This story on the history of design/build in Vermont originally aired on Burlington, VT's WCAX station on September 23rd and features the work of a variety of Yestermorrow faculty members, as well as a few shots of our campus, students and interns. Check it out!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Sellers at the Fleming
Our own Dave Sellers will talk about the origins of the Vermont Design/Build movement at the Fleming Museum at the University of Vermont. Dave's talk with take place at 6:30 on October 2nd. It should be an interesting talk and all are encouraged to attend.
Bob Ferris
Bob Ferris
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Carbon Shredders Do Radio
Gregor Barnum from Seventh Generation and I found an open door at the radio station and took advantage of the situation. We hope you enjoy and get on the carbon shredders bandwagon. Enjoy. Good news radio.
http://tiny.cc/LRbM5
http://tiny.cc/LRbM5
Fleming Museum Exhibit on Vermont's Design/Build Movement
Architectural Improvisation: A History of Vermont's Design/Build Movement 1964-1977September 24 - December 19, 2008, East Gallery, Fleming Museum, Burlington, Vermont
Architectural Improvisation: A History of Vermont's Design/Build Movement 1964-1977 documents a radical, Vermont-based architectural movement characterized by organic forms, improvisational processes, hands-on methods, and natural materials. Predating the back-to-the-land movement but motivated by similar values and principles, the Design/Build movement focused on a new mediatory role for architecture both in creating community and in the then-newly charged relationship between humans and the environment. A number of the documented projects from the mid-1960s pioneered technological and social experimentation such as solar heating, wind power, and co-housing.
Guest-curated by Norwich University architecture professor Danny Sagan, the exhibition traces the development of the Design/Build movement from its roots in Bauhaus theory at Yale School of Architecture in the early 1960s to its radical social, technological, and aesthetic experimentation. It examines the work of a group of young architects who moved to Vermont from Yale and the University of Pennsylvania Architecture program in the mid-1960s, among them, David Sellers, Bill Reineke, Jim Sanford, Bill Maclay, Ellen Strauss, Charles Hosford, John Mallary, and Barry Simpson. The exhibition documents for the first time the exemplary Vermont projects created by these architects, including Sibley/Pyramid House, Tack House, and Dimetrodon on "Prickly Mountain" in Warren, Vermont; Goddard College in Plainfield; and the Anthos housing project in Waitsfield; as well as Skidompha House in Maine. It presents previously unpublished photographs and drawings, contemporary photographs, artifacts from the houses, and other documentary materials that reflect both the process and the resulting structures. An accompanying catalogue will be published by the University of Vermont Press.
On Sunday, November 2 the Fleming Museum will host a panel discussion with several of the original architects and residents of an early, experimental, solar co-housing complex in Warren, Vermont, as they discuss and debate the genesis and legacy of the Design/Build tradition in Vermont. For more information, visit http://www.uvm.edu/~fleming/
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
'The lunch lady with love' Yestermorrow's chef crafts meals from what's at hand
From today's Times Argus newspaper (Tuesday, September 9, 2008):
By Sylvia Fagin, Correspondent
Like a sprite, Heidi Benjamin is everywhere at once – physically and conversationally.
One moment she's explaining the spiral design of the kitchen garden at Yestermorrow, the design/build school in Warren where she's the whole foods chef. The next, she's striding across the field to show off spiky purple plumes of amaranth while explaining how she got the moniker "lunch lady with love."
For almost 30 years, Yestermorrow has provided inspiration and skills in sustainable design and building methods, teaching classes like "green home design," "ecological water systems," and "woodworking for women." The faculty boasts MIT grads, as well as lifelong craftspeople, and although students may not come for the food, they certainly learn from it.
Three times a day, all year long, Benjamin and her crew of cooks provide a tasty, healthy meal, almost entirely from local ingredients, demonstrating that eating locally can be delicious and affordable. A tangible feeling of community is created as students from diverse backgrounds dine and chat together.
