Welcome!

The Transition vision includes cooperative efforts on all fronts:

A growing sense of community in every neighborhood

A growing sense of community in our town

A health care center making affordable care available to all

Growing access to locally farmed fresh foods

Development of a local community garden

A local economy that finds innovative ways to support local businesses

Education and support for increasing green energy technology

Free classes for learning skills together, such as canning, sewing, gardening

And so much more...

Please "join" this page to receive timely updates on local events and Transition Initiative discussions.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Backyard Beekeeping workshop


Backyard Beekeeping Workshop
with Doug DeCandia
save our bees, save our planet

A SkillsOffTheGrid Workshop  


In recent decades, four common species of bees have declined in the U.S. by 96%. Bees are responsible for pollinating 90% of the world's commercial plants.

You can help save them by keeping bees in your backyard!

Come see what beekeeping is all about!

Backyard Beekeeping
Wednesday Feb 29
7-845pm LakelandCopperBeechMS    101
Please call Donna at Lakeland Continuing Education
to register: 914 245 1700 X223

Backyard Beekeeping
Tuesday March 6
7:30-8:45pm  Croton Harmon HS
Please call Iris at 914 271 5184 X3208 to register




When you want to know how to start up beekeeping, there is a lot to learn. But do not feel overwhelmed! Bees are fascinating creatures, and you will be rewarded for your efforts. The most important stage for successful beekeeping is now, before you get your bees, so you will find your journey to be much smoother!

Instructor: Doug DeCandia

Both Workshops: $15 per person

  




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Cameron Kelly Dance | 293 Manville Rd | Apt 1D | Pleasantville | NY | 10570

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Training 4 Transition March 17-18


Transition Towns

TRAINING for TRANSITION
Marbletown Multi-Arts (MaMA), Stone Ridge, NY
March 17-18, 2012
"Change is inevitable, but this is a change that could be fantastic"- Rob Hopkins, Movement Founder
Wondering what to do in the face of economic instability, rising energy costs,and the environmental crisis? So did Rob Hopkins in Totnes, UK. He led his town to find fun and effective ways to respond to challenges and improve their quality of life. Totnes town and Rob Hopkins then shared this “Transition model” with other concerned communities and in 7 short years the Transition Movement has become a global network of hundreds of communities in 34 countries – a free, voluntary network of people taking positive, creative action to build community resilience. 
Transition U.S. is offering the Training for Transition Course developed by the Transition Network and taught around the world. This participatory, 15-hour course is an in-depth experiential introduction to the theories and practices of Transition where we:
• Explore ways of increasing community resilience
• Learn to describe the challenges of our times in ways that bring people together and inspire action
• Receive tools for community outreach, education and creating shared vision
• Learn ways to work with obstacles that have prevented our communities from responding to the challenges
• Learn how to facilitate community collaboration -- supporting existing leadership and expanding the number and diversity of people involved
• Meet others in your region who share your concerns and want to transition to greater stability and security
• Become a part of a rapidly growing positive, inspirational, global movement!
Who should attend: People interested in learning ways to transition their community to greater resilience and mutual support, people already creating a Transition Initiative wanting to network, deepen and support their work, and anyone who wants to know more about the Transition process and more effective community organizing.
Instructors: Tina Clarke, sought-after, certified Transition Trainer, and Pamela Boyce Simms, trainer from Ulster County
More info and Registration: Carol Reingold at cflamm@pobox.com or 646-322-0239 and David Bruner at dsb@null.net or 845-309-2162 Or register via the internet at www.t4transition.org
More about the Transition movement: www.TransitionUS.org   & www.TransitionNetwork.org
Cost: $140 before March 1; $155 afterwards. A $70 deposit holds your place. If you can donate extra money for scholarships, your generosity will help those with low incomes to attend! Bring a friend and both of you receive 10% off!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Transition Marbletown

Transition Marbletown has some terrific links and programs to check out. 
They became the 108th US initiative just days after Transition Westchester got its official initiative status.  Many of our members have done the Training 4 Transition (T4T) at Marbletown.
We really enjoy partnering with them.

http://www.t4transition.org/

Sprainbrook Nursery Perennial Lecture

Sprainbrook Nursery Lecture   February 18th,  1pm to 3pm

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Rob Hopkins

Rob Hopkins, a permaculture designer and educator in the UK, started the Transition movement when he made the realization that there would be no one to come rescue his community from the triple threat of Climate Change, Economic decline and Peak Oil.  The community would have to rescue itself.  See Rob Hopkins speak here at Ted Talk about Transition Towns.

Transition Westchester

Transition Westchester is hosting a free tool care workshop on February 25th.
Go to the link to find out more and register for this reskilling event.


The following are several Permaculture Design Courses that are being offered in the Winter/Spring of 2012 not affiliated with Transition Westchester.


