info@permacultivate.

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484-650-3546

Annual Report 2011

Permacultivate is an educational non-profit organization that facilitates the growth of regenerative, resilient human environments and healthy, productive communities through permaculture education, demonstration, and consultation initiatives.

Meet the 2011 Board:

Eron Lloyd Brian Twyman Alexis Campbell Neil Brantley Sarah Jacobson Board President, Managing Director, Certified Permaculture Designer Board Secretary, Outreach Director Board Vice President, Operations Director, Certified Permaculture Designer Urban Farmer extraordinaire, specializing in urban food security and nutrition. PhD Candidate in Sociology, with a focus on urban sustainability.

A Message from the President:

2011 marked the first year of operation for Permacultivate, but our efforts brought together the wealth of existing talent, experience, and ideas of our founding members, formed from years of individual effort to make the City of Reading a better place to live. We hit the ground running, too, holding our first public event only weeks after incorporating and celebrating the call to community service on Martin Luther King, Jr. day. Our mission is to create regenerative and resilient human environments, and we will need as many volunteers as possible to help in this effort. We began with an ambitious plan to produce real and visible change in the community, and identified resources that would help us have an impact. One of the first things we sought out was some land to begin cultivating, a place where we could test out ideas, teach them to others if they worked, and assemble the means necessary to spread them on a larger scale. We found our grounds in City Park and on Continued on page 3 Canal Street, where thanks to strong support from the City of Reading

The Permacultivate Team

Permacultivates inaugural year took a lot of hard work, long hours, and extreme dedication from all who were involved, but especially from its three core team members. From left: Brian Twyman, Outreach Director, Eron Lloyd, Managing Director, and Alexis Campbell, Director of Operations.

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Our First Year

2011 Year in Review, including Organizational Milestones, News Coverage, and Community Partnerships
January
Permacultivate was officially incorporated as a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation Held the I Have a Seed volunteer event for the Martin Luther King Day of Service in the City Park Greenhouse 6th grade assemblies on related ecological topics community members on sustainable urban gardening practices and composting, in partnership with the Berks County Conservancy.

April
Assisted with the planting and hanging of the pole baskets for Penn Street

May
Established the Reading Roots Urban Farm project to research and demonstrate sustainable agriculture practices and offer local food to the surrounding community

June
March
Acquired a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Reading for use of the City Park Greenhouse Completed the ASE Magnet School Aquaponics Learning Center and conducted a series of three Completion of first private consultation project an edible front yard design including an herb spiral. Joined the Penn Street Farmers Market in Downtown Reading.

August

Completion of aquaponics systems in the City Park Greenhouse

September
Lease for the Canal Street Farm Site acquired from the Reading Redevelopment Authority acquired.

July
Provided workshops to

October
2

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Highlight on Aquaponics

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Permacultivate is one of the few organizations in the region operating large-scale aquaponics systems. A perfect closed-loop system, aquaponics combines hydroponics (growing plants in water) with aquaculture (fish breeding). The fish waste fertilizes the plants, which then send clean water back to the fish. The Permacultivate systems feature 4,000 gallons of water and 10 tons of river rock!

Held the groundbreaking ceremony for Reading Roots Canal Street farm site with a large group of volunteers and public officials.

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Completed the Reading High School Conservation Courtyard project, funded by the J. C. Erlich company

and Reading Redevelopment Authority, we acquired the space to begin our Reading Roots Urban Farm and Learning Center.

Message from the President, continued

Organizational Affiliations
Berks Agricultural Resource Network (fiscal sponsor)

In addition to physical space, we also sought out community partners that shared our vision for a sustainable city and were also working for lasting change. With the help and support of our partners, including the Berks Agricultural Resource Network, Berks County Conservancy, City of Reading, Reading School District, Reading Redevelopment Authority, and more, we were able to accomplish so much more than we could on our own, just as our founding partners recognized in joining together as Permacultivate. These accomplishments, even for our first year, are too numerous to list here. Our team and volunteers did a fantastic job, and our success is a direct result of your energy and commitment. Much of the work (like installing over ten tons of gravel) in our greenhouse operation, for example, was done in the middle of the night last Summer as it was too hot to do anything during the day! Our first year has given us momentum to go forward beyond what any of us could have predicted. We look forward to expanding our services to more fully address our mission, continuing to work with the incredible people who have supported our efforts, and to helping to make our community one that is healthy and ready to take on the challenges of the future.

Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture

Sustainable Berks Business Network Eastern PA Permaculture

Get Involved, and Keep in Touch!

P.O. Box 8101, Reading PA 19603-8101 484-650-3546 info@permacultivate.org www.permacultivate.org www.twitter.com/permacultivate www.facebook.com/permacultivate https://plus.google.com/101930964048181436866

Permacultivate

P.O. Box 8101 Reading, PA19603-8101