Hello from Chicoutimi, Québec!

Discussion in 'Introduce Yourself Here' started by princesse_nomade, Oct 27, 2013.

  1. princesse_nomade

    princesse_nomade Junior Member

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    Well, I just wanted to say hi to thie permies community! I live in Chicoutimi, Quebec. Cold temperate climate here, but gorgeous scenery... And plenty of opportunities for permaculture! I'm in the process of starting a consultant firm!

    I love this forum! Thanks to everyone for sharing so many great ideas!

    Maryse
     
  2. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    Bonjour Maryse. Tell us more about what you will do with your consulting firm?
     
  3. princesse_nomade

    princesse_nomade Junior Member

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    Details on the consulting firm.

    The following explains, clearly I hope, how I'm going about creating this Permaculture consulting firm. I apologize in advance for my english...

    Well, I hope to help farmers in the region develop a better (sustainable, pesticide-free, environmentally and culturally harmonious...) food production system by installing permaculture elements (at first, can't ask them to change their entire ways right away) in the way they are doing agriculture. It is a cold area, the growing season is short, and good organic soils are rare. I think permaculture can solve a lot of problems related to soil building, as well as help lenghten the growing season by encouraging the creation of microclimates through judicious uses of dams and ponds and polycultures, and promoting the selction of species that do well in our climate. People here are proud of their land, their have a keen sense of place, and I know from what I'm currently perceiving as I am going trough the first step of creating this consultant firm, that they are eager to develop means of making their region original and innovative. A lot of new-generation farmers see that permaculture is the way to go, they just don't know how to apply its principles.

    I also wish to promote urban gardens and permaculture. I will offer services in urban house design : lots of green lawn, roof, wall spaces here to provide everyone with good foods, year round, even with the snow. People in the cities here are equally proud, and I'm sure once they see that permaculture is the way to the future, they'll go for urban gardens and forest gardens.

    Education, education, education. Elementary schools, highschools, adult-evening schools, daycares will be targeted: I'll offer to help them start little permaculture gardens, and be an advocate of the great effects (proff on hand, it's been researched) of gardening in children and young adults.

    At some point, I'll offer services out of the Saguenay-Lac St-Jean region, but I'll keep it small as ease into it.

    I don't expect to be making a fortune, and am not interested in it. I'm currently consulting for free, and people are showing interest, and are starting to talk about it. However, some friends and I are grouping and building the foundations for a permaculture institute, which would be at some point, partly funded by the consulting firm. Just like the PRI and Zaytuna farms.

    I have a Phd in geography, a PDC, and I also have past experiences as an entrepreneur (in archaeology). I beleive these credentials will bolster people's confidence in these projects. It will indeed help convince potential funding bodies : we do live in "diploma needed" world. However, I do not operate alone, and could not, so I am surrounding myself with people with different sets of skills, and together we'll make this work.
     
  4. 9anda1f

    9anda1f Administrator Staff Member

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    Excellent write-up! Welcome Maryse!

    This is also our approach ... we are going by the principle of "attraction, not promotion" and using our property as a demonstration of what can be done in our climate has generated interest from folks across a broad area.

    Good luck! Keep us apprised on how it's progressing.
     
  5. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    That sounds wonderful! I'm still trying to work out how you can be an entrepreneurial archeologist...
     
  6. yfnn

    yfnn Junior Member

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    Permaculture and food forestry is incredibly helpful and attracting to anyone who is exposed to it. If the farmers in your area don't have permaculture structures in place or concepts in action, that is probably because they've never heard of them -- not because they're opposed to them. Just know that the concepts and structures will sell themselves so very easily if you can make sure not to 1) act like an alternative, lesser way of doing things nor 2) claim instantaneous paradise. Stick to the measurable truth and you'll be fineee!
     
  7. princesse_nomade

    princesse_nomade Junior Member

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    I absolutely agree.


    Thanks for the advice. I'll keep this in mind. People are sceptic, and since I'm only starting, I don't have much "proof" to show them, but I can talk about other people's work and it helps. I've started working on small-scale gardens and roof-gardens. One step at a time. Getting through has been hardwork so far, but I think that if we (the permies in Saguenay) work as a team, we can make this happen. I'm participating in a "entrepreneurship" promotion event next friday. We'll see what happens!