"Students want to chill and feel the essence of this place, of sustainability," Benjamin explains in the dining room that's naturally lit by two walls of floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the spiral garden — and nearly eliminate the need for artificial lighting. Students learn that "it is possible to serve really good, local food for a pretty OK price. A lot of people are worried about that." Describing herself as a "frugal localvore," Benjamin rattles off some of the meals she creates from seasonal produce and local ingredients: Breakfasts of homemade granola, local eggs and oatmeal, Manghi's cinnamon raisin toast. Lunch buffets featuring cole slaw bursting with green beans, crunchy cabbage and sweet carrots, cold cuts of local turkey and ham, garlicky dill pickles, and Madhouse Munchies chips.
Dinners follow a theme, like Mexican night with fajitas of seitan and local beef; Benjamin devotes an entire chest freezer to the summer's bounty, ensuring local salsa all year long. Indian meals are almost entirely vegan, featuring kale saag, curried cauliflower, and homemade vegetable chutneys.
Benjamin invites student input — it keeps her creating.
"I ask vegans, 'What do you miss? Scalloped potatoes?' I can do that with soy milk. Instead of spanikopita, I do 'kale-kopita,' with tofu."
"I'm learning as I go," she says. "They call me a whole foods chef. I joke and say I'm three-quarters, because every so often a can of Pringles is just so fine. I don't sit and study books to find out what I'm supposed to do. I think, what do I want to eat? Sometimes I really want to eat comfort food — so how can I make that comfort food more healthy?" Benjamin substitutes honey and maple syrup for white sugar, strips of zucchini for lasagna noodles.
The fields and woods of the bucolic campus provide fiddleheads, ramps, a bevy of wild mushrooms, not to mention the foundation of a variety of hot and cold drinks.
"We have 10 different drinks we make for the cost of running the hot water." She lists a few: Sumac, dandelion, cinnamon basil mixed with lemon balm — none more mysterious than the process of letting leaves or roots seep for a while. "Students ask, 'Is that all there is to it?'" she recalls. "It makes it more approachable for people. They say, 'I can do that.'"
By example, Benjamin shows students that they can eat sustainably with ease; in return, she gets accolades, hugs and a dream kitchen where every cabinet, shelf and spice rack is custom-built.
"It's like a mix of camp, college and home here," she enthuses, offering up gifts of funky misshapen tomatoes, homemade jam, an offer to cater a student's wedding. "We feel the love. It's such a yummy feeling."
Heidi Benjamin's yummy meals are available to students of Yestermorrow Design/Build School courses, which range from one day to two weeks.
Sylvia Fagin writes about local foods and food producers. Contact her at sylviafagin@yahoo.com.
By Sylvia Fagin, Correspondent
Like a sprite, Heidi Benjamin is everywhere at once – physically and conversationally.
One moment she's explaining the spiral design of the kitchen garden at Yestermorrow, the design/build school in Warren where she's the whole foods chef. The next, she's striding across the field to show off spiky purple plumes of amaranth while explaining how she got the moniker "lunch lady with love."
For almost 30 years, Yestermorrow has provided inspiration and skills in sustainable design and building methods, teaching classes like "green home design," "ecological water systems," and "woodworking for women." The faculty boasts MIT grads, as well as lifelong craftspeople, and although students may not come for the food, they certainly learn from it.
Three times a day, all year long, Benjamin and her crew of cooks provide a tasty, healthy meal, almost entirely from local ingredients, demonstrating that eating locally can be delicious and affordable. A tangible feeling of community is created as students from diverse backgrounds dine and chat together.
"Students want to chill and feel the essence of this place, of sustainability," Benjamin explains in the dining room that's naturally lit by two walls of floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the spiral garden — and nearly eliminate the need for artificial lighting. Students learn that "it is possible to serve really good, local food for a pretty OK price. A lot of people are worried about that." Describing herself as a "frugal localvore," Benjamin rattles off some of the meals she creates from seasonal produce and local ingredients: Breakfasts of homemade granola, local eggs and oatmeal, Manghi's cinnamon raisin toast. Lunch buffets featuring cole slaw bursting with green beans, crunchy cabbage and sweet carrots, cold cuts of local turkey and ham, garlicky dill pickles, and Madhouse Munchies chips.
Dinners follow a theme, like Mexican night with fajitas of seitan and local beef; Benjamin devotes an entire chest freezer to the summer's bounty, ensuring local salsa all year long. Indian meals are almost entirely vegan, featuring kale saag, curried cauliflower, and homemade vegetable chutneys.
