Written by Malachi Mena
The Southeastern Permaculture Gathering is taking place this weekend, August 2–4. With plenty of activities, workshops, classes and more, attendees can expect to truly reconnect with nature!
On AFM News Hour, Patrick Battle spoke with Dr. Richard McDonald to discuss details on the upcoming Southeast Permaculture Gathering. McDonald shared some of the exciting activities and events that took place at previous gatherings, such as an herb walk, mushroom walk, bio-charm-making class, song craft workshop, and a farmscaping demonstration.
McDonald explained that all event attendees are expected to pitch in and contribute to the success of the event. Everyone is assigned around four hours of work time, either in prepping food, assisting in ceremony setup, washing dishes, or other tasks. McDonald said that this helps foster interaction between attendees. This social interaction with others is what has helped him learn something new every year, for the past 30 years!
This year’s gathering will take place at Hawk and Hawthorne. This is a new location for the event, and McDonald assured all that the venue has a great layout. With a fire pit, a barn where classes will be held, and camping spots, Hawk and Hawthorne can accommodate around 150 people. But McDonald expressed that the intimacy of the gathering won’t be compromised: “By the end of the weekend, when we circle up, you’re gonna look around and you’ll know almost everybody’s name, or you’ll know something about them.”
McDonald made clear that the Southeastern Permaculture Gathering is not a conference; it involves camping, as opposed to hotels or other housing. Those who need indoor accommodations can check https://www.hawkandhawthorne.com/ for help. Attendees can also specify dietary needs and restrictions when registering on the Southeastern Permaculture website.
For more on the event, listen to July 24th’s episode of the AFM News Hour or check out https://www.southeasternpermaculture.org/.