Starhawk and Alfred Decker

FULL PERMACULTURE DESIGN COURSE (PDC) - from 11 to 24 august 2024

INFOPACK (EN)

[Version Française ici]

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welcome / Arrival

  • The reception is from Sunday 11th August between 2pm and before 4pm ideally.
    If some of you need to arrive the day before, contact me by email.

  • The training will start in the afternoon of Sunday 11th August (no classes in the afternoon) - start of the first class after 6pm

  • Nota Bene : the lodgings of the place are occupied until Sunday noon. It is possible that they will only be accessible from 4pm.
    A space to store your luggage will be set up upon your arrival.

  • Precise address :
    “360 chemin de lavenant, 07440 Boffres” or "Grain&Sens" on the internet

  • Nearest train station :
    Valence Ville (30min) or Valence TGV (50min), bus to Boffres from Valence Ville (timetable here, bus at 9:30 on Sunday morning from Valence Ville)

  • Please fill out the carpooling table and get in touch (even for short trips like Valence-Boffres, very useful) : CoVoit table  

Accommodation

  • You can find here a summary table to date of your accommodation/meal choices.

  • We ask people in shared rooms to bring sheets, pillowcase and/or duvet.
    We provide duvet and pillows. The table specifies the size of the beds per room.

If there is an error or for any specific request on this subject, please send me an email.

MEAL

  • The cuisine is mainly organic/local and vegan. Please let us know about any special diets (gluten-free, allergies, etc.). We can discuss this at the beginning of your stay.

  • The stay is basically offered on a full-board basis

Indeed, experience shows that meal times are very rich in exchange and sharing, the training being also dense, we ideally prefer to free the trainees from the evening cooking. Depending on requests, adjustments for self-management in the evening are still possible.

  • However, for scholarships and people with special diets, an equipped kitchen will be available to prepare meals independently.

  • The summary table reminds you of your choices regarding meals.

If there is an error or for any special request on this subject, please send me an email.

TEAM

To support you during the Earth Activist Training (CCP), volunteer teams will accompany Starhawk and Alfred Decker and will be at your side:

  • A team of cooks/gardeners: Chef Victoria and the volunteers will prepare meals with the volunteers every day and will take care of harvesting in the garden,

  • A team of children's animators: Daniella and Stéphanie will be the referents for the two weeks for the children.

  • A team of assistants: Kim, Romain and others, will be there to support you during the training, facilitate the training days, translate during the days with Starhawk and Alfred (with professional equipment), allow you to exchange in English outside of the framework with them, listen to you, host evenings and take care of the human and our beautiful energies.

Services

In order to make the stay as pleasant as possible for everyone and to enjoy this experience as much as possible together, everyone will take turns participating in daily services such as: setting the table, helping with the dishwasher, tidying the rooms, emptying the dry toilets, setting up breakfast with bread from the local peasant bakers... Details at the start of the stay.

Practical infoS

  • Nearest town with all shops: Vernoux-en-Vivarais (10min by car, 30min by bike)

  • The Oasis Grain&Sens has:

    • A large and a small training room accessible before the start and end time of the day for possible Yoga, Meditation, other practices,

    • Two washing machines (conscious participation)

    • to relax: Ping-pong table, pétanque.

    • to recharge your batteries: an enchanted forest.

FEES TO PAY

You have normally all paid the accommodation fees for adults and children.

  1. At the start of the EAT Training, you will be asked to pay the training fees and meals for adults and children.

Initially:

  • Full board for adults: €340

  • Training fees: between €420 (solidarity price) and €520 (fair price)

  • Child support contribution (meals and entertainment): €205

The summary table specifies the amount remaining to be paid for each person according to your particular cases (scholarship, requests for independent meals, etc.).

It is possible to pay by transfer, cash (ideal if possible for the cook) or by credit card via HelloAsso.

PRE-PROGRAMME

The pre-program has been published here.

For any additional information or special request concerning the training, you can send an email to Alfred.

