Internship Program

Each year we offer internships from March through November.  Interns gain experience in a diversity of gardening and homesteading skills including annual and perennial gardening, orchard management, plant propagation, animal husbandry, food preservation, and cottage industries such as beeswax candles, salves, dried flowers, and cheese making.  Activities are seasonal and interns experience will depend on the months attended; the longer the stay the more breadth to the internship.  Interns work 30 hours a week in exchange for room and board and a small stipend.  Those interested in interning can contact Mark or Blythe at mail@sandybar.com.

Permaculture

Permaculture (a term coined by Australian Bill Mollison) is the design of sustainable human habitat.  We have sponsored many Permaculture workshops and events over the years and apply Permaculture principles in the design and management of our ranch.   Permaculture design principles extend from the position that "The only ethical decision is to take responsibility for our own existence and that of our children" (Mollison, 1990). Permaculture teaches a core set of design principles, as a foundation for  designing  increasingly self-sufficient human settlements ? ones that reduce society's reliance on industrial systems of production and distribution that Mollison identified as fundamentally and systematically destroying the Earth's ecosystems.
For more information on Permaculture  see our  Permaculture Page or check out these websites:

2012 Workshops & Events

We host  a variety of classes and workshops in the Spring and Fall, ranging from natural history to organic gardening to acoustic music.  We provide  shared lodging in our riverside cabins along with sumptuous meals prepared from our own organic produce.  Registration is required, some events are very popular and fill up quickly, so we recommend signing up as early as possible.  

Klamath Knot Permaculture Design Course, March through October, 2012

An extended Permaculture Design Certification Course that will teach you how to transform human habitats into diverse, resilient, self-sustaining systems. This course will draw on a wide array of sites and instructors, from the Northcoast to the interior Klamath River, meeting one weekend a month and offering an in-depth learning experience through the seasons. Upon completion participants will receive a Permaculture Design Certificate and the skills and tools to make positive change within their communities.

This extended course is for aspiring or experienced gardeners, farmers, community organizers, land planners, builders and any active, engaged citizen seeking positive change. Instructors combine lecture, reading and hands-on activities based on an 19-year Permaculture site and the surrounding Klamath River watershed. Topics include zone and sector analysis, observation as the basis for design, keyline design of swales and ponds, organic gardening and farming, orchard management, plant propagation, animal husbandry, soil management, ethnobotany, pest management, natural building techniques, community process, watershed restoration, fire and fuels management and more. Upon completion participants will receive a Certificate of Permaculture Design.

We are excited to offer this extended Permaculture Design Course that provides an affordable and in depth alternative to a residential 2-week intensive format. Spring weekend sessions will be held at Sandy Bar Ranch, a 20 year established Permaculture site, and daily sessions will be hosted during the Summer and Fall at various sites in the Arcata/ Eureka area of the California North Coast. The array of sites and geographic locales will reflect the biodiversity and complexity of the Klamath Knot, while the extended schedule will encompass the seasons.

Course Schedule
Residential Weekend Sessions at Sandy Bar Ranch: March 15-18, Thursday to Sunday, April 13-15, Friday to Sunday, May (exact dates TBA), Friday to Sunday
Northcoast Sessions will be held on the second Saturday of each month, July through October, host sites to be announced: July 7, August 11, September 8, October 13

Costs and Registration
Full Course Fee: $900.00 (includes lodging/partial meals for residential sessions, site and instructor fees for coastal sessions, and course materials)
Early Registration Discount: $800.00 ($100 discount for those registration before or by February 15th, 2012)

For more information, including a course schedule, see our Permaculture Page, or Contact us.





Birding and Botany in the Klamath MountainsBigfoot Birding & Botany Days   The Klamath River corridor is  important migratory habitat offering excellent birding conditions in the Spring, and the Klamath Mountains have one of the highest floral diversities in North America, come explore each with birding and botany experts.     Birding - From returning raptors to colorful neo-tropicals migrating northward,  hundreds of bird species are attracted to nest in this area of abundant food and habitat.   Join local bird experts Keith Slausen, Tom Leskiw and Bob Claypool for a free  slide show Friday evening, April 30, 7:30 PM at the the MKWC Community Center in Orleans, and  Saturday 7:30 AM for a free  field trip.    Co-sponsored by the Mid Klamath Watershed Council and US Forest Service.   Botany- Naturalist Wendell Wood will lead botany hikes in various local habitats in the Klamath River Canyon on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning.  Participants will learn plant identification and natural and cultural history of species through fieldwork, the use of floral keys and an evening slide show presentation.  Participants receive a list of the local flora which Wendell has spent years  compiling and  serves as an excellent reference and learning tool.   Cost $125/person, includes dinner and hostel style lodging at Sandy Bar Ranch.   Bigfoot Birding Days is a communiity sponsored event in memory of Tony Hacking, a wildlife biologist and beloved member of our River community.  All slide shows and field trips are free to locals and non-locals alike.

 



Acoustic Music Vacation WeekendKlamath River MandoJam, August 23-26  A three day music camp with acoustic workshops, jams, and fun in the sun on the Klamath River in Northern California.  Access to swimming, rafting, hiking, and more.  Come learn & play music in a supportive environment and a beautiful setting!  All levels and any players of acoustic string instruments are welcome!  Begins Thursday evening with a 6 PM potluck and goes until Sunday brunch. Cost $225/person, includes lodging (hostel style lodging in cabins or camping) 1 group meal/day (participants responsible for other meals) and all workshops and jam circles.  Visit our MandoJam page for more details.