Edmonton Permaculture Guild

Permaculture Convergence Southern Alberta
2016-07-09, 2016-07-08 16:00 - 23:55 (America/Edmonton) | Alberta
July 8-10. On Eventbrite.
We will be hosting the next Permaculture Convergence in the Flare n’ Derrick Community Hall, in Turner Valley Alberta. We are utilizing the Sheep River library next door for workshop spaces. Hell’s Half Acre campground, is beside the hall, for attendees wanting to camp nearby. There are also Black Diamond Campground, and Sandy Macnabb Campground within a 10 min drive. Our facitilites include an adjoining Spray Park and public outdoor swimming pool. Within 30 minutes drive we have 4 options of established Permaculture properties to tour.
The themes for this Convergence are:
Creating Vibrant Culture Arts and Permaculture Gardening Local Community Economics. This is a family friendly event with babysitting options and events for children.
Adults – $125 Children 5-15 – $25 4 and under free Costs include: all workshops and tours Saturday night supper Muffins/coffee Sat/Sun . Babysitting = $25/day (Saturday and Sunday) includes crafts and activities for 3-11 yrs olds.
Camping and Accommodation fees are NOT included in convergence fee.

Backyard Chickens and Bees in Edmonton
2016-06-27 19:30 - 21:00
Edmonton Horticultural Society Member Meeting Night
Central Lions Seniors Recreation Centre
11113-113 Street
Doors and Atrium at 6:45pm
Speaker at 7:30pm
Free Admission for EHS members: SHOW YOUR CARD !
Non-members: $5.00 at the door
Memberships are available for purchase
Cash or Cheque ONLY , ATM on site
Free Parking
CoffeeTea
ibbles in Atrium 6:45pm.

Wild Crafting 101
2016-06-26 10:00 - 15:00
Instructor: Janna Sacco, C.H.N. Certified Holistic Nutritionist. Discover wild edibles and how to prepare them in the kitchen to make delicious dishes, useful nourishing tonics and extracts that are fresh, local and packed full of life-giving nutrients! Learn how to ethically, sustainably and safely select and harvest wild plants, how to preserve and extract their medicinal qualities, build your immune system and stock your pantry! Includes an herb walk and crafting in the kitchen exploring methods like fermentation, electuaries, dehydrating, tea infusions and syrup making. Registration fee includes supplies. $65.00.
Register here.

Family Homesteading Camp
2016-06-26, 2016-06-25, 2016-06-24
June 24-26 Good Note Community Farm
Camp will start at 11:00 am the first morning, and end after our evening meal on the last evening.
Every morning we will start with animal and gardening chores and afternoons will see us taking up a new skill. The skills we work on will depend on interest at the time of registration. See below for a list of possibilities. Scroll all the way down past the photos to see the list of possible activities and indicate your preferences in the comment section of the registration form. Cooking and cleaning up after meals is part of Pioneer life so it shall be ours too!
Every night we will sleep in the Barn’s hay loft, smelling all the wonderful farm smells and listening to the coyotes. Bring sleeping bags (and perhaps a hammock and mosquito net); there’s plenty of straw! Those with allergies, especially to cats and hay, are welcome to set up a tent.
The last day we will prepare a chicken meal, straight from the coop (or yard). Humane, mindful treatment of our animals will be of paramount importance.

Renewable Energy Weekend Intensive
2016-06-26
June 24-26
Aspen Centre for Integral Living (check website)
Have you ever wondered about how we are going to meet our energy needs in the future? Would you like to get a jumpstart on transitioning to clean renewable energy for you and your family? Join us for our comprehensive, hands-on renewable energy weekend intensive!
We will be outfitting our off-grid demonstration microhaus with a full suite of awesome active renewable energy components. By the end of this workshop, you will be informed and able to take the next steps in making your household and community more energy resilient.
Topics Covered:
– Household Energy Analysis
– Conservation Prioritization
– Solar PV (theory, design, and hands-on install)
– Solar Thermal (theory, design, and technology options)
– Wind Energy (design and turbine assembly)
– Wood Energy (woodlot and technology basics)
– Grid-tie versus Off-grid benefits
– Regulatory and Policy concerns

Summer Mushrooms
2016-06-25 09:00 - 16:00
Instructor: Mike Schulz. Summer is a peak time for mushrooming, so join expert Mike Schulz as we learn about summer’s mushroom montage! This class includes a presentation on mushroom identification and easily identified edibles, as well as an informative foray through the garden. You will cook and sample all the edible finds. Students are encouraged to bring in unknown mushrooms to identify.$80.00.
Register here.

