WELCOME TO SOULPATCH
Summer Camp Music Festivals’ long-term garden space dedicated to permaculture and urban gardening education! SOULPATCH is an interactive garden space demonstrating a variety of growing methods and natural building techniques — throughout the weekend there will be experts on hand ready to answer any questions and help you plan your garden space back home! 2021 marks the 8th year of gardening education at Summer Camp.
The development of SOULPATCH has grown over time and is transitioning to provide workshops through the year!
3-DAY PERMACULTURE EXPERIENCE
Gain wisdom in the observation of nature and how you can work with it! The 3-Day Experience is an in-depth workshop and learning
intensive exploring a hands-on approach to urban gardening and holistic land design (INCLUDES Camping, Meals, Yoga, Native Ceremony & 3 Days of Learning! ) Participants will walk away with an orientation of the permaculture design process and project ideas to bring back home.
The action-oriented 3-Day Experience will host registered guests for three days of education and will address natural building methods, soil health, water design integration, planting techniques, edible food forests, container gardening, and much more. The complete immersion event includes prepared meals, camping, ceremony, evening discussions and a dynamic learning environment.
BRIEF COURSE SUMMARY
The 3-Day Experience is an in-depth workshop and learning experience exploring whole systems theory grounded in the principles of permaculture. Students enrolled in the 3-Day comprehensive process will build real projects, observing and supporting two spaces. The first, 7 Circle Native American Heritage Center in Edwards, IL, will be the base for the training where most of the meals will be served, camping, and a portion of the learning will happen. Students will diversify the Center’s landscape, transforming it through the principles of permaculture.
The second site for the course, SOULPATCH, in Chillicothe, IL, is the educational garden zone during Summer Camp Music Festival. Students will learn about the history of the project, gaining insights around some of the sites features and contribute to the 2020 additions. On Wednesday, May 20th, following the course, participants will have the option to apply their new skills at either site. On Monday, May 25th, 3-Day experience course participants will be encouraged to participate in the optional Community Gardening Day at 7 Circles Native American Heritage Center. Participants will have the opportunity to cultivate leadership roles, weaving the elements learned into a mini system design experience by organizing volunteers for a day of projects at 7 Circles.
The workshop is a complete immersion event including prepared meals, camping, evening discussions and a dynamic learning environment including optional daily yoga, meditation and Native American ceremony. Participants can expect a compelling life experience valuing community, embracing new friends and illuminating a renewed perspective of abundant regenerative solutions to some of modern society’s most pressing challenges.
The 3-Day introduction into permaculture will prepare participants with the knowledge needed to return to their communities and take action. Those attending the weekend festival will have the opportunity to share their new skills, volunteering as a Garden Hosts at SOULPATCH, interacting with festival patrons who visit SOULPATCH.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is SOULPATCH?
SOULPATCH is the permanent garden space at Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, IL, the home of Summer Camp Music Festival. SOULPATCH is an educational living platform to facilitate ongoing workshops and trainings around permaculture and natural building techniques.
What is 7 Circles Native American Heritage Center?
7 Circles Native American Heritage Center is a not-for-profit 501c3 organization cultivating cross-cultural understanding and respect by sharing knowledge and developing community, centered around Native American teachings. A long-term working partner in the development of SOULPATCH, ~25 minutes away in Edwards, IL, 7 Circles is the base camp for the 3-Day Experience. A spiritual gathering place for all people, the Center’s efforts aim to preserve and restore indigenous culture, host events, community circles, student field trips and has a garden club to get more hands in the dirt. Native wisdom is a central value in the development of SOULPATCH, recognizing the importance of the land and resources we are borrowing from future generations.
We need to act with more responsibility in the circle of nations
because in creation all is connected. Whatever we do, it has
consequences for the while universe.— Lakota Wisdom
What will this course cover?
This 3-Day Experience will cover the basic principles of permaculture through discussions, brief lectures and hands-on active learning. Content covered will include but not be limited to:
- Natural Building
- Composting techniques
- Soil Health
- Rain Harvesting
- Conscious irrigation methods
- Wicking & seedling care
- Edible Food forests
- Hugekulture Mounds
- Sheet Mulching and soil building strategies
- Vertical Gardening
- Raised Beds & Container Gardens
- Polycultures & Companion Planting
- Integrated Pest Management
- Aquaponics
- Mycelium & Mushroom Cultivation
- Herb Spirals
- Design Theory & Holistic Ecology
- Waterbodies
- Cob Ovens & Solar Ovens
- Earthworks with Swales and Terraces
- Asset Mapping Social Permaculture
- Horticulture planting techniques
- And many more…
What does the day-to-day of the course schedule look like?
The class is an integrated approach mixed with a classroom style component (discussions, brief lectures, handout review, brainstorms), active learning style (hands-on participation creating, planting and building), and group sharing with reflection circles (and optional meditation, yoga, native ceremony and group activities like sunrise silence with tea).
