Plant the Rain

Water-Harvesting Earthworks & Greywater Workshop with Brad Lancaster
Woodbine Ecology Center
Sedalia, CO
August 17–19, 2013



Full 3-Day Water-Harvesting Course: $425
Early-Bird Discounted Price (by July 15): $375

1-Day Greywater-only Option (August 19): $175
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EARTHWORKS: How to Plant the Rain (and Other On-site Waters) to Grow Sustainable Abundance
In order to better see the whole and our place within the hydrologic cycle, each earthworkshop begins with participants learning the Water-Harvesting Principles; basic watergy facts; integration of sun, water, and community; oasis zones; how to think like a plant; and various earthworks strategies. We then assess the site, identifying water resources and watersheds, asking and answering relevant site-specific questions, and testing our observations with simple tools. Equipped with a deeper understanding of the site and its water, we then place and create water-harvesting earthworks, guided by the Principles, key integration techniques, and the goal of living within the site’s sustainable water budget. Depending on the site, typical earthworks created in an workshop can include infiltration basins/rain gardens, one-rock check dams, contour berm ‘n basins/swales or boomerang berm ‘n basins, and terracing. Time and resources permitting, we will plant guilds of vegetation within/beside the earthworks and view a presentation of earthworks from around the world.
GREYWATER Assessment and Harvesting Class
This class begins with Brad’s greywater-harvesting presentation, followed by a hands-on site assessment of greywater-harvesting potential, analyzing the accessibility, quality, and volume of greywater that can be harvested on the site. The assessment will include how to make and use a simple, effective, cheap water level that can be used in creating all water-harvesting earthworks. Simple calculations and a soil percolation test will be used to determine the size of greywater-harvesting earthworks so they work, don’t flood, and don’t puddle. The session will wrap up with determining what plants can be planted in balance with the harvested greywater, so that, once established, the plants will thrive, irrigated only by harvested greywater and rainwater—no potable municipal or well water.
REGISTER HERE
Brad’s Plant the Rain course to be followed by Eric Toensmeier‘s 6-day course, Garden Like a Forest (August 23–28).
Register for both full courses by July 15 and save $175.