Benjamin Fahrer
benjammineditor
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About
| "Ever since I was very young I have found a deep
connection to the Earth and Ocean. When People Ask, "where have you studied? And who
have you studied from?" First and foremost I say...'My Earth mama Gaia, My Mother Ocean” |
Being a Permaculture designer, educator, activist and farmer for the last 10 years, I have worked on projects spanning the spectrum of holistic models and do my level best to turn inspiration into action. I have been working with a diversity of frontline organizations and non-profits throughout Northern California doing, teaching and promoting ecological design and responsible land stewardship.
Currently I am the Farm Supervisor at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, overseeing 4 1/2 acres of Vegetable production that serves the institute and the community of about 300 people a day. I also lead workshops and trainings here in Ecological gardening and farming and a two-month residential Permaculture Design Certification Course.
For me, the definition of Permaculture is always changing and evolving, just like nature....
"Permaculture is a whole design science that pulls from natural patterns and promotes mutually beneficial relationships. Permaculture’s ethological intention of Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share helps employ ecological principles that are rooted in Indigenous wisdom. Through this powerful system, we are lead to a place of remembering our true nature and purpose within the environment and cosmos."
| I am the co-founder and Program director of the Permaculture First Responder Educational
Initiative. I sit on the advisor Board of The Urban Permaculture
Guild and am a registered teacher in Permaculture Design from TAGARI and the Permaculture Research Institute in Australia. Currently I am teaching with The Occidental Arts and Ecology Center & The Esalen Institute, as well as in partnership with a handful of other localized organizations. Specialties:Soil Restoration, Seed and biodiversity preservation, Growing of Food, Water deveolpment, Permaculture and Keyline design, Composting, Community Development, Eco-dwellings and Wholistic management |
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| FLow Forms ~ Water Restoration |
As a main organizer for the Bay Area Regional Permaculture Convergence since 2003, We have helped build networks and strengthen relationship within the Permaculture community throughout the West Coast.
Check out our groups here on WISER Earth
My Journey as of Late...
Life takes us on amzing and profound journies and in 2006 I was selected as one of the 112 visionaries for The Table of Free Voices held in Berlin, Germany on September 9th 2006. A innovative project of Dropping Knowledge in which the likes of Jerry Mander, Cornel West, Helena Nordeberg-Hodge, Anthony Arnove, Steve Earle, Jodi Evans, Bianca Jagger, Anuradha Mittal, myself and others answered some of the most pressing questions of our time set forth by the global populous. The answers archived on the web, copyleft, a 100 questions and 11,200 answers to ignite a global dialog.
Table of Free Voices, Berlin, Germany September 2006
Celebrating the pleasures of the table as a 'Gastronome' and as a food producer I was selected as a delegate to represent our food community at the Slow Food Summit, Terra Madre, in Turin Italy in October of 2006 and again in October of 2008 as an educator. We represented in part the Mayan Corn Motherseed project from Schools for Chiapas, in which we helped facilitate a living Seed bank of GE-Free indigenious corn throughout North America from the Oceansong Farm in West Sonoma County. By connecting and strengthening relations with food communities from around the world at this amazing gathering, we see that as farmers we all speak the same language; that of the soil. the water, the air and of the spirit.
Vadanda Shiva @ Terra Madre on the Future of the Seeds
In 2008 we helped facilitate a California Itailians Farmer's exchange which resulted in a beautiful relationship of about 20 italian farmer's from Umbria and over 2 dozen california farmers, producers and chefs all connecting around their love for food and the land. A rich project indeed, you can check out more info Italian Farmer Exchange
Touring a Rare Fruit Growers collection in Umbria
Some of my current projects are dealing with strengthening the local communities food relationships by helping to create a model for a regenerative harvest for local food security. I am also very involved in facilitating learning for people and communities on the immensely importance of using Permaculture principles and practices to prepare and respond in these times of great Transition.
As an educator and promoter of responsible land stewardship I am nourished by my involvment in cultivating the edge of educational modalities. I place a strong emphasis on what it takes to be human and live in balance with the earth. I am committed to this life long work and pull strength from Buddhist teachings and a daily yoga practice; believing that in order to purify the body and mind one must give.
The Prime Directive of Permaculture
"The only ethical decision is to take responsibility for our own existence and that of our children.
Make it now."
Bill Mollison
"Time weaves an interesting tapestry that sometimes has many meanings beyond our knowing. I close my eyes constantly to take me back to those places and people who have touched me most. Time builds on memory, it will be a very sweet moment when I am back by the spring again and also in circle with you my friend"
Comments (1 - 20 of 24)
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Remove jackofspades about 1 month ago
Thought I'd contact you, since the mutual friends flagged us as sympatico and from reading your site we do have a lot in common. My work for the last two years as a garden/orchard coordinator at a retirement community is similar to yours at Esalen, although we're more a garden than a farm. Sounds like you come through this way quite a bit since you also work at OAEC, which I've visited. If you want to drop in please do since I'd love to consult with you about organic gardening in a cool summer climate. Right now I'm researching avocado cultivars that will fruit in this climate and wonder if you have any suggestions. We also have extra plants/ seeds saved that I am willing to share including an unusual green Zapotec corn that can produce full ears in our cool summers. Am always looking for unusual yet hardy varieties to try out. I've grown out oca the last two seasons in different conditions of shade/sun but haven't figured out how to produce more tubers.
