...it's been almost 2 months since our last post, which clearly unacceptable, but our organization is really coming along! we've hit some major milestones this year and are very proud.
In some research today, I came across this great quote:
"the key to sustainability lies in enhancing the resilience of social ecological systems, not in optimizing isolated components of the system. If we examine [sustainability] through a resilience lens, it's clear that we still have a way to go."
-Brian Walker & David Salt
email us any good quotes you might want to share at info@transitionstudio.org or post them in the comments section below!
Friday, December 3, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Love your farmer knowledge!
Hey friends!
we wanted to pass along some interesting facts about farming in the US and VA!
*farms cover nearly 1/3 of the land in Virginia and much of our farmland is covered with hay
*it takes 60 cotton bolls to make a t-shirt or 180 bolls to make a pair of jeans...so you are most likely wearing 240 bolls of cotton right now!
*approximately 540 peanuts are processed to produce a single 12 ounce jar of peanut butter
*cows drink 30 gallons of water and give 6 gallons of milk everyday!
*100 tomatoes will yield four, 14 ounce bottles of ketchup
*chickens can run 9 miles an hour!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
THE PRINCE EDWARD CANNERY!!!
who wants to do some community canning next summer?
http://www.co.prince-edward.va.us/cannery_index.html
http://www.co.prince-edward.va.us/cannery_index.html
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Excerpt from Wendell Berry... we love farmers at T | S!
"For an index of our loss of contact with the earth we need only look at the condition of the American farmer - who must in our society, as in every society, enact man's dependence on the land, and his responsibility to it. In an age of unparalleled affluence and leisure, the American farmer is harder pressed and harder worked than ever before; his margin of profit is small, his hours are long; his outlays for land and equipment and the expenses of maintenance and operation are growing rapidly greater; he cannot compete with industry for labor; he is being forced more and more to depend on the use of destructive chemicals and on the wasteful methods of haste and anxiety. As a class, farmers are one of the despised minorities. So far as I can see, farming is considered marginal or incidental to the economy of the country, and farmers, when they are thought of at all, are thought of as hicks and yokels, whose lives do not fit into the modem scene. The average American farmer is now an old man whose sons have moved away to the cities. His knowledge, and his intimate connection with the land, are about to be lost. The small independent farmer is going the way of the small independent craftsmen and storekeepers. He is being forced off the land into the cities, his place taken by absentee owners, corporations, and machines. Some would justify all this in the name of efficiency. As I see it, it is an enormous social and economic and cultural blunder. For the small farmers who lived on their farms cared about their land. And given their established connection to their land - which was often hereditary and traditional as well as economic - they could have been encouraged to care for it more competently than they have so far. The corporations and machines that replace them will never be bound to the land by the sense of birthright and continuity, or by the love that enforces care. They will be bound by the rule of efficiency, which takes thought only of the volume of the year's produce, and takes no thought of the slow increment of the life of the land, not measurable in pounds or dollars, which will assure the livelihood and the health of the coming generations."
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
great article on BPA dangers in home canning!
this is something I haven't thought about, it makes sense and from now on we will go BPA free on our lids!
http://www.grist.org/article/2010-07-09-ask-umbra-on-the-dangers-of-bpa-in-canning-lids-and-canned-food
http://www.grist.org/article/2010-07-09-ask-umbra-on-the-dangers-of-bpa-in-canning-lids-and-canned-food
Thursday, April 29, 2010
from David Orr's book, Earth in Mind
"year-by-year, the number of people with first hand experience in the land dwindles. Rural populations continue to shift into cities...In the wake of this lose personal and local knowledge, the knowledge on which a country must ultimately stand, has come something hard to define but I think sinister and unsettling."
[pp 10]
The Dangers of Traditional Education...
1 - formal education will cause students to worry about how to make a living before they knew who they are
2 - it will render students narrow technicians who are morally sterile
3 - it will deaden their sense of wonder for the created world
[this is not to blame education alone, but in conjunction with our culture, it is part of a greater decline...]
