<![CDATA[Monica Ibacache - Blog]]>Mon, 12 Jan 2026 18:59:53 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Our High School Permaculture Program in Collaboration with OSU]]>Fri, 27 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.monicaibacache.com/blog/our-high-school-permaculture-program-in-collaboration-with-osuThis 96-hour High School Intensive was born from a vision by the Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation's concern about the city’s limited access to fresh foods, lack of eco-literacy among the local youth, and animal habitat loss due to the city’s rapid development. They saw a need for urgent action.

Thus, a powerful collaboration emerged to create a youth workforce development program. Partnering with Oregon State University’s Permaculture Department, Beyond Organic Design took the lead in crafting the curriculum — a 96-hour deep dive into permaculture concepts, design, whole-systems thinking, and community education skills.

In this program, mornings are dedicated to hands-on work in both public and private sites around the community. Afternoons are dedicated to diving into the curriculum, building technical skills in permaculture design and sustainable solutions.

Upon successful completion, students will receive a certificate from OSU, a testament to their dedication and a powerful stepping stone towards a career in sustainability. We believe these young designers will become the driving force behind a greener future for all!

Our program is set to be launched this Summer, after which the curriculum will be open-source. Follow us to stay up to date!

Want to support this work? We are developing a year-long Permaculture High School elective, but we need YOU! Visit the program's website to learn more.

Your generous, 100% tax-deductible investment will directly fund the education of our future leaders. Join us on this journey of transformation. CLICK HERE TO INVEST NOW!
]]><![CDATA[NYC Food FANTASY : OUR week long Intensive]]>Thu, 26 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.monicaibacache.com/blog/nyc-food-fantasy-our-week-long-intensiveOur 2024 Intensive was a smash hit as we learned about our food system and toured students around NYC to explore food from many angles!
  • Visited an urban rooftop farm where they got to harvest carrots and fresh herbs
  • Took a cooking class where they prepared a full Indian meal
  • Had vegetarian burgers 
  • Sampled regional Asian cuisines
  • Then prepared a board documenting it outside the classroom for the other students
We believe youth deserve to know where and how their food is produced. We want to go further into food systems in our year-long science elective. We NEED YOUR SUPPORT in our development phase of this new program. Visit eco-designers.com to learn more and make a 100% tax deductible investment here
]]><![CDATA[NYC students design a rooftop urban farm]]>Wed, 25 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.monicaibacache.com/blog/nyc-students-design-a-rooftop-urban-farmWhen Stacy Gauthier, The Renaissance Charter School (TRCS) principal, met the Director of Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens, they discussed the organization’s new leasing of a rooftop farm. The former production farm would now be used for educational purposes. Both loved the idea of creating a unique opportunity for students to design the farm for sustainability and interact with farmers.  Stacey reached out to Monica and thus our Permaculture Design Lab was born!

A 24-part afterschool internship, called the Leadership Program at TRCS, is a for high school program happening from October to May.  We kicked off this academic year with a field trip to Sky Farm, the very farm our students are tasked with designing. Located in Queens, Sky Farm was once a production farm. Now, it has transformed into a vibrant community hub offering a glimpse into a more harmonious future.

At BOD, we believe experiential learning is a powerful tool. Through hands-on projects, we instill the core ethics of permaculture:
    1.   Caring for the Earth
    2.  Caring for people
    3.  Designing for abundance

The impact of this program has been profound. We've witnessed firsthand the excitement it ignites in our students and the steady dedication of TRCS teacher, Ariel Sacks, who leads the program. In her 20 years of experience as a Language Arts teacher, Ariel has observed increasing climate anxiety and depression among her students. She took on the challenge to teach our program, and found it has been an illuminating experience that has successfully instilled hope for the future in our class. 

The Permaculture Design Lab is an amazing program but we want to SCALE UP! We are developing a year-long Permaculture elective and need YOUR help to make it happen! Visit our fundraiser to make a 100% tax-deductible investment NOW!
]]><![CDATA[Mentoring youth living in a Florida food desert]]>Tue, 24 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.monicaibacache.com/blog/mentoring-youth-living-in-a-florida-food-desertIn 2019, when Camille and Monica met as fellows for the Sierra Club, they immediately connected over their work with youth. This shared passion blossomed into a partnership with Little Growers INC, a grassroots organization in Melbourne, Florida.

Melbourne faces several environmental issues. It's a declared food desert, meaning access to fresh food is scarce. The Indian River Lagoon, a vital waterway, is under threat, a near-dead zone. Summers are hotter and dryer than ever, a result of climate change. And the ever-looming shadow of rising sea levels threatens to displace thousands of residents.

But within these challenges, a seed of hope was planted. Together with Little Growers, BOD designed an "Intro to Permaculture" class as part of their "Earn and Learn" Summer program. Students aged 12 to 17 learned about the Indian River Lagoon and permaculture-based solutions to their region’s water management issues, with a special focus on rain gardens. 

It was a success! Our students were excited to learn, connecting their classroom lessons with enriching field trips. 

One of the most heartwarming moments was witnessing Ahmir, a former star student, step into the role of facilitator. His enthusiasm and knowledge inspired the current students to envision their own paths of growth. "Thank you, Ahmir," we say with gratitude. 💚

The "Earn and Learn" program is the first step in Little Growers' larger vision of equipping youth to design and implement permaculture-based solutions in Melbourne. We are excited to be part of it!

