BZ is offering an apprenticeship for someone (or a couple) who have an interest in learning and applying various skills that are needed when setting out to live a permaculture lifestyle.
If interested, please complete this initial application.
This apprenticeship would be very flexible and part-time. The seasons of the year will dictate what needs to be done. Sometimes it will be necessary to prioritize farm needs. Most of the time working on housing and infrastructure and during winter, working in the shop (we could even build tiny houses in the shop).
There will be lots of time for apprentices to do other things-- Participate in farming (for a share of the food and farm income), build their own housing as part of our eco-village (using building materials from the land) or work part time off the land for cash (folks with full-time off-farm work would be expected to donate to the community fund and contribute a larger share of expenses). Our neighborhood is mostly senior citizens and there are lots of opportunities to provide services in construction, “handy man,” house and land maintenance, elder care, etc..
Apprentices would be able to be here rent-free but would need to share expenses (land taxes, fuel and equipment maintenance, food and other community needs).
Permaculture is the exact opposite of capitalism. A basic premise of a permaculture lifestyle is to be thoughtful, aware and compassionate about our relationship with the natural world and her resources, looking at how our actions help heal or not hurt nature, people and the entire ecology of our planet.
Permaculture Lifestyle Basics
1. Eat real, nutrient-dense, substantially local produced food and become involved in local food production. Understand how industrial food is destroying our health and the ecology of our planet.
2. Become conscious of your energy use – move towards alternatives. When possible, use less fossil fuel, avoid the use of anything transported from far away.
3. Be thoughtful, aware and compassionate in your choices when shopping or obtaining supplies. Recycle and re-purpose when possible. Seek the quality and durability needed for long life. Avoid cheap throw-aways. Buy local and regional. Avoid monster corporations. Help create local options to them. Avoid plastic. Buy in bulk. Avoid being in debt. Don’t buy with credit.
BZ’s Skills and Background
60 years of being a Jack-of-all-trades. Mechanicing on almost everything (except modern computer cars). Converting Diesel engines to run on recycled vegetable oil, a fishing boat, tractors, logging equipment, aircraft, commercial refrigeration to name a few. Metal fabrication, acetylene and arc welding, rural construction, concrete, using heavy equipment for land development, alternative energy, farming and gardening.
Some of what an apprentice would learn working with BZ
Permaculture
Real food production, processing, preserving, storage;
Seed production;
Livestock;
Off-grid living;
Alternative energy;
Recycling, re-purposing.
Land redevelopment;
Earth moving for building sites, farm buildings and for permaculture;
Construction – using local materials – housing, tiny houses, farm buildings, fencing;
Drainage;
Water retention;
Water systems.
Forestry – Conscious use for building, firewood, biochar. Safely harvest and process. Tool and equipment use. Using a sawmill for making lumber.
Vehicles – Equipment, tools, choosing, maintaining, repairing, alternative fuels, electric vehicles.
Building custom small-scale farm equipment.
(Photo top: Peeling cedar poles. Bottom: BZ performing major maintenance on our 1958 International Harvester 330 tractor)