Courses & Workshops
Permaculture Courses and Workshops 2012
PDC | APT | Workshops | Bookings
What is permaculture?
“What permaculturists are doing is the most important activity that any group is doing on the planet” David Suzuki
Permaculture is a design system for creating sustainable human environments. It aims to bring food production back to where people live and to develop new, sustainable ways of living in our cities and rural areas.
Northey Street City Farm provides its “living classroom” and experienced permaculturists to help people become confident and competent local food producers and earth healers.
Download our 2012 Permaculture Courses Brochure
Permaculture Design Course (PDC)
This exciting program gives you knowledge and skills for designing productive gardens and properties, growing your own food, applying appropriate technologies, using resources wisely, designing animal and plant systems to minimise your workload, rebuilding community values, and generally reducing your impact on our precious environment.
The Permaculture Design Course gives a good overview of permaculture principles and practice, with an emphasis on design. At Northey Street, we include significant hands-on practical experience as well.
Course Dates:
Choose from the following 2012 courses:
- PDC 1-12
Thursdays from 16th Feb – Thursday 24th May (break 5th April) - PDC 2-12
Saturdays from 28 April – Saturday 4 August (break 30th June) - PDC 3-12
Fridays from 3 August – Friday 9th November (break 28th September) - PDC 4-12 (Intensive – 13 Consecutive Days)
Monday 10th Sept – Saturday 22nd September + Saturday 6th October
The Permaculture Design Course (PDC) includes
- What is permaculture?
- How permaculture design works and how to apply it to your property and situation
- Basic ecology, plant identification and how it relates to designing productive gardens and properties
- Understanding and improving your soil
- Water capture, control, use, re-use in permaculture systems
- Propagating your plants and seed saving
- Growing healthy vegetables and maintaining healthy gardens
- Managing pests and diseases organically
- Improving your soil with composting and worm farming
- Keeping poultry and how a wide variety of animals are incorporated into permaculture systems
- Sustainable city living walking tour
- Trees in permaculture design
- Thinking of a tree change hinterland tour
- Living sustainably using passive heating and cooling, sustainabe housing design, appropriate and renewable energy
- Building local permaculture communities
Further details about the PDC program (coming soon)
Workshops on Permaculture and Sustainable Living
In addition to our courses, we offer an exciting range of sustainable living workshops.
Get passionate about establishing your own nutritious food garden, using sustainable building products, saving money, developing new skills and discovering old ones.
Herbs for health, bamboo harvesting and building, keeping chickens in your backyard, therapeutic gardening, cheese making, establishing and maintaining a healthy vege garden, cob oven building, propagation and seed saving, fermenting food, solar cooking, composting and worm farming are just some of the workshops on offer here at the Farm.
Spaces fill up fast for these popular, informative and fun workshops. Please book early to avoid disappointment
The workshop program is developed seasonally. The program is also somewhat dynamic and additional workshops may become available as opportunities arise. Please check back for new workshop postings, or sign up for our free monthly email update for news on the workshop program (sign-up form in right-hand column).
Workshop program is listed below
We have decided to advertise the workshops as a smorgasboard of delicious offerings for which participants can register their interest and a workshop will be run when minimum numbers are filled.
Alternatively participants can book as a group.
February – April 2012 Workshops
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February 4
Energy Efficiency at Home
9am – 1pm (with Angus Wallace)
This workshop offers you a basic introduction to the physics of electricity, power and thermodynamics
- electrical efficiency and heat loss
- why increasing energy efficiency is important and worthwhile
- how to perform a basic audit of one’s house and establish where power is being used
- how to judge the best places to invest in retrofits for energy efficiency
- heat load for the house, and how this can be reduced (keep the house cool)
Depending on the interest of the group some of these topics may also be covered
- cooking to save power
- considering the garden when planning for energy efficiency
- understanding power bills
- the importance of embodied energy
- solar PV and hot water
Cost: $50, $35 (conc)
Enquiries, Bookings and Payment
February 11
Natural and Recycled Fibre Weaving
9am – 4pm (with WevaDeva Annaheke Metua)
This series of workshops is designed to teach simple techniques in Natural Fibre Weaving that may include the making of Coconut Hats, Dilly Bags, Random Weave Baskets and Coiled Stitch Mats. We will focus on weaving with fibre plants such as Banana, Coconut, Bamboo, Palms, Pandanus, Grasses, Sedges, Mat Rushes and a wide range of recycled materials.Come and join in this ancient tradition of gathering in a circle of craft, stories and traditions and learn to weave with your own hands a vessel to take home.
