Earning My Permaculture Certificate
After 3 years of coursework, design projects, soil studies, climate mapping, and a whole lot of inspiration, I’ve officially earned my Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC). Note that most people get theirs in 6 weeks….lol.
It’s a new lens for seeing my land, my community, and the long-term potential of my land.
Permaculture is a design framework for creating resilient systems modeled after nature. My training touched on everything from food forests to water systems to renewable energy, but also community resilience, regenerative economics, and land stewardship. Now I can finally start translating these ideas into meaningful action on my two properties.
What I can do with a PDC
A PDC opens up an incredible range of opportunities. I can now:
Design permaculture systems for homeowners, farms, nonprofits, and community spaces
Consult on land use—everything from soil improvement to water retention, erosion control, habitat restoration, and sustainable building strategies
Develop educational programs, workshops, or hands-on experiences for people curious about regenerative living
Launch land-based projects, whether commercial, nonprofit, or community-driven
Integrate permaculture principles into business planning—especially powerful for people building rural enterprises, eco-tourism models, or regenerative agriculture operations
Here’s how I’m considering applying this knowledge directly to our 9 acres in Wisconsin.
Map of our 9 acre parcel in Northern Wisconsin.
Northern Wisconsin is rich with challenges and opportunities: cold winters, sandy soils in areas, intense seasons, abundant wildlife, and enough rain to make water management worth planning from day one. For my final assignment, I designed a long-term plan for the land that works with the ecosystem rather than against it.
Here’s a link to the assignment and one concept that we could bring to fruition.
Looking ahead
Earning my Permaculture Design Certificate feels like the beginning of a much bigger journey—one that blends resilience, creativity, stewardship, and community. The 9 acres in Wisconsin and the 9.5 acres in Nevada are no longer just pieces of land; they’re a canvas for regenerative systems, learning, experimentation, and a more sustainable future.
This certificate didn’t just teach me how to design land. It taught me how to design a life that aligns with the values I care about most.
And now, the real work begins.