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Hey there beautiful,
I was looking for your email but now I found you amongst the wisest of the earth.....
I have just descended from the magick that is the chimanimani mountains and the beautiful community of chikukwa. self reliant, food secure and peaceful they are also a joyous bunch with plenty of heart warming laughter.i was about to stay for just about forever...... but other realities called me and now i am heading down to join nick to assist a practical permaculture workshop in the indigenous knowledge centre in limpopo...
africa continues to inspire...
i will send you an email on the earthlink one......
sending much love
missing you! xxxx |
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Hi Benjamin, I am a graphic designer researching for ways to work better and in the most eco friendly way possible and some of my clients are in the food production business. Got through to you while doing some research for a new product a client of mine is producing. We are developing a new product but trying to be as eco friendly and social responsible as possible. The product is based on potatoes and will be produced in Peru, aiming to support local farmers and their communities at the same time as we produce a premium quality product. I wonder if you know any entities that relate to developing countries that could help certify or set standards or ideas for us to work towards. I am sorry if I sound so uninformed - I actually am and I am trying to help. |
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Benjamin: Come and visit us sometime. We all live on a small unknown island somewhere in the San Juan Archipeligo;
We have recently partnered with a group of five small farms in Nepal who are trying to relearn organic agriculture techniques. Techniques the West helped them forget:
Lane Parks Director |
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Ben Bro! Dude how have you been? Brent Bucknum gave a presentation in my class last night and brought up your work at the institute(he mentioned the exess chicken shit issue you guys were having), so I thought I'd drop you a line and see how you were doin. Anyway just wanted to say whats up and hopefuly we can meet up one of these days at the Esalen paradise and shoot the shit some sustainability, hope all is well and I'll see you down the road sometime.
Live it on up,
Roy |
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ok, so where would you recommend me taking a Permaculture course? after 2 days Transition Town training weekend I am hooked. ready to go.
Noticed you joined WE journalists... are you interested in helping us out with the newsletter? Any ideas for an article which might be of interest to the WE community from your work? |
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hola Benjamin,
I still find this group very difficult to figure out, I´ve no idea how to post things (or never find the hours to put towards trying to learn the system perhaps) and even find them... lots of titles that when I clik on get me nowhere... frustrating!
Have a lot to say and ask about innovations in teaching pc .. do we have an email group or something like it (more low-tech and accessible?)
Am experimenting with putting together my design portafolio (as an example for people wanting to share their diploma work more widely) here http://diplomapc.pbwiki.com
will be adding to it over time, the bits am most interested in (collective intelligence) just starting to document those, looking for good mentors to help me with feedback on the process! ideas?
to contact me plse email at stella(at)finca-luna(dot)com
keep up the great work!
Stella |
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I participated in a wonderful workshop at Esalen for New Years. I LOVED the organic garden and food...in fact, I purchased the watercolor print of the garden for my home in Summerland. I also took a great photo of the gardeners to share with my culinary students!!! I did not officially meet you but the gardeners I met and cooks told me that I needed to connect with you...unfortunately never happened. I am passionate about empowering people to choose sustainable food. I see that you are doing an organic garden workshop as well as permaculture programs; they sound great especially at Esalen. And there is a program in March about living sustainably which looks great also but doesn't fit in my schedule. I would love to be part of a team teaching how to eat sustainably using the beautiful kitchen in the Big House......teach people how to make it work at home when they are busy with work and family....an intro type of class. The 35 people in my workshop were open to the idea of "earth friendly food" but were clueless abour how to do it at home. In my community, I teach nutrition for culinary students and work as an RD at a clinic and outpatient hospital setting. I teach classes with Adult Ed about sustainable food but yearn to do a comprehensive workshop in a beautiful setting like Esalen. I am also involved with Edible Santa Barbara magazine and a group of chefs and foodies are creating a community kitchen modeled after Three Stone Hearth in Berkeley. I appreciate your thoughts. With much respect. Gerri |
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Hi Benjamin
Yeah, will definitely be at IPC9. I'm afraid I'm not a guru on Permaculture and there are more qualified individuals that I'm sure you'll like to connect with in South Africa. But I have many plans for my own lifestyle and property and hopefully by that time, I'll have my Perma system up and running. I will definitely share my experiences with everything and everybody I work with. These are exciting times! looking forward to having a great gathering. see you there. The evolving soul Zola |
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"Get out of the Box. The Future is too Big for the Box."
I am reeling from an ordeal with an urban brownfield in Philadelphia. One result of this effort is a Bill of Rights to empower people to better steward the Soil, Air and Water of our Earth.
You can sign this petition and think about the idea at www.motherlaw.com
It has been a long and continuing struggle to get the ingredients of our food listed. After being toxed by the brownfield and stonewalled by politics, I realized we, as Earth citizens need to claim our rights to know what is in the Air we are breathing, the Water we are drinking and the Soil in which we grow our food in and allow our children to play. |
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Purpose calls you to the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.
-Frederick Buechner I'm still inspired in the ripples of last weekends Permaculture Convergence. Appreciating the chanel that you are and the clarity with which you share the work...which is our work. May we be a Leaderful People. Rich Blessings, Grace |
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Heaven in its rapture dreams of a perfect earth,
Earth in its sorrow dreams of perfect heaven … They are kept from their oneness by enchanted fears. Sri Aurobindo, Savitri |