Cost: $85 full fee, $65 (conc.)
Enquiries, Bookings and Payment
February 18
Nonviolent Communication Skills
9am – 12pm (with Rachel Hannam)
In our increasingly stressful and complex world, it is vital to continually deepen our understanding of violence and its antidote, compassion.
As the name implies, nonviolent communication (or NVC) emphasises compassion as the motivation for our words and actions rather than fear, guilt, shame, blame, coercion, threat or justification for punishment. In other words, it is about getting what you want for reasons you will not regret later. The techniques of NVC allow you to make conscious choices about
how you will respond, whether you get what you want, or not. NVC guides us to reflect on our own daily reactions and behaviour, and to reframe how we express ourselves and how we receive others by focusing awareness on observations, feelings, need, and requests.
This half-day workshop will provide an overview of the NVC model, an introduction to the skills involved and include some personal practice. The workshop presenter is a qualified psychologist who uses NVC in her work with executives and employees, which includes training, coaching and dispute resolution.
Cost: $50, $35 (conc)
Enquiries, Bookings and Payment
FEB 25
Bamboo Construction
9am – 4pm (with Jamie Parkin)
Learn how to build with bamboo. Participants will gain the skills to build with, harvest and preserve bamboo.
Theory – introduction to bamboo – strengths and weaknesses of the various species, best time to harvest, storage, ways of preserving and examples of contemporary bamboo structures.
Practical – bamboo joinery
Participants will take home an exemplar model of many different joinery techniques
Cost: $85 full fee, $65 (conc.) plus $10 materials fee to be paid to the facilitator on the day
Enquiries, Bookings and Payment
MAR 3
Biochar in your Garden
9am – 4pm (with Simon Ross)
9am – 12pm – What is biochar and how can you use it in your garden to improve your soil?
Biochar is a type of charcoal that is produced by cooking organic matter with limited oxygen. It is a stable soil amendment that can sequester carbon and improve your soil. It can be produced and used in your back yard. This session will introduce how to make and use biochar and practically use it.
1pm – 4pm – How to make a microgasification stove
In the afternoon session participants will make a small TLUD (Top Lit Updraft Gasifier) Stove to take home that can be used to cook food with a gas flame and produce biochar
Cost: $85 full fee, $65 (conc.) $10 materials fee paid to facilitator on the day.
Enquiries, Bookings and Payment
MAR 10 – MAR 31
Organic Herbs & Vegies Permaculture Basics
8am – 12 noon (with Carmel Harris and Adrian Holbeck)
Series of 4 mornings Cost: $200 ($170 conc.)
This practical course focusing on autumn/winter subtropical plants will help you to understand and to enrich your soil with compost, worms and tonics: and grow healthy and delicious herbs and vegies suited to the seasons of subtropical south east Queensland.
The details of each workshop series will differ depending on the season, but a general outline of each series is:
Week 1: Introductions, soil life, make hot compost, plant families, legumes as soil food, seed propagation
Week 2: Turn compost, soil structure, testing, pH and trace elements, build and plant a no-dig garden.
Week 3: Turn compost, liquid fertilisers, seasonal plantings, cuttings, propagation, crop rotation.
Week 4: Plant ailments, cures, good bugs, bad bugs, seed saving, annuals and perennials
Enquiries, Bookings and Payment
MAR 10
Growing Roots Food and Fibre Forest
9am – 4pm (with Anaheke Metua, Bunya Halasz and Will Bulmer)
This is the first in a series of full day introductory workshops exploring the unified philosophies and practices of Permaculture , Yoga and Weaving with natural fibres.