This course is designed as an intensive. The days will be full of activities and will be highly focused to specific areas. While at SOULPATCH, you will not be permitted to roam the festival grounds. THIS IS NOT A PARTY – it is a highly focused learning opportunity. The participants of this course will be contributing towards long term efforts that integrate permaculture land design at the festival grounds. As part of the course, participants will help to contribute to bringing SOULPATCH to life, supporting educational programing for the festival weekend, and furthering the projects of 7 Circles Heritage Center.
What will a typical day look like?
Each day will begin with optional yoga and meditation. The daily class format includes lectures, discussions, hands-on activities and on-site tours to SOULPATCH. The design of this course provides introductory themes in a dynamic group environment and teaches practical skills to apply to your own community.
What will the group dynamics be like?
You will essentially be living in community for 3 days. There will be small breaks for free time. Should you need some isolation and downtime, use these breaks wisely. Often times this break time will be consumed visiting with new found friends in conversation and exploring concepts and projects discussed during the course. This will be an intimate setting, you will likely make fast friends with your fellow classmates, potentially finding new friends for life!
What should I bring?
This course is for beginner gardeners and those with experience. Preparing yourself with gardening and permaculture concepts and questions to share with the groups is helpful but not required.
- Overnight / Living Necessities: Camping & sleeping gear, daily necessities, hygiene necessities, a reusable water bottle and reusable dish-ware/ utensils for meal time, a positive attitude curious mind and open heart.
- Study Necessities: Any classroom materials that will assist in your learning (pens, pencils, notebooks, binders with learning materials, voice recorders, cameras etc.).
- Optional: Musical instruments, yoga mat/ props, meditation aides, sacred items to share as part of the ceremonial altar space.
- Snacks and / or treats to share: Have something you really like? A passage from a favorite book, a favorite song, a game or treasured story? This is a place to share! You may also want to bring snacks for yourself or to share. Organic fair-trade chocolate is always good afternoon pick up on long days! If you are called to share your favorite teas, seeds, or fruits, please do so!
- Bring your Focus: PLEASE DO NOT PLAN ON PARTYING AT THIS WORKSHOP – please save your adult celebrations and extra-curricular activities for another day.
Where will we camp?
We will camp at 7 Circles Heritage Center, which is also where will have breakfast and dinner. There is a field for camping. A separate area for parking (close walking distance). Showers will also be available here. There is also the glory of an open sky and start nights!
Will there be power available?
There will be limited power available – plan as best you can to go without power needs for a few days. Digital Detoxing can be a powerful practice!
What will the meal plans be like?
Delicious! We will post more information soon on our culinary artists.
What if I have Food Allergies?
Please let us know! We have use of a full kitchen at our base camp at 7 Circles Heritage Center. If you have special needs we can work to make sure they are met.
What information will I be able to bring home?
Our intention is to prepare you to take action! After the course you will have learned an entire series of techniques to help you transform any space. There will be course content in electronic format, or if you choose the option prior to the course we can provide a folder of handouts. The handouts will be referenced during the course and bundled as an electronic download after the event.
What is the Community Garden Day at 7 Circles Heritage Center all about ?
An exciting gathering of gardeners and community members for a Memorial Day garden work day. More information on this coming soon.
How does the Community Garden Day relate to the 3-Day Experience and what is the cost to participate?
3-Day Experience participants will have the opportunity to lead projects at the garden work day and there is no cost to participate. More information on this event coming soon.
What is included in the $333 fee?
The $333 fee covers all of the expenses of the 3-Day Experience and includes meals during the workshop, camping, electronic curriculum/ worksheets, optional yoga and meditation classes in the early morning, integrated native wisdoms and ceremony. To participate in the 3-Day Experience you do not have to be a patron of the festival. However, 3-Day Intensive participants will have the option to volunteer at the festivall. For those interested in a combo deal, you can purchase the 3-Day Experience with a SCMF weekend ticket + Thursday pre-party pass for $500.
What does the participation look like during the festival?
There is no course requirements during the festival, but your participation in the workshops and as active educators in the demonstration space are highly encouraged. You will be proud of what you and your classmates have developed and and you will want to show it off and teach all your friends everything you know!
Who are the teachers for the 3-Day Experience?
We have a dynamic facilitation team of instructors who are passionate about food sovereignty, universal access to healthy local food and communities designed with systems in mind to be in greater balance with ecology. The individuals have real world experience developing dynamic projects, studying food systems around the world, and educating advanced concepts in practical terms.
Ande has co facilitated multiple permaculture courses with Cincinnati Permaculture Institute since 2008. He has lead Edible/Medicinal Plant Walks in the Ohio River Valley since 2001. He has offered permaculture/nature based consult to farms, homes, businesses, communities, schools, and more. He has been published in numerous publications with writings about nature, foraging, culture, farming, local food concepts and more. He continues to be an asset to his local farming community as a source of knowledge on natural and holistic approaches to agriculture. He is always ready to face new challenges with integrity to the land, and future generations. He has design strategies, insight, and new observations for all situations.
