Yestermorrow Does Multiple Scene Changes

Anyone who has worked behind the scenes in a play or other major production should have a pretty good idea of what it is like here at Yestermorrow. But instead of putting on one play, we at Yestermorrow seem to be undertaking the complete works of Shakespeare or some equivalent feat.

In Ring One, we have the mad dash to get our new food program up and running, with interns flying to and fro building tables and cabinets with greatly appreciated help from cabinet-making tutor extraordinaire Randy Taplin. There is a lot to get done and no one knows from one moment to the next whether they will be working with potting soil (tending to our seedlings) or joint compound (patching walls after plumbing new sinks).

And then there is getting the dorms ready for the new season. We’ve got a whole lot of scrubbing going on to make everything fresh. This is spring cleaning on steroids and no one seems exempt from the labor.

In Ring Three we have everyone manning computer terminals and adding student records in preparation for Yestermorrow’s foray into the realm of electronic registration. All ten of us (staff and interns) preloaded the system with over three-hundred students to prime the digital pumps and get the bugs out prior to going live in the next couple of weeks.

Ring Four deals with our nascent attempts at advocacy and community organizing via providing a supporting backbone for the Mad River Valley Step It Up 2007 event and the whole 7 Days for the Earth series. The latter includes a Valley-wide values exercise and a visioning session. The events involve dozens of speakers and panelists, a handful of insightful movies and much, much more.

And through all of this we have still had time to meet with the team from Conway School of Landscape Design who will be helping us with our campus master planning process and running public charrettes for us on April 28th and June 2nd. And we still made time to ogle at all the really cool hand planes and other woodworking tools donated to us by Lee Valley-Veritas (www.leevalley.com). These are very cool additions to our shops, and many tool heads here are still drooling when they think of these finely crafted beauties in action.

All in a day’s work here at the Yestermorrow circus.

Natural Building in Costa Rica

Our Natural Building in Costa Rica class just concluded its fifth year at Rancho Mastatal. This year's project was a timber framed structure built with local wood. You can view many photos from the class on our Snapfish group site: www.yestermorrowdesignbuildschool.snapfish.com.

Yestermorrow Faculty Featured in Dwell Magazine Video Webisodes

Yestermorrow instructors Hannah Purdy and Nick Moons are featured in the current series of "Webisodes" on the Dwell Magazine website (www.dwell.com). In this short video series, Dwell follows a New York couple with a passion for building green through the challenges—and triumphs—of renovation, from finding the design-build team to finalizing the design. Watch for the rest of the 10-part series in the weeks to come.

http://www.dwell.com/daily/video/6315962.html

Playhouse Escapes Shop!

Today, on the last day of the Home Design/Build class, the class project (a small playhouse for a local preschool) was liberated from the shop. Despite the snowstorm and some very close maneuvering with a skidsteer (thank you Steven!), it made it outside and into the Arches where it will be picked up soon for transport to Fayston.

Check it out!

Yestermorrow Video Featured on Sustainable Route

Check out a short 3-minute interview with Yestermorrow Outreach Director Dan Eckstein on Sustainable Route, a project by two recent Bennington College graduates who are travelling the country to explore the 'sustainable' movement. (p.s. you'll need the latest version of QuickTime to view the video).

interns outfoxed again

Last weekend was host to the parent/child woodworking course at Yestermorrow. The interns heads were left slack-jawed by the prowess of the youth and their crafty inventions.
Tony and Peter hope to catch up to the skill level of these youngsters by the end of our internship.

search for staff yields amazing discovery!

The search continues. . .

While we haven't found our missing staff, we have located our mailbox and what appears to be a unique species of caterpillar only know to the Mad River Valley.
So please, fill our mailbox with postcards from dreamy tropical locales and any references on entomology.

3 feet high and rising

A few hardy souls managed to make it to work and classes today by whatever means necessary: snowshoes, skis, and Subarus. Upon arrival we discovered the office area empty, apparently a nefarious plot had been launched and someone has taken our beloved staff. Bob, Carol, and the interns would appreciate the return of our dear staff, no questions asked. I don't wanna mention any names, but YOU, Mad River Glen and Sugarbush are our prime suspects in the caper. Empirical evidence has shown that ski resorts are the number one abductor when the term 'snow' day has been uttered in the valley.
Clad in snowshoes and armed with shovels, we have searched the premises, but to no avail. We plead with you, please please return them to us with little but sore legs from your powdery slopes.

