Plantings on the Pipeline. Permaculture Mixer May 23, 2015. Photo by Inira
Thank you everyone who made it out! What a wonderful way to spend an early summer day! Over 80 people came together and planted more than 200 trees on Saturday! The South Michigan (SoMI) Perma-Mixer is an annual event to bring together permaculturists from across the region to share skills, knowledge and other resources.
Permi-participants installed an Agro-Forestry project on the Enbridge Pipeline that goes through the land ~ as a work project during the event ! Trees and bushes included Hazel Nut, Black Locust, Chestnut, Willow, Flowering Plum, Service Berry, and more. The plants will provide many services, such as coppicing for fences, basket, building….rot-resistant locust posts for building… fruits for humans and animals …a living shelter of willow….and abundant flowers for all those incredible POLLINATORS,
Potluck Lunch at the Perma-Mixer
The Mixer brought together awesome souls from the region and as far as Kalamazoo….to network, teach skills, share food, and contribute to the land, and the future. Classes included a wide variety of skills and information !
Folks were also able to barter their goods: hand-carved spoons, propogated plants, etc, and share their projects, flyers, business cards. Local Economy !
Many folks went out to dinner together, some returning for a bonfire and camping….and the Agro-Forestry Workshop held the next day ! Concepts ranged from the deep history of this region … to “scales of permanence” ~ a guide to making decisions about co-creating with the land to create productive and regenerating gardens and forests. Awesome teachers, Bryan Mets, Mark Angelini, Trevor Neuman and Jared Bogdonov-Hanna lead the way.
Included was a design and planting session of a Forest Garden by the Earth Oven area with Jared and Bryan, Fruit Tree Grafting demo with Trevor and a BioChar demo with Mark ~ pictured below, plus a miscellaneous headstand emerging from the exuberance of the day.
Truly a wonderful weekend.
Strawbale Studio 