Please check back often as our course listing may be updated frequently. Click on the links below for a course description.
2010 Course Offerings Coming Soon
2010 San Luis Valley Energy Fair
Previous 2009 course offerings:
• April 25-29: Introduction to Permaculture, with a three day Practicum
• April 27-29: Introduction to Top Bar BeeKeeping, Peas and Trees, and New Energy Economy
• August 29-31: San Luis ValleyEnergy Fair (more info coming soon)
• October 3: From Field to Cellar; Canning and Freezing
Intro to Permaculture + Practical Permaculture
Applications, Crestone Colorado 2009
 This class is for busy people interested in learning more about permaculture. You can take the segments in combination, or separately. For info about Scott and Arina Pittman (at right), go to permaculture.org
Segment One: Introduction to Permaculture with Scott Pittman
▪ Overview of Permaculture and Sustainable Living Concepts
▪ Ethics, Principles & Methodology of Design
▪ Applications of Permaculture to All Aspects of Human Endeavor
Basics of growing organic food in an ecologically rich environment:
- Garden Design Strategies, Soil Building Techniques, Preparations of beds, Tree Planting, Direct Seeding and Transplanting, Forest Gardening, Food Preservation and more
- Irrigation, Intercropping, Gardening for Biodiversity, Cover Crops, Mulching, Pest and Weed Control
- Insectary Plantings, Seed Saving Basics and more
CLASS LOGISTICS:
This workshop is offered separately or in combination with Practical Permaculture Workshop (see below).
Location: Chokecherry Farm in Crestone, CO; Lunch is provided, students are responsible for all other meals.
Workshop Fees:
$150 for Introduction to Permaculture
$150 for all three Practical Permaculture Workshops, or $60 indiviudally
$275 for Intro to Permacutlure, and Practicums
We encourage you to pay by check or money order.
Mail payments to: PO Box 895, Crestone CO 81131
To pay by credit card (which costs more), click here
Dates: April 25-26. Classes are held 9am - 5pm. Participants must arrive on the day prior to workshop start date for an orientation and a community gathering.
Accommodations: simple camp ground is available.
There is an inn within walking-distance from the farm.
Deposits: Space is limited. A non-refundable deposit of $100 will hold your space. Please note, we don’t refund program fees please plan your attendance accordingly.
Contact us for registration.
If you want to purchase your tickets online, click here.
Segment Two: Practical Permaculture for Sustainable Farming and Gardening
These practicums are part of the Permaculture Intro Course. Chokecherry Farm’s Nicholas and Alycia Chambers will be the lead instructors. Take all three for $150 or individually for $60 each. Farm lunch included. Camping Available.
Introduction to Top Bar BeeKeeping
Monday April 27th 9am-4pm
This beekeeping class is for those that want to start keeping bees in a top bar hive. Simple, elegant, and low-tech. The class will be informational as well as hands on, bring a veil if you can. For those that want to start colonies this spring we will have hives available for purchase as well as package bees. Let us know ASAP if you want to start a colony and if you need a hive. Depending on when the colonies arrive, the class includes a hiving segment where we will distribute the package bees for you own hives.
Trees and Peas
Tuesday April 28th 9am-4pm
In this Permaculture Practicum we will work with early spring plantings like peas, spinach, lettuce, radish, and others: how to prepare for them, how to tend them, and how to save their seeds. These early plantings are cold hardy, early producers, and suitable for anyone to grow. Also, we will learn how to establish healthy and productive perennial backbones of fruit trees, fodder trees, and berry bushes. Learn about strategic planting, drip irrigation, pruning, plus much more.
The New Energy Economy - Solar Hot Water
Wednesday April 29th 8am-5pm
Guest Instructor: Talmath Lakai
This class will be an overview of the developing fabric of the energy landscape for the 21st century. We will discuss photovoltaic, solar thermal, wind, and hydro-electricity, plus wood chip energy, biogas digesters, biodiesel, plus much more. We will all help build a passive thermosiphon solar hot water system and tour some renewable energy installations, even conclude the day with a tour of the hydro-electric plant at valley view hot springs. Contact us for your specific interests.
Chokecherry Farm Course Offerings
Email us for more information. $60 per day for each. Lunches included.
From Field to Cellar; Canning & Freezing
Saturday October 3rd 9am-4pm
This class will focus on preserving fresh fruits and vegetables through canning and freezing. It will focus on a variety of fresh produce in season and ways to reduce the amount of energy required in canning. Sauces, pickles, chutneys, jams, jellies and freezing of greens will all be covered. Bring some produce, Ziplocs, and jars!
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