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Workshops at Middle Earth

UPCOMING Workshops at Middle Earth

PERMACULTURE IN ACTION DAY
  • DATE: Saturday January 14, 2012 from 10 to 3
  • FEE: No charge, donations appreciated and bring a covered dish to share for lunch
  • We will begin with a short classroom session covering an overview of Permaculture design followed by a tour of Middle Earth. The tour will cover aspects of Permacuture Design that have been implemented here at Middle Earth, and how this can be adapted to suburban back yards...... composting, sheet mulching, cover cropping, food forest, animals in the landscape, rainwater harvesting, solar electricity and hot water, mushroom logs, and much more! COVERED DISH LUNCH will follow the tour, and then we will have a short session of classroom time and an inspiring film about the DeVraes family in Pasadena, Ca who farm....yes! farm!!...on a city lot.
  • Email or call Middle Earth to register 251-866-7204


    • SHIITAKE MUSHROOM WORKSHOP
  • DATE: Saturday February 11, 2012 from 9:30 to 3:30
  • Workshop Leader: Craig Kalloch
  • FEE: $35.00 per person BRING A SACK LUNCH
  • This workshop involves hands-on!! You will experience drilling the oak logs, injecting the shiitake mycelium, sealing with wax....AND take a log home! Plus, a small amount of classroom time to discuss shiitake mushroom culture and the health benefits of shiitake mushrooms. BRING A SACK LUNCH
  • call Craig or Lisa at Middle Earth (251-866-7204) for more information and directions


    • HEALING CRYSTAL BOWL CONCERT
  • DATE: Saturday evening March 3, 2012 from 6:00 to 8:30 with refreshments following
  • Leader: Jay Schwed
  • FEE: $25.00 at the door
  • Jay Schwed returns to facilitate this powerful healing experience. Further information will follow next month....stay tuned! "In the ancient lands of Atlantis and Egypt, the healers traveled from door to door with a 'healing' crystal bowl, tuned to the note of F# for the high heart. The ancients believed that the way to facilitate healing is by opening the high heart that connects the hearts of all beings. Today we refer to this as the Thymus Gland, the center of your immunity system. It is my ministry to travel and open the One Heart - the High Heart that connects us all to each other and to Spirit." Jay S. Schwed More information on this Middle Earth offering will follow.... Jay's website: www.HealingCrystalBowls.com
  • LIMITED CLASS SIZE...call to REGISTER: Craig or Lisa at Middle Earth (251-866-7204) for more information and directions

    • Past Workshops at Middle Earth

    Take a look at our Workshop Photos!

    The Song of The Healing Crystal Bowls
  • DATE: Tuesday evening, October 25, 7:00 to 8:30
  • Leader: Jay Schwed
  • "In the ancient lands of Atlantis and Egypt, the healers traveled from door to door with a 'healing' crystal bowl, tuned to the note of F# for the high heart. The ancients believed that the way to facilitate healing is by opening the high heart that connects the hearts of all beings. Today we refer to this as the Thymus Gland, the center of your immunity system. It is my ministry to travel and open the One Heart - the High Heart that connects us all to each other and to Spirit." Jay S. Schwed
  • Jay's website: www.HealingCrystalBowls.com
    • Three Hours of Bliss, Massage Class for Couples
  • DATE: Saturday, October 22 9:00 to 12:00 morning session OR 3:00 to 6:00 afternoon session
  • Workshop Leaders: Lori Tennant and Ken Belcher
  • Now, more than ever, human beings need the healing power of loving touch from each other. In our busy world, and with the additional anxiety due to climate change, shifting/crumbling institutions, and all the other uncertainties, it is more important than ever to minister to each other from the Heart. We learned how to give a half hour massage to your partner without hurting your own hands or feeling exhausted. This class taught us easy to learn skills to turn your partner into a puddle of happiness!

