May 8
Edible Mushroom Cultivation
Workshop with Justin West
Saturday, from 9 a.m. to noon
This is a hands-on workshop covering shiitake mushroom cultivation on logs. Justin will discuss various techniques for home-scale cultivation of mushrooms. Participants will inoculate hardwood logs with shiitake spawn which later will yield mushrooms.
Fee: $35 (includes shitake spawn); no fee for children who accompany adults.
Please pre-register by April 25 so that we can order enough spawn and give you instructions about the logs you need to bring.

May 7
Regenerative Land Practices in Colombia and Brazil
A talk and slide presentation by Justin West
Friday at 7:30 pm
The degradation of land and the loss of biodiversity due to human practices are deeply troubling. But there are also inspiring examples of how people can mitigate ecological unraveling and loss of biodiversity by weaving principles of ecology and diversity into the food- and fuel-producing ecosystems themselves. In 2009, agro-ecologist Justin West visited Colombia and Brazil, and he will present a photographic journal of some of the most impressive, inspiring, and encouraging food and agro-forestry systems being designed in the tropics today. ($12; $8 for seniors and students.)

April 22
Thinking Like a Mountain: Our Future with the Earth and the Legacy of Aldo Leopold
An Earth Day talk by Craig Holdrege
Thursday at 7:30 pm
Aldo Leopold was one of the most significant ecologists and ecological thinkers of the 20th Century. He believed that human beings could develop a way of thinking and being in the world - which he called "thinking like a mountain" - that would make it possible for humanity to play a more integrated role in the whole of nature. In this talk Craig Holdrege will develop this key idea within the context of Leopold's life and times, and show its relevance for the 21st Century. ($12; $8 for seniors and students.)

February 14 - February 19
Plant, Earth and Cosmos: Cultivating Perception and Flexible Thinking
A weeklong course with Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege at The Nature Institute for farm apprentices, farmers, gardeners and others seeking a working connection to the land.
Can we learn to perceive and understand nature in more vital and truly ecological ways? When we enliven our perceptions and enhance our ability to form more dynamic and holistic pictures of nature’s creatures and processes, the life of nature can become ever more embodied in what we perceive, think, and do. To stimulate this transformation of our capacities, we will carry out exercises in flexible thinking and careful observation. We engage in phenomenological explorations of the qualities of the plant, which lies at the heart of all agricultural endeavors. Each day will consist of the following activities:

Morning Seminars (9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.):

• Projective geometry—Exercises in flexible thinking
• The plant—Metamorphosis; plant growth forms in different environmental conditions and in relation to climate and seasons

Afternoon Seminar (2 to 3:30 p.m.):

• Observation exercises related to the plant study

Evening Seminar (7 to 8:30 p.m.):

• Astronomy—Finding orientation in the night sky

This course will begin on Sunday evening, February 14, at 7 p. m. and end on Friday, February 19, at 3 p.m.
Course fee is on sliding scale $250 to $420.
As part of a 2010 Biodynamic Winter Intensive this course is followed by a weeklong course (February 21 to 26) on The Theory and Practice of Biodynamic Farming at Hawthorne Valley Farm Learning Center. If you attend both courses, fee for both weeks is on sliding scale $450 to $800.

September 14, October 19, November 23 and December 14
Monday Nights with the Stars
with Henrike Holdrege
7:30 p.m. at The Nature Institute
Living in the country we are blessed with darkness at night that allows us to see the stars. Weather permitting, we will directly observe and find orientation in the night sky. If it is cloudy, we will work inside to prepare for observations that you can do on your own on a clear night. We will study the daily and yearly movements of the stars, the constellations of the zodiac, and learn about the rhythms of Sun, Moon, and the planets.
No fee; pre-registration not required.

November 12
The Plant as a Teacher of Living Thinking
A talk by Craig Holdrege
Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
In a time that calls for the human mind to become ever more flexible, dynamic, and context-sensitive in order to address pressing problems, the humble plant can become a forceful teacher of a living thinking. In this talk, Craig Holdrege will show, through many concrete examples, how we can learn to model our thinking after the way plants live. Fee: $12; $8 students, apprentices and seniors

October 17
Volunteer Day in the Woods
Saturday, from 2 to 5 p.m.
In April a group of 19 volunteers helped to clear the trail and boardwalk in the Institute’s Nature Preserve from debris from the December 2008 ice storm. The area was brought back into a harmony and plant growth thrived during the spring and summer. There are still some areas that need attention, so if you would like to help us with this work, please come to the Institute and bring gloves, and if you have them, loppers. Rain Date: October 24.

