Learn practical life skills for self-reliance and earthfriendly living through our community education program of short courses and workshops.

Weekend Workshops - Sustainable Saturdays

Garden tours, workshops and permaculture cafe now every Saturday commencing March 2012.  Locals and visitors to our beautiful bioregion are invited to come and discover this sustainable sanctuary so close to town, to see and experience permaculture in practice, enjoy delicious local food and learn new skills.  Click here to read more and check out the worshop program

Short Courses for self-reliance and sustainable living

Download your Short Course Enrolment Form and REGISTER NOW

Enrol for more than one of the short courses and in-depth workshops listed below and receive a 10% discount (NB this offer does not apply to the complete Growing Abundance short course series fee which has already discounted the component modules by 15%)

Semester 1 Program 2012

Mar 6-8

Appropriate Technology and Natural Building Short Course

3-day intensive 9am-5pm $195/$155
Introduction to the diverse range of appropriate resource conserving technologies in the home including simple ones to build yourself. Learn about setting up renewable energy systems and practical ways to save energy and resources in the home. Important considerations for selecting a house site, basic principles of passive solar and bioclimatic design and natural building techniques. Design for integrated edible landscapes for microclimate, outdoor living and to support solar efficiency in the home. Trainer: Robyn Francis and specialist guests

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April 23 – June 12

Growing Abundance Series 1

8-week course every Mon and Tues includes all the following workshops marked** plus a 1-day workshop on native plants in Permaculture systems- main families, plant communities. NB all courses and workshops listed below form part of the full-time Accredited training and International Internships program.

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April 23, 9am-3pm

Plants in Permaculture & intro to Botany **

$55/$45
Basic botany for gardeners and seed savers, plant physiology, families, botanical terms, using keys for plant identification. Explore the role of plants in Permaculture, considerations for plant selection and methods of propagation.

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April 24 , May 1 & 2

Food Forests and Orchards**

9am-3pm Tue April 24, Wed 25 &  Tue May 1  $150/$115
Subtropical and Warm Temperate fruits and nut tree production, organic management of pests and weeds, tree care and orchard maintenance to maximise production, use of integrated livestock to support orchard maintenance. Pruning workshop.
Tutor: Janelle Schafer

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May 7 - June 4

Small Crop Production for Personal and Local Food security**

Mondays 9am-3pm  $195/$155
Learn how to plan and manage small crops for domestic self-reliance and organic commercial production. Includes vegetables, herb, spice and perennial crops, companion planting, crop rotation, poly-culture, sol nutrient management, and how to develop planting schedules for year-round food supply.
Tutor: Robyn Francis & guests

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May 8 - 22

Post Harvest, Food Storage and Preservation **

Tues 9-5 for 3 weeks $195/$155
Harvest and post-harvest treatment, storage, processing of a wide range of crops from herbs, veg and spices to craft plants and bamboo. Includes preserving, drying, making conserves, herbal oils, salves, cassava flour and other products, and preparation of fresh produce for sale.
Tutor: Robyn Francis

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May 22-June 12

Integrated Organic Pest and Weed Management **

Tues 9-5 for 3 weeks $195/$155
Permaculture approach to organic integrated pest and weed management through design and specific control strategies. Learn about weeds as soil indicators and nutrient accumulators, make weed teas as fertiliser, strategies to manage weeds through harvest, grazing and organic control. Create habitats for pest predators and learn to identifying weeds, pests and beneficial insects.
Tutor: Janelle Schafer

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Semester 2 Program 2012

Aug 13 & 20

Seed Saving and Managing a Permaculture Seed Bank

Learn about seed saving, from how plants polinate, selecting the best plants for seed, collecting, cleaning, treating and storing seeds. Course also covers tips for setting up and managing a seed bank, and goes into the issues of seed sovereignty and difference between open pollinated, hybrid and GM seeds. With Janelle Schafer, Carline Todd and guest speakers

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Oct 10-12

Bamboo Workshop 2012

Practical  Bamboo Clump Management;  Harvest, Treating & Curing;  Splitting & Weaving: Lashing & Joinery Techniques;  Bamboo Brush Screens; Bamboo crafting; Bamboo Construction; Tips and tools

Please bring what you have of the following:   Work gloves,  Pruning saw,   Hacksaw,  Tape measure,   Stanley knife,  Cordless drill & bits, machete

Fee includes all tuition, materials, Morning/afternoon teas. BYO lunch. Camping and accommodation extra – please enquire

Tutor: Robyn Francis has had a love affair with bamboo for nearly 30 years and has worked with many skilled bamboo enthusiasts gleaning tips & skills in bamboo growing, management, crafting and construction. Djanbung Gardens has a great collection of useful clumping bamboos and examples of building and crafting