9am – 10am Energising morning practise of Chi Gung/Yoga exploring elements of nature – Earth, Air, Water, Fire – within and without.
10am – 12pm Introducing Permaculture Design Principles of the subtropical Food and Fibre Forest incorporating the hands-on creation of an Autumn Compost planting mound.
Lunch
1pm – 3pm Learn to weave with the incredibly versatile banana fibre using meditative weaving techniques to create a functional vessel to take home.
3pm – 4pm Restorative afternoon practice of yoga and guided shiatsu in the gardens.
Cost: $85 full fee, $65 (conc.)
Enquiries, Bookings and Payment
MAR 17
Nonviolent Communication Skills
9am – 12pm (with Rachel Hannam)
In our increasingly stressful and complex world, it is vital to continually deepen our understanding of violence and its antidote, compassion.
As the name implies, nonviolent communication (or NVC) emphasises compassion as the motivation for our words and actions rather than fear, guilt, shame, blame, coercion, threat or justification for punishment. In other words, it is about getting what you want for reasons you will not regret later. The techniques of NVC allow you to make conscious choices about
how you will respond, whether you get what you want, or not. NVC guides us to reflect on our own daily reactions and behaviour, and to reframe how we express ourselves and how we receive others by focusing awareness on observations, feelings, need, and requests.
This half-day workshop will provide an overview of the NVC model, an introduction to the skills involved and include some personal practice. The workshop presenter is a qualified psychologist who uses NVC in her work with executives and employees, which includes training, coaching and dispute resolution.
Cost: $50, $35 (conc)
Enquiries, Bookings and Payment
Organic Herbs & Vegies Permaculture Basics
8am – 12 noon (with Carmel Harris and Adrian Holbeck)
Session 2: Turn compost, soil structure, testing, pH and trace elements, build and plant a no-dig garden.
Enquiries, Bookings and Payment
MAR 24
Organic Herbs & Vegies Permaculture Basics
8am – 12 noon (with Carmel Harris and Adrian Holbeck)
Session 3: Turn compost, liquid fertilisers, seasonal plantings, cuttings, propagation, crop rotation.
Enquiries, Bookings and Payment
MAR 31
Organic Herbs & Vegies Permaculture Basics
8am – 12 noon (with Carmel Harris and Adrian Holbeck)
Session 4: Plant ailments, cures, good bugs, bad bugs, seed saving, annuals and perennials
Enquiries, Bookings and Payment
Solar Cooking
9am – 12pm (with Simon Ross)
Learn how to cook with free power from the sun. See different designs
and materials for solar cookers. Make your own cooker and take it home
with you.
Cost: $50, $35 (conc)
Enquiries, Bookings and Payment
APRIL 7
(Easter)
APRIL 14
Introduction to Permaculture
9am – 4pm (with Tom Campbell and Emma Maltby)
2 days Cost: $200 full fee $170 conc.
This two day workshop will introduce you to the basics of permaculture principles and practices and how you can apply them to your daily life. It is also a great way to decide whether you’d like to go further with your studies in Permaculture by completing the Permaculture Design Course scheduled for 28th April – 4th August.
You will receive a $100 full fee and $70 conc. discount off your PDC on completion of an Intro to Permaculture.
Enquiries, Bookings and Payment
APRIL 21
Nonviolent Communication Skills
9am – 12pm (with Rachel Hannam)
In our increasingly stressful and complex world, it is vital to continually deepen our understanding of violence and its antidote, compassion.
As the name implies, nonviolent communication (or NVC) emphasises compassion as the motivation for our words and actions rather than fear, guilt, shame, blame, coercion, threat or justification for punishment. In other words, it is about getting what you want for reasons you will not regret later. The techniques of NVC allow you to make conscious choices about
how you will respond, whether you get what you want, or not. NVC guides us to reflect on our own daily reactions and behaviour, and to reframe how we express ourselves and how we receive others by focusing awareness on observations, feelings, need, and requests.