Benjamin invites student input — it keeps her creating.
"I ask vegans, 'What do you miss? Scalloped potatoes?' I can do that with soy milk. Instead of spanikopita, I do 'kale-kopita,' with tofu."
"I'm learning as I go," she says. "They call me a whole foods chef. I joke and say I'm three-quarters, because every so often a can of Pringles is just so fine. I don't sit and study books to find out what I'm supposed to do. I think, what do I want to eat? Sometimes I really want to eat comfort food — so how can I make that comfort food more healthy?" Benjamin substitutes honey and maple syrup for white sugar, strips of zucchini for lasagna noodles.
The fields and woods of the bucolic campus provide fiddleheads, ramps, a bevy of wild mushrooms, not to mention the foundation of a variety of hot and cold drinks.
"We have 10 different drinks we make for the cost of running the hot water." She lists a few: Sumac, dandelion, cinnamon basil mixed with lemon balm — none more mysterious than the process of letting leaves or roots seep for a while. "Students ask, 'Is that all there is to it?'" she recalls. "It makes it more approachable for people. They say, 'I can do that.'"
By example, Benjamin shows students that they can eat sustainably with ease; in return, she gets accolades, hugs and a dream kitchen where every cabinet, shelf and spice rack is custom-built.
"It's like a mix of camp, college and home here," she enthuses, offering up gifts of funky misshapen tomatoes, homemade jam, an offer to cater a student's wedding. "We feel the love. It's such a yummy feeling."
Heidi Benjamin's yummy meals are available to students of Yestermorrow Design/Build School courses, which range from one day to two weeks.
Sylvia Fagin writes about local foods and food producers. Contact her at sylviafagin@yahoo.com.
Monday, September 08, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
AIA Continuing Education programs at Yestermorrow
This year Yestermorrow has expanded its Continuing Education offerings through the American Institute of Architects and in 2008 we have 63 courses and workshops available. Our AIA/CES courses are specifically designed for current and future design professionals. For 2009 the AIA will launch a new continuing education requirement for Sustainable Design credits and a number of Yestermorrow's courses will fill this new requirement. Courses available for AIA/CES credits are indicated on our website and in our catalog in the course descriptions with the AIA symbol and a full listing is available on our website at www.yestermorrow.org/aia-ces.htm. Architecture students are also eligible for 0.15 IDP units per LU.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Yestermorrow's New Book is Here
There are times when organizations are quiessent and other times when they are running on all cylinders. Yestermorrow Design/Build School is currently in the latter mode--we are charging along at warp speed. The good news is that folks are taking notice in droves. Examples abound.
Last week our own Valley Reporter ran a multiple page spread on our recent Art of Stone class taught be Thea Alvin. It is a wonderful piece, but if you didn't see it you should check out the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLO8_tq1Fv0
We are also recieving quite a bit of attention regarding our expansion plans. Last night the folks from Watershed Studio and Jersey Devil held their first public charrette. It was a great experience with a ton of ideas shared. Really exciting stuff.
Thursday--August 21th--during the lunch hour Vermont Public Radio will run piece on Yestermorrow, our campus and our teaching methodologies. If you are not in Vermont, we will post the link to interview soon.
And tomorrow night, we will toast the release of our first book Natural Building: Creating Communities Through Cooperation with a wine and finger food celebration and book signing here on the Yestermorrow campus. Following the wine one of the co-editors of the book Tim Rieth will give a lecture about his adventures in the world of natural building. The signing will run from 6-7PM and lecture will start at 7. We hope you can come celebrate this first with us but if you cannot, please be there in spirit. The book is on sale at Yestermorrow and also at Barnes & Noble, Borders and through Amazon.com. Yestermorrow is selling the book for $25 including postage for orders in the US (contact designbuild@yestermorrow.org to order)
Bob Ferris
Executive Director
Yestermorrow Design/Build School
Sunday, August 17, 2008
This Isn't New We've Been Doing It for a Generation
A recent New York Times article talked about an emerging practice in design: Doing it with your hands. While this is a wonderful development and a fine article, this is what Yestermorrow has been doing for a nearly thirty years--connecting hand and mind through design/build. Enjoy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/17/technology/17ping.html?ex=1219636800&en=32ac1b5cda9f1ee3&ei=5070&emc=eta1
Bob Ferris
(Thanks for the heads up Mac.)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/17/technology/17ping.html?ex=1219636800&en=32ac1b5cda9f1ee3&ei=5070&emc=eta1
Bob Ferris
(Thanks for the heads up Mac.)
