Starhawk and Alfred Decker

FULL PERMACULTURE DESIGN COURSE (PDC) - from 1 to 14 august 2025

INFOPACK (EN)

[Version Française ici]

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welcome / Arrival

  • The reception is from Friday 1st August between 3pm and before 6pm ideally.
    If some of you need to arrive the day before, contact me by email.

  • The training will start in the afternoon of Friday 1st August (no classes in the afternoon) - start of the first class after 6pm

  • Precise address :
    “360 chemin de lavenant, 07440 Boffres” or "Grain&Sens" on the internet

  • Nearest train station :
    Valence Ville (30min) or Valence TGV (50min), bus to Boffres from Valence Ville (timetable here, bus at 9:30am, 4.10pm or 7pm on Friday from Valence Ville)

  • Please fill out the carpooling table and get in touch (even for short trips like Valence-Boffres, very useful) : CoVoit table  

Accommodation

  • You can find here a summary table to date of your accommodation/meal choices.

  • We ask people in shared rooms to bring sheets, pillowcase and/or duvet.
    We provide duvet and pillows. The table specifies the size of the beds per room.

If there is an error or for any specific request on this subject, please send me an email.

MEAL

  • The cuisine is mainly organic/local and vegan. Please let us know about any special diets (gluten-free, allergies, etc.). We can discuss this at the beginning of your stay.

  • The stay is basically offered on a full-board basis

Indeed, experience shows that meal times are very rich in exchange and sharing, the training being also dense, we ideally prefer to free the trainees from the evening cooking. Depending on requests, adjustments for self-management in the evening are still possible.

  • However, for scholarships and people with special diets, an equipped kitchen will be available to prepare meals independently.

  • The summary table reminds you of your choices regarding meals.

If there is an error or for any special request on this subject, please send me an email.

TEAM

To support you during the Earth Activist Training (CCP), volunteer teams will accompany Starhawk and Alfred Decker and will be at your side:

  • A team of cooks/gardeners: Chef Victoria and cooking team will prepare meals with the volunteers every day and will take care of harvesting in the garden,

  • A team of children's animators: Daniella and Shelby will be the referents for the two weeks for the children.

  • A team of assistants: Romain, Pauline, Kim and others, will be there to support you during the training, facilitate the training days, translate during the days with Starhawk and Alfred (with professional equipment), allow you to exchange in English outside of the framework with them, listen to you, host evenings and take care of the human and our beautiful energies.

Services

In order to make the stay as pleasant as possible for everyone and to enjoy this experience as much as possible together, everyone will take turns participating in daily services such as: setting the table, helping with the dishwasher, tidying the rooms, emptying the dry toilets, setting up breakfast with bread from the local peasant bakers... Details at the start of the stay.

Practical infoS

  • Nearest town with all shops: Vernoux-en-Vivarais (10min by car, 30min by bike)

  • The Oasis Grain&Sens has:

    • A large and a small training room accessible before the start and end time of the day for possible Yoga, Meditation, other practices,

    • Two washing machines (conscious participation)

    • to relax: Ping-pong table, swings.

    • to recharge your batteries: an enchanted forest.

FEES TO PAY

You have normally all paid the accommodation fees for adults and children.

  1. At the start of the EAT Training, you will be asked to pay the training fees and meals for adults and children.

Initially:

  • Full board for adults: €350

  • Training fees: between €440 (solidarity price) and €540 (fair price)

  • Child support contribution (meals and entertainment): €400 deduced from the accomodation fees payed.

The summary table specifies the amount remaining to be paid for each person according to your particular cases (scholarship, requests for independent meals, etc.).

It is possible to pay by bank transfer, cash (ideal if possible for the cook) or by credit card via HelloAsso.

PRE-PROGRAMME

The pre-program has been published here.

For any additional information or special request concerning the training, you can send an email to Alfred.

MATERIAL

  • For campers, bring your camping equipment. The campsite has dry toilets and access to water. Access to the bathrooms on site will be possible.

  • For people in rooms, bring sheets, pillowcase and towels (See summary table). If you forget or are unable to bring sheets, spare sheets will be lent to you.

  • Also think about:

    * Headlamp

    * Towel, soap and shampoo (according to your cleanliness needs!)

    * Swimsuit for swimming in the river

    * Note-taking equipment

    * Water bottle,

    * Hat,

    * Suitable shoes...

  • Remember to bring a jacket or sweater for the sometimes cool evenings here (we are 750m east facing, sunrise but not sunset)

  • We invite you to bring anything you would like to share, such as musical instruments. :-) On the last night of the course, we will have a “No Talent Show”, in which everyone will be able to share something with the group (songs, dance, theater, poetry… the choice is yours… and no talent is required!)

LEARNING MATERIAL

  • Material for taking notes during the training (computer supports will be sent to you by email).

For more sharing, if you have books or other interesting work to share around permaculture, do not hesitate to bring them,

  • If you have a permaculture project on your premises, do not hesitate to bring plans or other information to exchange with the team of trainers,

  • Also if you have seeds or plants or small trees that you want to share and that we can plant during the garden days, do not hesitate to bring them, we will take great care of them together.

KIDS MATERIAL

During the activities, your children will mainly be outside, in the forest or in gardens, so remember to bring:

  • A small backpack,

  • Hats!

  • Sunglasses,

  • Sunscreen (we also have some),

  • Water bottle!

  • A comforter or reassuring object

  • A change of clothes (to put in the backpack every day)

For any further questions: info@grainandsens.com OR +33 6 64 79 15 45 (Romain - WhatsApp)

Lavenant and the entire Grain&Sens team await you on August 1st