
WATER STEWARDS is happy to offer community field trips and workshops
for all ages!
2019 Field Trips!
Bring your group to our farm's Permaculture Demonstration Site for a customized program developed just for you!
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2019 Summer Workshop Series for Teen and Young Adults
Nature Inspired Resilience
(Regenerative Systems for Food & Water)
at 10:00am-2:00pm on these dates:
Thursday July 11
Friday July 12
Thursday August 15
Friday August 16
Have fun exploring and learning cool insights from our extraordinary natural eco system!
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Read the landscape and learn from the patterns in nature
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Install earthworks for water and food
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understand nature’s way for edible guilds, the plants, and using our natural resources
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Hear about the principles from Permaculture that are used around the world to heal our land, restore resilient systems in any climate/location, and provide perpetual life-giving food and water.
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Electives: edible perennial plant field trip and installing your own guild.
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Community Workshops
2019 Autumn Workshops are Taking Shape! Standby for announcements.
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2018 at-a-glance:
Fields to Forests Workshop
April 28 (Saturday)
10am-4pm
Trees, reforestation solutions and re-wilding fields; Ecosystem and habitat analysis; Seed planting; Nurture/protect wild tree seedlings; Field Guide creation; Living tree fence planting.
-Amazing Permaculture-
May 5 (Saturday)
May 26 (Saturday)
10am - 4pm
Swales on Contour, Spring planting of food (perennial & annual vegetables), pollinators and supportive plant guilds. Crafting embossed garden signs.
Nature Inspired Ponds
June 23 & 24 (Saturday & Sunday)
August 10 & 11 (Friday & Saturday)
10am-4pm
Analysis of living things found in and near the pond; Design, Planning and Earthworks; Plants and crafting natural gardens, stonework, flow forms that optimize a healthy pond echo system.
Nature Inspired Orchards & Gardens
-Amazing Permaculture-
September 28 & October 12 (Fridays)
10am-2pm
Planting guilds of trees and perennials; Pruning and autumn maintenance; Preparation of orchards and gardens for spring. Crafting embossed signs from recycled aluminum beverage cans.
-Amazing Permaculture-
November 9 (Friday)
10am-2pm
November is prime time to establish a food forest. Plant new fruit trees and perennial food guilds with a water solution.
WATER STEWARDS is an ongoing program for the public (youth in grades 5-12, college students and adults) with interest in rewarding, hands-on opportunities to work with nature and art in order to solve a real-world problem: insufficient quantity and quality of water on a community farm.
Led by professionals in ecology, permaculture, conservation and environmental art, participants will be inspired by nature to design a regenerative landscape that can capture and disperse clean water to all the right places on the farm. WATER STEWARDS will examine the vital role of water and the interconnections of all living things in the ecosystem. Students will create various art forms to provide structure and function for the landscape and to uniquely express their experiences.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Those who will flourish in this program possess a sincere interest to participate and bring to the team one or more of these qualities:
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eagerness to explore and solve a real-world problem
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inspired by hands-on activities and experiential learning, indoors and outdoors
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need real-world skills or community service for a college application, employment applications, resumes and community service essays
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desire to work in and with nature
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willingness to explore sustainable concepts for living, agriculture, farming, landscaping and gardening
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desire exposure to various careers such as ecological farming, environmental conservation, culinary arts, wellness, landscaping and the arts
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aspiration to put science into action
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concern for social justice
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open to exploring the fields, ponds and woods in our outdoor laboratory
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interest in exploring new experiences and/or expanding talents in photography, poetry, painting, graphics, drawing, sculpture, nature-based arts and social media
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interest in learning the wisdom of indigenous people that apply to modern living
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enjoy learning about nutrition, cooking, whole foods and health
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desire to practice sustainable living
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open to discovering new skills, strengths and perspectives about our world
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desire to contribute meaningful solutions to environmental challenges
Collaborative Work ~ Individual Achievement ~ Self-Expression
Every session will include new concepts and projects in landscape (ecosystem), creativescape (the arts) and humanscape (community). This life-changing experience will provide participants with skills and knowledge that can be used throughout their lives and around the world. The program offers a diverse laboratory to apply and reinforce classroom education. Students may be inspired by this program to pursue a wide variety of college and career fields.
Working in NATURE is a PATH to SELF-DISCOVERY
LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCES FOR YOU TO . . .
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Observe natural patterns and resources throughout the changing seasons and phases of restoration.
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Use nature as a guide for problem solving so we can restore resilience and sustainability to a complex ecosystem.
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Plan zones and sectors, shape dry, flat land, and build systems to capture, store and move water to support all the farm’s needs.
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Make decisions by using the Stacking Functions Method.
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Create a natural system that needs fewer human inputs, while the system gives more outputs year ‘round.
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Witness why segmentation of issues, modern force and chemical approaches to controlling nature don’t work and how a whole-systems, nature-based design is sustainable.
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Learn about natural wastewater and flow form systems that can recharge groundwater supplies, positively impacting the farm and the Canandaigua Lake watershed.
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Generate soil fertility.
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Plant multi-system garden guilds in swales and raised beds on contour.
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Use natural planting and cultivating techniques to extend the growing season and harvest more food that is healthier.
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Discover simplicity, low cost, flavor and health in garden-to-table food preparations.
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Use art (traditional and digital) to express, illustrate and document observations and outcomes that can guide others.
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Discover personal connections, roles and purpose within the ecosystem.
WATER STEWARDS
SCHOLARSHIPS
We are happy to share a limited number of scholarships (full and/or partial) to candidates with financial need.










YOU + NATURE
Be a part of this exciting program!


WATER STEWARDS is made possible in part by a grant awarded by the Guido and Ellen Palma Foundation, and is offered by Shimmering Light Farm & Renewal Center, a non-profit educational farm and retreat center dedicated to connecting people to the Earth, each other and our own true nature.
BE A PART OF THESE MEANINGFUL RESULTS . . .
Nature’s Patterns on the Farm
Acute observation and artistic expression of pattern findings (such as solar, wind, light/shade, climate, landforms, plants/animals, water, soil, boundaries, slope, dimensions.)
Master Landscape Design Plan
Collect data to diagram and sketch designs and data overlays
Earthworks
Dig, mold, and install swales, water catchment, flow and filtration systems, and raised beds on contour.
Structure and Shape
Fine tune earth forms and gardens. Create functional art that can support and enhance water needs and communicate solutions to environmental challenges (such as footpaths, living fences, flow forms, earth/water sculptures, and personal works.)
Compost, Plant and Mulch
Build soil fertility and plant edible garden guilds.
Water and Food
Prepare delicious, nutritious, seasonal, local food.
Share What We’ve Designed
Throughout the project, present your exciting work to the public at open houses, outdoor labs, exhibitions, tastings and phase reveals.