Annie Antepara

What brought you to the ELI program?

When I heard that there is a a PDC that is a 9-month program I had to jump right on it! It’s hard to find a PDC course that can be more in-depth with the materials they teach. I have done a PDC a year before and that was like a tease! 72 hrs is not enough time to sink your hands in the soil! So I went with it! Also knowing Erik and the great work he’s doing I truly wanted to learn from him! It’s rare to meet someone like him that works with his heart and intuition! Not only is he a genius, his integrity is gold!

What were some of the most valuable aspects of the program?

​What I loved about the ELI program was how diverse it was with the curriculum as far as materials they were teaching! I appreciated how in-depth they got into the subjects and how the teachers were our mentors and guides, step by step! Nothing was rushed! We had time to sink our presence to what we were learning. It was 9 months. That’s a lot of time to get to know materials. The hands-on was what I loved the most…learning to use machinery, how to build biodynamic compost, how to observe and be present! When I finished the course, it gave me direction in where I wanted to take all this knowledge and how we need to share it and start doing the work!

What are you working on now?

After this program I started to create clientele and continued taking other Permaculture Design Courses. I took 2 more.  I knew some of the material well however, every teacher, every PDC, is taught different. That inspired me. Now I am starting a 72 hour PDC course called ROOTS (Reclaiming Origins of Traditional Sustainability) training outside of Oakland this summer of 2017 at the School of Earth Medicine at Soul Flower Farm!

I also have my own company , Edge of Resilience which focuses on water infiltration and regenerative land design . I consult, design, implement and mostly keep up with the maintenance through the seasons. What I am building in relation to this business is a nursery based on native and perennial aspects of the permaculture world, so it can support the sustainability of the design I implement! It helps with cost for my clients and it feeds my soul for the love that I have for propagation of diverse species of seed plants! I love what I do! I learn everyday and I continue on education for the fact that knowledge is infinite! Grateful for my teachers and mentors. Thank you!