[pp 24-25]
[pp 10]
The Dangers of Traditional Education...
1 - formal education will cause students to worry about how to make a living before they knew who they are
2 - it will render students narrow technicians who are morally sterile
3 - it will deaden their sense of wonder for the created world
[this is not to blame education alone, but in conjunction with our culture, it is part of a greater decline...]
[pp 24-25]
Thursday, April 22, 2010
T | S is so proud of our board members!!!! They are all over the media!
board member meghan williamson is all over the news!!!
http://www.whsv.com/home/headlines/104051959.html
http://augustafreepress.com/2010/09/28/business-conference-to-highlight-local-success-stories/
...
http://www.newsleader.com/article/20100930/NEWS01/9300326/Small-business-advocates-to-explore-Staunton-as-part-of-conference
http://augustafreepress.com/2010/09/21/the-sweet-sound-of-small-business/
http://www.whsv.com/home/headlines/104051959.htmlhttp://augustafreepress.com/2010/09/28/business-con
our beautiful secretary Ally Bowersock with the Mayor of Roanoke, and gaining national recognition:
http://www.informz.net/acsm/archives/archive_990241.html
our amazingly talented microloan - economic development - community-based business guru Meghan Williamson:
http://augustafreepress.com/2010/04/14/fund-fosters-growth-of-small-business-in-staunton/
last but not least our incredible Vice-Chair/Historian and resident permaculturist Adam Campbell:
http://www.dnronline.com/news_details.php?AID=46436&CHID=2
http://www.whsv.com/home/headlines/104051959.html
http://augustafreepress.com/2010/09/28/business-conference-to-highlight-local-success-stories/
...
http://www.newsleader.com/article/20100930/NEWS01/9300326/Small-business-advocates-to-explore-Staunton-as-part-of-conference
http://augustafreepress.com/2010/09/21/the-sweet-sound-of-small-business/
http://www.whsv.com/home/headlines/104051959.htmlhttp://augustafreepress.com/2010/09/28/business-con
our beautiful secretary Ally Bowersock with the Mayor of Roanoke, and gaining national recognition:
http://www.informz.net/acsm/archives/archive_990241.html
our amazingly talented microloan - economic development - community-based business guru Meghan Williamson:
http://augustafreepress.com/2010/04/14/fund-fosters-growth-of-small-business-in-staunton/
last but not least our incredible Vice-Chair/Historian and resident permaculturist Adam Campbell:
http://www.dnronline.com/news_details.php?AID=46436&CHID=2
Thursday, April 15, 2010
4.16.07 join us in remembrance...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Tech_massacre
and a touching quote borrowed from Corey...
"We are strong enough to stand tall tearlessly We are brave enough to bend to cry ... And sad enough to know we must laugh again"
and a touching quote borrowed from Corey...
"We are strong enough to stand tall tearlessly We are brave enough to bend to cry ... And sad enough to know we must laugh again"
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
inspirational quotes
"Perhaps the first step toward regaining possession of our souls will be to repossess and re-plan the whole landscape." - Lewis Mumford 1968
"The complexity of our present trouble suggests as never before that we need to change our present concept of education. Education is not properly an industry, and its proper use is not to serve industries, either by job-training or by industry-subsidized research. It's proper use is to enable citizens to live lives that are economically, politically, socially, and culturally responsible. This cannot be done by gathering or "accessing" what we now call "information" - which is to say facts without context and therefore without priority. A proper education enables young people to put their lives in order, which means knowing what things are more important than other things; it means putting first things first." — Wendell Berry
“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.”
-Rachel Carson, Silent Spring 1956
“The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”
-Marcel Proust, Remembrance of Things Past, 1923
"The complexity of our present trouble suggests as never before that we need to change our present concept of education. Education is not properly an industry, and its proper use is not to serve industries, either by job-training or by industry-subsidized research. It's proper use is to enable citizens to live lives that are economically, politically, socially, and culturally responsible. This cannot be done by gathering or "accessing" what we now call "information" - which is to say facts without context and therefore without priority. A proper education enables young people to put their lives in order, which means knowing what things are more important than other things; it means putting first things first." — Wendell Berry
“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.”
