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This is the actual agenda for the January 2004 session at Black Mountain, Cazadero, California. Agendas change for each EAT session, depending on time of year, available guest teachers, and opportunities for great stuff. For example, past EATs have included a May Pole Dance, hands-on stream restoration, and a lecture on California Native Americans' subtle agriculture, based on fire.

Daily schedule:

7:30-8:30     Breakfast
9:00-9:30     Morning Circle
9:30-12:00   Morning Class Session
12:30-1:30   Lunch
1:30-2:30     Affinity groups/break
                  time
2:30-5:30     Afternoon Session
6:00-7:00     Dinner
7:30-10:00   Evening session

Affinity groups of 6-7 members each will do kitchen chores together and also hands-on together. We have designated several days for affinity groups to meet. Affinity groups will not meet on hands-on days.

Afternoon sessions will start earlier on hands-on days. Hands-on sessions may be shifted in response to weather. Hands-on sessions usually have multiple stations; students (in affinity groups) work a while at one station, then try another.

All students work in small teams on Design Projects, applying class information to practical planning; projects will be presented to full class on last full day.

Evening sessions will begin with a short game or other activity as participants gather, end with song or circle closing. A few evening lectures are open to our neighbors in the nearby community.
Day 1:
AFTERNOON:
Registration, getting settled.
EVENING
Orientation, welcome, introductions, and affinity group formation

Day 2: Air (air represents "beginnings, mind, theory")
MORNING
Opening Ritual: observing the elements--
casting circle
Principles of permaculture; Patterns AFTERNOON
Affinity Groups meet
Guest Teacher Jon Young of Wilderness Awareness School-- nature observation
EVENING
Slide show & lecture: Permaculture overview

Day 3: Air
MORNING
Morning Circle (focus on air)
Zone & sector analysis; Site analysis; Design methodology
Introduce Design Teams
AFTERNOON
Political strategy--Applying permaculture principles: Site, Zone, and Sector analysis
Strategy charette process
EVENING
Water trance, Full Moon ritual

Day 4: Water
MORNING
Morning Circle (focus on water)
Pattern and function; Water harvesting; Dryland strategies; Roofwater harvesting
AFTERNOON
Hands-on: swales, ponds and water systems
EVENING
Guest teacher Luke Anderson: Biotech and Genetic Engineering

Day 5: Water
MORNING
Morning Circle (focus on water)
Bioremediation, greywater, water purification
AFTERNOON
Affinity Groups meet
Guest teacher Adam Wolpert: Facilitation and group process/structure;
Community land trust; Alternative currencies, ecological economics
EVENING
Permaculture in mainstream and in action
   
Day 6: Earth
MORNING
Morning Circle (focus on earth)
Soil Building; Composting/vermiculture; Video: "Life in the Soil"
AFTERNOON
Hands-on: Worm bins, composting, sheet mulching, garden bed prep, cover croping
EVENING
7:30 pm: tropical permaculture
9:30 pm: Showing of the Marija Gimbutas video with filmmakers
Starhawk and Donna Read

Day 7, Saturday -- OFF
sleep late and rest; hike; or private adventure meals served as usual

Day 8: Earth
MORNING
Morning Circle (focus on earth)
Plants & trees; Forests, agroforestry, windbreaks
AFTERNOON
Hands-on: Planting, pruning, propagating
EVENING
Guest teacher Brock Dolman: "Watershed/Waterspread"

Day 9: Fire
MORNING
Morning Circle (focus on fire, energy)
Symbolic and strategic communication
Spells, action and campaign planning
Media strategy and basic methods
AFTERNOON
Hands-on -- Planting a food forest
EVENING
Urban Permaculture: discussion and slide show

Day 10: Fire
MORNING
Morning Circle (focus on fire, energy)
Animal guilds; Aquaculture
More on group facilitation
AFTERNOON
Affinity Groups meet
Guest teacher Dave Henson: Corporate Globalization
EVENING
Nonviolent Direct Action and political strategy

Day 11: Fire
MORNING
Morning Circle (focus on center)
Passive solar design; Renewable energy
Appropriate technology
AFTERNOON
Design Time for group projects
optional Student Offerings
EVENING
optional Student Offerings

Day 12:
MORNING
Morning Circle (focus on center)
Design Time
AFTERNOON
Hands-on: Natural building projects: build cobb bench; natural plasters
EVENING
Natural Building Slideshow

Day 13:
MORNING
Morning Circle
Catch-up time, as needed
AFTERNOON
Affinity Groups meet
Design Time
EVENING
Guest teacher James Stark: "Cultivating Human Communities as though They Were Gardens"
Day 14:
MORNING
Morning Circle
Design Project presentations
AFTERNOON
Design Project presentations
EVENING
Variety show & Celebration!!

Day 15:
MORNING
Morning Circle
Where to from here? Taking it into the world
Closing ritual
AFTERNOON
Lunch, clean-up, and good-byes

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