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Natural Building Intensive Slideshow
Check out these images from the 11-week Natural Building Intensive program which ended a few weeks ago.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Residential Green Building Rating Systems in Vermont
Confused about all the green building certifications out there? Me too. But over the summer I've been meeting with a group of builders and designers from around the state as the volunteer "Residential Green Building Advocate" for Vermont to try to get a grasp on the 4 existing programs in the state, and pros and cons of each.
Certification programs give buildings a kind of "seal of approval" for greenness. LEED has become the most recognized green building certification program for commercial projects, but in January 2008, USGBC set out to address the large residential building market with the launch of LEED-H - or LEED for HOMES. However, many municipalities, Home Builder Associations, and states (including Vermont) have had their own residential rating systems for years. With the introduction of a new nationally recognized standard, and various programs to choose from, how do you decide which is most appropriate for your project? A group made up of members from the Vermont Green Building Network (VGBN), Building for Social Responsibility (BSR), Efficiency Vermont, Vermont Housing Finance Association (VHFA), and the Home Builders Remodeling Association (HBRA), has been meeting over the past several months to develop a comprehensive resource for residential green building programs available in Vermont. The short term goal is to develop an interactive website that allows consumers to understand and evaluate the various components of each program in terms of design and building requirements, certification standards, and costs. The overall goal is to have all the groups work together to improve the housing stock in Vermont! We eventually hope to have this resource available as part of VGBN's website, but you can currently find information about individual programs at the following websites:
LEED for HOMES- (LEED-H) USGBC's home rating standard
Vermont Builds Greener - (VBG) Vermont's residential rating program
Energy Star - EPA Energy Efficiency Guidelines for homes
National Association of Home Builders - Model Green Home Guidelines.
Certification programs give buildings a kind of "seal of approval" for greenness. LEED has become the most recognized green building certification program for commercial projects, but in January 2008, USGBC set out to address the large residential building market with the launch of LEED-H - or LEED for HOMES. However, many municipalities, Home Builder Associations, and states (including Vermont) have had their own residential rating systems for years. With the introduction of a new nationally recognized standard, and various programs to choose from, how do you decide which is most appropriate for your project? A group made up of members from the Vermont Green Building Network (VGBN), Building for Social Responsibility (BSR), Efficiency Vermont, Vermont Housing Finance Association (VHFA), and the Home Builders Remodeling Association (HBRA), has been meeting over the past several months to develop a comprehensive resource for residential green building programs available in Vermont. The short term goal is to develop an interactive website that allows consumers to understand and evaluate the various components of each program in terms of design and building requirements, certification standards, and costs. The overall goal is to have all the groups work together to improve the housing stock in Vermont! We eventually hope to have this resource available as part of VGBN's website, but you can currently find information about individual programs at the following websites:
LEED for HOMES- (LEED-H) USGBC's home rating standard
Vermont Builds Greener - (VBG) Vermont's residential rating program
Energy Star - EPA Energy Efficiency Guidelines for homes
National Association of Home Builders - Model Green Home Guidelines.
Friday, August 01, 2008
Carbon Shredders Recognized by Congress
The following floor statement was made today by Vermont Congressman Peter Welch:
The 110th Congress has been focused on rising energy prices, protecting our environment, and finding concrete, long term solutions to climate change. The scientific evidence is clear: global warming is real, it is urgent, and it requires our immediate attention.
I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the dedicated efforts of Carbon Shredders, a grassroots environmental group based in the Mad River Valley of Vermont. Formed in the fall of 2007 by three local environmentalists, Carbon Shredders dedicates its time to curbing local energy consumption, helping Vermonters lower their energy costs, and working towards a clean energy future. The group challenges participants to alter their lifestyles in ways consistent with the goal of reduced energy consumption.
