[Santa Cruz, CA Permaculture] Restoration Agriculture Workshop w/Mark Shepard, in Gaviota/Santa Barbara Cty, Oct 30 - Nov 1

[Kolmi Majumdar]

Restoration Agriculture & Farm Scale Permaculture Workshop
with Mark Shepard
October 30 - November 1, 2015

restorationagricultureworkshop.weebly.com <http://restorationagricultureworkshop.weebly.com/> 

Restoration Agriculture offers vibrant, productive, real-world alternatives to save water and restore our soils. Spend three days with Mark Shepard, at Orella Ranch on the Gaviota Coast learning the ins and outs of Restoration Agriculture for resilience in times of flood or drought.

Instructor:  Mark Shepard is the acclaimed author of Restoration Agriculture, a guide to perennial ecosystem agriculture.  He is the CEO of Forest Agriculture Enterprises, and runs New Forest Farm, the 106-acre perennial agricultural forest considered by many to be one of the most ambitious sustainable agriculture projects in the United States. Trained in both mechanical engineering and ecology, Mark has developed and patented equipment and processes for the cultivation, harvesting and processing of forest derived agricultural products for human foods and bio fuels production. He teaches agroforestry and permaculture worldwide. Mark is a farmer member of the Organic Valley cooperative, the worlds largest organic farmer’s marketing co-op, and is the founder and chief Cydermaker for the Shepard’s Hard Cyder winery in Viola, Wisconsin.  Mark Shepard's work at New Forest Farm is included in the feature length documentary film INHABIT.

When: October 30 - November 1, 2015
Friday, 4pm to 9pm.  Saturday & Sunday, 9am to 5pm

Where: Orella Ranch ~ on the Gaviota Coast in Santa Barbara County. Family owned and operated for the last 149 years this coastal ranch will serve as the backdrop for learning the ins and outs of Mark Shepard’s Restoration Agriculture practices.  Camping and food included on site.  

What:  
Full immersion in the theory and practice of Restoration Agriculture
Biome identification and ecology
Keyline design, earthworks, and water management
Perennial crop establishment, maintenance, and breeding
Pruning, coppicing, and grafting
Integrated multi-species grazing
Renewable energy on the farm
Restoration Agriculture economics
The workshop will draw extensively on Mark’s experience establishing and developing New Forest Farm as one of North America’s largest and most innovative perennial farm ecosystems.

Using nature as a model, Restoration Agriculture is the intentional restoration of healthy, functional ecosystems as the context for economically-viable farm operations. Perennial crops, livestock, fungus, and pollinators are integrated to produce abundant food, fiber, and fuel crops while simultaneously restoring critical ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, water purification and infiltration, nutrient cycling, and biodiversity.

Participants will be immersed in the strategic how-to’s of implementing Restoration Agriculture beginning with the agroforestry techniques of Alleycropping and multi-species Silvopasture grazing. Mark will also cover how to implement water management systems based off of natural patterns and informed by Keyline patterning pioneered by P.A. Yeomans. Inputs-based agriculture, pest and disease cycles, plant and animal breeding, compost & compost teas, nitrogen-fixing woody plants, 16-brick rocket stoves, herb spirals and hugulkulture all get a mention before winding up with a passionate call to arms for all farmers, land owners or aspirants, to rise to the challenges of our times, to live and work toward the creation of an ecologically healthy food system, culture and economy.

Workshop Cost: includes camping and food

Early Bird ~ first 10 spaces and by Sept 30 ~ $475
Workshop Fee ~ $550

Pair discount: $40 off your combined total.  
Ask us about group discounts for 3 or more.

Learn more & register:  restorationagricultureworkshop.weebly.com <http://restorationagricultureworkshop.weebly.com/> 
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