-Rachel Carson, Silent Spring 1956
“The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”
-Marcel Proust, Remembrance of Things Past, 1923
Monday, March 1, 2010
forging an emotional bond
"We cannot win this battle to save species and environments without forging an emotional bond between ourselves and nature as well - for we will not fight to save what we do not love." -S.J. Gould
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Press Release - Bulletin
Transition Studio, a start-up social innovation program that focuses on education for holistic sustainability has launched! Based on a farm in Blackstone, Virginia, Transition Studio offers workshop based education that promotes local resiliency and re-skilling.
Taking a four-point approach of Lifestyle | Design | Stewardship | Outreach, with workshop-based education to re-skill communities. The Lifestyle branch of classes will cover food preservation techniques, cheese making, sheering sheep and spinning yarn, and other community resiliency skills. Design will offer studios on design/build education, design for builders, and natural building. Stewardship will have a curriculum focus on holistic gardening, food, and permaculture. The outreach branch of the program will utilize instructional projects to give back to the local community.
In the first one to three years of the program, Transition will operate independently releasing a seasonal calendar of classes that are open to the public. The three to five year plan for growth seeks to expand and link with existing educational institutions to offer "for credit" courses, and a rural satellite campus to host students looking for an alternative to the traditional classroom learning experience.
"Think of it as Rural Studio, meets Black Mountain College, fused with the skills our country existed on only a few generations ago," says Kim Moody, the founding director. "There is a likely chance that in the next decade it will no longer be feasible for a tomato to travel 1,500 miles to get to our dinner plates. Gasoline and other resources may no longer be a "cheap" commodity, so Transition Studio is about re-educating ourselves how to take care of families and communities."
The educational institution will begin with it's first community event this summer, and it's first workshops this fall. In the meantime, follow their blog, become a fan on facebook, check the website, and by all means connect with them, they are all about community!
Taking a four-point approach of Lifestyle | Design | Stewardship | Outreach, with workshop-based education to re-skill communities. The Lifestyle branch of classes will cover food preservation techniques, cheese making, sheering sheep and spinning yarn, and other community resiliency skills. Design will offer studios on design/build education, design for builders, and natural building. Stewardship will have a curriculum focus on holistic gardening, food, and permaculture. The outreach branch of the program will utilize instructional projects to give back to the local community.
In the first one to three years of the program, Transition will operate independently releasing a seasonal calendar of classes that are open to the public. The three to five year plan for growth seeks to expand and link with existing educational institutions to offer "for credit" courses, and a rural satellite campus to host students looking for an alternative to the traditional classroom learning experience.
"Think of it as Rural Studio, meets Black Mountain College, fused with the skills our country existed on only a few generations ago," says Kim Moody, the founding director. "There is a likely chance that in the next decade it will no longer be feasible for a tomato to travel 1,500 miles to get to our dinner plates. Gasoline and other resources may no longer be a "cheap" commodity, so Transition Studio is about re-educating ourselves how to take care of families and communities."
The educational institution will begin with it's first community event this summer, and it's first workshops this fall. In the meantime, follow their blog, become a fan on facebook, check the website, and by all means connect with them, they are all about community!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
beautiful poetry
When a man starts out to build a world,
He starts first with himself...
Then the mind starts seeking a way.
Then the hand starts seeking other hands to help
Thus the dream becomes not one mans dream
But a community dream...
Not my world alone,
But your world and my world,
Belonging to all the hands who build.
[Langston Hughes]
He starts first with himself...
Then the mind starts seeking a way.
Then the hand starts seeking other hands to help
Thus the dream becomes not one mans dream
But a community dream...
Not my world alone,
But your world and my world,
Belonging to all the hands who build.
[Langston Hughes]
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Thoughts from the movie "Garbage Warrior"
with Architect Mike Reynolds...
"we are facing a future where we are going to have to take care of ourselves alone."
