For INDEX please use the Side Bar

1S107

Off the Grid Living - Multi-component Workshop

November 18 - 24, 2006

LOCATION : TBA

Nanaimo / Cedar,

Vancouver Island

Instructor :

Mandala Kowal

COURSE SUMMARY

Welcome to Off the Grid Living, a six-day multi-presenter workshop intensive, lead by Mandala Kowal. Mandala is an advocate of living lightly on this planet. In 2001-2002 she earned a bachelors degree in Ecology Culture and Sustainable Communities. She lives on a small farm in northern California with her husband and children, in a passive solar cob home of her own design. On this farm much of life’s necessities are provided. There are five humans, two horses, two milk goats, one dog, two cats, fifteen chickens, honeybees, and many wild animals. The goat pen is cleaned and made into compost piles. From the goats milk all sorts of products are created: chevre, panier, kefir, yougurt, cheesecake, ice cream, and soap. The family homestead is powered by the sun and they grow a substantial quantity of their food. Firewood comes from the land, as did the wood used to build the house. Food from the garden is dried and put into jars for winter. Instead of driving to the store and buying products Mandala creates them at home and is able to trade neighbors for other goods and services. Her knowledge comes from her years of practical experience, openly shared and can be used at your own discretion.

In this summary we will outline any online resources, classroom assignments and the material to be covered. The instructional components for this workshop are taught on weekends and in the evenings and the design and mentorship components, during the day. This means that whether you are a full time EM student or you are working at another job during the day, you can still take this course! It is offered on weekend days and weekday evenings - Saturday, Nov 18th – Friday, Nov 24th, with the below supplementary sessions, mornings and afternoons.

Join Mandala Kowal and explore ideas methods and ways we all can create change and hope for the Earth while we enjoy life's simple pleasures!

COMPONENT CLASSES (session times)

Tales from Off the Grid… Living the Life (Full-Day Workshop)

9 – 5 pm - Saturday, Nov 18th, Brown Bag Lunch!

~ Mandala Kowal, Carol Wagner, Jan Steinman& guests

(9:00 - Students Welcome – Intern Facilitator / Greeting)

10 – 11:30 – Jan Steinman – Lifestyle Examples & Options - Overview

11:30 – 1:00 - Carol Wagner – Living the Dream – Reasons & Reflections

1:30 – 5:00 – Mandala Kowal – Self-reliance in the Sierra Madre Mountains

Potluck – Social

5 – 7 pm, Sunday, Nov 19th - Potluck – Social / Mentor Consulting discussion opportunity (After dinner appointment times will be publically offered on a fee-for-service, pre-arranged appointment basis for members of the community who may have local projects in mind or ideas to field test that they want to talk about.)

Student Run Design Sessions (three mornings)

10 - 1 - Tuesday, Nov. 21, Wednesday, Nov. 22, Thursday, Nov. 23.

Brown Bag Lunches!

Student Project Development: Mentor Assessment Sessions (three afternoons)

2 - 6 - Tuesday, Nov. 21, Wednesday, Nov. 22, Thursday, Nov. 23.

Instructional How-to Sessions (five evenings)

6:30 - 9:30 pm Monday - Friday, Nov. 20 - 24.

Display of Student Designs

9 - 12, Saturday, Nov. 25th

COST

Students & Public: $325

RELATED CLASSES (that may interest you)- By Waiting List ONLY!

Mentor Consulting Opportunity (Open to the Public)

Separate Instructor Fees charge per hour.

7:30 – 9:30 pm, Sunday, Nov 19th

{Book ahead – individual or small group for Jan, Carol or Mandala}

7:30 -

8:00 -

8:30 -

9:00 -

Sustainable Homestead Food Skills (Five-day Intensive)

December 10 - 14th, Brown Bag Lunches!

~ Carol Wagner

Grey Water: Nutrients and Management (Half-day Workshop)

11:00 am – 2:00 pm, Sunday, Dec 10th

~ Carol Wagner

Composting & Plants (Morning Workshop)

9 am - 12 noon, Monday, Dec. 11th

~ Carol Wagner

Harvesting & Drying Techniques for Food (& Mushrooms) (Three Afternoons)

1 - 5 pm, Mon. to Wed., Dec 11 - 13th

~ Carol Wagner

Sustainable Eating

9 am - 12 noon, Tuesday, Dec. 12th

~ Carol Wagner

Wild Foraging: Research Training

9 am - 12 noon, Wednesday, Dec. 13th

~ Carol Wagner

Food Storage for Emergency Preparedness & Self-sufficiency: What should I have on hand and how long will it last? (Storage Methods)

9 am - 5 pm, Thursday, Dec. 14th

~ Carol Wagner

OTHER DETAILS

Check back here for additional information that may be added later, like student-posted hikes, discussion topics, design team & study buddies, and teacher office hour or paid public consulting times.

Outside Resources

To be announced.