As the Jerusalem artichokes danced fifteen feet in the air and the millet waved majestically, the corn and sorghum rustled rhythmically with the breeze coming from the west, the harvest was celebrated. Once a battered and neglected yard, infested with Bermuda grass and trash, after one season of love, intention, and care the demonstration Energy Garden at the Post Carbon Institute was born. Now teeming with crops that even some seasoned gardeners have never seen; the kenaf, switchgrass, quinoa, sorghum, and other plants represent a resiliency and bounty that inspire hope and action. On three days in late September the community learned about and participated in home scale responses to current global problems.

On Tuesday, September 25^th the Permaculture Class from the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center (OAEC.org) arrived with thirty people to see the Energy Garden. Well informed and motivated by the holistic education delivered by Brock Dolman and other teachers at OAEC, the students engaged in an interactive tour and design session at Post Carbon’s Energy Garden. To see the details of the design charrettes please see the blog at http://energyfarms.net/node/1397. The two hour tour was stimulating as the students learned about the context of Peak Oil and the purpose and reasons behind the Energy Farm Network. We here at Post Carbon also benefitted from their understanding of permaculture theory and design as they suggested several great ideas to improve the Energy Garden site.

Three days later, on Friday, September 28^th, the next day of tours began and about twenty people participated in a series of free workshops. They learned about ethanol production, appropriate technologies, and relocalization. The attendees were engaging and several deep discussions were sparked about responses to the coming transition. As the methods for developing the Energy Farm were shared, hopes and fears about a world with less oil were addressed with thoughtful questions and creative group brainstorms.

Our last day of tours was on Sunday, September 30^th. The workshops were the same as on Friday, and they were honed to a more family oriented atmosphere. Forty-five people came over the course of the day and a third of them were children who showed enthusiasm that provoked smiles all around. The day was filled with joy and laughter, making relocalization a reality rather than a mere idea. People harvested vegetables from the garden, used a leg powered Japanese winnower and a mill to process wheat and barley. The bio fuel discussions led to good connections and the sharing of knowledge.

The tours marked the end of summer for us at the Energy Garden. We are excited to transition into the rainy season and we are currently planting crops to feed the soil. As we work in the garden, it is a joy to see cars slow down to look into our “yard”. With time the interest will continue to rise and hopefully these types of gardens will proliferate. Until we see you again, enjoy the autumn.