GreenLife Eco Festival 2012 Workshop Leaders
2012 Presentation Speakers
COOKING AND NUTRITION
Cathe Fish – 
| Hilary Dart – Briar Patch - Rainbow Rice Salad, with mostly Local and Regional ingredients.
Saturday: 12:30 – 1:30
|
 Pauli Halstead – “In Search of the Perfect Human Diet”.Author - Primal Cuisine, Cooking for the Paleo Diet, which will be out next January. The Primal Diet Sunday: 11:30-12:30
|
|
| April Reese – Canning Basics, from A to Z Supply will be presenting “Canning and Preserving“ April will be going over what you can preserve with the local food from farmers in our area and how to plan your garden around canning! Sunday 12:30-1:30 |
FARM AND GARDEN |
|
|
 Renee Wade from Garden with Nature will be presenting “Working with Plant Spirits“ Science is now uncovering the relationship between consciousness, energy, and matter. Find out how you are hardwired to use this information in your garden. Renee Wade’s interest in co-creative gardening began in 1979 when she first read about the garden at Findhorn. After completing a BA degree in Ecological Agriculture, she spent 5 years training at the Berkeley Psychic Institute while studying the Pelelandra workbooks and the Michael Roads Talking with Nature series. Further studies in permaculture, plant spirit medicine, quantum physics, and other subjects have led her to an ever deeper understanding of the human/nature potential. She now teaches workshops, is a co-creative gardening consultant and coach, a certified permaculture design consultant, and is a student of Matrix Energetics.
Sunday 2:30-3:30 |
|
 Tom Wade – Ducks: An Essential Garden Tool. Ducks are wonderful, easy-care creatures who eat many garden pests, including snails and slugs. They can also mow lawns, eat common weeds such as dandelions, make eggs, make and spread organic fertilizer, become meat for the dinner table, or simply provide hours of entertainment. With a few, simple management techniques, you will be able to easily fit ducks into your city garden, suburban landscape, or rural homestead. Tom Wade’s passion is integrating animals into gardens and farms. He is a certified Permaculture Design Consultant with 20 years of landscaping and soil fertility building experience. He manages goats, cows, pigs, and assorted poultry on his own 10 acres in the Sierra foothills. Sunday 1:30-2:30 |
 Greg Litus - “Veganic Agricluture”- Greg Litus, Ph.D. will be presenting “Veganic Agriculture.” As organic agriculture is a movement toward more natural forms of agriculture, veganic agriculture is a movement toward real efficiency while embracing the compassion deeply embedded in our human nature. Greg Litus is well versed in the social, physical and life sciences. He has studied and worked in the fields of economics, geology, geochemistry and plant physiology. Twenty years as an environmental consultant and researcher in landscape horticulture has led him to start a veganic farm as part of the Animal Place Sanctuary for Farmed Animals.Saturday 12:30-1:30 |
 Gabriel Bridges – “Growing Shitakes” - Learn about mushroom biology and how to grow Shitake mushrooms on logs with Gabriel Bridges of Love Creek Permaculture https://sites.google.com/site/lovecreekpermaculture/home.Gabriel Bridges studied Permaculture at U.C. Davis graduating in 2007 in their independent major program. He lives in the Sierra Nevada mountains where he farms the land where he grew up. Since graduating from UC Davis he has founded the ‘Love Creek Center for Permaculture.’ -a permaculture demonstration site and working farm, along with offering services as a permaculture consultant and designer. He manages a no-till market garden and has incorporated edible landscaping throughout the site. He is a professional mushroom forager and cultivates shitake mushrooms on logs. His passion for mushrooms and cultivation has been part of his whole system approach to farming in the recent years.
Saturday 2:30 – 3:30 |
 Mark Hall from Creative Coops will be presenting “Successful Backyard Chicken Coop Design” Mark Hall will describe materials and techniques to use in your chicken coop design for defense against predators and maintain a happy small flock of backyard chickens. Hall is the owner of Creative Coops, a local fabrication company which designs and builds safe and healthy living environments for poultry.
