Workshops and Events Schedule for 2008
Welcome to our new Intensive Series of workshops. To keep your costs down and allow you more time to float the rivers, camp, hike, or garden, we are offering complete one-day workshops packed with all the goodies you’ll need to get going on your sustainable project.
This year we have three new workshops as well our most popular courses: Biodiesel: Homemade with Scott Brown, Solar Hot Water Heating with Todd Hoitsma, and Extreme Energy Efficiency (E3) with SMC director Christopher Borton.
Our What’s on Your Plate? vegetarian workshop is July 19. This is a subject that doesn’t get too much attention in Montana. Nevertheless, plant-based cuisine is sweeping the country and has been an integralpart of Sage Mountain Center. Linda Welsh presents the workshop and brings her years of cooking expertise to the table. Also, be sure to mark your calendars for the Bioneers Conference October 17 -19 in Bozeman, Montana. SMC will again have a booth and we are thrilled to be promoting such a progressive event.
At Sage Mountain Center we are dedicated to promoting green technologies, sustainable living, and inner well-being. We hope that you will join us and share our programs. As the only organization of its kind in the Northwest, we are committed to keeping the quality of our workshops high and the costs affordable. All our one-day classes are in-depth and hands-on, giving you the information and experience you need to realize your dreams.
Also, note our Partner/Spouse Discount of 15% as well as our Multiple Class Discounts of another 5%! For those new to sustainable living, it is not uncommon for participants to take three or more workshops in a season and receive big savings on their registrations. Details are on the registration form.
Workshops and Events At A Glance
Sunday Morning Community Yoga
at Sage Mountain Center — May 11 through August 31
Sundays, 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. — $8 Drop-In
These ongoing beginner/intermediate yoga classes will increase your strength, flexibility, stamina, and awareness while helping you experience the great benefits of deep relaxation. Classes are taught by certified yoga instructors in our beautiful yoga studio at SMC.
This is a chance for you to have a consistent “relaxing workout’ every Sunday morning while at the same time meeting with others who are interested in improving their health and well-being. Come as often as you would like, no preregistration.
Bring: Loose, comfortable clothes, 1/2 empty stomach, arrive 15 minutes early.
Discounts: Punch cards are available: 10 classes = 1 free yoga class
top
Straw Bale Building — May 24 and August 2 — $100
Plastered Straw Bale Home Construction is sweeping the country, and for good reason! It has minimal environmental impact, is super-insulated, and can be very affordable. We will cover construction methods, bale selection, plaster mixes, rodent/fire/moisture/code issues, and everything in between as we get our hands dirty and “raise” a small structure together.
top
Biodiesel: Homemade — May 31 — $100
Want to learn how to change vegetable oil into a practical fuel for your car, truck, or, tractor? Learn the secrets of making your own Biodiesel. This hands-on class will cover processing components, filtering, brewing, and finally, using a fuel made from vegetable or restaurant waste oil. And yes, your vehicle exhaust may smell like french fries. Literature included.
top
Wild Plants of Montana — June 14 — 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. — $65
We start off the morning with a short plant walk atop the Continental Divide as we discover our native plant allies and their many medicinal and beneficial properties. Basic plant identification, wild-crafting techniques and ethics are covered. In the afternoon we’ll gather fresh plants for making tinctures while discussing the practical ways to preserve medicinal herbs using alcohol extraction. Kris Hill of Hill Botanical in Bozeman will share her plant knowledge, expertise, and wisdom throughout the day. All Materials provided.
top
Cordwood Construction — June 28 — $100
A Cordwood building is the “other” kind of log home based on a centuries-old technique that is as easy and inexpensive for beginners as it is beautiful. With the look of stone from a distance, Cordwood homes are naturally well insulated, provide excellent thermal mass, and two people can build them without chisels, cranes, or ropes. We will cover sustainable log selection, processing and drying, construction methods, mortar mixing, pointing, and more. This class will give you the hands-on experience and information you’ll need to start building your own Cordwood cabin or home.
top
What’s On Your Plate? Feeding Ourselves, Sustaining Our Planet — July 19 — $75
Do you want to make more conscious, well-informed choices about the food you eat? Can a local and plant based lifestyle really benefit your health, your community, and the environment? Come find out! In this workshop we will explore the personal and global implications of our food choices. We will discuss health, environmental, political, and ethical problems with our food chain and how to cultivate a vital relationship with our local food shed. Included is a vegan lunch and an afternoon of plant based, whole foods cooking tips. Class size is limited to 10.
top
Solar Hot Water — July 26 — $100 — ($30 Discount for NorthWestern Energy Customers)
Solar hot water systems are a surprisingly affordable and underutilized way to use local, renewable energy at your home or business. This workshop will provide an overview of solar thermal systems and discuss the primary components including flat plate and evacuated tube collectors, as well as cover perspectives on a variety of heat exchangers, solar storage tanks and controllers. Basic design/site considerations, installation guidelines, and local performance data will be reviewed, as will tax credits and solar thermal certification issues. A tour of Sage Mountain Center’s operating system rounds out the day. Todd Hoitsma of Liquid Solar Systems shares his expertise.
top
Solar Electricity for the Home — August 23 — $100
Interested in reducing your electric bill, cleaning up our planet, or creating a backup electric system for your existing home? Solar electricity is clean, quiet, and abundant. Right now it provides electricity to millions of homes and businesses around the world. It’s also perfect for remote water pumping and RV applications! This workshop covers solar panels, system sizing and design, costs, batteries, inverters, codes, grid-interties, off-grid, controllers, demonstration equipment, and more.
top
Extreme Energy Efficiency (E3) — September 20 — $100
You’ve changed your light bulbs to compact fluorescents, added more insulation to your attic, and sealed the cracks around your windows and doors. What’s left? How about E3? Learn about light emitting diodes (LED), on-demand hot water heaters, gray-water heat recovery, rainwater collection, compost toilets, in-floor radiant heat, phantom loads (the waste energy from electronic devices), and much more. Learn how to read a watt-meter and more importantly, discover how to give your place a serious energy efficiency makeover while saving fossil fuel, money, and our environment. Demos and plenty of literature provided.
Workshop Registration
To register for one of the workshops above, simply:
- E-mail: smc@sagemountain.org or call (406) 494-9875 to first check for availability and applicable discounts.
- Complete the online registration form and print it or download our brochure with the details of our offerings and with a registration form.
- Send us the registration form with your check or money order payable to: Sage Mountain Center . (Sorry, we do not take credit cards.)
Consultation Services
If you are in need of private consultation services for sustainable living—geared specifically for your application—please give us a call. We specialize in Montana site assessments for solar electricity, solar water heating, and small scale wind generation, as well as architectural plan and site reviews for energy efficiency, cordwood and straw bale construction. Whether you are an architect, contractor, or interested homeowner, we can objectively help you make the shift towards intelligent energy design. New construction or remodels are our specialty. Give us a call at (406) 494-9875 or e-mail us for a quote.
Monthly Tours at Sage Mountain Center
Feel like an adventure into the mountains of Montana to see solar electricity, solar hot water, wind generation, straw bale/cordwood building technologies, and an environment designed to nurture the spirit? In conjunction with NorthWestern Energy's USB E+ Renewable Energy Program, we are offering free tours of our facility the second Sunday of every month. Tours start at 1:00 pm and last 2 hours. For directions to Sage Mountain Center, click here, e-mail smc@sagemountain.org, or call (406) 494-9875. No reservations required (although a map and, if the weather is bad, a four-wheel-drive may be needed).
|
