By taking this course, you will gain a fundamental understanding of how to design, establish, and maintain a permaculture food forest, allowing you to create your own Garden of Eden.
Course Description
A food forest is a type of permaculture design that uses natural ecological principles to create a self-sustaining, productive ecosystem. By combining the design science principles of permaculture gardening, planting, and farming, food forests can provide an abundant and diverse source of food while also creating a natural habitat for wildlife. Food forests are designed to mimic natural ecosystems, with multiple species of plants and animals living in harmony. They can also be designed to be low-maintenance for casual or higher-maintenance commercial production and are resilient to changing climates. With careful design planning, a food forest can provide an abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, and other edible crops, as well as small animals, for many years to come and potentially indefinitely.
This course is a comprehensive overview of everything you need to know about food forests and forest gardening. We will discuss strategies for designing them, techniques and methods for implementing them, achieving long term stability, and demonstrating the sequence of establishing a food forest from day one to full establishment and on to permanence.
you can solve all the worlds problems in a ( food forest ) garden.
What will you learn in this course?
After completing this course, you will get the necessary knowledge to set up and maintain your own food forest. It doesn’t matter if you lack time, have limited space, or don’t have ideal climate conditions. In this course, you’ll learn everything you need to know about establishing and taking care of your own food forest—a security system for the future.
MEALS:
Meals are not included, however, basic self-catering facilities are available on site.
Accommodation Booking:
Camping on-site in a self-provided tent/camper is available to book separately on Hip Camp
Course Schedule:
Course Outline
What is a food forest?
Food forest basics
Food forest principles
Food forests across climates
Why build a forest?
Nature is our teacher
Earth’s Life Systems
Energy principles
Ecosystems
Mulch
Fertiliser
Succession
Build soil
Health
Security
Peace of mind
Food Forest Design Strategies
Water, access, structures
Orientation
Stacking
Guilds
Diversity
Patterning
Creating micro-climate
Design sequences
Yields
Food Forest Techniques and Methods
Methods of preparing the ground
Strategies to control the weeds
– Mulching
– Ground cover
– Long term canopy
Methods of planting
– Selecting plant species
– Perennials
– Annuals
– Overstorey
– Understorey
– Edge species
successional planting
– Vertical spaces
– Plant stacking
– Companion planting
– Guilds
Soil building techniques
– Compost
– Chop and drop
– Animal interactions
– Support species
Learn about appropriate tools, equipment, and technology
Food Forest Sequence of Establishment
Food forests over time
Food forest maintenance
Chop and drop
Animal integrations
Demonstrate established systems
Included in the course
Face to Face
Theoretical & Practical Lessons
Geoff Lawton, alongside the Zaytuna Farm Staff, will guide you through both theoretical lectures as well as practical sessions where you can witness permaculture in action.
Stay on site during your course
ONSITE CAMPING ACCOMMODATION
AVAILABLE TO BOOK SEPARATELY
If you would like to stay at Zaytuna Farm during the course you can book your accommodation on hip camp. by booking accommodation you get access to:
Hot Showers
Camping Shelter/ or on-ground camping
Access to Wi-fi
Access to kitchen facilities
*Please note only 10 camping shelters are available. Plenty of ground space is available.
ABOUT THE TEACHERS
The main facilitator for this PDC is Geoff Lawton. Other teachers will also deliver various modules, these will be made up of guest speakers and the Zaytuna Farm Team. Whilst we try to ensure that we advertise the correct teacher information on the site, due to unforeseen circumstances, the teachers may change at short notice.
Geoff Lawton
Geoff Lawton is the main facilitator for this PDC course. He is a Permaculture consultant, designer and teacher. He first took his Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) Course with Bill Mollison in 1983. He holds a Diploma in Permaculture Education, Design, Implementation, System Establishment, Administration and Community Development given by the founder of Permaculture, Bill Mollison.
Geoff has undertaken thousands of jobs teaching, consulting, designing, administrating and implementing, in 6 continents and close to 50 countries around the world. Clients have included private individuals, groups, communities, governments, aid organizations, non-government organisations and multinational companies.
He has currently educated over 15,000 students in Permaculture worldwide. These include graduates of the Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) Course and courses focused on the practical design of sustainable soil, water, plant, and legal and economic systems.
ZAYTUNA FARM
ABOUT THE LOCATION
This PDC will be taught at Zaytuna Farm, As one of the leading Permaculture demonstration sites in the world, Zaytuna Farm has a range of functioning systems including water harvesting, food production, and a very productive animal husbandry. All of which will add to the learning experience and make this course a very rich experience and one not to be missed.
What OUR STUDENTS SAY
I NOW HAVE A NEW PERCEPTION OF THE WORLD!
The PDC and PIA course at Zaytuna Farm have opened my mind for a new perception of the world around me, in particular, the connection with people, community, and Earth. These three weeks have cracked open my heart, it is almost like a spiritual journey. Because finally, I know there is a practical and realistic path everyone and I can walk on to make a positive impact on the world.
-YING GLORIA CHUNG
ZAYTUNA FARM IS A VERY UNIQUE PLACE
Geoff and his team have built Zaytuna Farm into a very unique place. One which turns nervousness into comfort, strangers into family, and teaching Permaculture into an amazing mix of art, science, and community. I simply cannot recommend the PDC at Zaytuna Farm enough – and would love to go back one day soon!
– SCOTT WILSON
WHAT NEXT ?
The Next Steps
1. Check our Courses & Events page and enrol in a follow up course, sometimes we run Permaculture In Action and Teacher Training courses.
2. Become a Certified Permaculture Teacher
3. Create a profile and join the Permaculture Network
LOCATION:
This PDC will be taught at Zaytuna Farm, which is located 1 kilometre from the village of the Channon, 20km outside of Lismore in New South Wales, Australia.
Nearest Airport
Regional: Lismore, Coolangatta, Ballina
International: Brisbane
Train Station
Casino (with bus service on to Lismore)
Bus Stop
The Channon
NB: A limited service that runs Mon-Fri