercises encourage pattern recognition, noticing the links between plants and animals, climate, and landforms that make up natural ecosystems. These patterns are the basis for the Permaculture system of sustainable design.
The course focuses on dry land communities, addressing individual site
and neighborhood “problems” such as storm water flooding. Students learn
to read the landscape, to map and analyze energies flowing through a
site, and to develop integrated designs for sustainable systems. The
weekend format of the course makes it easier for people who hold a week
day job to attend and promotes better integration of the course material
into daily life.
Course topics include agro forestry, appropriate technology, building
design, design principles and patterning, site analysis, dry land
gardening principles, ecosystem restoration, philosophy and ethics of
Permaculture, regenerative community economics, soils and erosion
control, village design, water harvesting, and many other topics.
We take field trips to working Permaculture sites around
Tucson, and you will have the chance throughout the course to design and
begin implementing Permaculture on a site of your choosing. This course
is challenging and fun, and it shows the whole big picture of
sustainable design in Southwest Dry lands and how sustainability and integrated design really
works!
Site: The classroom will be in the Central Tucson area,
and at other Permaculture sites in the Tucson area.
Almost all of the class is held outdoors.
Taught and facilitated by Dan Dorsey, Brad Lancaster, Barbara Rose and other instructors from the Sonoran
Permaculture Guild, as well as professional guest instructors. For teacher profiles and other Permaculture
classes scheduled visit our website at:
http://www.sonoranpermaculture.org
or to register and for more information contact Dan Dorsey, course
registrar, at (520) 624-8030 or dorsey@dakotacom.net
frequently asked questions or the fine print…
How do I register for the 2009 Design course?
We need a minimum of a non-refundable $100 deposit by
December 15th to get the discount rate and to hold you a place in the
course. Full payment is due 21 days before the first weekend. Special
exceptions, like paying for the course weekend by weekend, can be made on a
case by case basis.
There are three ways to pay or register for the course…
1. Checks and money orders can be made out to our
non-profit: “NEST/Sonoran Permaculture Guild”.
non-profit: “NEST/Sonoran Permaculture Guild”.
Please mail only checks and money orders (no
cash) to: Dan Dorsey 221 E. Linden Tucson, AZ 85705. Include your
return address, e-mail, and phone number, and you will be sent an e-receipt confirming your
registration
cash) to: Dan Dorsey 221 E. Linden Tucson, AZ 85705. Include your
return address, e-mail, and phone number, and you will be sent an e-receipt confirming your
registration
2. Cash, money orders, or checks can also be handed directly to Dan Dorsey, the course registrar
in person, and a receipt will be issued to you at that time. Call 624-8030 to schedule a time
to meet at our central office north of downtown Tucson.
3. You can pay by major credit card as we are set up through PayPal
to handle those transactions, or if you already have a PayPal account you can pay from your
to handle those transactions, or if you already have a PayPal account you can pay from your
existing PayPal balance. E-mail for this PayPal option, and I will e-mail you on how
to use your major credit card or existing balance.
If after I register and pay, and the course starts, what
if I have an emergency and need to cancel out?
Our refund policy is as follows: If you have a serious
injury or illness, or if someone in your immediate family has a serious
injury or illness during the course, and you need to cancel out of the
entire course after it starts, we will refund to you a pro-rated amount
based on the weekends you have already taken.
What if I need to cancel before the course begins?
If you are cancelling out of the entire course after you
have already paid, we will refund your entire amount minus your $100
deposit up to 21 days before the course begins. If you cancel at least 10
days before the course begins we will refund 50% of what you have paid
over $100. You can then apply any remaining funds you have paid over the $100
deposit to next year’s course or future one day SPG classes.
to use your major credit card or existing balance.
If after I register and pay, and the course starts, what
if I have an emergency and need to cancel out?
Our refund policy is as follows: If you have a serious
injury or illness, or if someone in your immediate family has a serious
injury or illness during the course, and you need to cancel out of the
entire course after it starts, we will refund to you a pro-rated amount
based on the weekends you have already taken.