    • Dancing with the Devas Workshop
  • DATE: Saturday, October 15, 9:30 to 3:00
  • A new and timely offering from Middle Earth. Through the use of essential essences, the life-blood of the plant, we talked about how to reconnect and deepen your relationship with the healing power of Mother Earth. Facilitated by the essences, we opened the door to communion and communication with the Plant and Tree Kingdom.
    • Permaculture Day at Middle Earth
  • DATE: Saturday June 25th, 2011 9:30am-3:30pm
  • Workshop Leaders: Craig and Lisa Kalloch
  • Permaculture (a word coined in the 1970s by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren) recognizes that all living systems are organized around energy flows, and seeks to create integrated systems in which all elements are interconnected and beneficial to one another. An overview of permacuture design principles and ethics. We talked about how this has been applied at Middle Earth, and how it can be applied in urban settings as well.
    • Workshop on Agnihotra, Agnihotra Ash Medicines, and Homa Therapy Gardening and Farming
  • DATE: 2 p.m. on Saturday April 16, 2011
  • Workshop Leader: Richard Powers of Madison, Virginia
  • Agnihotra is a process of purifying the atmosphere through specially prepared fire. Agnihotra comes from the Vedas, the most ancient body of knowledge known to man. Thousands of people around the world practice Agnihotra:
  • --to neutralize the effects of pollution and harmful radiation
  • --to heal the environment and restore balance to nature
  • --for personal healing and stress reduction
  • --to achieve optimal results in gardening and organic farming
    Level 1 Healing Touch
  • DATES: October 31st & November 1st, 2009 from 9 to 6:30 both days
  • OVERVIEW: Middle Earth, and Healing Touch South: a Level I Healing Touch workshop held in Mobile at the Blue Cliff Career College. This is a continuing education offering for nurses and massage therapists working with the electro-magnetic energy of the human body to assist in restoring harmony and balance within the body/mind/spirit.
    • Level 1 Healing Touch
  • DATES: August 22 and 23, 2009 from 9 to 6:30 both days
  • OVERVIEW: OVERVIEW: Middle Earth, and Healing Touch South: a Level I Healing Touch workshop held in Mobile at the Blue Cliff Career College. This is a continuing education offering for nurses and massage therapists working with the electro-magnetic energy of the human body to assist in restoring harmony and balance within the body/mind/spirit.
    • Permaculture Workshop
  • DATE: 2 days: Saturday April 18th and Sunday April 19th, 2009
  • OVERVIEW: The workshop covered the basic concepts of Permaculture Design with an emphasis on Water in the Landscape. Classroom time and hands-on projects involving capturing and holding water in the landscape were used for furthering education. For more info go to: Permaculture Article by Lisa Kalloch
    • Shiitake Mushroom Workshop
  • DATE: Saturday Feb 14th, 2009 9am to 4pm
  • OVERVIEW: This workshop teaches how to start your own Shiitake mushroom logs to grow your very own Shiitake mushrooms!
    Introduction to Solar Energy for Beginners
  • DATE: Saturday January 24th, 2009 9am to 4pm
  • OVERVIEW: This workshop covered the evaluation of your home's energy usage when considering the sizing and purchase of photovoltaic system and what exactly is involved in the installation and maintenance of the system. ETC.
    Introduction to Solar Energy for Beginners
  • DATE: October 18, 2008 9am to 4pm
  • OVERVIEW: The Saturday workshop covered the nitty gritty of evaluating your home's energy usage when considering the sizing and purchase of a photovoltaic system; what exactly is involved in the installation and maintenance of the system; the difference between net metering and battery backup; and much more. Middle Earth demonstrates a .6kw off-grid stand alone system for the Solar Hermitage; a 4kw grid-tied system with battery backup for the house (demonstrating both roof mount and pole mount panels); a 2.8kw off grid system for the greenhouses demonstrating ground mount panels, and a solar dc water pump for pumping water from the rainwater cisterns to the greenhouses. Included in the demonstration and discussion was the solar hot water system with on demand water heater as back up.
    Middle Earth has added another alternative energy modality for demonstration and evaluation.... GEO-THERMAL heating and cooling has been installed for the house, and now completed for the yurt. A seperate meter has been added in order to evaluate the amount of electricity used just for the Water furnace unit.
    Hands-on Experiential PV Workshop for Beginners
  • DATE: Sunday September 21, 2008 9am to 4pm
  • We increased the PV system on the intern Solar Hermitage from 600 watts (0.6kw) to 1100 watts (1.1kw). We assembled a pole mounting system for the modules, installed 3 additional 165 watt modules, added a combiner box, and installed an additional charge controller.

