September 17, 2013
Good Morning!
I write to you, as a permaculture enthusiast,“fellow permi” and Michigan resident, to let you know of an opportunity that may interest you personally or for that of your organization or company. Little Artshram, the non-profit I still work alongside of, is contributing to the presentation and sponsorship of the First Annual Michigan Permaculture Convergence, November 1-3, 2013, at Camp Talahi in the South Eastern Michigan region. I invite you to participate as a sponsor of this inaugural, statewide gathering, which is the dream seeding of the Great Lakes Bio-Region Permaculture Convergence.
Sponsorship of the convergence will create a stable platform for a sustainable, permaculturally designed yearly event bringing together folks who are interested in sharing knowledge and information about permaculture design, principles, and practice.
The goal of the Michigan permaculture convergence is to provide a forum accessible to all Permaculturalists and people interested in permaculture in Michigan, as well as the surrounding bio-region, to enhance community and share ideas on how to expand permaculture solutions across the region. By giving back to the host property the convergence will work to have a positive impact on the land. Next year, the convergence will move to a new Michigan community and repeat the process.
Our focus in designing this year’s agenda, is to create a networking, educational and information sharing event with permaculturists from all over the Great Lake State who are sharing a diversity of skills and knowledge and on a pathway of practice. We feel the opportunities for MORE permaculture education, experience and ecological-design practice are essential ingredients for strengthening community and increasing our resilience to a changing climate and economy.
Sponsorships will help offset the space rental, insurance needs and provide a living wage for a cook to organize and prepare meals for this 2+ day event. We will work to barter other services, materials and expenses, and we’ve kept the registration fee low for participants, to make this as inclusive as possible for folks to travel to this year’s convergence location. We’ve made the decision to invite—but not formally schedule any out-of-state permaculture mentors as the speakers at this event. Rather, this year’s convergence will host permaculturists from across Michigan to share their particular niche within the permaculture community, showcasing work in Farm, Urban, Community, Education, Co-Housing, and Suburban settings.
I’ve included here just three examples of state-wide permaculture projects and developments, and there are plenty more. In Kalamazoo the perennial revolution of tree crops is on-going….http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/permaculture-farm-oikos-tree-crops-zw0z11zsto.aspx#axzz2f9RGuhmf
In Ypsilanti—a permaculture group utilizing a time-banking system are encouraging and building urban food forests….http://www.heritage.com/articles/2013/06/15/ypsilanti_courier/news/doc51bb44c1ab2ba864050528.txt?viewmode=fullstory
In Traverse City, A biodiverse 145-acre farm, DeYoung will be home to an eight-acre permaculture demonstration orchard and antique apple tree nursery. Each acre will support 25 apple trees surrounded by support guilds, or companion plantings, mimicking the ecology of a mature forest edge. In addition to apples and guild plantings, filberts hazelnuts and mulberries will be grown. http://www.morningstarpublishing.com/articles/2013/04/15/grand_traverse_insider/news/leelanau_area/doc516baa7671b02093258471.txt
Thank you for your consideration and support of Little Artshram and our efforts to share and expand permaculture education and opportunities in our birth and home-place of North West and Central Michigan–and throughout the Great Lake State!
There are two categories of support you can contribute, as a “Permi-Friend” or an “Inaugural Sponsor”. A result of your support and an outcome of the convergence will be a planned for mapping and the creation of a network first based on seven regions that broadly make-up our home-place, and expand out to include the entire Great Lakes Bio-Region.
Here is the sponsorship form: MI perm Converge Sponsor FORM, 2013 as well as, a flyer announcing the event, below. Little Artshram is proud to be the fiduciary agent of this year’s convergence and is a registered non-profit 501.3c organization in Michigan. Please feel free to contact me directly with any questions you may have about sponsorship opportunities or information about the convergence.
We hope you will consider joining Little Artshram, as a “Permi-Friend” or “Inaugural Sponsor”!
`penny Krebiehl
Directress, Little Artshram
231-735-8370