What if I need to cancel before the course begins?
If you are cancelling out of the entire course after you
have already paid, we will refund your entire amount minus your $100
deposit up to 21 days before the course begins. If you cancel at least 10
days before the course begins we will refund 50% of what you have paid
over $100. You can then apply any remaining funds you have paid over the $100
deposit to next year’s course or future one day SPG classes.
If the class if full and a person can be found to take your place you will receive a full refund minus your $100
deposit.
deposit.
In the unlikely event the entire course is cancelled for any reason you will receive a full
refund for any deposit or other funds you have payed.
What if I drop out of the course due to a non-emergency
after the course begins?
We decide refunds or credit in non-emergency situations on a case
by case basis.
What if I have to miss a whole day or a weekend of the
course?
We expect each participant to attend all the scheduled
weekends and classes, and you will get the most out of the course if you
do. But we understand unexpected events come up. It is up to you if you
have to miss part of the course, but if you want your Permaculture
design certificate at the end, you might have to pay something extra to
meet with the instructor who was teaching during the missed period if he
or she is willing to go over the material. In some cases you may even
have to wait until next year’s course to make up the material and get
your certificate.
Are there scholarships and work-trade exchange
possibilities available?
There will be six scholarships of $100 to hand out
this year. If you want to apply for one send a one half to one page either
typewritten or legibly printed or hand written sheet saying why you need
the scholarship (financial reasons) and what you plan to do with the
course after you finish taking it. Please don’t apply for a scholarship
if you don’t need the reduction in cost, as we would like this additional discount
to go to those who really want to take the course but need the extra
financial help.
There might also be a limited amount of work trade. We
don’t have the resources to offer a full work trade or a full
scholarship. If you really want to take the course and don’t have the
full amount available at the start of the course we will work with you.
You can pay by the weekend if you assure us you are taking the whole
course. In the past participants have approached organizations or
individuals and ask them for sponsorship in exchange for doing
Permaculture design and/ or implementation after they graduate. Or ask
a parent or friend to loan or give you the money at no or little
interest. The Permaculture Credit Union in Santé Fe may make loans (not
grants) to take the course. Or maybe approach an organization that might
use this type of work and ask them to sponsor you.
Can I get college credit for taking this class?
This course leads to Design Course Certification in
Permaculture. While this certificate is not recognized directly by most
universities, many of our students have been university or college
students, and have worked with their departments at the University of
Arizona, Prescott College, and Pima Community College to obtain
independent study credit for taking this course. It is up to the
individual student to work out arrangements with his/her college and
his/her department. Prescott College students have often taken this
course for credit. This Permaculture Design Course is a standardized
course (with additional emphasis here in Tucson on Southwest Dry lands) given around the world
since 1981, and there are currently over 300,000 graduates working in
over 100 countries on sustainability issues. Our seasoned team of
teachers has been giving this course for fourteen years in Tucson, and
together the teaching team has decades of experience in core
Permaculture topics and other specialized subjects in the sustainability
field.
What if I have additional questions about what to expect
in the course?
Call or e-mail Dan Dorsey, course registrar, at 624-8030
or
What if I drop out of the course due to a non-emergency
after the course begins?
We decide refunds or credit in non-emergency situations on a case
by case basis.
What if I have to miss a whole day or a weekend of the
course?
We expect each participant to attend all the scheduled
weekends and classes, and you will get the most out of the course if you
do. But we understand unexpected events come up. It is up to you if you
have to miss part of the course, but if you want your Permaculture
design certificate at the end, you might have to pay something extra to
meet with the instructor who was teaching during the missed period if he
or she is willing to go over the material. In some cases you may even
have to wait until next year’s course to make up the material and get
your certificate.
Are there scholarships and work-trade exchange
possibilities available?
There will be six scholarships of $100 to hand out
this year. If you want to apply for one send a one half to one page either
typewritten or legibly printed or hand written sheet saying why you need
the scholarship (financial reasons) and what you plan to do with the
course after you finish taking it. Please don’t apply for a scholarship
if you don’t need the reduction in cost, as we would like this additional discount
to go to those who really want to take the course but need the extra
financial help.
