This course is for the person who wants to learn up to 100% self-sufficiency. Focusing on gardening skills, garden planning and garden management to meet all vegetable, fruit and starch needs. In one course learn how to plan and design a garden to meet your needs, learn how little or how big a job a self-sufficiency project needs to be, learn how to harvest, process, store and propagate your own crops, and learn the crucial elements to being a successful gardener. This is a seasonal course held three 2 times a year. Our March/April courses demonstrate how to get ready for a cold climate summer, and our August/September courses show how to get ready for a warm climate summer. Snow, monsoonal rain or desert heat; temperate, tropics, or drylands we’ve got you covered.
Gardening And Self Sufficiency Courses
Students will be taught by world-class teachers Geoff Lawton and Sam Parker-Davies. Geoff Lawton is internationally renowned and one of the most famous names in Permaculture considered an elder in the movement with one of the most impressive bodies of work behind him that exist within this field, and Sam Parker-Davies is a full-time international consultant, project manager, developer, and farmer, born into Permaculture, and Geoff’s student for almost 10 years. Both Sam and Geoff have worked all over the world for the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich, committed to the regeneration of our beautiful earth because they believe it is the only ethical direction for humanity.
This is a limited edition special course series on a very unique and sophisticated, 25 year old Permaculture site, unlike anywhere else in the world. These courses will not run longer than a few years, so book in while they are available. This course can be expanded in depth and length upon request, but demand must be suitable. Please note “Week 2”
Curriculum:
- Day 1 – Garden tour and self-sufficiency systems. Tour an established eco-farming hamlet with 8 different versions of gardens. Design self-sufficiency for different contexts and needs.
- Day 2 – Harvesting from the garden, seed storage and plant propagation – processing crops for storage and consumption and planning the season ahead.
- Day 3 – Garden prep, gardening methods, and the basics of making organic fertilisers. The backbone of successful gardening.
- Day 4 – Planting out – methods for different crops, irrigation design and installation for different settings.
- Day 5 – Gardening with machinery. Grow a lot of food fast for communal sufficiency. Learn to crop bulk crops for a community.
Week 2 (Optional – upon request – must be booked and organised at least 6 months in advance)
In-depth hands-on experience with master cheese makers, fermenters, butchers, and gardeners
(must be requested – extra cost)
Email us directly to register and book for an extra week
THE DESIGN SCIENCE
Theory & Principles of Permaculture
Concepts & Themes of Design
Systems Thinking & Methods of Design
WATER & EARTH
Water Harvesting & Management
Earth Working & Earth Resources
Aquatic Design & Aquaculture
Drought-Proofing
NATURAL BUILDING DESIGN
Ecological House Design & Placement
Energy Conservation Techniques
Recycling & Waste Management
Appropriate Technology
NATURE & CLIMATES
Pattern Understanding
Understanding Climate & Landscape
Designing for Different Climates
Windbreaks and Fire Control
SOIL & ECO-SYSTEMS
Soil & Health
Trees & Their Energy Transactions
Soil Rehabilitation & Erosion Control
Organic Food Production
Ecological Pest Control
Livestock
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Strategies of an Alternative Nation
Permaculture Careers
Practical Design Exercise
Face to face
lectures &
demonstrations
72 Hours of classroom lectures delivered by world renowned teachers
Special guest speakers
Extra-curricular activities
Farm Tour
Daily interaction with the Zaytuna Farm Team
A WEALTH
OF PERMACULTURE
KNOWLEDGE
Permaculture Design Certificate
On-going support through the Global Permaculture Network
Join Geoff Lawton’s Permaculture Circle with a 24/7 online community
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.
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.
Sam Parker Davies
Sam Parker-Davies Is the main facilitator for this course. He has taught and practiced permaculture design in 3 continents, in 12 countries. He is a permaculture designer by trade, having done his internship with Geoff and Nadia Lawton at the Permaculture Research Institute, a one-year Soil Food Web course with Elaine Ingham, and Permaculture Design and Teaching courses with Rosemary Morrow and Lis Bastion.
Sam has also learned from and worked alongside prominent leaders in the industry such as Graham Bell, Bunya Halasz, Istvan Makuly, and Giuseppe Sanicandro. Sam has worked in a wide variety of climates and ecosystems – from desert to rainforest regeneration projects, hyper arid to wetland, temperate to subtropical. Sam has devoted his life to getting planet earth on a path of regeneration and is hopeful from what he sees and in experiences every day, that he may well see it in his lifetime. Sam is currently working as a designer for both Permaculture DesignTM and Permaculture Sustainable ConsultingTM.
Sam now lives here on Zaytuna farm as a shareholder, farmer, designer and project manager for numerous projects in the local region. From 2 million acre cattle stations, large organisations, property development, or balcony city gardens the students of these PDCs go on to do world changing things.
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.
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
YOU GET THE TOOLS TO BECOME PART OF THE SOLUTION
Doing my PDC at Zaytuna Farm was a dream come true. Being immersed in Permaculture — especially followed by Permaculture in Action — is a life-changing experience. Coming to understand Permaculture means you can never look at things the same way again and opens up the natural world to you. You have the tools to become part of the solution. In addition to the PDC curriculum, the chance to meet interesting, positive people from around the world was a huge plus!
-JEANMARIE TODD
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