Nathan & Natalie Riva
Lineman and Marketing - Ayampe, EcuadorClient, Land Design, OSU PDC Student, PDC StudentMy sister and I bought a beautiful piece of land in the wonderful country of Ecuador. Both of us, being rookies to the world of permaculture design, had no idea where to start. Luckily, one day, I came across a youtube video advertising the Oregon State University’s Permaculture design course. I was ecstatic having come across this course. I felt a sense of reassurance that taking a six month long course like this would be extremely valuable in the journey of permaculture design. It turned out to be even more valuable than I had originally thought.I started the course, and was assigned my professor for the next six months, Javan Bernakevitch. To my surprise we are both living in Ecuador and originally from Canada! What a crazy coincidence; to be in a foreign country taking a permaculture design course and your professor is also there!Over the next six months we were doing assignments, meeting in groups, discussing and learning the ins and outs of permaculture design. What a data dump of information that six months was. Javan had many insightful discussions with myself and the class over this time, which made comprehending this avalanche of information easier.At the end of our six month permaculture design journey, it was time to put to practice on our land all that was learned. Javan really helped me throughout the course to make a workable and professional design. However, I still felt overwhelmed at the task of starting this permaculture farm from a completely raw piece of land.This is when my sister and I decided to ask him if he would be willing to travel to our site and do some consulting in person. We came up with an arrangement, and before you knew it, Javan had showed up in the flesh on the coast of Ecuador. It was surreal to meet him in person after spending six months with him online.He spent two days with us, and I can’t express enough how valuable those two days were! He made us feel comfortable about starting this project. He answered the entire mountain of questions we had, and guided us through everything we needed to do, in order to start things off on the right foot! Again, I can’t express enough the value of his visit. There was the knowledge value we gained as well as the savings in committing rookie errors. We would not have felt comfortable starting this project the way we did if Javan had never come.I would highly recommend to anyone new to farming / permaculture design to not only take the permaculture design coursethat Javan is a part of, but also, to have him come to your site and assess it in person! You will save money in the long run, but more importantly he will give you the confidence and the knowledge to make sure you are doing things correctly. There is much room for error undertaking projects like this. Having Javan help you along the way is invaluable. And not only is he great at his job, but he is great to be around and has wonderful enthusiastic energy. You can tell he is very passionate about what he does, and the knowledge he brings to the table is vast! I implore people to consult with Javan if you need help and are feeling a bit overwhelmed with your farming project. My sister and I would love to have him back to the land one day. He is and will always be a part of our land. Without him, I honestly don’t know how things would have turned out.
Anezka Sebek
New York, USA - Professor Emeritus, The New School Visiting Professor IIT GandhinagarOSU PDC Student, PDC StudentThis course is for all of us who love and care for the earth. If you are ready to dedicate time, energy, and focus on the 20 weeks that this course demands, this is an extraordinary investment. It will begin your journey as a permaculture designer if you have not already gotten your skills up as a landscape architect or farmer. For me, this was completely new territory. At times, I was seriously overwhelmed by the requirements. As I would tackle each assignment methodically I got over my state of overwhelm and learned from this journey of discovery. The attention that I got from Javan Bernakevitch was endlessly patient and kind. The materials contained in the course will take me another six months to fully navigate, explore and continue my permaculture education. The course is open to us for several years and I know that I will need to consult the resources many times as I practice what I learned. The learning in this course is not only on an information level. In this course we are required to become aware of the community of permaculture and regenerative agriculturists in our immediate environment. In this way, we are encouraged to broaden our understanding of the local ecology and permaculture and regenerative practices. 20 weeks ago, I faced a truly steep learning curve but with the helping, and encouraging input from our instructor and coach during the course, I now look forward to learning more.
Timothy Stewart
Project Manager - Memba, MozambiqueEducation, OSU PDC Student, PDC StudentI started my regenerative journey two years ago. I had also done an introductory course from Elaine Inghams soil food web, I had a keen interest in permaculture, but I have never taken a pdc before. I was developing tools for landscape restoration and design but I still didn’t have a toolbox in which to organise everything. I had heard that the OSU advanced PDC program was one of the most comprehensive with some of the best instructors in the world. It most certainly lived up to my expectations.I did not know I was going to be assigned to Javan as a teacher and serendipitously I had already encountered Javan’s work through some courses I had done through regenerative living and already knew Javan’s approaches to be deep and holistic.The course exceeded my expectations in ways I hadn’t anticipated. The bi-weekly meetings with the class and Javan, were invaluable in tying everything together. Javan’s input truly stands out and makes this course exceptional. Bringing together people from all over the world—each from unique climates, soils, weather patterns, cultures, and challenges specific to their ecotones—to share their approaches to creating a net positive impact on the biosphere was inspiring. Having someone with Javan’s depth of experience guide these discussions is priceless and highlights the true value of this course.
Ruben Anderson
Urban farmsteader - CanadaEducation, OSU PDC StudentThis was definitely time very well spent, this course is a great value for anybody who wants to build or deepen their relationship with the land.My family is moving to the land I grew up on, and in the mean time of moving limbo I took this course. This has been a fantastic way to learn more about the property. I have such a deeper foundation because the course structure forced me to cover all the bases rather than me just following my particular interests.