    This hands-on included a brief overview of the various alternative energy systems at Middle Earth: the grid-tied 4kw system for the house, the newly installed off-grid 1.5 kw system for the greenhouses, the off-grid PV system for the intern housing, the solar hot water system, the newly installed geo-thermal heating and cooling systems for the house and the yurt classroom space, and the totally electric Zap truck.

    Permaculture Workshop
  • DATE: Saturday April 26th, 2008
  • A hands-on workshop on Permaculture Gardens and other permaculture techniques. Taught by Charles and Julia Yelton.
    • Shiitake Mushroom Workshop
  • DATE: Saturday February 23rd, 2008
    • Permaculture Workshop
  • DATE: Saturday and Sunday February 16th and 17th, 2008
  • A hands-on two day workshop on Earth Building and Other Permaculture Techniques. International Permaculture Design teachers Charles and Julia Yelton were at Middle Earth for an extended visit and conducted this workshop. At the end of the weekend an Earth Oven was created using the wonderful clay on site at Middle Earth. Charles and Julia shared their knowledge of the changing of the Earth and how we can positively effect the Earth and future generations.
    • Installation of a Photovoltaic system for The Greenhouse Project
  • DATE: Saturday February 9th, 2008
  • A free hands-on workshop for the installation of the solar system for the Greenhouse Project. This system is a stand-alone (off grid) 2.5 kilowatt system with 16 photovoltaic panels on ground mounts, a charge controller, an inverter and 8 batteries for back-up to provide AC power for the greenhouses. The greenhouse irrigation system demonstrates rainwater collection and the use of a DC solar pump.
    • Introduction to Solar Energy
  • The morning classroom session covered the basics starting with how to conduct a home energy audit, what steps to take to decrease your home energy usage, how to size your solar energy system, and an overview of the installation process. The afternoon session was a tour and discussion of the renewable energy technologies currently in use at Middle Earth. These systems include a grid-tied photovoltaic system for the house, demonstrating both roof mount and pole mount; a rainwater collection system inter-tied with a solar hot water system and on demand hot water heater for back up; an off-grid photovoltaic system for intern housing, and a ZAP totally electric truck.

    • Raising of the Greenhouse for the Greenhouse Project
  • October 2007: In continuing the Greenhouse Project a few faithful folks returned to Middle Earth Healing and Learning Center to raise the skeletons of the two greenhouses. The platform was leveled and the greenhouse plots were staked out. With the hard stuff done it seemed to take only moments to raise the ribs of the greenhouses and then only a few more hours to secure the crossbars to hold the greenhouses up. With ingenuity and perseverance the greenhouses were custom fit to the platform and left waiting for their covers, solar fans, and vents to be put in at a later date.

    • Construction of the Retaining Wall for the Greenhouse Project
  • October 2007: The Greenhouse Project is the largest project that Middle Earth has taken on so far and, with the generous grant they received from Gulf Coast Resource Conservation and Development Council, and it has begun with the first step of securing the walls that surround the platform that has been leveled for the greenhouses. Although only a few interested helpers were able to attend they were able to secure a few levels to each of the greenhouse tire walls by laying tires on a level and securing them with rebar and filling them with a clay/sand mixture. The next step in The Greenhouse Project is to make sure the entire platform is level before beginning the raising of the arches and securing the stakes to hold up those arches. The next Greenhouse workshop will be on October 27th and 28th. Look at the "Upcoming Workshops" section for more information. Any help would be much appreciated!

    • Introduction to Solar Energy
  • April 2007: This workshop is a beginning introduction to Solar Energy including: how to prepare your home to go Solar, Energy Analysis, Producing Electricity using the Sun, Solar Hot Water Systems, Pumping Water using the Sun, Cooking with a Solar Oven. NOTE:

    Middle Earth has a GRID TIE PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM for the house and production areas. We also have an OFFGRID PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM which powers the residence for Middle Earth's Camper Guest House.


