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6/27/2018

Community Voices, Pt. 3: Be The Change You want to see in the World

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“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”  - Albert Einstein
     We’ve all heard the phrase “change is inevitable” and yet so many of us struggle with change and try to fight to keep things the same.  In permaculture, one of the principles I found to be of great value to my understanding of this practice is the principle Creatively Use and Respond to Change.  In permaculture, we accept the fact that our world, our ecosystems, our weather and climate, our population, our economy, EVERYTHING is constantly in flux and that it’s a purposeless act to try to stop change from happening but our response to change and how we creatively move with the changing times is within our control.  The other aspect of this principle is that if we know of changes occurring, we can plan and design for them.  We can plan and design for the change of seasons.  We can plan and design for the succession of an ecosystem, how it changes and grows and withers over time.  We can plan and design for social changes, ensuring that we open up to new community members and ideas as they weave into our existing neighborhoods and towns.  
     We asked people at our May launch events, what changes would you like to see in your community and why?  Here is what we heard:
What changes would you like to see in your community?  Any why?
•    Community gardens
•    Replanting maples along roads
•    Walking trails
•    More planters downtown
•    More areas for people to grow their own vegetables, etc. if unable due to rental living
•    A skate park
•    More participation; More community members advertising the cause to improve local awareness of our project
•    I love that you will be teaching permaculture!  Old attitudes need to change.  NH is surprisingly stubborn.  I’m struggling with our river/riparian ecosystems and wanting some more protection and restoration.  We should be seeing more food growing and less lawns.  More fruit trees, berries, foraging, etc.
•    Collaboration among human/social services and recreation and permaculture (i.e. Tyler Blain House Homeless Shelter community garden to supplement food pantry)
•    Preservation/Conservation of land when warranted
•    Dog park, as a gathering place
•    More for teens to do, and a teen center isn’t really the answer
•    Littleton needs more gardens and flowers that attract birds, bees, etc.
•    More purposeful use of spaces . . . . . and less trash!
•    We should accentuate the positive – how can that be wrong
•    Community gardens (near tracks/DDs in Whitefield)
•    Bike-friendly and pedestrian-friendly tails linking inns, trails, schools, restaurants and town centers.  This would allow our recreation minded community members to be free to commute in a healthy, eco-friendly way
•    Promotion and implementation of reduction in plastic in public schools
•    A more integrated trail network where I can hike and bike in a safe environment
•    Edible perennial gardens for the community
•    Eco-building, water harvesting and edible landscaping demonstrations in local parks and town squares.  Also at pre-existing educational institutions.
•    More flowers and more colors, and natural colors
•    Have random areas around town for wildflowers
•    Faster pace in returning to small town shops; cobblestone streets, rock gardens, etc.
•    Community gardens (near the tracks/Dunkin Donuts in Whitefiedl)
•    More purposeful use of spaces . . . . and less trash 
     As Root to Rise works with our local communities on planning, designing and creating permaculture spaces, we will look for ways to integrate these suggestions into the work we do.  We know that we build a strong, resilient community by supporting a diverse set of ideas and perspectives.  We know change is inevitable and we are happy to find the skills of creativity and adaptability in working with change as opposed to trying to stop it.  
If you want to join us at our first design workshop where we will change the ecosystem of a local business in downtown Bethlehem, contact Stacey Doll at Stacey.roottorise@gmail.net.  Our design workshop at Rek-lis’ brewing company is from July 5th – 12th.  You are welcome to be part of any piece of the design process or join us for the whole adventure.  You won’t be disappointed!!