Renewable Energy Weekend Intensive
2016-06-25, 2016-06-24
June 24-26
Aspen Centre for Integral Living (check website)
Have you ever wondered about how we are going to meet our energy needs in the future? Would you like to get a jumpstart on transitioning to clean renewable energy for you and your family? Join us for our comprehensive, hands-on renewable energy weekend intensive!
We will be outfitting our off-grid deomonstration microhaus with a full suite of awesome active renewable energy components. By the end of this workshop, you will be informed and able to take the next steps in making your household and community more energy resilient.
Topics Covered:
– Household Energy Analysis
– Conservation Prioritization
– Solar PV (theory, design, and hands-on install)
– Solar Thermal (theory, design, and technology options)
– Wind Energy (design and turbine assembly)
– Wood Energy (woodlot and technology basics)
– Grid-tie versus Off-grid benefits
– Regulatory and Policy concerns

Companion Planting with Permaculture
2016-06-18 13:00 - 14:30
Details here.
Companion planting with permaculture: “We do not have the power of connection, only placement.”
(Bill Mollison)
In this 90 min talk, Permaculture Teacher Kenton Zerbin will explore and break down how plants can work together through your intelligent design. Learn how to grow your own fertilizer, encourage natural weed and pest control, and fit more plants than you ever thought possible where you want them.
$10 for EHS Members
$15 for non-members
Register now on EHS website with PayPal
or at the May 30th Speaker Night.
Workshop will be held at EHS office
10746-178 Street

Learn to Build a Super Efficient Cob Oven
2016-06-18
Come out for the day, June 18th, 2016 and learn all about building with earth: specifically how to use it to build a super efficient wood fired oven. You will gain the skills to build your very own wood-fired oven made from natural materials including clay, sand, straw, and bricks.
This workshop will take place in Stony Plain, AB. A healthy, hearty lunch and refreshments are included.
Full details here.

Complete Earthen Floor Workshop
2016-06-12, 2016-06-11
Everything You Need to Know About Earthen Floors
Contemporary earthen floors combine traditional methods while addressing modern demands and aesthetics for a result that is beautiful, durable, non-toxic, ecologically-sensitive, and healthy.
This two day hands-on workshop will get you everything you need to know about earthen floors: the right proportions of sand to clay to create a successful recipe, the tools, sub floor preparation, the installation of radiant heating in earthen floors, & finishing techniques. We’re also excited to announce that we’ll be covering earthen counter tops as well!
Lunch and refreshments included both days. A camping option is available as well. See website for details.

Learn to Build a Super Efficient Cob Oven
2016-06-10
Yummy Wood Fired Tradition with New Efficient Design
Come out for the day, June 10th, 2016 and learn all about building with earth: specifically how to use it to build a super efficient wood fired oven. You will gain the skills to build your very own wood-fired oven made from natural materials including clay, sand, straw, and bricks.
This workshop will take place in Sherwood Park, Alberta, just outside Edmonton. A healthy, hearty lunch and refreshments are included.
For full details see the Dirt Craft Natural Building website.

The Art of Clay Plaster & Paint
2016-06-06
Register here.
Clay plasters when used for an interior finish allow anyone to experience the beauty and benefits of natural building. You’ll learn how to make and apply clay plasters and paints which can be applied to virtually any wall surface, even drywall. Turn the most conventional home into an eco sanctuary.

This 1 day hands on workshop will give you plenty information to take away and get going on your own projects. Lunch, refreshments & snacks included.

Eco Solar Home Tour
2016-06-04 12:00 - 16:00
This year’s Eco-Solar Home Tour will run for two days on the weekend of June 4th and June 5th. There are 18 homes (sites) open over two days, Saturday and Sunday, from noon until 4 pm (some for longer). You will be able to soak up the first-hand experience of homeowners and other experts with a wide variety of energy and water resource-saving technologies in new construction and retrofit applications.
Check out the website for more details!

