5-day Self-reliance Crash Course
September 14-18, 2012
Hosted at Pun Pun Center in Mae Taeng, North of Chiang Mai
Course is taught in English language
This 5-day course will be an English version of our Thai Self-reliance Courses, which we host regularly. This course will be a crash course in many of the techniques we use on the farm. Due to the quick nature of the course it will be an introduction to many of the techniques but none-the-less giving plenty of information you can go back and use.
It is an opportunity to learn through doing where interns will learn the techniques we use while actively applying them to projects at the farm in a relaxed, fun atmosphere. It is also a chance to live with other like-minded Thai and international folks as well as meet various interesting visitors to the farm.
Topics and Techniques:
The course will be separated out to cover gardening, natural health, earthen building, and homemade products. These will include:
- Basics of organic gardening- making garden beds, making organic compost, and cultivating IMOs (indigenous micro-organisms for liquid fertilizers)
- Simple natural healing techniques using clay, water, and certain plants for healing, ways to incorporate these into your everyday life for simple cures
- Demos of earthen building. We won’t have time to build a structure but will demo how to lay adobe bricks and you will get to do hands-on earthen plasters and paints
- Making homemade products such as jam, wine, soap, tofu and soymilk
LOGISTICS PERTAINING TO THE COURSE
General Schedule
Morning and afternoon sessions will be held with an extended break after lunch in the hot part of the day. Evening and early afternoon discussions sessions will be held periodically depending on interns’ interest.
The Project
The course will be held on our center, which is an organic farm, seed center, and sustainable living learning center. We started the farm in 2003 and work to create a seed center to preserve our food biodiversity, grow our own food organically for ourselves in community and for those who come to stay with us, and host trainings and workshops on ways to convert to more self-reliant, sustainable ways of living.
Teaching team
Various community members from Pun Pun farm
Living situation
We will provide a simple room in one of Pun Pun’s earthen or bamboo guesthouses. A thin futon mat, blanket, sheet, pillow, and mosquito net will be provided. You will be given your own room but they are in close quarters with little sound barriers.
All meals will be shared and eaten in the communal kitchen, vegetarian and fish options will be available and we will try to use the most organic vegetables as possible from the farm. Food will be simple Thai food with brown rice. We try to use as much of our own produce and other seasonally available produce as possible so we tend to focus on a primarily vegetable and whole grain diet with added protein from eggs, fish, or tofu.
Bathing options include an outdoor cool shower stall, solar hot showers, or a dip in the pond.
Fee
$ 170 US (5,100 baht)/person. All proceeds go towards supporting Pun Pun community to grow and continue with our seed center and outreach work.
Community living aspect
Each course will have approximately 15 participants. Participants will also be asked to engage in helping with community work on the farm. This may be help in watering the gardens, helping with breakfast or other meal cooking rotations, etc. We do this to help participants to immerse themselves with the Pun Pun community as well as to help to experience more of our philosophy on self-reliant living.
We have children at the farm and share our meals and community space together so be aware that there is a general level of activity and noise in public spaces. We ask all participants to refrain from any illegal drug use at Pun Pun or excessive drinking.
Registration
1) Email your participant survey to Peggy Reents at pareents@yahoo.com. (see below for details).
2) Once you have sent your participant survey and have been confirmed, a $100 US (3,000 baht) non-refundable deposit is due to secure your spot. Please understand we cannot hold your spot until we receive your deposit.
We ask you transfer this to our Thai account of which we will send you the details. The remaining fee will be due on the first day of the course in cash (Thai baht or US dollars) or if you chose you may transfer the whole amount beforehand.
For more information
Contact pareents@yahoo.com
Pun Pun Internship Participant Survey:
Please write us a short letter introducing yourself. This will help us get to know you and also help us prepare the program for your needs. It will remain confidential.
Write a simple, honest letter about yourself and why you want to participate in the internship program. It does not need to be formal, just in your own style. Please include your age, gender, and an overview of your present life (for example, what brought you to want to come, where you are from, where you are coming from at this point in your life, how you hope to integrate the experience/learning from the program in your life, a few of your strengths and weaknesses in living in community/working with others).
If you have any emotional or health difficulties, please let us know how these are affecting your life now. Please also include any special dietary needs causing for any adjustments from the food offered as specified above. Please wait for acceptance before making travel arrangements.
Please send your letter to Peggy Reents at pareents@yahoo.com.