Are you overwhelmed by the

DOOM & GLOOM

of our modern times?

Yeah, so are we

it’s about time for a new story…

We’re all here for a reason – yet so many voices around us seem to say we have no purpose to be here, be alive – other than to take, giving nothing back in return.

Maybe you’ve watched some documentaries or still listen to the mainstream news and feel bad for who you are and being alive. Being a greedy consumer who takes and takes from Mother Earth and all that you give back is pollution. Someone who is actively contributing towards the end of days.

Does that feel good? Are you confused about why you care so much about the future of our Earth, but don’t know exactly what to do about it? Were you born at this time, in this place, to feel helpless, lost & confused? I don’t think so – and if you’re still with me here, neither do you…

You have been resilient

like a dandelion growing through the cracks in a sidewalk being sprayed with nasty chemicals – again and again, yet growing to seed and spreading the spirit of resilience. You have discovered rays of light through the darkness in the mainstream story of out times and they keep you alive. Perhaps one of these rays of light is this strange thing called Permaculture.

You don’t yet really know what it is or how it can help, but there’s a feeling there…you just can’t explain it. Maybe you’ve watched some videos on YouTube, checked out a book at the library, googled it, or even taken a course to learn more, but are still feeling more confused than ever about what Permaculture really is and how it can help you.

Perhaps along this journey, you’ve been asked by someone what its all about and really struggled to explain what it is and why you feel so drawn to it? You might say something about herb spirals or fruit tree guilds and their eyes gloss over…

You might be excited about growing more food for your family & community, capturing & cleaning water, building compost & soil or building with natural materials.

You might have a home with a yard, an apartment, community garden plot, tools, materials and all sorts of resources – or just a thriving food forest growing inside your head – and you’ve reached a point of asking yourself these simple questions that we all face in our life in a time of transition…

What do I want to do?

Where do I start?

How do I actually start?

What do I need?

When should I get started?

Whose help, permission or support do I need?

How can I do this in a way to be of service to myself, others & my community?

I’ve asked myself those very same questions throughout my journey...

I first discovered Permaculture design nearly 10 years ago when I was a design student in college. I was learning about many issues of our modern food system and thinking deeply about not only what I was eating, but also about my everyday choices in life. I reached a point where I needed to take a deep dive and connect with others around this so I took a risk and spent the very little money I had on something I was excited about.

I joined an incredible course which explored the food system and its effects on our natural environment through field trips all across Minnesota from small farms to energy facilities to large dairy CAFO’s. This course exposed me first-hand to many different perspectives about the complicated story of our modern society and how the many problems we face can be addressed as creative problems to be solved

…and that led me to Permaculture

I was completely overwhelmed being 20 years old and listening to the doom & gloom lunacy of modern ‘environmental activism’ – “the sky is falling!” “Meat is murder” “humans destroy everything they touch” ‘leave no trace” “carbon footprint!”…but I haven’t given in to that fear and hysteria…

My heart told me there was another way.

I just needed to look deeper. When I discovered Permaculture design, it was such a breath of fresh air, because here was a new and ancient perspective of seeing us humans not as a problem, but as a creative asset. Not APART from Nature, but a PART of Nature…

Here was a perspective of LOVE for our Earth and every living thing being sacred, here for a reason. Not a perspective of FEAR of our extinction, destruction & evil ways…

It teaches us something that is much older than the word ‘Permaculture’ – through observing and interacting directly with Nature around and within us, we can live in absolute HARMONIOUS RESILIENCE with our Mother Earth. Whether it’s about growing our food, building community or how we earn our income, Permaculture design provides a process of transforming chaos into harmony…

It’s based upon the obvious truth that we have made it this far through integrating with our life support system – and though we’ve gotten a little off-track, we can re-learn the old ways and embody that resilience once again

If you have read this far, I think you feel that in your heart too…

All is not lost, we were born for this time.

and that’s where the Open Hearth PDC Online Course comes in…

Learn how to transform your ideas into a plan of action and grow the Permaculture lifestyle of your dreams

an experiential online journey to learn practical skills from the wisdom of nature in caring for yourself, your family, community & Earth

Video Lessons

In these video lessons, you will learn about Permaculture design concepts and how you can apply it to the many aspects of your life including your garden, kitchen, creative projects & your livelihood

