Online Permaculture Course Sells Out in 2 hours and 45 minutes

[jdwheeler42]

http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/pdc-sold-out-officially-at-247-pm

... and they had 1000 slots open....

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[Surly1]

http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/pdc-sold-out-officially-at-247-pm

... and they had 1000 slots open....

What cop you make of that, JD? My first reaction is that that's pretty wonderful.

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[luciddreams]

So 1000 slots at 400 bones a piece?  Is this an online deal? 

I'm suspicious for some reason.  But if it's true, I think that is amazing.  It speaks to the position we are on the collapse curve really. 

Today I sharpened my sickle and harvested some grass and burdock.  The burdock has seeded out.  Using a sickle is an activity I'm rapidly falling in love with.  I need to get a scythe, but a good one is expensive.  It's on the top of my want list.  A sickle is a good starting point I think.  I love the motion involved.  Never been taught shit about how to use one...but I've applied aikido body movements to the equation and it seems to be working fine. 

I also like the signal it sends to the neighboring trailer park     

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[RE]

So 1000 slots at 400 bones a piece?  Is this an online deal? 

I'm suspicious for some reason.  But if it's true, I think that is amazing.  It speaks to the position we are on the collapse curve really. 

Today I sharpened my sickle and harvested some grass and burdock.  The burdock has seeded out.  Using a sickle is an activity I'm rapidly falling in love with.  I need to get a scythe, but a good one is expensive.  It's on the top of my want list.  A sickle is a good starting point I think.  I love the motion involved.  Never been taught shit about how to use one...but I've applied aikido body movements to the equation and it seems to be working fine. 

I also like the signal it sends to the neighboring trailer park 

LD out Reaping the Fields.



RE

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[jdwheeler42]

So 1000 slots at 400 bones a piece?  Is this an online deal? 

I'm suspicious for some reason.  But if it's true, I think that is amazing.  It speaks to the position we are on the collapse curve really. 

It's being filmed on their new doomstead/permaculture farm by the certified permaculturist farm manager.... it was $300 each, but it was only available to people who are paying $60 a year to be members.  The videos are to be professionally edited -- $50,000 for a year's worth of service -- and will be delivered online.  Two other certified permaculture designers will answer questions and evaluate the students' designs.  All three have been accredited by Geoff Lawton.

This was very much an introductory offer.  They will be offering another 500 slots at $500 each next Saturday, again only to subscribers.  When they eventually open it up to the general public, they plan on charging $750.

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[jdwheeler42]

http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/pdc-sold-out-officially-at-247-pm

... and they had 1000 slots open....

What cop you make of that, JD? My first reaction is that that's pretty wonderful.

I think this is great news... for the human race.  For the SUN project, not so much.  I suspect they will quickly dominate the collapse x permaculture niche.

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[jdwheeler42]

Using a sickle is an activity I'm rapidly falling in love with.  I need to get a scythe, but a good one is expensive.  It's on the top of my want list.  A sickle is a good starting point I think.  I love the motion involved.  Never been taught shit about how to use one...but I've applied aikido body movements to the equation and it seems to be working fine. 

I really like my sickle too.  It really has very little in common with a scythe, though.  When you use a scythe, you keep your arms still and twist your hips, keeping the blade level with the ground.  You end up making a wide path, generally through tall grasses or grains.  Sickles are all about arm movement and working in much tighter areas.

And while a quality scythe is expensive for a hand tool, if you compare it with the cost of a lawnmower, it is really quite reasonable.  The main reason I don't get one is because the town I live in requires that grass be kept below 8 inches and with the unevenness in my lawn a scythe just doesn't work well at that height.  The bulk of the grass has to be above the blade for the scythe to cut cleanly, and you need to leave at least a couple inches clearance below the scythe so you don't hit rocks, tree roots, molehills, etc. 

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[Randy C]

My son and I do our hay with Austrian scythes.  The best place to get a snath is from Laymans in Kidron, OH.  Don't buy the snath from Scythe Supply or the Marugg Company.  They both claim to make a custom snath but don't.  We are both over 6 foot and had to add about six inches to our snaths to make the work for us.  Also, don't buy the round peening jigs, they are worthless.  Get the two anvils and the hammer and all working surfaces must have a mirror shine on them.  There is also another anvil that has a bench to rest the blade on.  Get a long 30 inch grass blade and you can do most of your work with that.  Heavy brush blades that are about 20 to 24" are also available.

Scythes, three tine stacking forks and hand hay rakes are the way to go.  We cut about 4 acres last summer and kept our four cows and four steers through the winter with only buying a pickup load of hay at the very end and in so doing didn't have to earn or pay taxes on about $2,000 worth of bailed hay!

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[Randy C]

Photo of my son, Elliott, sharpening a scythe blade.  No photos of scything though, too busy doing it to record it....

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[luciddreams]

Photo of my son, Elliott, sharpening a scythe blade.  No photos of scything though, too busy doing it to record it....

I want a scythe.  I imagine learning to sharpen one is something best taught rather than muddled through. 

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[Randy C]

Photo of my son, Elliott, sharpening a scythe blade.  No photos of scything though, too busy doing it to record it....

I want a scythe.  I imagine learning to sharpen one is something best taught rather than muddled through.

Yes, LD, you are correct.  We took the muddling approach.  On our third sharpening system and it, along with the anvils for repairs seem to be the best way to go.  The penning bench was built out of available materials on the farm.  We hope this summers mowing goes better.  The new sharpening system and rebuilt scythe handles make a world of difference.

I will try to remember the camera tomorrow morning as I'm don't have a phone, just an old 1990s land line.  I just such the dinosaur... 

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