Sunday 4:30-5:30 |
|
 Rowen White - Seed Saving Techniques - Rowen is a passionate seed saver and gardener. She is the co-founder of the Sierra Seed Cooperative, a local community seed organization focusing on local seed production and education. Sierra Seeds is building a rare and diverse seed collection, educating members about the practice of seed-saving, and growing a community of caring farmers and seed stewards. Her most recent publication is ” Breeding Organic Vegetables”, available through Sierra Seed Cooperative. www.sierraseeds.org Saturday 1:30-2:30
|
 Gena Nonini- “How to garden and grow food and medicine with Biodynamics”. Gena Nonini, BS,MA – Owner, Marian Biodynamic Farm and Master Distiller Gena was educated in Farm Economics in college and went on to work for Pillsbury for several years. In 1992 she had a calling to return to her roots of farming in the Great Central Valley of California, where her Grandparents and parents have been farming for generations. After traveling the world as a buyer for Pillsbury learning about different ways of farming Gena became inspired by Biodynamic farming. After taking full study of the Biodynamic Principals Gena set to make Marian Farms one of the country’s leading farms in Biodynamic technologies. Her vision carries a multi purpose farm, growing enhanced food, distillery, herbal gardens, and preparations of biodynamic soil. A leader and teacher in the Biodynamic Field, Gena is sought after as an accomplished Biodynamic Farmer and Teacher through out the United States and Europe. She serves on many boards servicing the Biodynamic Community and offers private consulting services as well. At the end of the day you’ll find Gena back in the fields of her beautiful Central California Farm,feet in the dirt, one hand over her heart thanking God for all the blessings in her life.
Sunday – 3:30-4:30 |
|
|
|
|
Ken & Aleta Barrett - “Goat Care”
Ken and Aleta Barrett run Starbright Acres and raise organic vegetables and have a goat CSA.
Saturday 4:30 – 5:30 |
Matthew Shapero - “Raising Chickens” Matthew Shapero, a native of California, moved east in 2004 to attend university in New York City. After four, urban years and a degree in Religion from Columbia University, he left university and decided he was most inspired by idea of farming. That following Spring, he landed at Quail Hill Farm on the South Fork of Long Island and began his first full season on an organic farm. After ten months of hoe-ing onions and lugging winter squash, Matthew left the East and moved back to California to pursue his blossoming interest in animal husbandry. In Nevada City, he found Living Lands Agrarian Network and animal-mentors in Leonard Chapman and Tim Van Wagner. Three seasons (and much mentoring) later, Matthew works the nine-acre Red Rocker Farm, raising lamb and broiler chickens. Matthew sells his meats and poultry through various Animal CSAs, at the Nevada City Farmers’ Market, Briar Patch Food Co-op, and New Moon Cafe in Nevada City. His passion for raising animals and wisely managing them on pasture increases with every nipped blade of grass. Saturday 5:30 – 6:30 |
|
| Tom & Renee Wade -“Raising and Milking Goats”
See Bios above
Sunday 11:30 – 12:30 |
GREEN LIVING
 Ocean Robbins - “The Food Revolution”In spite of, or perhaps in response to, the many pressing challenges of our times, a movement is afoot. It is alive in the hearts, spirits and actions of millions of people, of every religious, economic and cultural background, who are rising up to make a difference with their lives. Ocean Robbins has spent more than half his life collaborating with some of the outstanding young leaders of our times, and working at the forefront of worldwide movements towards a thriving, just and sustainable future. His presentations are rich with stories of inspiration from his learning journey, reflections on the pivotal moment we face as a species, and an invitation to bring our lives into alignment with our values. • Founder, at age 16, of YES! Saturday 1:30 – 2:30 |
 Mark Dubois “The Pachamamma Alliance and The Great Transformation”directs WorldWise, exploring the invitation that reminds humanity of the magnitude of who we truly are, our interconnectedness, and the opportunity of our historic times. He worked with The Pachamama Alliance’s global awakening work coordinating Organizational Alliances & Youth Liaison (’07-’11). As International Coordinator of Earth Day 1990 and 2000, he collaborated with thousands of groups in 184 countries outside the US co-creating the world’s largest grassroots environmental event in history with hundreds of millions people actively participating. He co-founded the International Rivers Network (’84), Friends of the River (’74) and the Environmental Traveling Companions (’72). He also founded and directed WorldWise (’90), supporting grassroots campaigns for World Bank & IMF policy reform, and coordinated grassroots lobby efforts with Bank Executive Directors for 10 years.
