Linking everyday life to fundamental natural principles and community self- reliance, Wild Abundance, a cutting-edge school for simple, independent living, and Living Systems Design, a regional leader in permaculture planning and educational training, are teaming up to offer an innovative nine-day immersion program. Living Skills Immersion: Permaculture taught through ancestral skills will be offered March 18-27, outside of Asheville, North Carolina at Earthaven Ecovillage.
“In the frenzy of our modern culture, most people meet their basic needs through abstractions, working to buy the things they need and want instead of actually making them,” says Natalie Bogwalker, founder of the Firefly Gathering and Wild Abundance, instructor of ancestral and homesteading skills, and cofounder of the program. “ When we learn to meet our basic needs through our own abilities, and implement those skills in daily life, it allows our bodies and spirits to thrive in new ways.”
The Living Skills Immersion (LSI ) teaches permaculture through foundational hand skills from a variety of ancestral origins. Permaculture applies insights found in natural ecologies to human settlements and economies. Emphasizing tools made from the ground up, students will learn the basics of growing food, finding water, making medicine, creating shelter, and living with multi-generational relationships, thereby promoting regenerative stewardship of our natural resources.
“I’ve never heard of such a zesty marriage of permaculture and earthskills,” says Zev Friedman, co-founder of the LSI and regional teacher and consultant with Living Systems Design.
Permaculture is a design system, available to anyone, that examines and follows the natural laws of ecosystems. It’s based on observation of indigenous ways where people have lived for long periods of time without destroying their land.
To teach these principles, the LSI will explore a wealth of ancestral and primitive skills, including homesteading, wildfoods foraging and cookery, fire building and tending, forest gardening, firewood selection and splitting, cooking on fire, bonecraft, compassionate farm animal slaughter and wasteless butchering (optional), and much more.
The Living Skills Immersion: Permaculture taught through ancestral skills with Natalie Bogwalker, Zev Friedman, and guest instructors including Juliet Blankespoor and Chuck Marsh.
March 18-27
Earthaven Ecovillage outside Asheville NC
$600-900 sliding scale
Camping included
Food is organic, mostly local, and partially wild. Meal pass $200
For more information or to register go to
http://www.wildabundance.net/classesUpcoming.asp#lsi