Root for Trees Fest
2016-06-04 10:00 - 14:00
Have fun in nature and plant trees with us at a free, family event! Festivities will include the Tree-athlon, tree planting, live music with artists 100 mile house, bucket truck rides, pruning demonstration, educational resources, interesting exhibitors and much more. The Root for Trees Fest is an annual event to celebrate trees in nature! This event will connect community members with ways to plant trees and engage with their natural surroundings, as part of the Root for Trees initiative.
Activities
Annual Tree-athlon fun race
Children can run either a 1 km (ages 8-12) or a 0.5 km (7 and under) race, where they run, plant a tree, water it and run to the finish line. This is the only race of its kind in Edmonton! Race registration begins at 10am and is limited to 40 participants for each race. Join in the fun, music, crafts, games, rides and much more!
Price: FREE
10am – Race registration on-site only
11am – start of 1 km race (Ages 8 to 12)
11:30am – start of 0.5 km race (Ages 7 & under)
Free Concert, starting at noon
Come enjoy a free concert with 100 mile house! Winners of the Emerging Artist Award at the 2014 Edmonton Folk Music Festival, husband and wife duo, Peter and Denise, will perform a concert in the trees! Band Biography
Tree Planting
How many trees can you plant? Help the Community Greening Team plant over 1,000 trees!
Community Displays
Visit a variety of displays set up by community groups. Whether you want to learn more about how to participate in Front Yards in Bloom, or more information on your local Community League – there will be something of interest to you.
Event Location
Jackie Parker Park & Recreation Area
4540 50 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta

Natural Plaster Intensive Workshop
2016-06-04
Register here.
Dirt Craft Natural Building will be teaching a 3 day (plus an additional optional 4th day – details below) hands on workshop dedicated to plaster systems for natural buildings from Friday June 3rd to Sunday June 5th 2016 + optional bonus day, Monday June 6th, just outside Edmonton in Sherwood Park, AB. These will be full days, so come prepared to have fun, learn, and get your hands dirty! Lunch and refreshments included.
Purpose: to understand the steps necessary to finish any natural wall system, including your straw bale home. It is one thing to learn how to stack straw bales or stomp cob, but it is critically important to understand how to finish a building, as it will determine the longevity of your home or building. A good plaster system will mean the difference between success and failure.
Thinking of starting your own project? This workshop will position you well to make good decisions in the design phase, so that you can plan for success.
The workshop will nicely balanced between hands-on experienced, and design & theory.
Here is some of what to expect:

Using plasters to create an air tight wall system = super energy efficient, comfortable homes, use Passive House design methodology
Wall preparation for various natural building techniques, including clay fiber, cob and straw bales
Sourcing local materials
Learn to identify clay, and process this inexpensive local material
Recipes for exterior renders and interior plasters
Rain screens (siding for straw bale homes): an alternative to plaster for exteriors
Learn to mix & apply interior plasters that can be applied to a variety of wall surfaces
Discussions comparing different plaster systems, pros and cons of earthen plasters, concrete stucco, especially focused on the areas of durability and vapour permeability
Plaster as it pertains to the long term health of a building with natural walls
Tool selection
Application techniques for base coats and finish plasters, including proper trowel techniques
Building design for earthen plasters
Different treatments for durability and weather resistance

Optional 4th Day:
Stick with us for Monday June 6th and learn the art of finish clay plasters and paints. These are the colours and textures that you’ll experience everyday in your home, so it is worth learning . Spend the day learning our refined recipes, how to work with pigment, and how to create a durable finishes. Best of all, you can introduce natural materials to any home, and these recipes can go easily over drywall! For more information about this bonus day, visit the finish clay plaster and paint workshop page.
Want more visuals? Click here to view our project gallery.
We will be working on the straw bale Temple that we started last year through a work party. The Temple itself is dedicated to the preservation and conservation of the lands in Alberta and the people who strive to protect them. This space is to be available for people of all faiths, spiritual beliefs and religions, as a global healing temple for all. offering a great opportunity to all students to get to know more about the designing and approval process for a natural building.

Why Grow Native Plants?
2016-05-30 19:30 - 21:00
presented by
Edmonton Native Plant Group
“The rewards and challenges of using native plants in garden and natural settings”
The Edmonton Native Plant Group (ENPG) is an informal society of people in the Edmonton area who like to grow native plants and promote their use in gardening and landscaping to a wider public. They take part in a number of projects, in cooperation with the appropriate municipal authorities, which aim to enrich the natural flora of various parks and natural areas.
Presenters from the ENPG will be Liz Deleeuw, Cherry Dodd, Judith Golub and Patsy Cotterill. Liz is a landscape designer and avid grower of native plants, Judith has extensive horticultural experience in greenhouses, Cherry is a gardener and native seed enthusiast and Patsy a botanist. The topics they will cover will be the importance of growing native plants to enhance local biodiversity, design and gardening with native plants, and the need for and challenges of growing native plants for restoration projects.
Central Lions Seniors Recreation Centre
11113-113 Street
Doors and Atrium at 6:45pm
Speaker at 7:30pm
In the Atrium at this meeting:
Edmonton Native Plant Group
with native plants for sale
Greenland Gardens
with general gardening expertise and native plants for sale
Devonian Botanic Garden
with plants for sale
Free Admission for EHS members: SHOW YOUR CARD !
Non-members: $5.00 at the door
Memberships are available for purchase
Cash or Cheque ONLY , ATM on site
Free Parking
CoffeeTea
ibbles in Atrium 6:45pm.

