vickireed

[vickireed]

Hi, my name is Vicki Reed and I am in the Chicagoland town of Lockport. I am two classes away from getting my degree in psychology (course completion in February 2012). While finishing up in the program, I last took a class in environmental psychology and was struck by what I learned regarding permaculture. I have since bought about a 1/2 acre of land in the Sacramento Mountains in southwestern New Mexico and would like to build a dwelling and work the land using permaculture principles. I've been on just about every web site I could find regarding the subject and I was wondering if anyone out there had any ideas about training or classes to take. I wont be able to get to my land until spring, so I will have some preparation time before I can do a survey. I was so positive and excited about what I've found out so far, that I've gotten my sister and her husband involved as well.

[Michaelangelica]

Welcome Vicky
A social Psy. graduate myself, how come we end up here??
It sounds to me like Chicago is being reclaimed by the countryside Is this the case?
Not the worst fate for a city IMHO

So you are about 30 miles southwest of Chicago?
Is the land high in the mountains?
Has winter hit yet?
Summer has only JUST arrived where I am.

[vickireed]

Thank you. Actually, I'm trying to get out of this area. I just bought some land in the Sacramento Mountains 55 minutes southeast of Alamogordo, New Mexico and my sister and her husband and I are going to build a family compound there. My husband isn't altogether convinced that this is a viable lifestyle, but he's learning. There are lots of people who are into permaculture here in Illinois, but my son just died a month ago and we both talked about moving away fom it all and starting over. I took a class in environmental psychology a few months ago and it's like a light bulb clicked on in my head. I have been growing most of my own herbs and vegetables for the last few years, yet I didn't know how much more I could do. Right now, I'm saving up my money so that I can take the seminars here in Illinois in January. I want to be certified. My sister and her husband are taking the course on building structures, so that when we meet in New Mexico late next spring, we will be able to hit the ground running. I think that the grounding in psychology left me open to trying new things. Ever since I have started to research this subject, my excitment over what I discover grows.