Winter Gathering for Permaculture Teachers, Designers & Organizers in Maine

We invite permaculture designers, teachers and organizers* from across Maine to join us for our first statewide winter gathering of our network:

Building Statewide Resilience Through Our Permaculture Network: A Day of Deep Engagement on the Ideas, Issues and Opportunities for Our Work

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/2/3/3/e/event_63309022.jpegThis will be an intense and rewarding day of connecting, sharing and "going deep" into the promise of what permaculture can be in our own lives and how it can be of service to all of Maine and beyond. This event will be convened in Open Space, a technique that presents an over-arching theme or question and empowers the attendees not only to create their own agenda for the day, but drive the outcome and experience as they see fit.

In Open Space, facilitators help open, hold and close the space with just the right amount of structure so that all the work that happens in between is truly by, of and for those who show up. Proceedings from the day are captured live and published that very day. To learn more about Open Space Technology, check out http://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/wiki.cgi?AboutOpenSpace

Space for this gathering is limited to 25 "Yes" RSVPs at this time*

All attendees will be invited to a shared google doc in order to co-create a list of pre-gathering questions or ideas to ponder as a way of getting ourselves thinking about what we might want to work on in Open Space on December 10th.

There is no cash outlay to attend but please bring your full passion and engagement. By RSVP-ing "yes" you are committing to be an active participant in the creation of our permaculture future in Maine. We will need 4 volunteers with laptops to scribe notes "live" over wifi as the sessions are happening.

Preliminary Agenda:

8:30 Coffee/Tea/Morning Refreshments 9:00 Opening Circle & Introductions of All to All - Talking Stick Format 3 min+/- each 10:30 Opening Space & Agenda-Setting for the Day 11:00 - 12:30 Breakout Sessions A x 4 topics 11:30 Layout Our Potluck Lunch Offerings for Buffet-Style Grazing / No Set Lunch Time 12:30 - 1:30 Free Time and Lunch at Your Own Pace 1:30 Break Down Buffet-Style Lunch Offerings / Replace with Snacks 1:30 - 3:00 Breakout Sessions B x 4 topics 3:00 - 4:30 Breakout Sessions C x 4 topics 4:30 - 5:00 Free Time + Proceedings Printed and Posted for Review 5:30 - Evening News / Closing Circle / Next Steps 6:30 - Adjourn and [Optional] Pizza Party! What to bring:

Your passion for permaculture in Maine, a notebook, a laptop (especially if you can type notes during your session), a healthy lunch item to share, and your own potluck kit (plate/bowl/utensils/mug/napkin).

Questions to Consider:

How can the permaculture community continue to strengthen itself and best be of service in Maine? What other groups or interests have a natural affinity with the work of permaculture?What are some special niches for permaculture practitioners and how can we map/fill them? How can we best support one another in becoming ever more effective at what we do? What does it mean to make one's livelihood with permaculture in Maine? How do we link into the larger bioregion (i.e. those present at our regional convergences)? Some overnight accommodation (or at least floor camping!) can be organized for those travelling a distance. Please use the comments section of this page to organize carpools.

*At this time the day-long gathering is for folks who are actively working in the world as designers, teachers or permaculture organizers in some capacity to come together for connection, peer-support and planning. We hope to grow this winter gathering in future years to include other permaculture practitioners as logistics allow!