Saturday 2:30 – 3:30 |
|
| Dan Wheat, Sr. “Basic Bee-Keeping” Dan Wheat Sr. - Beekeeping, from A to Z Supply will be presenting “Beekeeping” Dan Wheat Sr. will go over how and why he became a hobby beekeeper and what he has learned from the bees.Saturday 3:30 – 4:30
Sunday 3:30 – 4:30
|
|
 Nick Santos – “Taking Action to Reduce Your Environmental Impact”
Nick Santos is the founder and Executive Director of The Environmental Consumer, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that develops actionable information and resources for consumers looking to take the next step to reduce their impact. Nick is also a Junior Specialist at the Center for Watershed Sciences at the University of California, Davis where he develops GIS-based software and databases to help analyze and understand environmental impacts and indicators. He is currently a Roosevelt Institute: Pipeline fellow for Climate Change. In the past he has worked as a Policy Fellow at climate campaign 1Sky (now merged with 350.org), as an Americorps member with the Regional Climate Change Program at the Sierra Nevada Alliance, and with the UC Sustaintable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP),
Sunday 2:30 -3:30 |
 Ken White - “The Oil Journey” The 20th Century can be viewed through any of the three great trends of our time — economic growth, social progress, and environmental damage. But a fourth trend — growing energy use —underlies each of these, literally fueling the incredible journey we’ve been on in the last 100 years. And changes in the landscape of energy may well trigger a whole new journey for humanity. Find out how how cheap energy and economic growth got us into this mess and how we can move toward a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable future.
Ken White has devoted much of his career to enhancing opportunities for people and communities. A graduate of Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government’s mid-career program, he has worked with nonprofits for nearly two decades. Previously, Ken was the coordinating director of the Chaordic Commons, Inc., a group created by Dee Hock, the founding director of VISA. He was the executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts, a citizen-led organization working for truly representative government. Prior to that, he directed communications for the Annenberg Institute for School Reform and Coalition of Essential Schools, and held similar posts with Oxfam America and the Institute for Defense & Disarmament Studies. Ken has also been a consultant to numerous nonprofits, and was a journalist not so long ago. Sunday 1:30 – 2:30
|
|
 David Edwards – “Label GMO’s” “What Are We Eating?”Fact: GMO’s have not been proven safe, and the long-term health risks on humans of genetically modified foods have not been adequately investigated.We have a Right to Know What’s in our Food We Currently Eat Genetically Engineered Food, But Don’t Know It A genetically engineered food is a plant or meat product that has had its DNA artificially altered in a laboratory by genes from other plants, animals, viruses, or bacteria, in order to produce foreign compounds in that food. This type of genetic alteration is not found in nature, and is experimental. The correct scientific term is “transgenics,” and is also often referred to as (GE) genetically engineered.