Live Q + A

During this course, you have the option to join live Q&A mentorship calls - to ask questions, get feedback, and connect with other students as you explore the material

Guided Personal Project

As part of your certification, we will help you create your own project plan that demonstrates proficiency in the application of Permaculture design concepts

Community Hearth

Not only will you have access to our feedback and support, you can also tap into the expertise of our community of current & past students and practitioners in the community hearth forums

Permaculture Resources

Over the years, we've built up quite an abundance of nutrient-dense resources, guides, links and worksheets - we have included these with this course to supplement your learning journey

In this course, we will help provide the skills for you to answer the big questions through an active and empowering, step-by-step approach

Permaculture design helps transform the chaotic creativity of our minds into a beautiful, living breathing expression of our hands & hearts

It can be as simple as a map or plan that helps you discover where you need to go, what you need to prepare yourself for along the journey, and understand your role in creating a beautiful & regenerative lifestyle…This course is a living, breathing system that continues to grow and evolve as we do – we hope you can join us and this incredible global Permaculture community

Who is leading this course?

Hello! 

I’m Cody and I live with my partner Megan in Northwest Wisconsin on a Permaculture Homestead we call Living Hearth. My lifestyle includes various activities such as chicken wrangling, skijouring with our dog Freya, propagating plants, talkin’ country at the local cheese shop, baking bread, collecting wild mushrooms, cooking delicious meals for my wife, drinking tree sap cocktails in the summer time and enjoying a slow-paced lifestyle with my family and friends. Everyday I do my best to live the life I have  dreamed of and cultivate a habitat in which i can thrive – from that place I can be my best self to help others do the same in their lives…

I’m motivated by a constant fire of acquiring, mastering, & sharing skills in a way that can inspire others to walk the less traveled path of following their intuition and learning through hands-on experience with Nature. I started a Permaculture design business called Land by Hand and enjoy working with folks who are ready to explore what they’re excited about and need some guidance in living the life they are hungry for. Through this work and play of connecting to nature once again, I hope others will also find a connection to healing within themselves as I have.

I attended the University of MN College of Design and have had some incredible teachers over the years. I am a Certified Permaculture Designer & Trained Educator. I also collaborate with Make MN Magazine, MN Sustainable Farmer’s Association, Organic Compound, Savanna Institute, Tiny Diner, Ecological Design, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and many more regenerative pioneers of the Upper Midwest.

see what some of our past students say about their experience

Emily

“I felt that the value of this course would be absolutely worth the cost because it seemed like I would learn a lot in a relatively short amount of time, and do so with hands-on examples and within a group of like-minded people. Groups and classes give me energy and help me learn best (more so than trying to teach myself permaculture concepts alone).”​

Ryan

“Megan and Cody are outgoing teachers, welcoming, inclusive, thoughtful, a team to support if you want to support their own growth as teachers. Passionate, grateful, useful, fast-paced. Peers/not hierarchical. Measured, thoughtful elements. Take life and just live it elements. Practical yet passionate. Giving. Life-long learners. Regular people, not perfect, just trying and doing their best, thus very relatable.”​

Emma

“During the course of the program, I have spent a lot more time observing the world around me. There is so much I am seeing that I never saw before. In a time where I have tended towards feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, this connection and grounding in my immediate surroundings has given me a lot of strength. Megan and Cody have created a beautiful network of connections that weave together with the course content. You can tell that this is their heart work. They live the principles and their care and commitment come through in their teaching.”​

Claire

“As a former student in Land by Hand’s Open Hearth Permaculture Design Certificate course, I feel knowledgeable, connected, and inspired. The way the PDC was designed honored the wisdom that people from all walks of life bring to the table. My first lessons in permaculture came not from a classroom, but from open-sourced places & people – nature, farmers, social entrepreneurs, herbalists, activists, community organizers, and gardeners. Critical and difficult questions were encouraged, collaborations sprouted, and friendships from our time together continue to deepen. I felt so supported by Cody & Megan and by our entire class, and couldn’t have asked for a more welcoming introduction into the permaculture community.”