October 16
Beyond Plastic: Its Dangers for our Environment and Human Health
A talk by Tim Scherbatskoy
Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Plastic is a ubiquitous element in our world today. But how much awareness do we have concerning its effects? In this talk, Tim Scherbatskoy will discuss how we have become inundated with plastic, the harm this does to our body and our environment, and how we can unlearn some of our bad plastic habits and develop more sustainable approaches to living lightly on the planet. Tim is an Associate Professor of Biology, Adirondack Community College. He studies and advocates sustainability, teaching how we can become more alert to the environmental consequences of our daily choices and be happy in this awareness. Fee: $12; $8 students, apprentices and seniors

October 4
Hand-Sowing a Field of Rye
Sunday, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Hawthorne Valley Association and The Nature Institute invite you to join in hand-sowing a field of rye and learning about seeds, grains, and the evolution of agriculture in Columbia County. The event will take place at 391 Carpenter Road, two miles from the center of Philmont, NY. For more information call Hawthorne Valley Association at 518-672-7500 x105.

May 16
Light and Color - A Workshop for Artists
Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
In this workshop Henrike Holdrege will lead participants through an array of observations relating to light and color that will be especially illuminating for artists. Fee on sliding scale: $60 to $100. Bring your lunch. Please pre-register.

March 23, April 27 and May 18
Monday Nights with the Stars
8 p.m.
Living in the country, we are blessed with darkness at night that allows us to see the stars. In three evenings this spring, Henrike Holdrege offers an introduction to astronomy. We will study the daily and yearly movements of the stars, the constellations of the zodiac that are visible, and some rhythms of sun and moon. If it is cloudy, we will work inside to prepare for observations that you can do on your own on clear nights. Please come prepared for cold weather, bring a cushion and a flashlight. There is no charge, but donations to The Nature Institute are appreciated. Please pre-register.

March 21, April 4 and April 25
Schooling of Thought and Imagination through Projective Geometry
Saturday Course with Henrike Holdrege, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
In a series of three Saturday morning workshops, we will introduce projective geometry as a schooling path to expand our thought life and to practice inner picturing and imagination. We will explore how projective geometry grew out of the understanding of perspective and then move into explorations of the infinitely distant. We will provide a mid-morning snack. Fee on sliding scale:  $90 to $150. Please pre-register.

February 25 to March 1
Winter Course for Farmers and Gardeners: Cultivating Perception and Imagination
with Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege
For some years we have been asked to hold a winter course for people who work intensively on the land in the summer. We are pleased to be able to announce this new winter course. Nature’s life can become more embodied in our work when we enliven our own perceptions and enhance our ability to form dynamic and holistic pictures of Nature’s creatures and processes. Winter is a good time to step back from day-to-day concerns and concentrate on honing our inner skills. We will work with different content areas and at the same time practice what Goethe called “exact sensorial imagination”—a way of coming alive to nature, or we might say, bringing nature to life in us. Each day will consist of the following activities:

December 13
Listening and Seeing
Phenomenological studies at The Nature Institute with Henrike Holdrege
Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., snack will be provided.
Fee on sliding scale $40-60, register by Dec. 8. Cancelled.

November 12
The World According to Monsanto
A Documentary by Marie-Monique Robin, followed by discussion with Craig Holdrege
Wednesday, at 7:30 p.m., donations welcome.
Monsanto has become the world leader in genetically modified crops, as well as becoming one of the most controversial companies in industrial history. Today it has reinvented itself as a “life science” company which has been converted to the virtues of sustainable development while continually moving toward its goal of complete control of the world’s seed and food markets. French filmmaker Marie-Monique Robin made this revealing documentary using hitherto unpublished documents, the testimonies of victims and scientists. Following the documentary there will be a discussion with Craig Holdrege, director of The Nature Institute and co-author of Beyond Biotechnology: The Barren Promise of Genetic Engineering.

October 18
Light — Brightness, Darkness, and Colors
Phenomenological studies at The Nature Institute with Henrike Holdrege
First of four Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Each Saturday can be attended individually or you may sign up for all four Saturdays, Oct 18, Nov 15, Dec.13, and Jan.17 (see below).
Fee is on sliding scale: $40-60 per Saturday or $120-240 for all four sessions. Snack will be provided.
Enrollment is limited, register by October 13.

How often do we take the time and care to attend to the rich and varied qualities of the world in which we live? These four Saturdays at The Nature Institute want to provide an opportunity to put aside our day-to-day concerns and focus on some essential features of our lives that are easily overlooked and taken for granted. Often by attending to what seems obvious, we are led into unexpected depths. On each Saturday our explorations will involve careful and varied observations — wakeful immersions in experience that can help us become more sensitive to our surroundings so that the world can reveal more to us.

