Permaculture Design Course: 22nd April - 3rd May 2015
Várzea da Gonçala are happy to announce our 10th Permaculture Design Course, led by the excellent Peter Cow, coming to teach our spring course for his fourth consecutive year.
Course participants will complete the full syllabus of the original 72-hour course developed by the founders of Permaculture, Bill Mollison and David Holmgren, covering the principles, practical applications, and philosophy of the discipline. At the end of the course, students will receive the internationally recognised Permaculture Design certificate.
Course participants will complete the full syllabus of the original 72-hour course developed by the founders of Permaculture, Bill Mollison and David Holmgren, covering the principles, practical applications, and philosophy of the discipline. At the end of the course, students will receive the internationally recognised Permaculture Design certificate.
As usual, students will be provided with three delicious vegetarian meals per day, supplied either from our own garden or local organic smallholdings, as well as the special Várzea welcome and ambience. These courses are always full of positive energy. multi-national and multi-backgrounded!
What is Permaculture?
The term permaculture was coined by Bill Mollison, as an amalgamation of “permanent” and “agriculture”. With the expansion of the concept, “agriculture” was made interchangeable with “culture”. Permaculture integrates people into Nature's design: it blends Applied Science with Ecology and stimulates our inate sense of harmony with the land we live in. An effective permaculture design provides us with shelter, food, water and income, within a balanced and healthy ecological community, and offers practical solutions to the global crises we now face.
People encountering permaculture will be attracted to any one of its aspects according to their own outlook:
they may see it as a way to being able to survive on their piece of marginal land, or to help make their local area function more sustainably .
By the end of the course, students will understand the concept of sustainable development as well as the principles and strategies of Permaculture Design, and should be able to apply this knowledge to their or any piece of land, and to inform their outlook on the way natural systems, as well as having insight into how society functions and can be changed.
Permaculture is for everyone, regardless of age, experience, education or profession.
Prices and Facilities
The price for the 12 days is €460, which includes all meals, camping, hot showers, all on-site facilities, and an opportunity to see an 8-year-old evolving permaculture smallholding, at an interesting stage in its development.
There is limited dormitory accommodation available for an additional €75 per person for the duration of the course.
To enrol for the course, we ask for a deposit of 200 euros, which can be paid for by bank transfer or Paypal. The deposit is refundable up to 3 weeks before the commencement. Details of how to book a place can be found on the "booking" page of this site. If neither of the proposed methods are possible, please contact us and we can always arrange some other way.
More details of the course content can be found by visiting the website of Peter Cow, www.livingincircles.com
Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] for more information and any enquiries.