Seeking a Kitchen/Garden Intern for 2007

Yestermorrow is excited to announce the launch of a full-service meal program in May 2007. Our goal is to offer our students, faculty and staff wholesome meals produced from local and organic foods. In order to help us pull it all off, we are looking for a Kitchen/Garden Intern to start in mid-April and work with us through mid-December 2007.

The Kitchen/Garden Intern will work under the supervision of our head Cook and provide critical support in growing, preparing and serving food to the Yestermorrow community on a daily basis. Yestermorrow is committed to serving healthy, locally produced meals which enhance the community spirit of the school- around the table is where ideas and values are shared, where friendships blossom, where we laugh, and where we fully integrate our experiences. As our curriculum stresses the concept of sustainability with regard to land use and how we build on the land, through food we can also walk the talk of sustainability by purchasing local, organic, nutritious, and wholesome ingredients.

For more details and to download an application form, please visit www.yestermorrow.org/interns/overview.htm. Applications are due March 15th for the Kitchen Garden Internship.

An update from the cold Californian

I’ve been here in Vermont for a 1 month and a half now and starting to day dream of Venice Beach sunsets and t-shirt/short days in January. Lucky, I am kept busy enough here at designing a playhouse and garden shed, building cabinets and saw horses, running errands around town, and the ever daunting morning coffee grinding ritual. This will be my first “real” winter ever and so far it is no disappointment. I’m still getting used to the constant adding and removal of clothing in and out of the building and can’t seem to get into wearing gloves (I get sweaty palms).

The experience here so far has been phenomenal. I came here not knowing the difference between a rafter and a stud, to having conversation with professional architects and builders. I now know how to fix and maintain a vintage handplane, cut timbers with a chisel, draft out a basic home floor plan, and plaster up wall of almost any shape you can imagine. I find myself everyday walking into the Yestermorrow library and think “geez, where do I start?” The resources here are amazing and I wish I had time to read all the books, even the vector calculus and structural equation ones. I learn something new everyday and meet great people. Hooray for school! Now if I could only figure out a way to ride my surfboard in the snow….

Lecture 2/9 on Spraying Metal

Yestermorrow instructor Erik Hegre will be presenting a lecture on Friday 2/9 at Norwich University School of Architecture on "Spraying Metal". The talk will be held in Chapin Hall noon to 1pm and is free and open to the public. Erik has been investigating the possibilities of thermal arc spraying with another Yestermorrow insructor, Evan Bauer, a local metal fabricator who has patented a process of spraying metals on mesh substrates. The process is proprietary and new which opens many doors for exploration and investigation. For more details check out: http://www.bauerfab.com/default.htm

Yestermorrow Faculty Present Panel in Burlington 2/6

The Vermont Chapter of the American Institute of Architects in collaboration with the departments of Planning and Zoning and CEDO of the City of Burlington is presenting a public forum on Architectural Design,

Architectural Design in Vermont…Does it Matter?

February 6, 2007 - 7:00 PM Burlington City Hall - Contois Auditorium

A panel of 4 Vermont architects and landscape architects will address important questions including the following:

-what are the ingredients of good design?
-how can non-architects assess the merits and problems of an architectural design?
-how can non-architects learn to talk easily and clearly about this subject?
-how can we all improve the quality of design in the communities of Vermont?

The goal of the evening will be to encourage a new, on-going and thorough design dialogue between professionals and the public in all phases of our permitting processes and the growth of our built environment. The panel with be moderated by John Anderson, Architect AIA, of John Anderson Studio in Burlington the panel members include:
Kirsten van Aalst, Architect, and design professor at the Norwich University School of Architecture
Michael Wisniewski, Architect, of Duncan-Wisniewski Architecture in Burlington
Jeff Hodgson, Landscape Architect, of H. Keith Wagner Partnership in Burlington
Dave Sellers, Architect, of Sellers and Company Architects in Warren Vermont.
After comments by each of the panelists that will be accompanied by power point visuals, there will be an open discussion with all in attendance.

Welcome Winter Intern Crew

We are excited to announce the arrival of our winter intern crew- Lori Ducharme, Peter Buley, Tony Chang and Hannah Barrows. They arrived last week and have been undergoing extensive orientation and training to get everyone up to speed on the how we do things here at the 'morrow. You can read their bios and see photos (along with profiles of past interns) on our website at: www.yestermorrow.org/inthis.htm. Today everyone is down in the shop for a special two-day boxmaking workshop with Skip Dewhirst getting comfortable with the shop tools and making some sweet little wooden boxes!