This half-day workshop will provide an overview of the NVC model, an introduction to the skills involved and include some personal practice. The workshop presenter is a qualified psychologist who uses NVC in her work with executives and employees, which includes training, coaching and dispute resolution.
Cost: $50, $35 (conc)
Enquiries, Bookings and Payment
Introduction to Permaculture
9am – 4pm (with Tom Campbell and Emma Maltby)
2 days – $200 full fee $170 conc.
This two day workshop will introduce you to the basics of permaculture principles and practices and how you can apply them to your daily life. It is also a great way to decide whether you’d like to go further with your studies in Permaculture by completing the Permaculture Design Course scheduled for 28th April – 4th August. You will receive a $100 full fee and $70 conc. discount off your PDC on completion of an Intro to Permaculture.
Enquiries, Bookings and Payment
APRIL 28
Establishing and Maintaining a Vegetable Garden
9am – 12pm(with Simon Ross)
Learn how to build no dig and other vegetable gardens,
plant them out and maintain them. Full day fee if booked together with Growing Healthy Vegetables workshop on the same day.
Cost: $50, $35 (conc)
Enquiries, Bookings and Payment
Growing Healthy Vegetables
1pm – 4pm (with Simon Ross)
Seasonal selection, crop rotation, companion planting and other ways to get the best out of
your edible garden. Full day fee if booked together with Establishing
and Maintaining a Vegetable Garden workshop on the same day.
Cost: $50, $35 (conc)
Enquiries, Bookings and Payment
Accredited Permaculture Training (APT) Internships
Periodically, NSCF may offer Accredited Permaculture Training (APT) programs, depending on demand.
These hands-on programs provide guided learning to help you apply permaculture on your own property or elsewhere.
NSCF’s APT3 (nationally accredited certificate level 3) program is for those who wish to gain in-depth practical experience of planning, installing and caring for permaculture gardens and orchards. It includes, and builds on, a Permaculture Design Course and provides hands-on experience to achieve competency in:
- assessing sites, including testing soil and water;
- designing gardens and orchards;
- planting and maintaining gardens and orchards;
- caring for animals;
- installing and maintaining water systems and structures;
- restoring natural areas;
- processing and storing the harvest; and
- obtaining and providing information on permaculture.
APT3 coursework and practical work, takes place on a number of days each week at NSCF.
Note: The entire program includes the Permaculture Design Course (PDC). PDC graduates within the past five years will be exempt from attending the PDC-specific sessions, but not the other sessions, providing suitable evidence of PDC training is available.
APT3 training is Centrelink and Austudy approved, and is conducted in partnership with Eltham College Training Services and Brisbane North Institute of TAFE Grovely, Registered Training Organisations.
Please call or email us to register your interest in participating in an APT course.
Further details about the APT3 program (coming soon)
Enquiries, Bookings and Payment
Phone: (07) 3857 8775 (10am-4pm, Tue-Fri)
Email: info@nscf.org.au
Bookings for PDC require payment of a deposit of $300 ($240 conc.) There is a discount for payment in full by one month prior to course commencement. Monthly payment of course fees may be arranged by negotiation.
Book for PDCs and workshops by calling our office Tuesday to Thursday between 9.30 am and 4 pm or printing out our booking form.
Course & Workshop Fees
| Course/Workshop | Fees | |
| Full………. | Concession* | |
| PDC | 1190 | 890 |
| PDC Intensive | 1190 | 890 |
| Workshops (half day) | 50 | 35 |
| Workshops (full day) – unless otherwise stated | 85 | 65 |
| Intro to Permaculture (2 days) | 200 | 170 |
|
Discounts & Deposits (PDC only)
|
||
| Intro to Permaculture (Discount for PDC Participants) | 100 | 85 |
| Booking Deposit for PDC | 300 | 240 |
| Early Bird Discount for PDC(one month prior to start) | -50 | -40 |
| NSCF Member discount for PDC | -25 | -15 |
*Health Care Card holder
Download our 2012 Booking Form
(Requires Adobe Reader to view – click here to download the latest version.)
Thank you for supporting Northey Street City Farm!
PDC | Horticulture | APT | Workshops | Bookings
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