Location: Bullock's Farm, Orcas Island, Washington

Instructors: Douglas Bullock, John Valenzuela, Toby Hemenway, Sam Bullock, and Fungi Perfecti

Dave Boehnlein building a cob oven.

"I did my first permaculture design course on Isla Ometepe, Nicaragua in 2004. Before the course I wasn't quite sure what permaculture was, but I liked some of the things I had seen from the permaculture community. After the course, I was so impressed with the concepts and practicality of permaculture that I decided that it was a worthwhile life pursuit.

In fact I found it to be so influential that I am in the midst of a two year internship at the Bullock Permaculture Homestead [Orcas Island, 2005]. I am learning everything I can about implementing the ideas I learned in the course. In fact, what started as just a course has led me to Hawaii this winter where I will assist on my first real permaculture design project. Ultimately, I intend to create a permaculture education center where the principles I learned in my first course can be made available to more people of all ages. Without knowledge of those principles I feel that we will not survive as a species. Thus, there is no more important work to be done than spread knowledge about permaculture."