In March, three Vermont towns passed resolutions introduced by Carbon Shredders that call on residents and businesses to reduce their carbon footprint by ten percent by 2010. In addition to the environmental advantages of this initiative, participating households are expected to save nearly $700 each year. Carbon Shredders’ membership has grown considerably in Vermont since its founding, and the group has recently received national attention. I would like to recognize Carbon Shredders for their efforts on behalf of Vermont and the global community at-large. Any real solutions to the energy and environmental crises will demand the leadership and vision exemplified by this locally-based grassroots organization from Vermont. Thank you.
The 110th Congress has been focused on rising energy prices, protecting our environment, and finding concrete, long term solutions to climate change. The scientific evidence is clear: global warming is real, it is urgent, and it requires our immediate attention.
I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the dedicated efforts of Carbon Shredders, a grassroots environmental group based in the Mad River Valley of Vermont. Formed in the fall of 2007 by three local environmentalists, Carbon Shredders dedicates its time to curbing local energy consumption, helping Vermonters lower their energy costs, and working towards a clean energy future. The group challenges participants to alter their lifestyles in ways consistent with the goal of reduced energy consumption.
In March, three Vermont towns passed resolutions introduced by Carbon Shredders that call on residents and businesses to reduce their carbon footprint by ten percent by 2010. In addition to the environmental advantages of this initiative, participating households are expected to save nearly $700 each year. Carbon Shredders’ membership has grown considerably in Vermont since its founding, and the group has recently received national attention. I would like to recognize Carbon Shredders for their efforts on behalf of Vermont and the global community at-large. Any real solutions to the energy and environmental crises will demand the leadership and vision exemplified by this locally-based grassroots organization from Vermont. Thank you.
*****
Thank you, Peter!
The Carbon Shredders (http://www.carbonshredders.org/) is a group co-founded by Seventh Generation, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, and Yestermorrow Design/Build School and supported by NRG Systems, William Maclay Architects and Planners, ICF International, Sweet Pea Natural Foods, American Flatbread, The Big Picture Theatre, and the Town of Warren.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
On the Radio
I had two chances this month to chat with our good friend Rob Williams on the radio. First for Yestermorrow (http://www.vtcommons.org/content/free-vermont-radio-designing-independent-vermont-vernacular-july-15-2008) and later in the month for the Carbon Shredders (http://www.vtcommons.org/content/free-vermont-radio-carbon-shredding-energy-independence-july-22-2008) Listen to these clips and also take time to register on changent.com to show your support for Yestermorrow (http://www.changents.com/bob-ferris) and for the Carbon Shredders (http://www.changents.com/carbon-shredders). See you in Yestermorrowville.
Bob Ferris
Executive Director
Bob Ferris
Executive Director
Monday, July 28, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Help us Celebrate the Completion of the 2008 Natural Building Intensive!
Yestermorrow and the Center for Whole Communities invite you to celebrate the Natural Building Intensive project at the Knoll Farm in Fayston, VT on Friday, July 25th from 4-6pm.
This year's Intensive project is a combination barn and workshop for the Farm, built as a demonstration of natural building systems emphasizing locally sourced materials, super-insulated walls, and traditional Vermont vernacular barn design. The barn features a traditional king-post timber frame and insulated natural wall systems including straw bale and woodchip clay infill.
Six students have completed the full 11-week program and will be receiving their Certificates in Natural Building on the 25th. They include: Nico Sardet, Nathan Lawson, Elizabeth Weiss, Benjamin Griffin, Julia Kirk and Ben Gould. The Intensive project was led by Yestermorrow instructor Jacob Deva Racusin along with eleven other instructors who came in to teach their individual specialties.
Please join us for the open house on the 25th. Call 802-496-5545 or email kate@yestermorrow.org for directions or more information.
