Cool Climate Permaculture

Permaculture is a design framework based on patterns and relationships found in nature. Developed in Australia, it offers a collection of ‘thinking tools’ that is useful in the garden, on the farm, and more generally in life.

In these four workshops, we will apply permaculture principles (and related approaches such as regenerative agriculture and agroecology) to our gardens, farms, our common spaces, and our homes.

You are welcome join in one, two, three or all four sessions. Some of the ideas will be new, some will feel familiar like the old ways of doing things. Gardeners, farmers, ‘permies’ or total newbies all welcome; we are all here to share and learn. Children under 15 are welcome with an adult. 

All workshops will be held within the Guyra Neighbourhood Centre Community Garden, which is an accessible venue.

The cost of the 4-week program is $75 (or $60 concession), or single workshops can be booked for $25 (or $20 concession).

Refreshments and course notes are provided.

Program outline:

Workshop #1: Here we are (16 November 2024)

• Acknowledgment - Growing on Country
• Bioregions
• Soil types and qualities
• Climate + microclimates
• Frost
• Plants for our climate
• Permaculture ethics (Earth Care, People Care, Fair Share)
• Overview permaculture principles
• 3 focus principles:
  • Observe & interact
  • Use and value diversity
  • The problem is the solution

Workshop #2: Thriving gardens and farms (23 November 2024)

• Digging deeper into soils
• Compost, manures, mulches, cover crops & biostimulants
• Choose you weeds
• Backyard biodiversity
• Succession
• Bees
• Poultry
• 3 focus principles:
  • Each element works in two or more ways
  • Use & value renewable resources & services
  • Co-operate, don’t compete

Workshop #3: Garden design (30 November 2024)

• Permaculture domains
• The social garden
• The growing of Guyra’s Community Garden
• Introduction to garden design
• Site analysis (aspect, slope, wind, frost)
• Water
• Zones
• Stacking
• Through the seasons
• 3 focus principles:
  • Design from patterns to details
  • Creatively use and respond to change
  • Small and slow solutions

Workshop #4: Harvest + use (7 December 2024)

• Harvest
• Preserving
• Seed raising
• Seed saving
• Water recycling
• Energy
• 3 focus principles:
  
  • Produce a yield
  • Catch and store energy
  • Produce no waste

About your facilitator: 

Heidi McElnea established Highland Permaculture in 2022 to build a community of practice for permaculture systems in cool climate Australia.

Heidi has studied a Permaculture Design Certificate with David Holmgren and Beck Lowe, and a Permaculture Educators Certificate with Rosemary Morrow and Brenna Quinlan. She has a Diploma of Sustainable Living from University of Tasmania, is a qualified trainer, and a member of Permaculture Australia and Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance.

Heidi will be joined by co-facilitators Sarah Hunt and Louise Pearson; creators of Guyra Community Garden, Campbell Wolfenden of Guyra Rural Services, and permaculturist Natalie Kane.

e: hi@highlandpermaculture.com

w: highlandpermaculture.com

Program is adaptive and may change.