A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.
~ John Lennon ~
A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality. ~ John Lennon ~
You may have seen already–the themes for our three Florida Permaculture Convergences have been all about ‘coming together’, and finding community:
- Deepening Our Connections (2013)
- Cultivating Community (2014)
- Creating Resilient Culture (2015)
Notice any trends (outside of the abundance of “C” words!)? Convergence is about more than just a mashup, and it’s not necessarily all about formal presenters and keynotes and vendors either–it’s how we roll up our sleeves and get to work–building a barn, a tribe…a community. This is what makes true permaculture different than ‘sustainability‘ or self-sufficiency. Natural systems thrive on symbiotic relationships–it is relationships which enrich our soil and our lives–without them we end up depleted and alone.
There has been a surge of interest in permaculture and projects springing up all over the state this year, which is both heartening and encouraging to those of us who have toiled in the trenches for years. Swales, I mean–and we don’t toil, we observe, mimic, and design, right? The convergence is where we bring together all of these people who are madly creating in their backyards (or yours), in community gardens, and out in the woods off-grid. It is the broadest spectrum of specifically applied permaculture on a state level.
This is where we talk about the things which are important to us as individuals, and how we begin the conversations which will take us forward–so I urge you to think about what is most important to you about Florida permaculture: is it finding more ‘like-minded’ people locally? Is it seeking or honing your own niche, making a living doing some aspect of permaculture? Is it learning more about native or medicinal plants, or Florida-friendly cultivars? Are you interested or involved in some of the legal struggles engaged in by some Florida residents? Or, do you see the need for more organization or standards of practice in business and teaching?
All of these can and will be covered in Open Space discussion.
(Reprinted from WeGrowFromHere by Loretta Buckner)
1st Annual Florida Convergence, 2013
2nd Annual FL Permaculture Convergence, 2014