October 16
Goethe and the Dynamics of Being
A lecture by Henri Bortoft
Location: Hawthorne Valley School Music Room
Thursday, at 7:30 p.m., $12 ($8 seniors and students)
Henri Bortoft taught physics and philosophy of science for most of his carrier and is the author of The Wholeness of Nature: Goethe’s Way Toward a Science of Conscious Participation in Nature. Bortoft’s lifelong interest in Goethe’s scientific method led to penetrating studies of the process of cognition and of the history of science. He will show how Goethe’s way of doing science requires an altogether different kind of cognitive activity from that of mainstream science to discover the deeper dimensions and lawful interrelatedness of phenomena.

July 6 to July 12
Bringing Science to Life
A course with Craig Holdrege, Henrike Holdrege, and Jon McAlice
Designed for teachers, this course takes up the challenge of high school science. How can we teach science in a manner that allows students to experience and question the world? Through seminars, concrete practice of phenomenological methodology, group project work, and collegial dialogue we want to address and explore many still untapped aspects of experience-based learning. For more information or a registration form, click here.

April 8
Whale Music
A lecture and demonstration by David Rothenberg
Location: Hawthorne Valley School (Music Room), 330 Route 21C, Ghent NY
Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., $12 (seniors and students $8)
David Rothenberg has traveled from Hawaii to Russia and Canada to make music with belugas, orcas, and the greatest of all animal musicians, the humpbacks. After years of investigating bird song, culminating in his book Why Birds Sing, and many recorded improvisations with his clarinet, he has turned his attention to whales.  He will share his explorations of the underwater world of sonic mystery and his attempts to create interspecies music with whales in their native habitats. His book Thousand Mile Song: Whale Music in a Sea of Sound will be available later this spring.

December 3
Disrupting Life’s Integrity: The Nontarget Effects of Genetic Manipulation
A talk by Craig Holdrege
Monday, at 7:30 p.m., $12 ($8 students and seniors)
Craig will speak about the Institute’s current research project investigating how genetic engineering causes unforeseen changes in the manipulated organisms. Through describing a variety of examples, he will provide a picture of the massive experiment with the earth’s organisms and discuss its implications.

Beginning September 29, 2007
In Dialogue with Nature
A new course at The Nature Institute with Craig Holdrege and Henrike Holdrege
One Saturday a month, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Dates: Sept. 29; Oct. 27; Nov. 17; Dec. 15; in 2008: Jan.12; Feb. 9; March 8; April 19; May 17; June 14
Registration required by Sept.1; course fee $ 800

April 16, 23, 30 and May 7, 14, 21
Center and Periphery
A workshop in 6 sessions with Henrike Holdrege
Mondays, 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Workshop fee: $90. Please register in advance.

In six sessions we will explore the theme of "Center and Periphery" through exercises in geometry, plant observation and optics. The polarity of a center and its periphery is central in our relations to one another as human beings and also in our relation to the rest of the world.

March 15
Why Birds Sing: A Journey into the Mystery of Bird Song
A lecture and musical presentation by David Rothenberg
Thursday, 7:30 p.m., at Hawthorne Valley School (Ghent, NY), Music Room. Admission $12 (seniors and students $8)

In his book Why Birds Sing, David Rothenberg combines the insights of science, music, and poetry to penetrate the mystery of the natural symphony that resounds around us every spring. David Rothenberg is associate professor of humanities at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He is a composer and musician who tries to blend the indigenous energy of the world's primal music with the exploratory spirit of improvisation. He has performed and spoken all over the world and has many recordings, articles, books, and interviews reflecting his passion for the sounds that connect the human and natural world.

March 12, 19, 26 and April 2
Evolution Beyond Scientific and Religious Dogmatism
A series of four talks by Craig Holdrege
Mondays, at 7:30 p.m., admissions $12 (seniors and students $8).

The public discussion of evolution has become highly polarized. Material and spiritual views of nature and humanity are presented as irreconcilable opposites. Instead of nuanced arguments, we are offered oversimplifications that gloss over deeper questions. One way to move beyond oversimplification is to return to a careful consideration of the phenomena themselves, which are always more complex than any simple scheme can encompass. In this series of talks, Craig Holdrege will discuss the topic of evolution by drawing on concrete examples from animal and human evolution. While offering no pat answers, he will point to patterns and riddles that embrace the physical-spiritual nature of evolution. The four evenings will build on one another. Participation in all four is encouraged, although attendance at single lectures is possible. Seating is limited so we suggest that you register in advance.

October 6
The Problem of Genetically Engineered Food: What Is It and What Can We Do?
A lecture by Craig Holdrege at The NOAH Center.
Jointly sponsored by The NOAH Center and The Nature Institute.
Seating is limited and must be reserved by calling The NOAH Center at 413-528-0297.
The NOAH Center, 40l Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA.
Friday, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., admission $10.

April 20-21
Dynamic Patterns in Nature: The Example of Dinosaurs
A workshop with Martin Lockley.
Thursday, 3:00 to 4:30 p.m., and Friday, 10:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Advanced registration required, workshop fee $50.
For more information, click here.