The world needs MORE programs like this! BOD is ready to develop a year-long High School Permaculture elective.
​But WE CAN’T DO IT WITHOUT YOU! 
​
Click here to make a 100% tax deductible investment in the education of our future leaders!]]><![CDATA[Year long progam in Spanish Harlem]]>Mon, 23 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.monicaibacache.com/blog/year-long-progam-in-spanish-harlemIt was a chance encounter in Fall of 2016. Monica, from BOD, was strolling past CPE2 when she noticed a parent tending to the school garden. A simple conversation blossomed into a partnership that has now spanned eight years!

Our school year long program revolves around the outdoor garden and their greenhouse. Fall brings the joy of harvest and the art of seed saving, while Spring awakens with the excitement of preparing the garden for planting.

Last year, we put our energy into designing and constructing a new outdoor classroom . We prepared the space for engaging, hands-on learning activities. This year, the fruits of our labor blossomed as our students from Pre-Kindergarten to 8th grade learned more about seeds and participated in harvesting them.

The benefits of this program extend far beyond the garden's borders. For many of our students, it's a reconnection with their family heritage – a link to the memories of parents or grandparents who cultivated their own food or cherished their own gardens.

In New York City, where the rhythm of nature often fades into the background, our garden provides a sanctuary – a safe place where children can learn, grow, and feel deeply connected to their environment. They witness the miracle of food production, the intricate roles of flowers and pollinators, observe the patterns of nature, and savor the delight of fresh vegetables.

Our annual plant sales, held during the school's Spring and Fall festivals, were once again met with success. We are grateful to all who joined us and supported our sale!

Now, we dream of expanding this transformative program. Our vision: a year-long permaculture elective for high school to continue the learning journey started here, in elementary. To bring this dream to fruition, we need your support.

If this story resonates with you, we invite you to make a 100% tax-deductible investment in our collective future. https://abundantearthfoundation.org/bod/ ​

Visit the program's website to learn more
]]><![CDATA[Spring Gardening Program at Central Park East II (CPE2)]]>Tue, 07 May 2024 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.monicaibacache.com/blog/spring-gardening-program-at-central-park-east-ii-cpe2

​Spring 2024 at Central Park East II (CPE2)

We are thrilled to be back for another year of our Spring Gardening Program at Central Park East 2 (CPE2)! This week marked the beginning of an exciting journey as our students planted and transplanted seedlings into the school gardens, while learning about soil and plant care, plus the importance of providing the right conditions for growth.

Inspired by Permaculture’s first principle “Observe and Interact”, we created Nature Observation Journals for our students, where they'll document every change they notice in our gardens over the next 6 weeks. We look forward to seeing what they find! 

Spring Fling!

We were excited to be part of the school's "Spring Fling", with another year of our plant sale. Alongside a vibrant selection of herbs, flowers and vegetables, we prepared a helpful plant care guide for our customers. Thank you to everyone who came by! 

Cultivating Sustainable Minds
​
As we reflect on this week's endeavors, we're reminded of the profound impact that hands-on learning and environmental education can have on young minds. Through our partnership with CPE2, we're honored to be a part of shaping the next generation of eco-conscious leaders. 

We are determined to create a more sustainable future for them! Sowing the seeds of change, one garden bed at a time.

Photo credits to our amazing intern Chase Barnes!
]]><![CDATA[Announcing our Universal High School Permaculture Program Fundraiser!]]>Wed, 06 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.monicaibacache.com/blog/announcing-our-universal-high-school-permaculture-program-fundraiser
INVEST WITH US

​Teenagers are facing the largest mental health crisis we have ever seen. Climate chaos is filling our kids with anxiety and fear of an uncertain future. They don’t understand what is causing climate chaos and how to solve this problem. Education in Permaculture Design is one vital remedy. It arms our youth with the tools and knowledge to create solutions that can heal the planet. Through learning Permaculture Design, teens become confident and empowered in STEM-related skills, which opens up pathways to professions and gives teens hope for the future and the role they can play in it.

With your help, we will be able to create a universal high school curriculum that can be taught in public high schools across the U.S. This will enable thousands of children to gain the knowledge they need to build their future careers and create solutions that have a lasting impact on the current climate chaos that affects all of us.

Graduates of this interactive and experiential program will grow into being conscious eco citizens and/or study STEM careers in college because they want to be part of the solution.

We’re asking you to invest what you can in this unique and innovative high school program with us! Your support of our efforts to bring Permaculture Design Education to even more schools in NYC and across the country is essential. If you’d like to play a role in turning scared and anxious teens into future-conscious eco-citizens, scientists, and engineers who have a focus on creative solutions to climate chaos, then join in and invest with us!

Sharing is caring, please help us spread the word as every effort made is a contribution in itself. 
In gratitude, Monica Ibacache. ED, Beyond Organic Design

https://abundantearthfoundation.org/bod/
]]><![CDATA[OSU: Toxic Soil to Eco-Oasis]]>Sun, 18 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.monicaibacache.com/blog/osu-toxic-soil-to-eco-oasis

This past year, we had the incredible opportunity to be featured in Oregon State University's video "Guerrilla Gardeners Turn Toxic Soil into Eco-Oasis". This video highlighted our efforts to revitalize contaminated land and turn it into a flourishing green oasis.

Through our hard work and dedication, we were able to bring beauty, biodiversity, and a sense of community to a neighborhood that had long been devoid of nature's touch. It was a rewarding experience to see how our passion for gardening and environmental stewardship could make such a positive impact on our community. We hope that our story inspires others to take action and transform neglected spaces into vibrant, sustainable green areas that benefit both people and the planet.
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