Western MA Permaculture

**Must sign up to attend: https://www.permacultureseries.org/store/p57/Thursday_Eve_February_5th%2C_6pm%3A_Biodynamic_Orchard_Care_with__Alan_Surprenant_of_Brook_Farm_Orchard%21.html

Biodynamic Orchard Care with Alan Surprenant of Brook Farm Orchard!
Learn from expert orchardist and tree care advisor.

Alan has been growing apples since 1982. He planted his own orchard of 100 fruit trees in 1990. Alan grafted most of the trees himself choosing varieties that lend themselves to organic orcharding practices. He is passionate about growing healthy fruit and teaching others.

February 5, 2026 6:00 p.m.
The Permaculture Place
49 Conway St, Shelburne Falls, MA 01370

**Must sign up to attend: https://www.permacultureseries.org/store/p59/Thurs_Feb_12%2C_6pm%3A_Resilience_in_Our_Local_Communities_with_Chuck_Collins.html

Join us for a cozy evening to hear all about weaving a strong fabric in our local communities ~ through actions such as coffee clatches, worknets, and more!

Chuck Collins is the author of nine books on inequality and social change including Born on Third Base, as well as his first fictional book. Altar to an Erupting Sun is described: "Collins weaves a riveting near-future story about the power of organized people to build resilient communities and thrive in harmony with the earth." Events at Montague Farm in the 1970s and the Seabrook Occupation are part of telling the tale of a community's response to climate disruption.

Chuck is the senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, DC, where he directs the Program on Inequality and the Common Good. He is also co-founder of Wealth for Common Good. His most recent book is titled 'Burned by Billionaires' just recently in print as of October 2025.

February 12, 2026, 6:00 p.m.
The Permaculture Place
49 Conway St, Shelburne Falls, MA 01370

**Must sign up to attend: https://www.permacultureseries.org/store/p60/Sunday_Workshop_Feb_22%2C_1-4pm%3A_Planting_Plans_and_Garden_Designs_for_Native_Pollinator_Habitat.html

Join us at The Permaculture Place, at The Mill, Non Profit Center & Gift Shop in Shelburne Falls, MA for a special afternoon WORKSHOP!

First hear from Amy Meltzer about Gardening for Biodiversity with Native Plants: Providing habitat for pollinators, birds and other essential wildlife.

In this talk, Amy will focus on the current biodiversity crisis; the evolutionary history among native plants, insects, birds and fungi, and how these interdependent relationships among diverse species are necessary for their survival. She will show how growing native plants and using ecological landscape practices can simultaneously reverse biodiversity loss, increase resilience in our landscapes, and slow climate change - all while creating a beautiful garden!

Then learn about Guilds of Plants in the Permaculture Practice of Forest Gardening with the Use of Permaculture Principles for Design.
Kay Cafasso will guide us through a planting plan, with the use of rulers to draw your own plans to scale, and with extensive reference lists of plants to create your own design for a site at or near to your own home. We will dive into the nitty gritty of what supports your grouping of plants to be a thriving ecosystem.

About our instructors:
Amy Meltzer is an active member of Grow Native Massachusetts, is on the steering committee of the MA Pollinator Network, and belongs to the Research Team of Elders Climate Action. She has been researching and gardening with native plants for over twelve years.

Kay Cafasso is Director of Sowing Solutions Permaculture Design & Education, ecological garden designer and permaculture educator, as well as a co-founder of The Permaculture Place non profit exhibit and resource center in Shelburne Falls.

Announcing the 2026 Spring Permaculture Design Certification Course with Sowing Solutions in the artisan village of Shelburne Falls, MA!

Three Weekends in All: March 27-30, April 24-27 and May 29-June 1

Early Spring is a perfect time for gathering skills for your future permaculture sites!

~ Learn Permaculture Design for Your Abundant Home Landscape
~ Sow Seeds for the Future
~ Practice Land Stewardship Skills
~ Visit numerous inspiring demonstration sites ~ homes, gardens, nurseries, orchards, an agroforestry park and farm!
~ Create Resilience in Your Communities

For more details: www.PermacultureSeries.org

This Permaculture Design Course with Sowing Solutions provides an opportunity to gain hands-on ecological design experience for our landscapes and communities, while studying with leading permaculture designers & educators from across the northeastern USA.

Our course is offered at The Permaculture Place, Inc, a design studio and resource center at The Mill in the artisan village of Shelburne Falls, MA.
Registration is open! For more details: www.PermacultureSeries.org

*Note this is paid course that requires registration. Tuition is offered at a sliding scale. Scholarships available.

**Early Birds Save $100 if Registered by January 5th**