Example: Genetically Modified corn has been engineered in a laboratory to produce pesticides in its own tissue. GMO Corn is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency as an Insecticide, but is sold unlabeled. [EPA Pesticides]
Saturday 12:30 – 1:30
|
 Curt Brown - “Cold Fusion Energy”
Mr. Brown has served as a Senior Engineering Vice President and Chief Technical Officer of such technology companies as Hewlett Packard, Iomega, Seagate, Quantum and Lantronix. At these companies, he developed a number of industry leading products for high volume markets, achieving product sales in millions of units and billions of dollars. A capable inventor with numerous patents, Mr. Brown has spearheaded the development of such landmark products as the Iomega Zip Drive and the Lantronix XPort (world’s smallest web server) as well as numerous storage products and computer peripherals such as disk drives, tape drives and printers. With a MS degree in Electrical Engineering from MIT, Curt has managed engineering teams of up to 350 engineers and business units of up to 700 people, as well as small start ups of a few engineers.
Sunday 12:30 – 1:30 |
|
 Elisa Parker and Mary Elizabeth Young - “Women Moving Forward Putting Their Passion into Action”is the co-founder and President of the award-winning See Jane Do™, a social change multimedia organization that seeks to empower everyday women to become heroes in their own lives and to redefine media for women to create positive change. Elisa’s See Jane Do weekly program on Nevada City, CA’s renowned KVMR community radio station shares extraordinary stories and solutions from women around the world. She also co-founded the annual Passion i nto Action™ Women’s Conference, TEDx Grass Valley, and the See Jane Do Media Lounge, and is an alumnus of the Women’s Media Center Progressive Women’s Voices program. (www.seejanedo.com)
Sunday: 11:30-12:30 |
 Kevin Hasher Eyann – Cultivation Freedom & Abundance – Legal strategies & Practical Tools. Kevin Hasher Eyann is the sold owner and manager of New Earth Gardens, which has been an organic landscape & gardening company but is now specializing in sits-specific permaculture systems. He has recently started New Earth Organics. a company producing raw & organic foods and medicinal herbs. His is the founder of Farmstead 42, a “residential farm” permaculture demonstration site in Nevada City, CA. He is the primary Trustee of Community Share Associates, which works to empower members to buy & sell homemade food & medicine.He holds an MBA in Business Finance, a BA in World Religions and is currently working on another BA in Ecological Design. He has over 10 years experience working in the field of landscaping and organic gardening, and has worked as a chef in California, Spain, India & New Orleans.
Saturday 4:30-5:30 |
HEALTH & WELLNESS
|
Melina Meza, BS Nutrition, 500-RYT Melina Meza has been exploring the art and science of yoga and nutrition for over 17 years. She combines her knowledge of Hatha Yoga, Ayurveda, whole foods nutrition, and healthy lifestyle promotion into a unique style called Seasonal Vinyasa. Melina is the author of the Art of Sequencing books. She has also created the Yoga for the Seasons video series, which premiered in September 2009 with the release of the Fall Vinyasa DVD. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition from Bastyr University, where she deepened her interest in the world of whole foods nutrition Sunday 12:30 – 1:30 |
Matt Sto ne -Gulp Fiction: The Ugly Truth About the Health Food FadHealth, the culinary arts, traditional agriculture, exercise, and nutrition have been interests, hobbies, and/or professions of mine my entire life. In 2005; however, I decided to “kick it up a notch.” I launched a full-scale independent investigation into human health, sticking my nose into a wide spectrum of authors over the past century, cutting-edge scientific discoveries in the field of endocrinology, and many more disciplines and “-ologies” as diverse as paleopathology and psychoneuroendocrinology. Hoping to find something good – really learn and discover something important, I was not disappointed. Very distinct themes emerged amongst nearly all of the avenues I explored. It became abundantly clear, we’re talking absolute crystal clarity here, that the typical ideas that the mainstream has about health don’t make much sense, are not congruent with history or even the most basic logic, and are more incorrect than you can imagine. The time has come for drastic revisions in the way we define a healthy diet, a healthy lifestyle, and human health in general. It is time to open up to new strategies, new ideas, and new understanding. It is time to step in and replace the mistaken assumptions that have a foothold in the minds of everyone who has been educated about such things. It is time that the ‘alarming trends’ in mental, physical, and emotional health be halted and reversed.