It also took a lot of pressure off family conversations, because it wasn’t threatening change—”It’s just for school”.The course has regular deadlines, alternating with live Q and A sessions. Javan was a huge resource in these sessions—ranging widely from connecting students to people working to coexist with elephant herds…right down to suggestions for my very arid site.A great deal of work has gone into producing resources for students. There are many short videos on each topic, and a template to provide a presentation framework. The template has page-by-page links to videos, spreadsheets, and further readings, and page-by-page examples of past work. I found this really elevated my work; I was learning and working at a higher level because I wasn’t spending time wondering what questions I should even be asking.
Highly recommended.
Nicolas Mejia
Data analytics consultant - ColumbiaEducation, OSU PDC StudentI recently completed the Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC Pro) online course provided by Oregon State University, led by instructor Javan Bernakevitch. The course focuses on permaculture design principles, offering a solid understanding of landscape and organism interactions. I discovered this course through one of Andrew Millison’s videos, which sparked my interest in permaculture. My goal was to better understand the landscape and its organisms to develop a site that aligns with its possibilities and my needs. The course was well-structured, with modules, assignments, and interactive sessions. Applying the concepts to my own project and receiving feedback from Javan and fellow students worldwide was valuable, and connecting with local permaculturists and other students enriched my experience.
This course provided a more structured understanding of permaculture concepts, boosting my confidence and creativity. The clarity of Andrew Millison’s videos and practical examples tailored to my tropical climate were especially helpful. Interactive elements like office hours and assignment feedback fostered engagement and deeper understanding. The course significantly impacted my personal and professional development. I now feel more confident in site analysis and design. I recommend the PDC Pro online course to anyone planning to buy land, new property owners, or long-term residents looking to integrate elements within their property creatively and holistically. Curiosity and a holistic approach to problem-solving are the only prerequisites.
Nicholas Howard
Songwriter and Music Producer - Sound/Recording/Mix Engineer - New York, USA“I was drawn to this course, most magnetically, by a land purchase we made after years of watching Andrew Millison and other YouTube permaculturists. I had a dream that I wanted to realize on this piece of land, and after an initial consultation by Millison and Neil Bertrando, I concluded that I had to know more and felt the only place that would teach me more would be the OSU curriculum built by my consultants and their colleagues.The curriculum is detailed, dense, thorough, and works you through a well organized path to a holistic destination. Along the journey, I had the honor of having Javan Bernakevitch as my instructor and he led us all with a patient and dedicated manner reserved for those that noticeably love what they do. His feedback was positive but also based in reality and you can tell he wants everyones “final” designs to be the best they possibly can be.I highly recommend this course for anyone interested in bringing Permaculture to their corner of the world.Thanks to Javan, Andrew and Neil, I am now dreaming in reality.”
Nathan Riva
Tower Rigger - Canada/EcuadorEducation, OSU PDC Student, PDC StudentThe Permaculture design course truly was worth every penny. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is seriously consideringdesigning a landscape whether big or small. I first started reading books about permaculture, and watching Andrew Millisons Youtube videos. His videos really resonated with me. His ability to explain things clearly and eloquently helped me get started and interested in learning the techniques and skills required to design a landscape. So, when I saw him advertising a six month long design course with Oregon State University, I jumped at the opportunity.I am working on a homestead in Ecuador, and was feeling overwhelmed with trying to design a permaculture site. The books and videos were a great introduction, however, the course really opened up the world of what it means to intelligently design something.Thanks to my great professor, Javan Bernakevitch, I was able to make the best of this six month long course. Javan was extremely helpful and insightful. The knowledge and experience Javan brought to the table was first rate! I feel very fortunate to have been one of his students. I know what I learned during this course will serve me for the rest of my life. Thanks Javan and Oregon State for the last half year. It was great!
Daniel DiVito
Marketing Consultant, Healthcare - New Jersey, USAOSU PDC StudentI was looking to escape corporate life; spend more time outside, with family, and be healthier. Through hobby gardening I was superficially introduced to permaculture and found OSU’s permaculture design certificate program through a google search.The experience has been life altering – I’ve learned that the lifestyle I want to live and the things I believe about how humans should interact with each other and their surroundings has a name, principles, ethics, and even a manual! The class content is interesting and inspiring. Javan’s feedback based on his vast experience is thoughtful and constructive. I entered the course thinking I’d need to buy a 10-acre farm to implement what I’d learn, and now upon completion I’m overwhelmed by the potential of my 1/4 acre urban plot. I recommend the OSU PDC to anyone who wants to learn how to live more harmoniously with nature.
Juan Fernando Restrepo
Garden and Irrigation designer - ColumbiaOSU PDC StudentPermaculture is the best method to analyze a place, taking into account the multi-dimensionality of the site and being able to understand its potential, analyzing its pros and cons, from a point of view with common sense and its relationship with others. Coming to an OSU permaculture course opens the door to finding the potential of the site as well as asking many useful lifelong questions. Thank you very much to the instructor Javan for his words and his effective way of communicating, seeking to enhance the positive side and broaden the horizons of the designs. A highly recommended course for all those who want to expand the world in a holistic way, learning from the designs of others and enhancing their own perception of space and oneself.