Central Alabama Permaculture Enthusiasts’ Positively Pervasive Celebration

Organized by Charles E Thompson

Central Alabama Permaculture Enthusiasts

Our Positively Pervasive Celebration of International Permaculture Day was one of only 16 nationwide, three east of the Mississippi River, and one of one in Alabama.  It's a big country out there, and there is much to do to share the good word on permanent, sustainable, better living.

Central Alabama Permaculture Enthusiasts (CAPE) concentrated efforts toward small hands on exhibitions and demonstrations of easily applied permaculture techniques.  Held in Montevallo, Alabama, a small university town whose reputation for green innovations grows but is seeded in historic sustainable interest, our efforts included sharing techniques for better living that could be used by gardeners and helpers at various levels and stages.

Among the demonstrations/exhibits included were pallet vertical gardening, leaf and veggie compost, vermiculture, rain water catchment, hugelkultur, rain garden design and construction, building a library from used or castaway books/resources, and wildlife habitat and stewardship.

Guests and demonstrators worked together to design and create group interest flags, including a CAPE sign featuring a Green Man image and one featuring an I PLEDGE TO GROW MORE FOOD message. Children and adults alike enjoyed exercising their creative spirits free hand as they helped us to make these reusable mementos.  We hope to get a great deal of use out of them as we include them in our displays for this annual event and others like it. Musical accompaniment by our friends Horses As Is--Dave, Jake, and Andy--kept the spirit both peaceful and joyful, even as songs reminded us often of the dangers of neglecting our planet.  Finally, a  blueberry bush giveaway made one of our guests very happy. 

Thanks to the helpers and supporters who made this event possible and successful. And a very special, loving shout out to Seed to Table Community Garden for allowing us to use their space as demonstrational stage.  Always, we are glad to have the opportunity to work the soil in our plot there and to know so many good people through such involvement. Thanks very kindly to Leanne Pearce Reed for her commitment to this fine growing community.