Homesteading for Homeschoolers
2016-05-27
Homesteading in an environmentally responsible way, learning by doing, practicing and repetition, we will be starting our day in the barnyard at 9:30 am with feeding, watering, training of the cow Vicky, her calf Bonny and the goats, chickens, Turkeys and ducks. After a potluck lunch, eaten outside if possible, we will create and learn in the afternoon, ending at 3:00 pm, with the following schedule in mind:
May 27 Sourdough in the Cob Oven and Final work on the wattle fence made of Saskatoon and willow branches.
Cost is $25 each, if you want to take it in as a drop in. (one week notice required) Class size will be capped at 20 people, adults or children. Siblings under age 5 pay half price, but may have supervised “free” time, during the afternoon activity. If however, only one child under 5 comes or the sibling still wants to participate in the afternoon activity, AND they want to make a basket, for example (with parents help), they would pay the full price.
A deposit of $10 per class, will be required to hold your place. It can be E transferred or mailed. Use the contact form on this website to inquire further 🙂

Food Garden Explosion Permablitz
2016-05-22 09:00 - 17:00
Check out the Facebook event.
We are creating a food growing explosion on our acreage this spring!
Please join us as we install a large no-till garden by sheet mulching in our yard and a giant hugelkultur raised bed next to our chicken coop. If you don’t know what either of those things are, here is your chance to find out! Here’s the deal: we show and teach the permaculture projects we’re installing, plus provide snacks and lunch (and a good time!), and you provide muscle power to help us boost our food production to the next level of abundance.
Here’s how the day looks:
9-9:30am: you show up!
9:30-10am: we all limber up with some yoga to keep our bodies happy and well as we work.
10am: get to know each other, no till gardening seminar (with plenty of “this is where we screwed up when we tried this the first time or five”)
10:30am-noon: get the work party started!
noon-1pm: lunch
1-2:30pm: learn the hugelkultur principles, keep the awesome moving
2:30-3pm: afternoon iced tea break (and other refreshment)
3-5pm: other seminar(s) TBA, wrap up a job well done
Optional: stay for potluck supper and bonfire celebration (if you aren’t sick of us by then ;))
We can only productively put to use about fifteen-twenty people; please RSVP to get directions and make sure we don’t have people with nothing to do… Please contact Megan at megan.is.silly [at] gmail.com to RSVP. Also, please bring any wheelbarrows, shovels, hand saws you can… And work gloves and weather appropriate gear!
PLEASE NOTE: As part of building the hugelkultur bed, there will be at least one chainsaw in operation, and large(ish) chunks of trees being moved. Please bring your safety awareness!

Permaculture Food Forestry Course
2016-05-21
Food forestry is an ancient approach to creating multi-tiered perennial food gardens that are patterned after natural forest eco-systems. With carefully selected and placed trees, shrubs, herbaceous perennials, self seeding annuals, mushrooms, and if desired, small livestock such as bees and poultry, these gardens become largely self-sustaining and highly productive, while providing excellent habitat for other beneficial species.
In this workshop you will explore the forest gardening model as a viable alternative for the Alberta climate in both urban and rural settings including the fundamental principles of forest garden design and the great range of possible plant species for our region.
For additional information on either course, please contact jillyc@shaw.ca
To register, visit https://tickets.artsandheritage.ca/mainstore.asp?cid=1478

Introduction to Urban Beekeeping
2016-05-21
Dates: May 21-22, 2016
(May 21 9:00am-5:00pm, May 22 9:00am- 1:00pm)
Course: #560173
Cost: $250
Location: John Janzen Nature Centre

Have you always wanted to step out your back door and see your very own beehive? This one-and-a-half-day course teaches the skills needed to have a successful hive. Topics covered in class include honeybee lifecycle, hive management, honeybee behaviors, bee and hive selection, and City of Edmonton regulations about urban beekeeping. On the second day, you’ll get hands on with a hive learning proper hive set up, how to safely collect honey and deliver medications.

After the course, you’ll have the opportunity to be part of a mentorship community to assist with troubleshooting problems with your hive.

This is an approved course for those interested in becoming an urban beekeeper in the City of Edmonton.

