Permaculture Immersion

The Permaculture Immersion

Based on the Central Coast of California, the Permaculture Immersion is a ten-week outdoor transformative journey of skill building, deep nature connection, and personal empowerment within a supportive community.

The Learning Journey

Nature Connection

Agroecological Farming & Gardening

Herbalism, Health, and Wellness

Forest & Watershed Regeneration

Mammal Tracking

Bird Language

Primitive Skills & Ancestral Arts

Cultural Creativity

The Work That Reconnects

Nonviolent Communication

Co-Counseling

The Way of Council

Hosting Conversations That Matter with The World Cafe and Open Space Technology

Cultural Mentoring

Public Placemaking

Cultural Competency

The same worldview that created and perpetuates ecological devastation is also responsible for oppressions by race, class, gender, sexuality, age, nationality, and ability. We will engage in our own healing while also growing our cultural competencies to become more effective agents of cultural transformation. 

Dates

Summer: July 19 – September 22, 2022

Fall: September 27 – December 8, 2022

  • The 10-week learning journey cycles through the four seasons, with winter and spring dates to be announced.

  • We’ll meet on the farm Tuesday through Thursday.

Permaculture farm near Ano Nuevo

Program Details

Update, April 20, 2022 from Dave Shaw. As stated in the video above, Santa Cruz Permaculture became stewards of an 18.5 acre farm adjacent to Año Nuevo State Park two days ago.  This will be not only a production farm but also a site for our new course that’s been decades in the making, The Permaculture Immersion. While the vision for this Immersion has been brewing within our community for awhile, as those who have taken courses with me know, the details are still being worked out now that the location has been set. Therefore, this site is intended to provide enough richness for you to sign up to join our inaugural cohort in July yet it’s also a work in progress that will continue to evolve.  Here are important details and please read the FAQ for more.

Skill building. What skills and practices do you and your communities need as we transition towards a life-sustaining society? The farm provides the perfect environment and practice space for re-skilling. We plan to practice what skills you’ve expressed a desire for such as farming, watershed & forest restoration, tools & appropriate technology, health & wellness, education & culture, economics & social entrepreneurship, and strategies for combatting social injustice.

Personal empowerment & Coaching. The program is very student-centered in its design. Our goal is to support you with further identifying and delivering your unique contribution, your gift, and becoming even more who you truly are. Each week of the program includes empowerment practices that we hope you’ll incorporate as tools on your personal transformation tool belt. Additionally, one-on-one coaching is built into the process to support you with your personal, professional, and/or political project work.

Top-notch guides and community partners. We’re blessed to have a rich network of changemakers and  community leaders eager to support you. Furthermore, the guides in our network are each deeply engaged in their communities. We aim to amplify our movements through exposing you to the best people, places, and communities we know of so that you’ll have a rich support network to engage long after the program ends.

Stunning and accessible location. The farm and surrounding forest and beach are awe inspiring. It feels good to be there and the natural beauty will enhance our experience. Furthermore, the farm is only a 20 minute drive from the Westside of Santa Cruz.

Community. The friendships and professional networks you’ll join through the program will last your lifetime. We have over 1,000 alumni from our programs and make great efforts to support life-long learning and community engagement.

“By the time you graduate you will have a better understanding of who you are, what you really care about, and how to design and implement our collective future. Also, the family you become a part of is priceless. I recommend this course for anyone interested in anything. It applies to all aspects of life.” – Jaime Longoria, Attorney at Law

 Guides

pdc-guides

Core Instructors

  • Dave Shaw – Lead Program Facilitator

  • Della Duncan – Lead Facilitator of The Work That Reconnects & Right Livelihood Coaching

  • More to be announced!

Guest Instructors

Registration

$3,995 – Super Early-Bird Discount – Register Before May 15, 2022 and Save $400

$4,195 – Early-Bird Discount – Register Before June 15, 2022 and Save $200

$4,395 – Full Tuition

Can’y pay all at once? Inquire about Payment Plans.

Payment Options



Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Who is the Permaculture Immersion for?

The Permaculture Immersion is an outdoor, highly collaborative learning program to help people develop skills and personal practices for healing and regenerating nature, themselves, and communities. We think of it as Jedi training for the complete cultural renaissance needed today as communities walk away from systems of ecological and social devastation, and walk towards systems that serve all life. 

Who are the instructors?

As of April 20, 2022 the farm and immersion program are just getting started. Dave Shaw is the full time instructor throughout the learning journey. The guides we’ve been working with for years in our other courses will be core and guest instructors, in addition to new folks. 

What have your students gone on to do after graduating?

The Permaculture Immersion is new but Santa Cruz Permaculture is not. We have over 1,000 alumni from all stages of lifes. Participants have taken tremendous inspiration and practical learning from our programs to further their careers as farmers and gardeners; landscape contractors, arborists, and tradespeople; healers in a wide range of holistic modalities; community facilitators and teachers; anti-oppression activists; elected representatives and policymakers; and more.

Curriculum

What's class like in the Immersion?

We meet Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays for about 24 hours per week. We spend almost all of our time outdoors; the farm, garden, woods, and ocean are our classroom. Each day includes a blend of activities to engage our head, hearts, and hands. 

Where's class held?

Most of our time is spent at the beautiful Santa Cruz Permaculture Farm and surrounding wilderness. We’re located across the street from Año Nuevo State Park, 20 minutes north of Santa Cruz on Highway 1.

This location is the traditional and unceded territory of the Quiroste Tribe of the Awaswas Nation, part of a larger homeland known as Popeloutchom. Today these lands are represented by the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, who are the descendants of the Awaswas and Mutsun Nations whose ancestors were taken to Mission Santa Cruz and Mission San Juan Bautista during Spanish colonization of the Central Coast.

How will my learning goals be met?

The curriculum for our learning journey aims to synergize structure and emergence. By that we mean there is a plan however there is a lot of spaciousness built in so that we can customize the experience based on what emerges in the group and the individuals. 

There are three anchor points setup throughout the program: at the beginning, the middle, and the end. At these three points students will revisit and revise their learning goals, have one-on-one coaching sessions, and group sessions focused on surfacing the collaborative wisdom of the group (i.e. “hive mind”). We’ve found this pattern to be not only transformative for individuals but also deeply moving for the group.

Eligibility Requirements

Returning Students & Career Opportunities

Accreditation

Tuition & Scholarships

Join The Permaculture Immersion at our new farm!

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