If you prefer to pay via a direct deposit or check please fill out a registration form and send proof of payment to info@ranchomastatal.com. For information on payment details go here.

DESCRIPTION

Join us for this Natural Building and Permaculture class designed for families with children ages 6-16.

Learn and get inspired by our experienced team of natural builders and permaculture practitioners for this transformational family friendly experience. The class covers the basics of natural building and permaculture with a focus on movement, play, connection and fun.

Utilizing Rancho Mastatal as a living classroom, the class will focus on hands-on work (75%) with a bit of theory (25%).

WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS COURSE?

• Families who want to expose their children to outdoor living.

• Families who own their own land, dream of owning land or are actively looking.

• Families who are interested in living a more regenerative lifestyle.

• Professionals (eg, architects, designers, farmers, educators, community development workers, social workers etc) who wish to bring natural building and permaculture into their homes.

• Families who want to meet other families with similar interests.

This course is applicable to anyone with an interest in designing resilient and regenerative futures. The introductory class will inspire participants to use new tools to improve their surroundings; from gardens, farms and homes, to livelihoods, relationships and communities.

WHAT IS NATURAL BUILDING AND PERMACULTURE?

Natural building is using local, natural materials to build your home. Our focus here at the Ranch is the use of earth, bamboo and wood.

Permaculture is something you use, not something you do. While practical skills and applications of design principals are incorporated into the short course, the learning outcomes revolve around getting a taste for the ethics, principals, and methodologies of permaculture design.

WHAT YOUR WILL LEARN and TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

DAY 1 - SATURDAY, JULY 3

ARRIVE AND SETTLE IN TO RANCHO MASTATAL.

Families will arrive this day and settle in to their private rooms or cabins. Dinner is provided. For this families arriving early, they can explore Rancho Mastatal campus.

DAY 2 - SUNDAY, JULY 4

FREE DAY TO SETTLE IN

Families will have the day to get to know the small rural community of Mastatal and the Ranch’s private wildlife refuge. After brunch, we will take a guided trip to a nearby waterfall and if weather permits, we will go to the local soccer field to play soccer and other kid-friendly games.

DAY 3 - MONDAY, JULY 5

NATURAL BUILDING

We will take some time in the morning to get to know one another and will then get down and dirty with learning about the different components of earth building and how to wattle and daub and make adobes.

DAY 4 - TUESDAY, JULY 6

FARM TO TABLE PERMACULTURE AND FERMENTATION

We will learn how to harvest and prepare our own food and cook with local ingredients as well as the basics of how to asses soils, make compost and manage water. On our final day we will also learn to make natural, live fermented sodas and lacto-fermented vegetables.

DAY 5 - WEDNESDAY, JULY 7

We will have a final day to answer any questions that families have about anything that we covered in the class. We’re leaving this session a bit unstructured for the moment to leave some flexibility to add any topics that students might be interested in talking about and covering.

DAY 6 - THURSDAY, JULY 8

Families will have one last farm fresh brunch at the Ranch before departing.

GENERAL COURSE ITINERARY

Here's a quick look at the daily class schedule:

6-7.30 am: Organic, local coffee, fruit and hard-boiled eggs

7.30-10 am: Class

10-11.30 am: Brunch

11.30-2.30 pm: Class

2.30-3.00 pm: Snack

3.00- 6.30 pm: Freetime, downtime, playtime

6.30 pm: Dinner

start and ARRIVAl dates

Families can arrive at any time on July 3.  You must arrive before 6.00 pm. We will not be able to accommodate you after this time.

departure dates

The last day of the intensive is July 8. Class will end around noon to give families enough time to get to their next destination. The night of July 7 is included in the cost. The night of July 8 is not included in the cost of the class. Families can add on the night of July 8 for an additional cost.

COST

The course course includes lodging in a private room or cabin in one of our naturally built structures and all meals and instruction.

Family of 2: US$2,000

Family of 3: US$2,625

Family of 4: US$3,000

Family of 5: US$3,750

You can put down a $500 to secure your spot in the class. We will have a limited number of spots available for this course.

Costa Rican citizens get a 15% on the above prices.

If you prefer to pay your deposit or full course fee via a direct deposit or check please fill out a registration form and send proof of payment to info@ranchomastatal.com. For information on payment details go here.

These prices include private lodging, all meals, and full access to Rancho Mastatal and its private wildlife refuge.

LANGUAGE

This intensive will be in English, though all of the teachers are fluent in Spanish to help facilitate the learning for non-english speakers.  

ACCOMMODATIONS

All food and lodging is included in the cost. Participants will stay in one of the Ranch’s naturally built structures. We provide high quality mattresses, linens and blankets.  Please see our Accommodations page for more information.  

CANCELLATION POLICY

Please see our cancellation policy here.

GETTING TO RANCHO MASTATAL

Please see our Directions page for detailed information on how to get to Rancho Mastatal.  

QUESTIONS

For more information about this class and Rancho Mastatal please contact us at info@ranchomastatal.com , call us at +506 2200-0920 or text/WhatsApp us at +506 8539-1404.