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6/13/2018

Community Voices, Pt. 2 – I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

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     Once you have a chance to read a few definitions of permaculture and share examples of permaculture gardens and designs, its easy to think that permaculture is all about caring for the natural world, when in fact, Earth Care is just one of three ethical pillars of permaculture.  In addition to Earth Care, permaculture balances people care and fair share as the three ethics to root every project and every decision.  It’s in caring for the people that permaculture now becomes more than just a practice of conservation, recycling, and growing food, but it becomes a practices of building relationships, connections, choosing collaboration over competition.  
     David Holmgren, one of the founders of the permaculture movement, states, “People Care begins with ourselves and expands to include our families, neighbors and wider communities. The challenge is to grow through self-reliance and personal responsibility. Self-reliance becomes more feasible when we focus on non-material well-being, taking care of ourselves and others without producing or consuming unnecessary material resources.  By accepting personal responsibility for our situation as far as possible, rather than blaming others, we empower ourselves. If we can recognize that a greater wisdom lies within a group of people, we can work with others to bring about the best outcomes for all involved.”
     Root to Rise is very excited to have the opportunity to practice People Care by building relationships with organization, businesses and communities and choosing to focus on projects that not only restore and regenerate our natural ecosystems but also restore and regenerate our connection to each other.  At the launch event at Rek-lis’ Brewing Company on May 25th, we asked, What organizations do you feel Root to Rise could collaborate with in order to improve community involvement and revitalization?  The participants responded with the following:
  • Chambers of commerce
  • High schools – encourage kids to do something or participate for senior project
  • All town selectmen groups
  • Boys and Girls Club Garden
  • North Country Council most definitely
  • WREN – get some permaculture ideas and practices into the organization
  • Center for Whole Communities
  • All Schools, and not just one community day but programs and gardens
  • TCCAP – or other organizations where people are having difficulty supporting themselves/being healthy
  • Arts organizations (Colonial theater, Catamount)
  • Tyler Blain House Homeless Shelter
  • Community Compost Collection – collect compost from houses, restaurants, schools, businesses and make compost to fertilize community and school gardens
  • OAKS – I believe programs such as OAKS and the Summit space.  Not only sooths emotions but our sense of smell is so powerful that growing plants, vegetables and flowers could bring forth a memory from the past into the present.  This benefits OAKS program but also raise’s awareness
  • I’m having a hard time answering this due to the fact that I live below the Notch.  All I can think of is the healing community
  • Hempcrete companies for eco-buildings
  • Local nurseries for edible landscapes
  • The outing club for group projects
  • Local yoga companies for wellness workshops
  • The Grindstone Café for local group meetings
  • K-8, high schools, and colleges for workshops and group projects
  • Ammonoosuc Conservation Trust
  • Schools
  • Hospital
  • AHEAD
  • NH Forests
  • Burch House
  • Colonial Theater
  • Build a Better Bethlehem
  • Growing without Garbage
  • Bethlehem Elementary School
  • Meadowbrook Farms
  • Bethlehem and Lafayette Elementary School
  • Copper Cannon Camp
  • Summer Rec Program (Bethlehem, Lafayette)
     One of my favorite tasks is to reach out to potential partners, grab a cup of coffee or a beer and share ideas, collaborate on projects, and begin to weave the web of our community together.  This week I had the great pleasure to meet with Chris Wilkins, Director of Littleton Parks and Recreation, and Sara Shovlin, Director of the Boys and Girls Club of the North Country.  Chris shared, “There are so many ways we can tie our community together with our natural resources using these concepts.  One of the ideas that I enjoyed the most was a play area for kids.  By creating a play-scape where children can learn about their environment as well as having a great time playing, they will hopefully feel more connected to their community and help us take care of it in the future.”  When I asked Sara if she could share a few words about what our organization and this collaboration could mean to the region, she said, “Stacey and her team have struck gold with their permaculture initiative in the North Country. I can’t think of a better way to engage local community members, while also serving and giving back to an area in need. Introducing sustainable and purposeful horticulture has the ability to not only improve quality of life in our community, but it also has the potential to change one’s future, as they learn how to cultivate seeds, make better food choices, and even foster vocational skills used in the distribution of goods. Thank you, Root to Rise, for growing in our community!”
     Root to Rise is considering a Pay-It-Forward model for permaculture projects where organizations like the Littleton Recreation Department and the Boys and Girls Club can work together, with Root to Rise, to design and install aspects of the projects underway this summer and in return, their projects will be the next projects we engage in this fall and spring.  By being part of someone else’s project, you are essentially practicing the People Care ethic, giving before receiving, building relationships and collaborating on projects instead of competing for resources.  We are all in this together and Root to Rise is excited to offer a platform for building connections and friendships.  Our first design workshop is at Rek-lis’ Brewing Company July 5th – 12th.  Message me if you are interested in participating: stacey.roottorise@gmail.com.

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6/5/2018

Community Voices, Pt 1:  PermaWHAT?