    • Shiitake Mushroom Workshop
  • Taught February 24th, 2007 by Craig, we had another successful shiitake mushroom workshop this year!

    • House Mounted Solar Voltaic Electricty Workshop
  • Taught in July of 2006 by our friendly Alabama solar energy expert, Daryl Bergquist, this project was a great endeavor for the group of workshop attendees. Over a 2-day weekend (extended to 3 days for the final touches), and after much preparation, solar panels were installed on the roof of Middle Earth's workshop and also in the center of the North Garden just to the side of the workshop. After the panels were installed the big project became hooking up all the electrical wires and batteries that were needed to complete the project. This type of solar energy is created by the use of a Grid tie system on the house or a stand alone system such as the one that we have built at our guest camper. The use of solar panels integrated with The Grid (electric power company) gives more versatility and the possibility of selling your power back to the power company to reduce your electric bills. Also, when The Grid's power shuts down during inclement weather the solar panels and battery back up will give continuous lights and refrigeration in replacement of a gas run generator (this all depends on what system you are operating on).

    • The Solar Hot Water Heater Project
  • Although this project was not presented to the public as a workshop, Craig and Lisa found themselves at a point where the integration of solar heating energy with their on demand hot water heater was a necessary step. In March of 2006 Mark Friedline (Gulf Coast Solar, INc.) and Craig, with the help of some volunteers, installed the solar hot water heater and panels into and onto the workshop area of Middle Earth. The most efficient way to use solar energy is to heat your hot water. This creates the ability to pay back your investment into the solar equipment within 5 years! Solar heating panels are useful in more ways than just heating your every day water usage. They can be used to heat a home's floors by radiant heat, which leads to a set, constant heat source. They can also be used to heat a swimming pool, Jacuzzi or any other excess water source in or around the home.

    • Stand Alone Solar Photovoltaic Electricity-"The Camper Project"
  • Taught in November of 2005 by instructor Daryl Bergquist, this workshop was the first step in solarizing Middle Earth Healing and Learning Center. The panels were put up at the guest camper for the benefit of lights and a real refrigerator for whomever would stay there in the future. Having been cleaned and made for living earlier in the year, this is the 2nd to last step in making the trailer a complete home (running water being the hopeful last step in this process).

    • Native Medicinal Herb Workshop
  • Taught in April of 2006 by Instructor Darrell Martin - Operator of Blue Boy Herbs in Carriere, MS (and a well known educator in the herbal sciences), this was a 2 day course focusing on the medicinal plants that can be found surrounding us in our every day lives. Darrell took his students through the landscape surrounding Middle Earth and pointed out different useful plants that most of us would not distinguish for the usual flora on the forest floor. Hands on work with tinctures and other All Natural Herb Healing followed.

    • Shiitake Mushroom Workshop
  • In February of 2006 eager mushroom lovers gathered for the 2nd annual Shiitake Mushroom workshop, taught by Craig Kalloch of Middle Earth, to learn how to impregnate logs with the spores of Shiitake mushrooms as well as other types of mushrooms that Craig has learned about in the past year.

    • Permaculture Workshop
  • This workshop brought Charles and Julia Yelton of Humastacia.org down to Middle Earth to teach the ideas of Permaculture-working with the Earth in a sustainable way. For more information on Permaculture please go to the Permaculture Page

    • Shiitake Mushroom Workshop
  • This workshop was held in February of 2002 and explained the process of innoculating logs with Shitake Mushroom Macilium.

    • The Labyrinth Workshop
  • Labyrinths are majestic, timeless shapes found in the cosmos. Here we built a labyrinth out of ropes until logs could be laid on the pattern.

    • The Energy Workshop
  • Learning about the different chakras was the main focus of this workshop.

    • The Herb Walk
  • People came to walk through the woods to find out what kind of Wild Herbal Remedies could be found in their backyards.

    • You can find photographs of all of these workshops on the Workshop Photos Page.
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