Well, its getting close to the end of my 2 year stay up here at the PFT.  Been bouncing back between reflecting on the lessons learnt here, and anticipating the changes coming up in my life. 

Was wanting to get ex-student's perspective on their experiences in the months after leaving the farm, and also current student's ideas about how different they think their relationship with 'normal society' will be when the course winds up here at the end of the year.

Is a ex-long therm wooffer perspective also okay?

Leaving the PFT. 

It has been over two years since i left the PFT and having been one of the first batch through the APT program there I have had plenty of time to reflect on my time there. 

On Reintegrating with 'normal society'

I am not too sure that 'normal society' exists - but i will use this term to describe our society at large.  I find that there is a general thrust among society that is moving toward increased resource use.  Conversely there is also a greater increase in folks who are thinking more 'green'.  So I guess that the lessons learnt at the PFT are a sort of pinnacle - or utopia of sustainability.  I began to think that this was a 'normal' way of behaving. 

Personally, I have found that the line/goal/endpoint/process of sustainability is hazy and there are many  steps you can make to tread this path.  I also find that as long my general direction is headed toward a more sensitive way of living, I satisfy that part of me that drives me to make a difference.

Shift

I have chosen to start up an Organic Garden Service and Sustainability Consultancy as part of my integration of my beliefs, education and income.  This has brought about some interesting perspectives.  Operating in the world of beaureaucratic b.s. has been both a stifling point and motivator as I have had to deal with GST, ABNs and Logos!  This has seemed to detract from the 'real work' I feel that needs to be done.  But I choose to view this merely as a point of contact between the affore mentioned 'normal society' and where it is I think we need to head. 

Overall

My time at the PFT layed valuable foundations for enacting transformative change in the world.  I look back with fondness and really appreciate more and more the potential that the PFT has in leading the way on many levels towards a culture of care, respect and sustainable living.  It takes time, patience, committment and flexibility to integrate these huge lessons into our world at large as there are so many other forces at play here.  But as I keep chipping away, I continually find little gems of encouragement and satisfaction.

Cheers

Andrew

www.goodbrownearth.com

Hi all,

My own residential experience at the Trust was a little unusual, in that I didn't stay for any more that a few days at time. In fact, it took till a few weeks ago for me to manage a Sunday morning at the place.

None of this lying under trees reading books for me...

These facts did not stop the Trust from getting under my skin. I'll be forever grateful  that I managed to spend some time at Hidden Valley road while the residential program was underway.

And the main lessons I take away?

- I thought I knew some wonderful people and had 'enough' good friends. The world can surprise you with awesome gifts of friendship when you're purpose is a sound one.

- Using less and sharing more is not just do-able. It's fun.

- When you work with other people in that 'flock of birds' kind of fashion, work becomes play and heavy loads become lighter than air.

Cheers to all of you. My plan is to never really leave the Trust, if you know what I mean.....

bb

www.paradoxstreet.com

Hmmm, leaving the Trust. 

It's really only just starting to sink in. 

With only 2 weeks to go I still feel entirely focussed on what I'm doing each day (Dome, dome, dome..) that I haven't really thought about how it will feel to actually leave here after 15 months. Sure, I've planned next year and where to go from here.  But what will it feel like to re-enter society and know that I can't just run back to Barkers Vale as soon as it all gets too much for me?

I actually believe that it may really require me to put my beliefs into action.  Here at the farm it's so easy to live relatively sustainably - but it's also been set up this way by people who have come before me.   I just have to follow the prescribed structure.  The real challenges will come when I have to figure out how to maintain my small footprint within a society based on consumerism and giant feet. 

I think I'm ready...

  Like Ben,
  A part of me will never leave the Trust.
  Even if society gets to much, the Trust will be a place that I will run to in my mind.
  For ever in a process, this place has started me off on a journey. One that will continue to stay with the people, that I have experienced the Trust with. A second family, that I will dearly miss.
  Hoping that every one stays in touch with the Trust web sight. Part of this Journey is catching up, and hearing about how all of you are experiencing life.
 
      What a heart circle, Thank you every body for sharing

  Right Behind, Cheering yeah on Mates!

Previously Rob Wainwright wrote:

Well, its getting close to the end of my 2 year stay up here at the PFT.  Been bouncing back between reflecting on the lessons learnt here, and anticipating the changes coming up in my life. 

Was wanting to get ex-student's perspective on their experiences in the months after leaving the farm, and also current student's ideas about how different they think their relationship with 'normal society' will be when the course winds up here at the end of the year.

Leaving the permaforest trust will be an interesting time. Im really glad that we have some plans to develop a property- which will hopefully be a medium to allow a few of us to express our values and learnings gleaned from the farm. 

For me the most important thing to take from here is a fresh and more informed perspective on the world (and myself) which will hopefully manifest as appropriate and effective actions in life and work. I look forward to being able to share some knowledge with the 'outside' world and also to learning a lot more from people with different perspectives.

One of the other really valuable lessons from this semester has been to discard many  of the dogmatic ideas often propagated in permaculture circles. Looking ahead, the challenge will be to apply the patterns and principles learnt here to the context and environment we find ourselves in..........