Yestermorrow Awarded Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence & Pollution Prevention

Exciting news! Time to toot our own horn a little... Yestermorrow has been awarded a 2005-2006 Vermont Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence & Pollution Prevention! This award is in the area of Environmental Excellence in Education and Outreach, for projects that "inform and educate others about environmentally responsible practices or that empower citizens to enhance the quality of the environment for local, regional or global communities." Our award is specifically recognizing our Curriculum in Sustainable Building and Design, which includes our Certificate programs in Sustainable Building and Design and Natural Building. We will be heading to the Statehouse on January 29th to accept the award from the Governor!

Keeping Our Heads Warm

One of the pleasures of working at a non-profit organization is that every so once in a while someone makes a gesture of thanks that touches you deeply. And while our general tendency is to ask that those appreciative actions take the form of donations to support our non-profit mission, the occasional cookie and note are greatly treasured too. So imagine our surprise and glee when early this week a package arrived with not only two plates of delicious cookies, but also a plethora or hand-sewn fleece caps to keep us all warm for the winter and beyond. So thank you Yestermorrow Alumnus Susan Houle for your generosity and creativity. Here is a picture of all of us in our blissful beanies. Happy Holidays Susan and Thanks,

Bob Ferris

Musings of a disgruntled graduate student

In my “real life,” as Dan, our Outreach Director refers to it, I am a graduate student at the University of Vermont. In my “other" life (which I also consider to be real), I am part-time office staff at Yestermorrow. My graduate research at UVM involves studying rare plant populations in the Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont. Particularly, I am studying the ecology and population biology of rare plant Eastern Jacob’s ladder (see pretty picture to the right). At Yestermorrow, I am the person on the other end of the phone line, and the one who processes course registrations.

Throughout my 4-year-long pursuit of a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolution, I’ve learned a great deal about science, conservation, and academia. My problem (or great attribute, depending on how you look at it!) is my inability to focus singly on one single thing for 4+ years (a.k.a. the Dissertation). Mostly because I believe that ecology isn’t just about studying the interaction between plants and pollinators or plants and herbivores, but rather about the entire natural system of interconnections, especially those between humans and living organisms. We humans are so instrumentally involved in altering the natural systems that have evolved over many thousands of years. It would be ludicrous for me, as an ecologist, to disregard our species’ enormous ecological impact over recent years.

This belief was part of what brought me to Yestermorrow, a place of radical ecology, unconventional thought and a strong sense of community. What we do here is exciting and extremely relevant. Yestermorrow is a place to stretch out, open your mind, and throw out any preconceived notions. My formal education as an ecologist is ultimately complimented by the courses at Yestermorrow which touch on not only the world of design/build, but also about human ecology and living in accordance with nature.

Paradigm shifts only happen when enthusiastic people join together to educate and create change – Yestermorrow is burgeoning great thinkers! To paraphrase a quote from an incredible book Edible Forest Gardens by Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier... don’t give me academic ponderings, give me practical action!

Concrete Countertops Completes a Pour

Last weekend's Concrete Countertops class with Sandy Lawton and Buzz Ferver completed a pour for a set of kitchen countertops for a client in South Woodbury VT. Here Sandy and Buzz demonstrate how to screed the form.

Ringel Unveils 10 Commandments of Yestermorrow

On Saturday, December 2nd Board President John Ringel spoke to the assembled masses of and unveiled the 10 Commandments of Yestermorrow:

1) Thou Shall Grow And Increase Thy Flock
2) Thou Shall Teach More Classes and Diversify The Curriculum
3) Thou Shall Create More Space And Improve Thy Temple
4) Thou Shall Build A Better, More Sustainable Future, One Building And Mind At A Time
5) Thou Shall Teach Longer and Deeper, Giving Credit And Certfication To The Most Deserving
6) Thou Shall Better The Lives Of Thy Disciples And Enrich Their Experience
7) Thou Shall Raise More Money And Fill Thy Coffers With Bounty
8) Thou Shall Have A Balanced Budget
9) Thou Shall Be A Lamp Unto The World And Preach The Word of Design/Build To The Masses And Beyond
10) Thou Shall Stick To The Plan, Stan.

