Grow Montana’s Regenerative Future: Join Our 3-Day Permaculture Design Practicum at Orion Farmstead
Learn from Montana’s own permaculture expert Kareen Erbe and help design a regenerative farm stay that reflects the heart of Big Sky Country.
About the Course
This unique 3-day practicum is your opportunity to connect with the land, your community, and the principles of regenerative design. Together, we’ll shape a site plan for Orion Farmstead, our immersive farm stay project, drawing inspiration from Montana’s natural beauty and ecosystems.
What You'll Learn
- Permaculture Principles
- Social Systems Design
- Site Goals & Design Methods and Process
- Creating Food Forests
- Soil-Building Strategies
- Capturing Water and Fire Mitigation
- Collaborative, team-based creation of a master site plan for Orion Farmstead with hands-on help from Kareen Erbe
Why Join Us?
Montana is at the forefront of the regenerative living movement, and this practicum is your chance to:
- Gain skills to apply on your own land or community projects
- Contribute to a meaningful local initiative
- Network with like-minded Montanans passionate about regeneration and resilience
About Kareen Erbe
Kareen Erbe is a certified permaculture designer and has been teaching permaculture and gardening workshops through her business, Broken Ground, for over a decade. She and her husband live on a suburban cold climate permaculture homestead in Bozeman, Montana. She has a BSc in Environmental Science and completed an advanced permaculture program taught by Geoff Lawton. Learn more about Kareen at brokengroundpermaculture.com or her youtube channel at youtube.com/c/BrokenGround.
Why Orion Farmstead?
Situated in Montana’s breathtaking Bitterroot Valley, Orion Farmstead aims to become a beacon of regenerative hope. By joining this practicum, you’ll be part of shaping an immersive farm stay rooted in local ecology and designed for community connection and education.
Event Details
Dates: May 2-4, 2025
Time: 4PM Friday – Approximately noon on Sunday
Location: Orion Farmstead, 40740 HWY 200, Ovando, MT 59854
Cost: In an effort to improve accessibility, the cost to participate will be on the honesty system and a sliding scale. The range is $200-$550. Additionally there will be up to two work-trade scholarships available. More details below.
The Food: Homemade dinners, lunch, and breakfast from locally sourced ingredients. Folks with severe allergies should be prepared to provide their own food. There will be vegetarian and non-vegetarian options at each meal.
Included: Meals featuring local ingredients, materials, and an immersive design experience.
Capacity: Limited to 25 participants to ensure a collaborative and personalized experience.
Accommodations: A total of three on-site rentable options available on a first come, first served, or you can BYOT (Bring Your Own Tent) which is obviously free.
Click here for information about our onsite accommodation options.
Additionally the Ovando Inn has 7 total rooms available.
Weather: Be prepared for inclement weather.
Don’t miss this opportunity to deepen your connection to Montana’s land and community. Spaces are limited—reserve your spot today!
Cost Structure: Making Regenerative Design Accessible
At Orion Farmstead, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to engage with permaculture and regenerative design. To improve accessibility, we’ve designed a cost structure based on honesty and a sliding scale.
Sliding Scale: $200–$550
We encourage participants to contribute within this range based on their financial ability. This approach allows those with greater resources to support the program while making it more accessible for others.
Why a Sliding Scale?
A sliding scale helps create a more inclusive environment where participants from diverse financial backgrounds can join and contribute. By choosing an amount that feels right for your situation, you help sustain this project and make future events possible.
Work-Trade Scholarships
We are offering up to two work-trade scholarships for individuals who may not be able to afford the cost but are eager to participate.
- Scholarship recipients will contribute 20 hours of their time toward assisting us implement the plan. The 20 hours can be earned over the course of 2 months max. We will work with you to create a plan that works for us and for you.
- To apply, please click here to complete an interest form.
How to Choose Your Contribution?
When registering, simply select the amount that feels right for you within the $200–$550 range. Your honesty and generosity directly support our efforts to foster regenerative practices and create an inspiring community at Orion Farmstead.
If you have questions about the cost structure or scholarships, please don’t hesitate to contact us via phone or email.