MOMA Show "Home Delivery"
A new show opened this week at the Museum of Modern Art in New York entitled "Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling". This show, which runs through October 20th, features the Cellophane House, a project which Yestermorrow instructor Andy Schlatter has been involved with in the conceptual and design development of the project at KieranTimberlake Associates in Philadelphia. Cellophane House is a five-story, offsite fabricated dwelling commissioned by MOMA. The 1800 square-foot residence has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, living and dining space, a roof terrace, and a carport. You can also view a time-lapse photo animation of the project being assembled at http://kierantimberlake.com/cellophane-house/index.html. Or head down to NY and see it for yourself!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Pooling our Resources
Yestermorrow helped found the Carbon Shredders (http://www.changents.com/carbon-shredders), so we shudder a little each time we see a car or truck pull into our lot and only see the driver's seat occupied. It is not that we don't dearly love to see students and instructors come to our campus, but rather we hope that we take our current and future high fuel prices, as well as evidence of human-caused climate change, as a clarion call to take public transportation and, if that is not possible, to make every effort to carpool to Yestermorrow. We urge all students to check out the below carpooling link-up sites:
Or you could join the Yestermorrow FaceBook group and go trolling for a ride or rider there. Whatever your method, let's see what we can do to cut our collective carbon footprint, make the Yestermorrow experience a little more affordable for all, and make a fuller connection to the Yestermorrow community. And hopefully, once you get into this habit that you'll incorporate
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Accessible Architecture Brings People Together
On the 4th of July, Carlene and I visited with our friends Steven Ablondi and Cindy Burns who had just returned from South Africa where they are working to establish a permaculture settlement. They are doing some spectacular things with water management and also doing some experimental building. We were really impressed with the look they were able to achieve with rammed earth. Their mixture augmented with 3% cement yielded surfaces that looked much like sedimentary walls of sandstone. It was a really attractive treatment. And during the presentation I was really struck by the notion that natural building is really a form of architecture that is accessible to all.
Their team also built a small cob building with the help of six young women from the village. Everyone had great fun in the mud and they ended up with a structure in the process. While the buildings were impressive, the social implications in post-apartheid South Africa are probably more important. For one, the buildings demonstrate that attractive buildings can be made out of local materials and that people of means are willing to live the structures. These two factors could induce the local villagers to forgo less economically sustainable cinder block construction and undertake building with local, natural materials once again.
What's more, everyone in the settlement was invited to the celebration and open house held at the end of construction. Thus a combination of natural building and permaculture acted as the catalyst for the first fully integrated social gathering in the area.
Their team also built a small cob building with the help of six young women from the village. Everyone had great fun in the mud and they ended up with a structure in the process. While the buildings were impressive, the social implications in post-apartheid South Africa are probably more important. For one, the buildings demonstrate that attractive buildings can be made out of local materials and that people of means are willing to live the structures. These two factors could induce the local villagers to forgo less economically sustainable cinder block construction and undertake building with local, natural materials once again.
What's more, everyone in the settlement was invited to the celebration and open house held at the end of construction. Thus a combination of natural building and permaculture acted as the catalyst for the first fully integrated social gathering in the area.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
A Place Called Yestermorrowville
One of the wonders of the internet is that we can design/build electronically that which we cannot have in real life: Yestermorrowville. This is a “place” where we all of us live the way we sustainably should, carry on our pattern of learning, and continue the very same community interactions you experienced during your visit or visits to Yestermorrow. So let me give you a tour around Yestermorrowville.
First we will go to our newspaper the information hub of our community. This periodical is the Yestermorrow e-newsletter which lets you know the general happenings here on campus and elsewhere in our extended community. To subscribe to the e-newsletter click this link: http://yestermorrow.org/request_newsletter.htm and follow the instructions.
Yestermorrowville is also blessed with a magazine. Here the stories are longer in length and run the gambit from updates on projects, the accomplishments of alumni or instructors, or the wild ramblings of staff. The Yestermorrow Magazine is our blog and we welcome your stories and updates. Send them to Erin at erin@yestermorrow.org and we will get your story out there.
As we travel farther down our electronic Main Street we come to the front porch of our general store. This is a place where discussions can be held and interactions reminiscent of talks around the YesterYum cafeteria are held. Right now this front porch is housed on my blog on the Greenopolis website http://greenopolis.com/myopolis/blogs/my-blog. Come sit on the porch with me for a while and we will see where our thoughts take us.
There is also sort of a soda fountain where chit-chat and whimsy abound. This is a place to share photos and catch up with former classmates and meet new ones. You might even have a dialog about ride sharing here. The soda fountain is our site on FaceBook http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=14368031554 join up and sit for a spell. You might see old friends or a 4th of July float or two.
