Fall Permaculture Offerings

[awerbalo at calpoly.edu]

Here's a copy of the news release that went out:

September 2, 1998                                                      
Contact: Akiva Werbalowsky
(805) 756-5086

Cal Poly Permaculture
Schedules Open House, Courses, Autumn Harvest Event

SAN LUIS OBISPO -- Cal Poly Permaculture, a College of Agriculture group
dedicated to ecological agriculture, is planning an open house, an
Autumn Harvest Festival, and a series of Extended Education classes
designed to introduce Central Coast residents and others to
community-based agriculture and sustainable living practices.

The open house is planned from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, at the
Permaculture Center on campus.  The public is invited to the free event,
at which participants will hear music and sample organic food.
The Autumn Harvest Festival, also free and open to the public, is set
for Friday and Saturday, Oct. 9 and 10.  The festival will include
music, presentations by Central Coast growers, demonstrations of
cultural food harvest techniques, garden tours, and a special "garden
foods taste contest" with prizes.  It is billed as the largest organic
food tasting event in San Luis Obispo County, and home gardeners and
professional growers are invited to participate.  Anyone interested in
entering his or her homegrown specialties should call Akiva Werbalowsky,
manager of Cal Poly Permaculture, at 756-5086.

Permaculture is an integrated design process using balanced 
ecosystems as its models.  It also focuses on local rather than imported
resources.

Gardeners, land managers, farmers, environmental educators and those
simply concerned about clean air and water and healthy food can learn
more about permaculture by enrolling in one or more of the Extended
Education courses offered fall quarter. Principles of Permaculture will
be taught from 7 to 9:15 p.m. Tuesdays beginning Sept. 15; Permaculture
in Depth will be offered from 7 to 9:15 p.m. Thursdays beginning Sept.
17; and Permaculture and Ecological Design runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sundays starting Sept. 20.  Each class runs 10 weeks and registration for 
individual class sessions is also possible .

The courses will be team taught by Larry Santoyo, one of the nation's
premier permaculture designers and an instructor at Cal Poly; Julian
Kayne, designer for Cal Poly's Permaculture Center; and Werbalowsky.

To register, or for more information, call the Extended Education office
at (805) 756-2053.

For more information on the Cal Poly Permaculture program call
Werbalowsky or e-mail him at awerbalo at calpoly.edu.

- 30 -
        
(NOTE TO EDITORS:  A new straw-bale windbreak built around the Native
Seed Festival Circle and a garden in full bloom could provide
photographers with good photo opportunities at the open house.)