Join a small, select group of permaculturists for ten days in central highlands Mexico for an advanced design workshop creating a permaculture plan for renovation of a 16th century hacienda to become a small, rustic eco-inn. The pre-requisite for this workshop is completion of a Permaculture Design Certification Course. Participants will get invaluable experience working on a medium to large-scale, real-time, real-site project designing permaculture systems to support the inn and a small school for the village and surrounding area to be included in the complex.

The area: Tlaxcala State and the area around Huamantla are historically the lands of the Tlaxcalteca people, who still make up the majority of population. It is and always has been agricultural area and, as such, is one of the economically poorest areas of México. However, it is one of the richest in culture and history and remains among the least visited by tourists. The volcanic soil is perfect for crops and many of the old ways of growing food, building materials and medicine are preserved in small isolated pockets industry and the North haven't completely compromised. Beautiful villages, towns, stone and adobe churches, colonnaded plazas, enclosed courtyard gardens and pre-conquest ruins-including the largest and best-preserved murals in the country at Cacaxtla-are some of the incredible features of the area, but the people are the most outstanding natural and human resource.

The site: Located near the small village of Chapultapec (Nahuatl for place of the grasshoppers) in Tlaxcala State about halfway between Mexico City and Vera Cruz, Santa Barbara is a late 16th century stone and adobe hacienda. It comprises several acres of buildings, including a beautiful chapel with incredible acoustics, four in tact warehouses and granaries, complete and largely original rainwater catchment system with cistern, beautiful entrance court with orchard, dining room and wood-fired kitchen. Much of the buildings and walls are in ruins, some in the process of restoration using indigenous and other natural building techniques using local materials.

The project: The Zamora Family is restoring and renovating Santa Barbara. Javier Zamora and his fiancee Mariana will live at Santa Barbara beginning in 2006 and Mariana, a teacher, is establishing an elementary school on site (there is currently no school for the locals and children must be bused quite a distance to attend the nearest one). To begin, eight or nine rooms, suites and "casitas", plus kitchen and bathroom facilities are being restored to be used as an inn. Composting toilets, grey water system and rainwater are being incorporated to minimize negative ecological impact. Overall permaculture designs for infrastructure, gardens, the water systems and school will be developed during the November workshop. The Zamoras are experienced real estate developers and as a result of Javier attending a natural building course at Rancho El Pardo in nearby Tlaxco several years ago, they have decided to return to the beauty, simplicity and environmental responsibility of sustainable design for their projects. They manage the renovated Hotel Hacienda Soltepec, where the group will stay during the workshop. Scott Horton is a designer/partner in the Santa Barbara renovation project and responsible for all permaculture design and subsequent installation.

I hope you will be able to join us-the group will be limited to 15 invited permies maximum. This will be ten days of good, hard design work experience in a terrific cultural and geographic setting with time set aside for field trips, some of the best regional food and an unprecedented chance to help design an historic restoration.

$900 includes double occupancy room in hotel, 3 meals/day, transportation during course. Does not include airfare to Mexico or transportation to Huamantla.

Lunch will be provided, bring work clothes and a notebook.

We will be staying at Hacienda Soltepec, a beautifully restored 18th century hacienda in Huamantla, Tlaxcala State. Soltepec is the home and small hotel of the Zamora family, and Javier studied natural building at Rancho El Pardo in the same course with Scott Horton, the organizer of this trip and a designing partner in the renovation of Hacienda Santa Barbara to become a rustic eco-inn. Each day, the design group will shuttle to Hacienda Santa Barbara, about a 20 minute drive from Soltepec. For photos and information about Hacienda Soltepec, visit www.haciendasoltepec.com

While in Huamantla, we will observe local customs surrounding meals: a good sized breakfast, mid-day coffee, tea and snacks-usually fresh local fruit-and dinner at 2 p.m., the largest meal of the day. Supper in the evening will be a light meal. The cooks at Hacienda Soltepec are among the best in Mexico and specialize in regional foods and seasonal ingredients. We will be extremely well fed and Javier and his family are warm, thoughtful and excellent hosts.

Spanish is of course useful, but Javier, Scott and others will be on hand always to translate.

Hacienda Soltepec has a pool, gym and sauna as well as a stable and Javier has graciously invited us to ride the horses when we have time as his guests. Javier will also coordinate two field trip days guiding us to haciendas, markets, plazas and other highlights, many not seen by most visitors to the area.

The cost for the 10-day workshop is $900 and includes double occupancy room, three meals a day, full use of Hacienda Soltepec's facilities, transportation to and from Hacienda Santa Barbara, and all fields trips. Some alcoholic beverages will be included but you may have to pay for drinks if you are inclined to imbibe. Not included are air and ground transportation to and from Hacienda Soltepec and gratuities for service people.