John is pictured here on the Mount of Yestermorrow (otherwise known as the Grassy Knoll) with Board Members Mac Rood, Kathy Meyer and Bill Bialosky. Many thanks to Dave Kaplan for inscribing the tablets.

December 4th: A Day in the Life of Bob

At the last staff meeting before Thanksgiving all present were urged to do a post on Yestermorrow’s blog and when the rotation came around to me I looked at the floor and then the ceiling hoping that they would just ignore me and move on. They didn’t. So, Bob what are you going to do? Uh, uh…. Why don’t you do a day in the life of an executive director? So bowing to peer and other forms of pressure, here goes:

December 4, 2006—A Day in the Life of Bob

Morning—

Snow. A new dusting—perhaps the base for snows to come and a white holiday season. Cold, in the 20’s. A brisk walk to work.

Kate is at the printers putting the summer catalogue to bed. A big task completed and our largest catalogue of classes ever. Way to go Kate!

Helped Steven clean up the South Studio in preparation for the Low Cost Renewable Energy Systems class. (Yes, concrete sacks are just as heavy as I remembered.)

Scooted home quickly to gather some pipe wrenches and other plumbing supplies needed for the class.

Students start to arrive for class.

Checked e-mails and skimmed the NY Times e-version for tidbits to jump start my brain. Bolton resigns. Worked with Dan to get the last of the 3000 or so annual fundraising letters signed and ready to go to the mail house and then into the postal system. (Coming to a mailbox near you.)

Reviewed planning documents for Yestermorrow site. What can we do on site and which set of plans are we all looking at.

What is that pounding? Big hammers crushing bricks on the South Studio floor with the brick fragments and dust being used to create a homemade refractory lining for a mini-kiln.

Contacted Will Raap, founder of Gardener’s Supply Company, and checked in regarding joint marketing and administration of our two classes in Costa Rica. Great interest generated via Yestermorrow e-newsletter and documents sent out by Will Raap.

Talked on the phone with instructor Keith Giamportone. He met with socially and environmentally responsible builder John Knott Jr. and they talked briefly about the potential of starting a Yestermorrow program in Charleston, SC to teach design/build to folks who have had a collision with the legal system. Contacted John via e-mail and we caught up on news and worked towards setting up time for a conference call.

Walked home to lunch with Carlene who is taking renewable energy class. Peanut butter, Vermont bread, and local honey sandwiches and an apple. Brisk walk back to work.

Afternoon—

Met with Steven re: intern chores, site projects and future visions. How do we do spectacular improvements on a shoestring? To add the commercial kitchen or not to add the kitchen, that is the question.

Signed checks to pay our bills. Hung out with Carol for a while making sure the interns got paid and paid correctly.

Spoke on the phone with Jon Zuber—film producer, actor and old friend. Got an update on an environmental film project I’ve been advising on for the last three years and found out that Jon had just signed up for our natural building course in Costa Rica. We shared a few Jacques Cousteau stories and then signed off.

Out in the cold to see if the recently manufactured ram-pump worked. It didn’t. Back to the drawing board and we will get a 1” feed pipe rather than ½” for tomorrow. True design/build in action!

Raided the Christmas package left by the Round Barn Bed and Breakfast for a couple of cookies to fend off the chill. (I think it worked.)

Carried on e-mail dialogue with Steve Badanes about how to get Eric Lloyd Wright (grandson of Frank) and Don Aitken (founder of the environmental studies program at San Jose State University) to visit Yestermorrow.

Walked the Main Studio Art Show set up with instructor Lisa Williams so she could show me what had sold and how to turn the various lights on and off. Lisa and various volunteers, work traders, and interns did a masterful job on getting this ready!

Last sweep through the office and then flick on the flashlight for a dark, snowy walk home with Carlene.

Evening—

Warmed up the truck for drive to the General Wait House and a meeting set up by former Yestermorrow board member Linda Lloyd to help revive a local affordable housing coalition. Stopped at the Waitsfield Mobil for gas and a friendly interchange with the clerk. We talked about the weather. It is snowing again, big flakes in the headlights and getting colder.

Home to a snack and them off to bed.

New Yestermorrow T-Shirt Design is here!

Hi Folks! Check out our new T'Shirt graphic in Men's and Women's sizes..Special thanks to Kristen Zeiber Anne-Marie Flusche for their hard work on the design. (They make great gifts!)