MATERIAL

  • Pour les campeurs, prenez bien votre matériel de camping. Le site de camping dispose de toilettes sèche et d'un accès à l'eau. Un accès aux salles de bains du lieu sera possible.

  • Pour les personnes en chambres, apporter draps, taie d’oreiller et serviettes (Voir tableau récapitulatif). Si oublie ou impossibilité d’apporter des draps, des draps de secours vous serons prêtés.

  • Pensez aussi à:

    * Lampe frontale

    * Serviette, savon et shampoing (selon vos besoins de propreté !)

    * Maillot de bain pour nager dans la rivière

    * Matériel de prise de notes

    * Gourde,

    * Chapeau,

    * Chaussures adaptées...

  • Pensez à prendre une veste ou un pull pour les soirée parfois fraîche ici (nous sommes à 750m orienté Est, soleil levant mais pas couchant)

  • Nous vous invitons à apporter tout ce que vous aimeriez partager, comme des instruments de musique. :-) Le dernier soir du cours, nous aurons un « No Talent Show », dans lequel chacun pourra partager quelque chose avec le groupe (chansons, danse, théâtre, poésie… à vous de choisir… et aucun talent n'est requis !)

  • For campers, bring your camping equipment. The campsite has dry toilets and access to water. Access to the bathrooms on site will be possible.

  • For people in rooms, bring sheets, pillowcase and towels (See summary table). If you forget or are unable to bring sheets, spare sheets will be lent to you.

  • Also think about:

    * Headlamp

    * Towel, soap and shampoo (according to your cleanliness needs!)

    * Swimsuit for swimming in the river

    * Note-taking equipment

    * Water bottle,

    * Hat,

    * Suitable shoes...

  • Remember to bring a jacket or sweater for the sometimes cool evenings here (we are 750m east facing, sunrise but not sunset)

  • We invite you to bring anything you would like to share, such as musical instruments. :-) On the last night of the course, we will have a “No Talent Show”, in which everyone will be able to share something with the group (songs, dance, theater, poetry… the choice is yours… and no talent is required!)

LEARNING MATERIAL

  • Matériel pour prendre des notes durant la formation (les supports informatiques vous seront transmis par mail).

Pour plus de partage, si vous avez livres ou autre ouvrage intéressant à partager autour de la permaculture, n'hésitez pas à les apporter,

    • Si vous avez un projet de permaculture sur vos lieux, n'hésitez pas à apporter des plans ou autre informations pour échanger avec l'équipe de formateurs,

    • Également si vous avez des graines ou plants ou petits arbres que vous avez envie de partager et que nous pourrons mettre en terre durant les journée jardins, n'hésitez pas à les apporter, nous en prendrons grand soin ensemble.

  • Material for taking notes during the training (computer supports will be sent to you by email).

For more sharing, if you have books or other interesting work to share around permaculture, do not hesitate to bring them,

  • If you have a permaculture project on your premises, do not hesitate to bring plans or other information to exchange with the team of trainers,

  • Also if you have seeds or plants or small trees that you want to share and that we can plant during the garden days, do not hesitate to bring them, we will take great care of them together.

KIDS MATERIAL

During the activities, your children will mainly be outside, in the forest or in gardens, so remember to bring:

  • A small backpack,

  • Hats!

  • Sunglasses,

  • Sunscreen (we also have some),

  • Water bottle!

  • A comforter or reassuring object

  • A change of clothes (to put in the backpack every day)

Permaculture and solidarity!

Message from EAT co-facilitator Alfred Decker: “As a response to the looming regional war in the Levant (namely Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Israel), Starhawk and I are working to support seven Lebanese changemakers to join our training. These inspiring young people are doing essential work on the ground and developing resilient networks. Learning about them and their work will definitely lift your spirits! Please watch their video here: https://fb.watch/tuxUNpKg1f/

And support their crowdfunding campaign by clicking here: https://chuffed.org/project/permaculture-training-for-lebanese-changemakers

For any further questions: info@grainandsens.com OR +33 6 64 79 15 45 (Romain - WhatsApp)

Lavenant and the entire Grain&Sens team await you on August 11TH