There might also be a limited amount of work trade. We
don’t have the resources to offer a full work trade or a full
scholarship. If you really want to take the course and don’t have the
full amount available at the start of the course we will work with you.
You can pay by the weekend if you assure us you are taking the whole
course. In the past participants have approached organizations or
individuals and ask them for sponsorship in exchange for doing
Permaculture design and/ or implementation after they graduate. Or ask
a parent or friend to loan or give you the money at no or little
interest. The Permaculture Credit Union in Santé Fe may make loans (not
grants) to take the course. Or maybe approach an organization that might
use this type of work and ask them to sponsor you.
Can I get college credit for taking this class?
This course leads to Design Course Certification in
Permaculture. While this certificate is not recognized directly by most
universities, many of our students have been university or college
students, and have worked with their departments at the University of
Arizona, Prescott College, and Pima Community College to obtain
independent study credit for taking this course. It is up to the
individual student to work out arrangements with his/her college and
his/her department. Prescott College students have often taken this
course for credit. This Permaculture Design Course is a standardized
course (with additional emphasis here in Tucson on Southwest Dry lands) given around the world
since 1981, and there are currently over 300,000 graduates working in
over 100 countries on sustainability issues. Our seasoned team of
teachers has been giving this course for fourteen years in Tucson, and
together the teaching team has decades of experience in core
Permaculture topics and other specialized subjects in the sustainability
field.
What if I have additional questions about what to expect
in the course?
Call or e-mail Dan Dorsey, course registrar, at 624-8030
or
dorsey@dakotacom.netFor additional workshops on Composting, Locally Grown Foods, Ferrocement Rainwater Harvesting Cistern Construction, and other topics visit our friends at www.sonorankitchengardens.org
frequently asked questions about one day Sonoran Permaculture Guild courses and workshops…
How do I register for these class(es)?
You are registered for a class(es) when we receive your payment. There are three ways of registering and paying for a class:
-
You can pay via mail with a check or money order by mailing it to the registrar (see who to contact below each class listing) for that particular class. Please don’t send cash in the mail. Make your check out to our non-profit: NEST/Sonoran Permaculture Guild, and include your contact info including e-mail. We will send you an e-receipt confirming your registration and payment.
-
You can pay cash by visiting the registrar in person, and he or she will give you a receipt for your payment. Call the contact person for the class and make arrangements to meet.
-
You can pay via major credit card, as we are set up with PayPal to receive payments. E-mail your request to pay with a credit card to the course registrar for the class, and he or she will e-mail back with instructions on how to pay via the secure Paypal websit
-
If after I register and pay for a course, what if I have something come up and I need to cancel out of a class?
You can pay via mail with a check or money order by mailing it to the registrar (see who to contact below each class listing) for that particular class. Please don’t send cash in the mail. Make your check out to our non-profit: NEST/Sonoran Permaculture Guild, and include your contact info including e-mail. We will send you an e-receipt confirming your registration and payment.
You can pay cash by visiting the registrar in person, and he or she will give you a receipt for your payment. Call the contact person for the class and make arrangements to meet.
You can pay via major credit card, as we are set up with PayPal to receive payments. E-mail your request to pay with a credit card to the course registrar for the class, and he or she will e-mail back with instructions on how to pay via the secure Paypal websit
If after I register and pay for a course, what if I have something come up and I need to cancel out of a class?
Our refund policy is as follows:
Full refund up to 10 days before the class begins.
50% refund up to five days before the class begins.
No refund within three days of class, but you may apply part of your fee to a future class.
If the class is full with a waiting list, and we can find someone from the list to take your place, we will refund your payment in full.
Are there scholarships or worktrade available?
There might be a limited amount of partial work trade or a partial scholarship available for a class. If you need this additonal support for financial reasons please e-mail the course registrar for the particular class.