Green Phoenix 2012 Permaculture Design Certification CourseJanuary through May ~ 5 Weekends
with Kay Cafasso, Connor Stedman, Mark Krawczyk, Ethan Roland and Guests!  - Tune your permaculture design skills and warm your spirit this winter within a permaculture learning community, one weekend a month, for 5 months.  at Green Phoenix Permaculture Demo Site in High Falls, NY Site of the 2011 Northeastern Permaculture Summer Convergence Permaculture demo site with a straw bale farmhouse, 3 forest gardens, scenic hiking trails, a ceremonial lodge, farm animals, water catchment systems, and many progressive people! 2 hours from NYC, 1.5 hours from Albany, 3 hours from Ithaca, 2 hours from Hartford; Near NYC train  Gain your internationally recognized Permaculture Design Certificate and be part of an actual design process from start to finish for the land surrounding a straw bale farmhouse. Learn permaculture design skills and the design process, master site assessment practices that you can bring back to your backyard; Visit numerous forest gardens; Learn about permaculture strategies for water systems; Practice nature awareness, observation skills and wildlife tracking; Explore perennial vegetables, herbal medicine, wildcrafting, food preservation and fermenting, seed saving natural building, appropriate technologies, carbon farming, coppicing, forest gardens designs, and so much more.  Guided Design Project Practice, Activities with Permaculture Design & Assessment Tools, Multi Media Presentations, Field Trips, Discussions about Topics that Matter, Interactive Activities, Hands-On Garden Experience, Tours, and Play!  Dates in 2012: January 14-16; February 25-26; March 31-April 1; April 21-22; May 18-20
Tuition: $900- $1500 (sliding scale), includes accommodation; $800 if you bring a friend! Potluck meals will be coordinated together

To register contact Joan: mamajoane@yahoo.com    

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Sowing Solutions 2012 Permaculture Design Certification Course
at Sirius EcoVillage in Western Massachusetts with Kay Cafasso, Mark Krawczyk, Keith Zaltzberg, Llani Davidson, Ryan Harb and Special Guests  January-April 2012     ~   Four Inspiring Weekends
Become certified in permaculture design and gather sustainable living skills during 4 weekends at Sirius EcoVillage in 2012! ·     Gain an internationally recognized permaculture design certificate ·     Gain 3 college credits for this course through UMass Amherst Course # PLSOILIN 398B (College credit is optional and fulfills a Core Requirement Ecosystem Course for the Sustainable Food and Farming Concentration at UMass Amherst; Credit can be transferred to other schools) Four weekends in 2012: ·     January 20-22 ·     February 18-20 (President's Day Weekend) ·     March 24-25   ·     April 14-16 (Patriot's Day Weekend) ·     Plus reading and design assignments Course Content:   Learn the tools for permaculture design; Practice site assessment & site planning with your own guided onsite design project for a parcel of land at the EcoVillage; Explore wildlife tracking, natural building, turning lawns to gardens, edible forest gardens, and the following list of permaculture topics and skills: Permaculture Topics: Vision and Principles of Permaculture; Global Case Studies of Permaculture Systems; Ecological Design Process; Natural System Observation; Agroforestry; Patterns in Nature; Water in the Landscape; Edible Forest Gardening; Perennial Vegetables & Perennial Agriculture; Carbon Farming; Coppicing & Green Woodworking; Soils; Urban Permaculture; EcoVillages; Financial Permaculture; Appropriate Technologies; Waste Treatment; Natural Buildings Permaculture Skills: Mapping Skills; Wildlife Tracking; Recognizing Patterns in Nature; Pruning; Elevation Tools; Solar Angle Tools; Compost; Garden Establishment; Sheet Mulching Permaculture Design Practice: Client Interview, Goals Articulation, Site Analysis & Assessment, Site Planning, Design Generation & Presentation Optional Evenings/ 'Life Skills Electives' include: Bread baking, cheese making, fermenting, growing sprouts, herbal medicine, seed saving, etc Location:   Sirius EcoVillage Retreat Center has the following~ permaculture design installations; wood fired sauna; trails for hiking, cross country and snowshoeing; a hand built cob house and straw bale art studio; ceremonial sweat lodge; standing stone circle; goats & chickens; root cellar and garden veggies; numerous gardens; 4 season greenhouses; intentional community Sirius EcoVillage is 10 minutes from Amherst, MA; 2 hours from Boston; 3 hours from NYC; 3 hours from Burlington; 2 hours from Albany; 2 hours from Providence Costs: ·     Tuition: $900- $1200 (sliding scale) ·     Accommodations and organic meals are available in the retreat center for additional fees For more info and to register contact Kay at Sowing Solutions,  www.sowingsolutions.net

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Permaculture Design Course at Colby Sawyer College in New London, NH.  The course meetings are mostly on Saturdays from January through April. http://www.colby-sawyer.edu/greenroutes/permaculture.html   Class meetings will generally be from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. and one overnight weekend with classes on Saturday and Sunday at D Acres in Dorchester, NH.  The teaching team includes Steve Whitman, Lauren Chase-Rowell and several guests. Registration & Tuition The tuition for this course is $900 and the registration deadline is 1/13/12. For details about registration call Tracey Perkins at (603) 526-3702 or e-mail: tperkins@colby-sawyer.edu       

What is a Transition Town?

Transition Towns across the globe are quickly addressing the reality of Climate Change, Peak Oil and Economic Decline with creative and positive solutions.
There are over 400 globally and over 106 in the USA.
In the US Transition Westchester is the 106th initiative.
Transition Towns avoid fear based rhetoric, they are committed folks who want to ensure a hopeful and optimistic future for our kids.
Transition Towns are made of dedicated groups of citizens focusing on the life support systems of a community: Food, energy, economy, community
Transition Towns also focus on the arts, music, play and the fun parts of life that create tightly knit societies founded on harmony and trust.