Sunday 1:30 – 2:30
|
||||||||||||||||
 Jacob Griscom – “How to Create Inevitable Results with Your Health, Wealth, and Relationships” – acob Griscom is the president of Everyday Ayurveda, a company that helps Ayurvedic practitioners and Yoga therapists build successful and transformative businesses. He’s also the co-founder of the Sacramento Sustainability Forum, an award-winning congressionally recognized organization dedicated to connecting businesses, non-profits, government and interested citizens in the Sacramento region in order to promote sustainability, share insights and resources, and support movement towards a more sustainable future. An insightful and engaging presenter, author, and coach, Jacob will be revealing the powerful frameworks he teaches for creating inevitable results with your health, wealth, and relationships.
Sunday 3:30 -4:30
|
 Lawrence Hoppis – “The twelve steps to natural self healing”
Lawrence Hoppis is a traditional Naturopath with training at the International College of Naturopathy, International College of Phytotherapy, and numerous internships and other certifications. He has been in private practice for fifteen years traveling throughout the western United States, teaching in the department of Western Medicine at Five Branches University of TCM, and providing practitioner product clinical support for nutritional, herbal, homeopathic, biological medicine, quantum infoceutical and Nutripuncture formulations and healing modalities. Lawrence compellingly marries new and old – science and Spirit, for truly transformational wellness results and is widely sought-after for his ability to deliver remarkable insights in a language everyone can understand. Saturday 5:30-6:30 |
GREEN BUILDING
Samantha Hinrichs -Straw Bale and Using Recycled Materials –
Mud and Pearls is a hub of inspiration and dynamic change within the DIY and Natural Building movement.
We teach in order to break through personal and cultural barriers, we connect resources and tools to make it easy, and we tell the stories of building and change to inspire us all.
Mud and Pearls inspires and motivates people of all ages to create beautiful, sustainable, and hand made projects.
We create an atmosphere of fun, curiosity, supportiveness where the best decision for the environment, the individual, and the community is reached.
We will tell the stories of others, creating a strong network of knowledge, tools and shared visions, cultivating community.
As a hub of inspiration, Mud and Pearls weaves a broad web. We provide education for those who are curious about natural building and new tools, and would like help before they launch into a project.
Logan Edwards – Build Your Own!Buildings that have a relationship to their surroundings
Straw-Clay, Earthbag, Cob
Have you ever wanted to build with your hands? Do you love playing in the mud? Get inspired, get questions answered, learn about 3 excellent natural building techniques.
I’ll cover foundations, wall construction, window and door framing, electrical and plumbing, and choices of finish including earthen plaster, lime plaster, cement stucco.
Logan was born along the Rio Grande river in Albuquerque, NM. This beautiful rural landscape is dotted by some of the oldest continually inhabited buildings in America. Native American Pueblos and all the Spanish colonial buildings are made entirely of mud and straw or adobe, some of which are 200-500 years old. This deep connection between the land and the homes we live is ingrained into my heart and soul.
He went to college at NAU, Flagstaff, where he studied forestry, indigenous agriculture, ecology, and soils. He received a certificate in permaculture design in 2001, for a three-week intensive design coarse in Pahoa, HI. In 2003 He moved to northern California for an internship building an off-grid straw clay house. This “summer job” quickly became a career as he became a father and then land owner. For nine years he has worked in fine home building with many of today’s “green” building materials. Logan his wife Hanna and his three children reside in cob building with living roof in a completely off-grid neighborhood on 9 acres. Building with earth, planting fruit trees, veggie gardens, building greenhouses, installing and maintaining solar systems, swimming in the Yuba River and playing with his three bright kids are his favorite things.
Sunday 3:30 -4:30
On Going Demos- Saturday and Sunday
Peter Clark – Metalsmithing – Making Garden Tools