Watch Malgosia’s Story
Everyone takes a different journey on their way to discovering permaculture and what it means to them. Malgosia is a mother, a deep thinker, a gardener and an educator. Watch Malgosia tell her story below. Video courtesy of Windpath Media.
“Jane and Jillian’s Permaculture Design Course, which is oriented towards an urban setting, offers to teach a great deal of valuable social tools to those planning on doing any sort of sustainable community project. I… went into the course with a focus on more “practical”, “hands-on” skill and knowledge building. But what I discovered was that, it doesn’t matter how much you know about plant identification or gardening, Permaculture projects require community building skills if they are going to sustain themselves in the long run…and community building requires some skill at working the various social “edges” that exist in an urban ecosystem. Not to mention the skill of knowing oneself as well, if we are going to communicate effectively.
I walked away from this course with the tools and know-how needed to be a part of organizing a community garden project in a very mixed neighbourhood with a lot of intense social ‘edge.’
Shortly there after, I found myself dealing with a personal crisis which required every bit of my attention and strength. Even in the midst of this personal crisis, I found myself drawing upon some of the skills and tools I learned in Jane and Jillian’s Permaculture design course which allowed me to communicate my needs and to make descisions with a clarity that I did not have before. What I learned, helped me to move from one of the lowest points in my life, to one of the highest points in my life without totally crashing and burning emotionally. Now I have a Permaculture project of my own to focus on, and I know I will be looking to Jane and Jillian for advice in the future.”
“With an openness to a wide range of onto/epistemologies and by embodying a number of roles in her life (daughter, mother, wife, friend, teacher, student, gardener, artist), Jane manages to reach a wide audience. Working alongside her on the Daniels Corporation Community Garden Project, I felt supported in deepening my trust of my intuition. Jane encouraged me to be aware of the dynamics of the group, to maintain flexibility in our plans, to make following the energy and interest of the group a priority. These have been ways of knowing that I’ve naturally felt guided by in my life so it was nice to work with someone who expressed those methods in their work.
By teaching, mentoring, facilitating and sharing her knowledge in a variety of ways (as a gardener and an artist) and through the practice of permaculture and its ethics, values and principles, Jane offers a grounded and practical approach to peacebuilding, one that builds a civic culture.”
“As someone who works in urban agriculture in Toronto, I took the [Permaculture Design Course] to gain a better understanding of how to design systems using Permaculture principles. I came away with a broader understanding of the applications of Permaculture design than I expected, especially in terms of its applications to human systems and organizations in urban settings. I learned a lot about the process of design and the importance of observation. The course reading materials were excellent and very thorough. They continue to be a useful resource for me. The course was well designed and I appreciated the many locations throughout the city that we visited, many of which were new experiences for me. The course impacted me personally, in terms of applying Permaculture principles to myself and my life. I apply many of the principals to my everyday and work life, especially “maximizing edge.” By looking for new connections, partnerships and collaborations with people and organizations, I have opened up new opportunities, friendships and resources in my life. Jane and Jillian are both extremely knowledgeable, understanding and sensitive people who made an effort to connect with course members individually. I would recommend this course to anyone interested in learning more about Permaculture as it can be applied to plants, humans, social systems, and the self.”
“The [Permaculture Design] course was a fantastic crash course in understanding how ecosystems work, and the insights gained from it has widened my perceptions of the natural world, and the part humans play in it. When it comes to design, there are elements/processes that I definitely would have overlooked or ignored before taking the course, that I now notice and take into account. Taking this course sent me a down a path of seeing order and principle in the complexity of nature, and there is a big difference in how I would analyze/see a landscape before the course and after it, my eyes have been opened!”
“This [visit to The Backyard Farm and Market] was the best field trip ever!”
“Yes, it was kind of like… Minecraft!”
Chorus of agreement. “YES, it WAS like Minecraft.”
— High praise from the Grade Five’s