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     I am so filled with gratitude from the wonderful turnout at the two launch events we held for Root to Rise.  On Thursday, May 24th we met at Schilling Brewing Company where members of our community leadership gathered to network, to learn more about Root to Rise and our work, and to hear from Todd Workman of PermaCityLife about the success stories of Franklin, NH where permaculture has laid the foundation for economic development and community revitalization.   Taylor Caswell, NH State Commissioner of Business and Economic Affairs, who attended the event, said that, “The key to New Hampshire‘s economic future is our communities and what they offer to a wide variety of people who want to live and work in our beautiful state.  The role of organizations like Root to Rise to help meet those expectations is a big part of how it will be done." 
     On the second night, Friday, May 25th, the Root to Rise Board hosted a public event at Rek-lis’ Brewing Company and asked the participants to share their insights on permaculture, ideas for community revitalization, and ways to connect with efforts already underway in our region.  We shared, laughed, gave away prizes, and at the end of the evening, walked away with lots of great input from the community as well as many new friends. I want to share with you some of the ideas we heard from the community, and over the next few weeks, we’ll share more of what we heard from those two events as well as efforts underway to integrate Root to Rise’s mission of permaculture education and community resiliency into the great work happening in our region.
            At our first event, several community leaders had pulled me aside to say, “So Stacey, what exactly is permaculture,” and “can you give me a few talking points so I can share it with others.”  Although I love to teach and practice permaculture, I often find it hard to capture the essence of this lifestyle in a few sentences.  At the second event, we asked the participants, “What do you know about permaculture and why might you be interested in learning more?,” and this is what we heard:
  • Looking at the geography of the land and getting it to its natural state while enjoying the environment
  • I’ve never heard of permaculture (It’s all new to me)
  • My brother and sis-in-law own a woofing permaculture farm in County Wicklow, Ireland, so I know some.  I’m headed to Costa Rica to study permaculture in October too!  It’s calling me but I definitely need to know more
  • I know permaculture is the symbiotic balance and relationship between humans and the Earth.  This is also why I want to learn more about it.  I wish to create a healthier relationship between myself and the Earth
  • It can bring a better quality of life and less carbon footprint if done properly
  • I think it’s using a substitute growing medium rather than the soil
  • Using the resources you have, purposefully, to maximize your potential.  I want to learn more so that I can benefit from what’s around me.
  • I think people know little about permaculture unless they are within that community – it helps to do more events like this
  • Apply it to businesses, non-profits etc; organizational contexts for personal and organization transformation (applying social permaculture in practice)
  • Don’t know much about permaculture but have experience gardening.  I assume permaculture has to do more with the larger ecosystem.
  • Want to learn more because it can benefit the individual and the environment – win-win!
  • Utilizing the landscape to its highest potential
  • Always interested in learning something new
  • I have my Permaculture Design Certification (PDC) but not a ton of hands-in the dirt experience
  • Interested in learning more and building a bridge between Root to Rise and the homeless shelter that I manage
  • I know it attempts to complete cycles (eat . . . . compost . . . .garden . . . . eat) and attempts to use life cycles as examples for design. 
  • Why interested?  I love nature, its beauty and its design
  • Agriculture that provides for continually nurturing soil
  • Permaculture is a form of landscaping that is more than just landscaping.  It creates a relationship with people and their gardens
      Permaculture is all of this, and so much more.  I shared this definition of permaculture at our events and it seems to resonate with people:  Permaculture is the process of using systems thinking and ecological design to meet human needs while creating resilient, diverse and thriving ecological and social systems. In its simplest form, it is the intentional restoration of community and physical landscapes. Instead of focusing on the components of our landscapes, permaculture focuses on building and restoring relationships between components. Permaculture is built upon an ethical foundation and is guided by a set of evolving ecological principles. Permaculture can be applied to the landscape, buildings and infrastructure, and social and economic systems.  Even this definition opens us up to ask why or how, it makes us pause and reflect, sometimes asking as a follow-up “well, what does that mean.”  Know this.  Permaculture is a lifestyle.  It’s a practice, an embodiment, and a belief that we can be a healthier, more connected, resilient community of humans if we learn from nature and restore our natural habitats.  Permaculture includes gardening and growing food, but it also includes building relationships, taking care of each other, building strong neighborhoods and communities, giving more than we take.  And honestly, permaculture is not something that we merely read about or study, it’s something we do.  The best way to learn about permaculture IS TO DO permaculture. 
     And that’s where I have good news for you!  This summer, Root to Rise will be hosting a permaculture design workshop at Rek-lis’ Brewing Company the week of July 5th – July 12th.  We will have students of permaculture and those with permaculture design experience participating but anyone can participate, and we encourage you to participate to really understand this practice.  This workshop is supported by the Dorr Foundation so instead of monetary compensation for attending the workshop, we just ask for your full commitment to the design process and that you “give back” by participating in at least one implementation workshop, or what we call a PermaBlitz, where we take a design and spend a day or two with shovels, gloves, mulch, plants, good food, and good company making the design come to life.  For more information, please contact me at stacey.roottorise@gmail.com.  This is just one of many workshops and hands-on learning experiences we are providing.  Come out and join us, and embrace your own definition of permaculture.

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