What you'll explore in this Course

WATER

ENERGY

ANIMALS + WILDLIFE

SOIL

SHELTER

VILLAGE + COMMUNITY

WASTE + NUTRIENT CYCLING

FOOD + MEDICINE

RESILIENCE

What you'll learn & create

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Real life skills

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“A hands-on dive into nature-based skills to use in growing food and growing community sustainably and regeneratively. A way to learn about all meanings of permaculture – a multi-faceted way of being, focusing on living in intelligently and in harmony with the land and your surroundings.”

Personal Project

  • WHO you are and your niche in your local ecosystem
  • WHAT Projects & Goals you would like to focus on
  • WHY it’s important
  • WHERE you live
  • HOW you are going to take action
  • WHEN you will get started
  • WHO and what can support you in this action plan

this course is a journey in listening to your heart, opening your mind, and learning the practical skills of freedom to share your true gifts with the world

we may provide a spark to light many fires – the choice of which fire grows is up to you…

Are you ready to transform your life with Permaculture Design?

Join our waitlist and you’ll be the first to know when registration opens

Newsletter

The Open Hearth programs seek to connect the threads that help weave and strengthen our communities through ​sharing stories, gaining experience, & developing practical skills to cultivate resilient livelihoods.

Guarantee

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"I felt that the value of this course would be absolutely worth the cost because it seemed like I would learn a lot in a relatively short amount of time, and do so with hands-on examples and within a group of like-minded people. Groups and classes give me energy and help me learn best (more so than trying to teach myself permaculture concepts alone)."
Emily
PDC Graduate
"During the course of the program, I have spent a lot more time observing the world around me. There is so much I am seeing that I never saw before. In a time where I have tended towards feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, this connection and grounding in my immediate surroundings has given me a lot of strength. Megan and Cody have created a beautiful network of connections that weave together with the course content. You can tell that this is their heart work. They live the principles and their care and commitment come through in their teaching."
Emma
PDC Graduate
“Megan and Cody are outgoing teachers, welcoming, inclusive, thoughtful, a team to support if you want to support their own growth as teachers. Passionate, grateful, useful, fast-paced. Peers/not hierarchical. Measured, thoughtful elements. Take life and just live it elements. Practical yet passionate. Giving. Life-long learners. Regular people, not perfect, just trying and doing their best, thus very relatable.”
Ryan
PDC Graduate

Frequently Asked Questions

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Access and basic ability to use a computer, internet, watch videos, type messages, join optional group mentorship calls, upload documents & send emails – we will suggest and share many other additional resources to supplement your learning throughout the program

Through our course website you will be able to access all videos, quizzes and resources to complete this course

Yes! There are so many folks in our region with so much to share – we have spent many years learning from spaces and places that others have helped cultivate and will share their stories throughout the program to help ground your learning journey

"I want to thank both of you for the countless hours you spent pulling this program together. You both shared so much of yourselves with us, and tapped into the incredible network of people you’ve built over the years. I was thrilled to meet so many new people in a world I’m already so familiar with. I learned so much and my interest in a million more nooks and crannies of permaculture were sparked."

Claire PDC Graduate

" I wouldn't have been able to get to this point if it wasn't for the amazing support and education from Land by Hand! So so grateful"

Armel PDC Graduate

"I enjoyed most the wide variety of sites and people we visited. Getting the opportunity to ask questions, listen to the stories and work alongside the people who are breathing and sweating for an abundant future was invaluable. Also, the smallness of the Open Hearth crew made the learning process more intimate; I imagine years-long friendships coming out of this season of growth together."

Ryan PDC Graduate

"As a result of the program, my connection to land has become profound, especially in the place I call home. I realized how grateful I am to have the one acre of land that I do. We appreciated each other before, that is certain, but over these past months, we have bonded. We are one. I cannot walk past a tree without saying hello, I ask the birds how their days are going, the frogs in the garden surprise me and watch me and we almost seem to wink at each other, and the plants and I cried as we took the final harvest. I see the beautiful community I live within and that has led to thinking of the human world I inhabit as well and how I can learn from the land to appreciate and create and be together with them, too. I now go into natural spaces with a curiosity I hadn’t before. I wonder why it is all there, why it is all there together, and how I can serve it.​"

Stacey PDC Graduate
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