testimonial

This has not only been a course on a new topic, it taught me perseverance and turned my whole life around – new outlook on life, new country, new job, new steeper slope here in the Italian alps (I was worried about the little slope in the garden on the design site in the north of Sweden). I feel hopeful for the future, inspired and happy to have finished the studies, and I have learnt lots about permaculture – and most importantly it has inspired me to continue learning more. My instructor has been super supportive, very constructive, and shared many tips which I as a newbie did not think of, a wealth of knowledge which has been so appreciated. Thank you Javan.

As someone who has a degree in landscape architecture, I felt that the course exercises really refreshed and strengthened my ability to analyze a landscape to the degree where design questions were answered through the research and analysis process. I loved the sector compass exercise and found that really understanding how water was flowing across the site to be instrumental in determining the final concept plan. The course text was extremely helpful and I enjoyed how the readings gave more detail about each section and provided more specific information about certain crops/plants. The instructional videos with the augmented reality sandbox really helped me understand how to evaluate contours, define watersheds, and design for water flow. The instructors of the course did a great job providing feedback, answering questions, and acting as a point of contact for the class!

Having my draft design reviewed by an experienced permaculture designer and the keen eyes of the other students gave me confidence that I was on the right track and had considered alternatives to end up with a workable plan. As an instructor of the Oregon State University Permaculture Design Course, Javan modeled and encouraged a culture of constructive criticism and thoughtful discussion in the course.

I was delighted to find out that you’ve invested in the skill of decision making, because it’s something I’m struggling with!

My husband and I have been contemplating where to move and whether to buy/rent for many years, however, the state of the world has brought a sense of urgency to the decision.

The problem is that we keep going around and around in circles. Also, the potential collapse is adding an element of fear to the discussion, which makes it more confusing!

It’s wonderful when life brings you someone who might be able to help!

We had an epic conversation last night, which resulted in a monumental breakthrough!

We’re feeling totally clear now (finally!) on what journey we need to embark on.

Thank you for the vital work you do Javan.

Sending you good vibes and gratitude.

The Oregon State PDC course is an immersive experience that gives you a comprehensive foundation for permaculture. Whether you are looking to take this course to plot out a personal design or gain a better understanding of what permaculture is all about the video content, the readings, and assignments offer the student a full spectrum of knowledge for basic permaculture techniques. The instructors in this course want you to succeed! Because after all, we are all interested in permaculture to create a more sustainable planet. If you are willing to put in the energy to fully engage in this program, you will find that you will be one big step closer to actualizing your visions.

Thanks for all your great feedback thus far in the course. I’m loving this course and how accessible it has been from home as an adult learner. It’s a perfect synthesis of a lot of things for me and I’m feeling incredibly inspired to build on what I’m learning.  It true that I’ve thought about permaculture design for a long time but couldn’t figure out how to make it work in person with work and then with kids for the last eight years. I’m surprised at how interactive it feels.

Thank you so much for Envision 2021. I consider it one of the best events I have participated in for many years, so much that I want to share it with my children (one is a business manager, the other an engineer and the younger a radiologist) the fundamental principles of holistic life that I got from your speech.

Javan’s Envisioning 2021 workshop provided a wonderful framework for gaining deeper insight into the past year, then turning that knowledge into a values-centric vision for the coming year.

I came away with a good framework and a good start on reviewing 2020 and envisioning 2021. I have been working with the material since the workshop and am finding that it works well as a sort of deeper spiraling process, where I can go back through my notes and go even deeper with each pass.

Highly recommended!

Thank you ever so much for giving me the opportunity to be part of this Visioning workshop. That was simply brilliant!

I really enjoyed that process and it gave me such a positive boost to dive deeper into doing a more detailed reflection and forecasting for myself this upcoming week.

I have felt so stuck this year. It has been a most humbling year for me that has felt so full of fits and starts. This process of yours helped me see beyond what has felt like a lot of failure and negativity to also see the important learning and lessons for how to move forward. So thank you ever so much for that.

Even though I was in a space online with 50 people that I have never met, you somehow managed to create such a safe and intimate space for us. That speaks such positive volumes of you as a person and teacher.

Again thank you – from the bottom of my heart. I am not good at asking for and reaching out for help, but I know I need some help to figure out how to move forward and to get unstuck. This was a mighty positive step in the right direction.