To register, call 311 or visit
edmonton.ca/activities_parks_recreation/
animal-nature-awareness-adult.aspx.
For more information contact Beckie Boutilier, Natural History Program Coordinator, John Janzen Nature Centre, 780-496-2916 or rebekah.boutilier@edmonton.ca

Homesteading for Homeschoolers
2016-05-20
Homesteading in an environmentally responsible way, learning by doing, practicing and repetition, we will be starting our day in the barnyard at 9:30 am with feeding, watering, training of the cow Vicky, her calf Bonny and the goats, chickens, Turkeys and ducks. After a potluck lunch, eaten outside if possible, we will create and learn in the afternoon, ending at 3:00 pm, with the following schedule in mind:
May 20 Cheese! Mozzarella, Ricotta and Chevre
27 Sourdough in the Cob Oven and Final work on the wattle fence made of Saskatoon and willow branches.
Cost is $25 each, if you want to take it in as a drop in. (one week notice required) Class size will be capped at 20 people, adults or children. Siblings under age 5 pay half price, but may have supervised “free” time, during the afternoon activity. If however, only one child under 5 comes or the sibling still wants to participate in the afternoon activity, AND they want to make a basket, for example (with parents help), they would pay the full price.
A deposit of $10 per class, will be required to hold your place. It can be E transferred or mailed. Use the contact form on this website to inquire further 🙂

Castille Soapmaking
2016-05-14 13:00 - 17:00
Instructor: Amy Beaith.Come and learn with personal care expert Amy Beaith of PLANTiful, the art and science behind castille soapmaking! This is a demonstration style class where you will get to learn about the process and types of ingredients you can use to make beautiful bar soaps. You will get to take home a how-to-guide, recipes, and a handmade soap with you! $75.00.
To register, visit the Devonian Botanic Gardens’ Adult Education website.

Spring Mushrooms
2016-05-14 10:00 - 16:00
Instructor: Mike Schulz. Join expert Mike Schulz as we learn about the mushrooms of spring! Course includes a detailed presentation with an emphasis on delicious edible spring mushrooms that you can easily learn to identify. Hunt down and learn about the elusive morel and other spring fungal delights on a foray through the Garden. $70.00.
To register, visit the Devonian Botanic Gardens’ Adult Education website.

Introduction to Urban Beekeeping
2016-05-14 09:00 - 17:00
Dates: May 14-15, 2016
(May 14 9:00am-5:00pm, May 15 9:00am- 1:00pm)
Course #: 560172
Cost: $250
Location: John Janzen Nature Centre

Have you always wanted to step out your back door and see your very own beehive? This one-and-a-half-day course teaches the skills needed to have a successful hive. Topics covered in class include honeybee lifecycle, hive management, honeybee behaviors, bee and hive selection, and City of Edmonton regulations about urban beekeeping. On the second day, you’ll get hands on with a hive learning proper hive set up, how to safely collect honey and deliver medications.

After the course, you’ll have the opportunity to be part of a mentorship community to assist with troubleshooting problems with your hive.

This is an approved course for those interested in becoming an urban beekeeper in the City of Edmonton.

To register, call 311 or visit
edmonton.ca/activities_parks_recreation/
animal-nature-awareness-adult.aspx.
For more information contact Beckie Boutilier, Natural History Program Coordinator, John Janzen Nature Centre, 780-496-2916 or rebekah.boutilier@edmonton.ca.

Homesteading for Homeschoolers
2016-05-13
Homesteading in an environmentally responsible way, learning by doing, practicing and repetition, we will be starting our day in the barnyard at 9:30 am with feeding, watering, training of the cow Vicky, her calf Bonny and the goats, chickens, Turkeys and ducks. After a potluck lunch, eaten outside if possible, we will create and learn in the afternoon, ending at 3:00 pm, with the following schedule in mind:
May 13 Weaving – Using the wool spun in the weeks before, we shall create a small sampler on a lap loom we will make that morning.
20 Cheese! Mozzarella, Ricotta and Chevre
27 Sourdough in the Cob Oven and Final work on the wattle fence made of Saskatoon and willow branches.
Cost is $25 each, if you want to take it in as a drop in. (one week notice required) Class size will be capped at 20 people, adults or children. Siblings under age 5 pay half price, but may have supervised “free” time, during the afternoon activity. If however, only one child under 5 comes or the sibling still wants to participate in the afternoon activity, AND they want to make a basket, for example (with parents help), they would pay the full price.
A deposit of $10 per class, will be required to hold your place. It can be E transferred or mailed. Use the contact form on this website to inquire further 🙂
