At the end of August, the Wisconsin Permaculture Convergence will be held at LTI. The heart of this event is sessions led by a group of facilitators on topics ranging from basket-making to agroforestry. Today, we’re highlighting “Permaculture Merit Badges,” facilitated by Mike Haasl.
Permaculture Merit Badges
This session will introduce a merit badge program for permaculture and homesteading. It provides structure for aspiring homesteaders to learn, allows them to prove their skills and connects them with older landowners looking for a steward for their property.
Mike Haasl promotes permaculture homesteading and wants more young people to have access to their own land. He teaches, writes and experiments with ways to homestead with a lighter footprint. He lives in northern Wisconsin and tends a big garden, greenhouse and flock of chickens.
Mike started working with the Skills to Inherit Property (SKIP) program about five years ago and helped develop it. He co-authored a book with Paul Wheaton on the topic. He likes the idea of “merit badges” as a way to learn permaculture skills, perhaps because he was an eagle scout in his youth.
He finds the most exciting part of the SKIP program and merit badges in general is connecting aspiring homesteaders with landowners who don’t have heirs for their land. Both land and college are expensive and this may provide an alternative path to a sustainable life. The challenge, though, is getting the word out about this idea and program because it is an uncommon idea, requiring a lot of education and promotion.
The SKIP idea can be helpful in conceptual and concrete ways. For Mike, teaching about this topic has helped him be more careful about word choice and expressing his ideas to be clear and easily understood.
The Wisconsin Permaculture Convergence takes place August 23–25 at the Low Technology Institute in Cooksville, Wisconsin. Find out more information at the event website: wisconsinpermacultureconvergence.com
Registration includes access to the sessions, meals, and limited camping! Although day-of registration is available, it is best to sign up right now! This helps us get our food and other logistics ready to make this a great weekend for everyone involved. Don’t wait!