 BRATTLEBORO AREA NATURAL-BUILDING GROUP
Join the BANG email list to receive >>> announcements and meeting notices >>> about the next meeting >>> archive >>> home >>> Next meeting:
March 5, 2006, at the S&L, 6 PM: Permaculture!For immediate release AN INTRODUCTION TO PERMACULTURE BANG and the Post Oil Solutions group have teamed up to arrange an introductory presentation about permaculture given by Jono Neiger of Leverett, MA (Permaculture teacher, ecologist/biologist, NOFA Accredited Organic Land Care Professional, and owner of Ecological Landscape Design and Land Management), and our own Brattleboro eco-engineer, Tad Montgomery (Tad Montgomery & Associates, Ecological Engineering). David Holmgren, co-originator of the permaculture concept with Bill Mollison, has described it as "consciously designed landscapes which mimic the patterns and relationships found in nature, while yielding an abundance of food, fibre, and energy for provision of local need." It's a design system for ecological living that integrates plants, animals, buildings, people, and communities for productive and beautiful environments. Here are some covers from recent copies of Permaculture Magazine to help us understand the sorts of things permaculturists think about:
Sunday, March 5, at 6 PM—make a note on your calendar! Head over to the back door of the Brattleboro Savings & Loan, at 221 Main St., and join us! The bank wants the outside doors kept locked. Ring the bell at the back door and someone will come up and let you in. Then it's your turn: go up and let the next person in when the bell rings—and ask them to do the same for the person after them. Arriving on time is an act of kindness. The February meeting was pretty much scuttled by the Blizzard That Never Really Happened. A hardy four of us—smallest meeting ever by a wide margin!— without fear of snow had good, unrestricted, free-flowing conversation touching on intentional community vs unintentional community vs creative neighboring; living in town vs living rural; the sad passing of John Brodie, whose life touched some of us during his short time in Brattleboro; the future of oil; some speculation on the origin of the phrase "when the shit hits the fan"; and pizza. Anybody want to do some thatching? From: "j.achenbach" <j.achenbach@ns.sympatico.ca> Some goodies from the most recent Activists' Calendar of the Windham Environmental Coalition (coordinator, Marcia Bourne). February 28, 7:30 pm — Tad Montgomery will give a presentation on peak oil before the Windham Regional Commission at the Cafe Court, Straunch Student Center, Landmark College, River Road, Putney. Info: postoil@gmail.com Erich Krueger from ReNew Building Materials & Salvage gives us a heads-up: GreenFair: Growing a Green Community FREE strawbale workshop weekend in Chesterfield NH, April 22-23! For information contact: Helaine, helaine@pathofpurpose.com Architect: Sigi Koko, Down To Earth www.buildnaturally.com Strawbale infill construction is a method where rectangular bales of straw are used to fill in between a standard structural system. In this case, the bales serve primarily as insulation and do not support the structural loads of the building. The result is a building with beautiful thick walls, usually plastered on both sides. Tad Montgomery, Sarah Machtey, and Mark Piepkorn (all BANG regulars) are on tap to head up a mini-workshop (Sarah, co-teaching cob with Jonah Vitale-Wolff) and informational presentations (Sarah and Mark doing natural building generally, and Tad on peak oil) at the summer NOFA conference. Details eventually. And dates have been set for the third annual Building With Spirit natural building colloquium near Bath, NY: August 2 - 6. This is the big east coast natural building event, with world-class presenters. Some photos from the previous two convey the flavor. The cost, by May 1st, is $320—per presenter, it's a real bargain. The fee increases to $340 on June 1st, and then to $375 on July 1st; after July 15th, it's full price. 50% deposit is due at registration. Camping and vegetarian food are included. Info about the host organization, the Peaceweavers. No pets, no drugs, no alcohol, no glass bottles, no open fires. The rest of the details are still being worked out, but last year's vitals are available for an idea of what to expect. Past presenters have included (alphabetically) Janine Bjornson � Larry Brown � Dan Chiras � Joyce Coppinger � Carole Crews � Sam Droege � David Eisenberg � Ianto Evans � Ben Falk � Chris Fox � Pete Fust � Mary Golden � Sarah Highland � Mark Hoberecht � Josh Jackson � Joe Jenkins � Sun Ray Kelly � Tim Owen-Kennedy � Doni Kiffmeyer � Sigi Koko � Paul Lacinski � Mark Lakeman � Satomi Lander � Tom Lander � Sarah Machtey � Frank Meyer � Tony Novelli � Mark Piepkorn � Darren Molnar-Port � Ed Raduazo � Jaki Roy � Rob Roy � Clark Sanders � Ben Simpson � Laura Struempler � David Vail � Catherine Wanek � and more that are escaping my failing memory Local event calendars that usually have social and environmental stuff of direct or peripheral interest to most natural builder sorts: Brattleboro Area Chamber of Commerce | Brattleboro Community Television | Brattleboro Food Coop | Brattleboro Memorial Hospital | Brattleboro Museum and Art Center | Brattleboro Reformer | Brooks Memorial Library | Gallery Walk | Hooker Dunham Theater & Gallery | iBrattleboro | iPutney.com | Latchis Theater | ReNew Building Materials & Salvage | Town of Brattleboro | Vermont Chamber of Commerce | Vermont Jazz Center | Vermont Travel Planner
Join the BANG email list to receive >>> announcements and meeting notices >>> about the next meeting >>> home >>> |
photos by Mark Piepkorn
and Sarah Machtey |
