Dear Friends and Colleagues,
 
I'm excited to invite you to consider participating in a new 6-week Ecovillage Design Education (EDE) course  and residential, hands-on learning immersion -- the Summer Farm and Ecovillage Immersion. It's July 4-August 16, here at Earthaven Ecovillage near Asheville, North Carolina. 
 
         This EDE course, will immerse participants in Earthaven's village culture, and in the off-grid homes, lives, small eco-friendly businesses, and organic farms of the course hosts and instructors. 6-week 
         The application deadline is April 15th or until the course is filled. www.schoolofintegratedliving.org  828-664-0268.
 
         I'm delighted to be one of the instructors. I'm really excited about the other instructors too, as they are among the most inspiring young people at Earthaven. Their skills, consciousness, wisdom, and experience will make this course fabulous.
 
         I'll be teaching "The Three Aspects of Healthy, Thriving Community," effective governance, an overview of Sociocracy, what communities worldwide have learned that works well in community dynamics and creating "community glue," and, along with instructor Lee Walker Warren, creating a village-scale economy.
 
         In the Summer Farm and Ecovillage Immersion participants will live like we do. They will learn from onsite experts on creating a village culture, Nonviolent Communication,  organic agriculture, composting and bio char production, herbalism and wildcrafting, natural building, off-grid power, cottage industries and small-scale entrepreneurship and much, much more. 
        And . . . for hearts and souls: fireside stories, meditation, dance, yoga, nature awareness, rituals, rites of passage ceremonies, and heartshares and talking circles. 
        (See flyer below, for complete list of course topics.)
 
         Instructors include Chuck Marsh, a well-known permaculture teacher in the Southeast and founder and co-owner of Useful Plants Nursery at Earthaven. Chuck on harvesting tea camellias:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVm6BCgLPCo
 
        Chris Farmer, an experienced natural builder and "hybrid" system builder,  inventor of new natural building and "hybrid" building techniques, organic farmer, sustainable forester and logger, homegrown philosopher, and one of the most respected young leaders at Earthaven. A video of Chris talking about his vision for Earthaven: http://www.earthaven.org/blog/2012/12/appalachian-machu-picch/
 
         NikiAnne Feinberg and Lee Walker Warren cofounded the sponsoring organization, School of Integrated Living (SOIL), a new nonprofit educational organization at Earthaven. SOIL is working with Gaia Education for EDE certification of this course.
         NikkiAnne is an experienced organic farming activist and nonprofit administrator, and multi-lingual world traveler.    Lee, an experienced organic farmer, entrepreneur, and skilled group process leader, is  co-founder of Imani Farm and the Village Terraces Neighborhood at Earthaven. She is also an expert in and advocate for small-scale ecologically sustainable cottage industries. My blog article about Lee's presentation on economic sustainability in an ecovillage: http://www.earthaven.org/blog/2013/05/economics-the-short-leg
 
         Zev Friedman is a lively and well-liked Asheville-area Permaculture teacher and designer, and an expert in the plants of this mountain region. Zev on our budding forest economy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLzQjs0YH_A
 
         Andy Bosley, a Biodynamic farmer, and cofounder of YellowRoot Farm at Earthaven.
         Other Earthaven instructors will introduce Nonviolent Communication, sustainable forestry, creating rituals and ceremonies, and much, much more.
       
       All these ecovillage-savvy instructors are folks I really like and admire. I think you will too.
 
       If the July 4-August 16 Summer Farm and Ecovillage Immersion interests you, please sign up at www.schoolofintegratedliving.org  or call NikiAnne at 828-664-0268.
 
       All good wishes,
 
       Diana Leafe Christian