We also have a movie theater in Yestermorrowville. Here we show short films about the school, our instructors, and videos of efforts we support or like. This is our YouTube Channel which has drama, content and a lot of other features thrown in for fun http://www.youtube.com/user/yestermorrowdb . Watch the videos and subscribe to the channel so you’ll be notified when new videos are added.
Yestermorrowville is all about adult and sometimes youth education. No trip to the “Ville” would be complete without seeing what is on the educational menu http://www.yestermorrow.org/courses.htm . Now there is more reason than ever to check this and check it often because we are going to be offering some special classes that won’t be listed in our catalog.
We also try to change the world at Yestermorrowville. We simply cannot help ourselves; we are basically do-gooders and it shows. Our current efforts in this area are two-fold. First, we are promoting a page that features Yestermorrow on the Changent site http://www.changents.com/change-agents/bob-ferris that will help encourage others to move to our beautifully designed and sustainable community. Join Changent and please sign on as a backer—and feel free to post as well. A true inhabitant of Yestermorrowville would also click on as backer on the Carbon Shredders page http://www.changents.com/change-agents/carbon-shredders . This is an effort that Yestermorrow co-founded with Seventh Generation and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters.
So even if we cannot all live in Yestermorrowville physically, we can certainly do the next best thing. Come join us, introduce others to our community, and keep going on the life-long learning pathway you started on your first visit to Yestermorrow.
Bob Ferris
Executive Director
Yestermorrow Design/Build School
First we will go to our newspaper the information hub of our community. This periodical is the Yestermorrow e-newsletter which lets you know the general happenings here on campus and elsewhere in our extended community. To subscribe to the e-newsletter click this link: http://yestermorrow.org/request_newsletter.htm and follow the instructions.
Yestermorrowville is also blessed with a magazine. Here the stories are longer in length and run the gambit from updates on projects, the accomplishments of alumni or instructors, or the wild ramblings of staff. The Yestermorrow Magazine is our blog and we welcome your stories and updates. Send them to Erin at erin@yestermorrow.org and we will get your story out there.
As we travel farther down our electronic Main Street we come to the front porch of our general store. This is a place where discussions can be held and interactions reminiscent of talks around the YesterYum cafeteria are held. Right now this front porch is housed on my blog on the Greenopolis website http://greenopolis.com/myopolis/blogs/my-blog. Come sit on the porch with me for a while and we will see where our thoughts take us.
There is also sort of a soda fountain where chit-chat and whimsy abound. This is a place to share photos and catch up with former classmates and meet new ones. You might even have a dialog about ride sharing here. The soda fountain is our site on FaceBook http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=14368031554 join up and sit for a spell. You might see old friends or a 4th of July float or two.
We also have a movie theater in Yestermorrowville. Here we show short films about the school, our instructors, and videos of efforts we support or like. This is our YouTube Channel which has drama, content and a lot of other features thrown in for fun http://www.youtube.com/user/yestermorrowdb . Watch the videos and subscribe to the channel so you’ll be notified when new videos are added.
Yestermorrowville is all about adult and sometimes youth education. No trip to the “Ville” would be complete without seeing what is on the educational menu http://www.yestermorrow.org/courses.htm . Now there is more reason than ever to check this and check it often because we are going to be offering some special classes that won’t be listed in our catalog.
We also try to change the world at Yestermorrowville. We simply cannot help ourselves; we are basically do-gooders and it shows. Our current efforts in this area are two-fold. First, we are promoting a page that features Yestermorrow on the Changent site http://www.changents.com/change-agents/bob-ferris that will help encourage others to move to our beautifully designed and sustainable community. Join Changent and please sign on as a backer—and feel free to post as well. A true inhabitant of Yestermorrowville would also click on as backer on the Carbon Shredders page http://www.changents.com/change-agents/carbon-shredders . This is an effort that Yestermorrow co-founded with Seventh Generation and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters.
So even if we cannot all live in Yestermorrowville physically, we can certainly do the next best thing. Come join us, introduce others to our community, and keep going on the life-long learning pathway you started on your first visit to Yestermorrow.
Bob Ferris
Executive Director
Yestermorrow Design/Build School
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