School Of Living

SCHOOL OF LIVING IS AN EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO LEARNING AND TEACHING THE PHILOSOPHY, PRACTICES, AND PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE LIVING THAT ARE SELF-EMPOWERING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE GENERAL AIM OF ESTABLISHING DECENTRALIZED, ECOLOGICALLY SOUND, SELF-GOVERNED, AND HUMANE COMMUNITIES. ALL ITS RESOURCES, BUT MOST SPECIFICALLY THE LAND IT HOLDS IN TRUST, ARE HELD IN RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP FOR PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.

IN 2022 THE HEATHCOTE EDUCATION COMMITTEE'S (HEC'S) MAIN PROGRAM WAS HEATHCOTE COMMUNITY FARM, AN EDUCATIONAL FARM THAT DEMONSTRATES PERMACULTURE AND ORGANIC GARDENING PRINCIPLES. FARM MANAGER MATT BELMONT GREW ORGANIC VEGETABLES, FRUITS, FLOWERS, HERBS AND MUSHROOMS WHICH WERE SOLD AT AN HONOR STAND ON SITE TO PROVIDE REVENUE FOR THE PROGRAM AND HE GAVE1 WORKSHOP ON MUSHROOM CULTIVATION. HEC'S VOLUNTEER AND INTERNSHIP PROGRAM (VIP) ENGAGED 4 INTERNATIONAL INTERNS FROM THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF BALTIMORE COUNTY'S SUSTAINABLE HORTICULTURE PROGRAM WHO COMPLETED THE LAST DAY OF THEIR INTERNSHIP THAT THEY BEGAN IN 2021 DURING THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2022. IN ADDITION, ONE INTERN HELPED WITH THE FARM FOR MOST OF THE SEASON AND SEVERAL COMMITTED VOLUNTEERS REGULARLY ASSISTED WITH PROJECTS AROUND THE COMMUNITY. HEC ALSO HOSTED 10 VISITOR DAYS FOR 51 PARTICIPANTS WHO CAME TO LEARN ABOUT HEATHCOTE AND TAKE A TOUR. WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHESAPEAKE EDUCATION ARTS & RESEARCH SOCIETY (CHEARS), HEC PARTNERED ON AN ALLEY CROPPING DEMONSTRATION PROJECT AT MANY STREAMS FARM AND HOSTED 5 WEBINARS THAT WERE ATTENDED BY 50 PARTICIPANTS. FINALLY, HEC HOSTED 1 BLACK WOMAN URBAN FARMER FOR A 4-DAY RURAL RETREAT AND LEARNING EXPERIENCE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE JOURNEY WOMXN PROGRAM OF WHERE'S YOUR TREE, A NONPROFIT PROJECT.

IN 2022, SCHOOL OF LIVING'S EDUCATION COMMITTEE ORGANIZED AN ONLINE PRESENTATION CALLED "CRACKING THE CODES". THIS IS A FILM DISCUSSING AND SOLICITING DISCUSSION AROUND CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF SYSTEMIC INEQUITY. THE COMMITTEE ALSO GAVE SUPPORT FOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS CONDUCTED BY THE COOP, ONE OF SCHOOL OF LIVING'S FISCALLY SPONSORED AND ON-LAND PROJECTS AT STELLALOU FARM (A COMMUNITY IN SCHOOL OF LIVING'S COMMUNITY LAND TRUST).

SCHOOL OF LIVING'S COMMUNITY LAND TRUST (CLT) INVOLVES 6 PARCELS OF LAND IN PENNSYLVANIA, MARYLAND, AND VIRGINIA. EACH PARCEL SUPPORTS A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY THAT INVOLVES A LIVING AND LEARNING CENTER, DEMONSTRATING AND TEACHING COOPERATIVE COMMUNITY LIVING, ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, AND NATURAL LIVING. IN 2022, WE CONTINUED TO WORK ON DEVELOPING A NEW LEASE FOR OUR AMHERST COUNTY, VIRGINIA PARCEL. THIS PARCEL IS BEING LEASED TO STELLAR ROOTS, A COLLECTIVE OF BLACK, BROWN, AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, ROOTED IN HEALING AND IN SERVICE OF LAND BASED COMMUNITY LIVING. WE ALSO FOLLOWED UP ON SUPPORTING OUR OTHER PARCELS IN THE LAND TRUST; SOLVING DISPUTES AMONG PARTIES AND UPDATING LEGAL DOCUMENTS. ANOTHER FOCUS OF SCHOOL OF LIVING'S CLT IS OUTREACH AND FOLLOW UP WITH OUTSIDE INQUIRIES TO OUR CLT.

DURING 2022, WHILE STILL UNDER SCHOOL OF LIVING'S FISCAL SPONSORSHIP, PERMACULTURE LIVING LANDS TRUST (PLLT) SUPPORTED OR LAUNCHED THESE INITIATIVES: 1) HOSTED A SERIES OF LISTENING SESSIONS WITH PERMACULTURE AND AGROFORESTRY PRACTITIONERS VIA ZOOM MEETINGS AND THE PERMACULTURE PERSPECTIVES PODCAST SERIES; 2) COVERED TRAVEL COSTS TO MEET WITH PROSPECTIVE CONSERVATION LANDOWNERS WHICH HAVE GENERATED PROPOSED DONATIONS OF TREE CROP AND FOREST GARDEN SITES IN NORTH CAROLINA AND NEW JERSEY; 3) UPDATED THE PLLT WEBSITE (HTTPS://WWW.PERMACULTURELIVINGLANDSTRUST.COM/) AND POWER POINT PRESENTATIONS; AND 4) APPLIED FOR OR SOUGHT DONATIONS AND GIFTS. PLLT TRANSITIONED TO THEIR OWN NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION NEAR THE END OF 2022, AND IS VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE ONGOING SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP SCHOOL OF LIVING HAS DEMONSTRATED AS A MODEL FOR COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS AND COMMONS CREATION. PLLT REMAINS OPEN TO CONVERSATIONS ABOUT FUTURE COLLABORATION.