"it's almost like a disaster has to happen for the rest of the world to start preparing, and then it will be too late."
and my personal favorite:
"we've got lots of people on this planet that can't see beyond the 'rule book'. "
[referring to how building codes, traditional building styles, etc have a great environmental impact, because we are extremely slow to change our habits and many of those are crippling our progress in the natural building world]
"we are facing a future where we are going to have to take care of ourselves alone."
"it's almost like a disaster has to happen for the rest of the world to start preparing, and then it will be too late."
and my personal favorite:
"we've got lots of people on this planet that can't see beyond the 'rule book'. "
[referring to how building codes, traditional building styles, etc have a great environmental impact, because we are extremely slow to change our habits and many of those are crippling our progress in the natural building world]
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
FInally!
After 2.5 months of hard work, the Echoing Green Phase two grant paperwork has finally been submitted!!! Thank you to our proofreaders Christine & Jen Bilbrey!!!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Free Community Lecture!
This event is sponsored by the Center for Justice & Peacebuilding at EMU and the Blue Ridge Permaculture Group.
PERMACULTURE COMMUNITY PRESENTATION in Harrisonburg, VA
Come One, Come All!
With special guest Dave Jacke, for a talk on “Ecosystem Agriculture and
Forest Gardens”
Sat. Feb. 13th, 2010
Talk from 7:30 – 9:00 pm
Location: Martin Chapel, located in the Seminary building at Eastern Mennonite
University in Harrisonburg, VA
Click on the Map link from the website:
http://www.emu.edu/map/sem.html
For additional information, see the website:
www.blueridgepermaculture.net
PERMACULTURE COMMUNITY PRESENTATION in Harrisonburg, VA
Come One, Come All!
With special guest Dave Jacke, for a talk on “Ecosystem Agriculture and
Forest Gardens”
Sat. Feb. 13th, 2010
Talk from 7:30 – 9:00 pm
Location: Martin Chapel, located in the Seminary building at Eastern Mennonite
University in Harrisonburg, VA
Click on the Map link from the website:
http://www.emu.edu/map/sem.
For additional information, see the website:
www.blueridgepermaculture.net
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Echoing Green Competition
this weekend we are working really hard on finalizing all the paperwork for the phase two submission of our grant application. i applied back in early December, along with over 1100 other people, and in Jan. we found out that we made it into the top 350 or so, and we are hoping to go all the way! Say a little prayer for us! This grant is for 30,000 this year, 30,000 next, and insurance!
we could really use this initial boost to enable me to work exclusively on this project and not take on as much work for texture. we've got a couple more we are working on as well, but this is our main focus this week! everything is due on Tuesday!!!!
we could really use this initial boost to enable me to work exclusively on this project and not take on as much work for texture. we've got a couple more we are working on as well, but this is our main focus this week! everything is due on Tuesday!!!!
Friday, February 5, 2010
all the things i posted in the wrong place, b/c i didn't know what i was doing! : )
-
i'm new at this whole blogging experience, so post comments and join the fun!
- February 2, 2010 5:47 PM
-
said... -
we are in the process of applying for 3 grants at the moment... cross your fingers and let us know if you are a good proof-reader! this is a lengthy process and we have already made it to phase two of the Echoing Green competition!!!! it went from 1100+ applicants down to 350 and now we are in the process of completing the paperwork for that phase which is due feb 9th! Say a little prayer!!!
- February 3, 2010 9:28 AM
- said...
-
Evening Lecture on Ecological Design Systems w/ author Dave Jacke at EMU's Martin Chapel on Sat evening Feb 13th at 7:30... free to the public and open to the community!
- February 3, 2010 10:19 AM
- said...
-
******The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education is going to put us in the national newsletter next week!!!!!!******
- February 4, 2010 9:41 PM
-
said... -
congratulations on the launch of your website!!
we at studio | SKETCHWORKS are very proud to help Transition Studio accomplish the mission of educating others about the many benefits of sustainable living!
ron davenport
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
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