    This forum is great in any case. Lots of measurable truths in here! Thanks for putting it up.
     
  8. princesse_nomade

    princesse_nomade Junior Member

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    Entrepreneurial archaeology??

    I can understand why! Well, the business (www.gaia-arch.com) offers services in specialized analyses, such as entomoarchaeology, archaeobotany or usewear analyses. This means that we come up after the actual dig is done, and gather information from the material that was unearthed. It is quite successful so far because there aren't that many experts in these domains, and also because we do not rely on "getting the dig" to get jobs : while there are few digs in Quebec, there is not a lack of material to analyse! We are currently working on promoting specialized analyses and how, with less soil removed, you can do so much more... :)
     
  9. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    That's really interesting! I sometimes watch archeology shows on the television and dream about how exciting it would be to learn about how people used to live from what they left behind.
     
  10. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    G'day Maryse, welcome to the PRI Forum.

    What was your topic? Do you have a link to your dissertation?

    I'm an armchair archeo-tragic: https://map.archaeologychannel.org/

    Warning: Very addictive!
     
  11. helenlee

    helenlee Junior Member

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    What a fantastic business plan & focus :) And the website, so far, looks great. Even though I don't understand a word I can figure out some of it, & the photos & graphics are great :) I'm looking forward to seeing it when finished :)
     
  12. helenlee

    helenlee Junior Member

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    And how awesome to have our very own resident archeologist! There's a few old fossils here need digging up ;) :)
     
  13. princesse_nomade

    princesse_nomade Junior Member

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    Doing archeology has made me develop an even greater respect for our ancestors. I get the feeling they knew a lot more than we do.... Which is what got me into permaculture in the first place.

    If you ever unearth these old fossils of yours, send me a picture, maybe I'll recognize some! ;) ;)
     
  14. princesse_nomade

    princesse_nomade Junior Member

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    Hi Ecodharmamark! My dissertation is not completed yet, I'm still writing it up. The topic is the corporeality of 19th century women religious from the St-Lawrence valley... Ugh? I hear a lot of people say when I speak of it. It actually is very interesting to examine how a group of women, who seemed so detached from "the earthly realm" were actually bound to it. As we all are. It actually is a piece within the study of humans and their relationship to the land. I'm quite eager to be done with it though. ;)

    THANKS for the link! I didn't know about it! It's great... although now that I know it exists, I might not finish my dissertation in time... ;)
     
  15. songbird

    songbird Senior Member

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    actually Eco, i think most permies are archaeologists in that we can't resist checking out a good dump...
     
  16. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    I think you are right Songbird!

    I suspect that monastic life gives you the opportunity to connect with seasons and the simpler pleasures of growing humble food and walking in the sun. There's a spirituality in being connected with the earth, and being connected with the earth makes you aware that you are part of something greater than you. Do post a link when you get it written!
     
  17. princesse_nomade

    princesse_nomade Junior Member

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    You know what?? This is exactly what I think! A lot of people I know are disgusted at the thought of having compost toilets, because they don't want to have to deal with human waste... Well, I spent most of my undergraduate degree and master's sieving old privy material, and getting excited when things were well preserved (seeds, animal bones...) so really, compost toilets?? Not a problem at all! ;)
     
  18. princesse_nomade

    princesse_nomade Junior Member

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    Exactly. And these women, unexpectedly, well here at least, were travellers. And in the 19th century, it was all boat, cart and walk. They were strong bodied, minded, and devoted. Maybe a little too much in some cases.

    I will put a link in, if you're interested! ;)
     
  19. songbird

    songbird Senior Member

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    of course! :)


    at one time i was considering joining these folks:

    https://www.societystjohn.com/

    very wonderful location, spent a lot of time there all seasons, but had to decline as i just did not have faith and the will to knuckle under someone else's authority ever again... still am friends with them and say hello when i go back up that way to visit, but wow things have changed from when i was there (when they were first getting started)... times i'll certainly never forget.
     
  20. princesse_nomade

    princesse_nomade Junior Member

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    I get why you wouldn't commit. You kind of have to be devoted... really devoted to the faith. I myself am not a beleiver, so I am definitely awe-struck before their ways of life.
     

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