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Permaculture Design Course

A 'life changing' experience

More info + Venue + Course Tutors + Booking Info + Contact

Thank you for your interest in the Sector39
Full 2 week Permaculture Design
Course
PRICE: £450 - £600

Next Up - Dates for courses in 2013

  • May 2013 - 2 week residential intensive PDC, 12-25 May 2013
    At Treflach Farm, In the Welsh Marches area
  • Proposed for August 2013:
    Permaculture for familes, an 8 day activity camp in a
    stunning location in Wales + 2 days distance learning and a design weekwnd.
    This is a new idea, developed in partnership with Underhill activity centre. The intensive PDC curriculum presented for families. Opportunites for an intensive study pathway, and certifcated PDC and a more experiential activity based pathway for Children (3-10) with parent or carer as part of an activity camp, which intersects with the course and offers parallel relevant actities such crafts, skills, adventuring and exploring.
    £600 Full Price - £450 for PDC and camp (concession for low income)
    £450 Camping supplement based on +1 accompanying adult and 2 children

  • September - March 2013/ 14 Permaculture in bite-size chunks,
    6 part modular course, 6 weekends over 6 months
    £350 Full Price.
    £250 Students and low income


  • October 2013 - 2 week residential intensive Permaculture Design Course. Welsh Marches area

More about Permaculture Design courses

  • May 2013 - 2 week residential intensive PDC, 12-25 May 2013
    At Treflach Farm, In the Welsh Marches area
  • We are planning a really special PDC this coming May, based on a family farm which is in transition and learning how to apply permaculture rinciples to land, business and community. The course will visit 4 different ground breaking permaculture projects during the 2 weeks, all in the Mid Wales/ borders region.
Practical sessions to include:
      • Building with natural materials like straw bale and earth cob
      • Organic horticulture master class
      • Green woodwork
      • Food preserving and fermenting
    £600 Full Price
    £450 Students and low income

    2 intern places available on application for £150

    Arrivals welcome on saturday 11th May, Tuition starts at 10.00 am on Sunday 12 th May.

    Simple yet delicious vegetarian food provided from Saturday 11th Supper to Lunch Saturday 25th. Party (optional) on the final evening, home baked pizza and farm produce BBQ (small extra fee)

    permaculture design course advert

 


Hosts, Crew & Participants of the May '12 PDC

Feedback from recent Permaculture Design Courses:

Steve
I can say without hesitation that the Permaculture Design Course was my best ever educational experience. Your commitment, passion, intelligence, knowledge and spontaneity instilled in me the permaculture ethos that inspires me to apply this knowledge to save us from us. The course was an intense and magical experience helped by the superb healthy cuisine, scintillating guest lectures and poignent field trips. I shall also not forget the sense of community encapsulated by the haunting tones of the tipi orchestra.
I would willingly press-gang anyone into going on your Permaculture Design Course! ..................... Ashley

Steve
Thank you for being a really awesome teacher....lively and funny way of teaching, amazing funny stories and a truly inspiring life to use as examples which totally help when learning about Permaculture. Community gardens are the way to go!
It was amazing spending that time with all of you, and to be honest it really has changed my life, I cant think any other way of living life which is better. Well, all keep in touch with any projects you are up to as we are a resource right here, so don't get stuck and lost trying to do things just by your self!
.......................... Love Laura

Book here

permaculture design course
"If we dont stop agriculture
then we are all dead!"
Bill Mollison
(Watch 'In Grave Danger of Falling Food')

"You can solve all the worlds'
problems in a gard
en"
Geoff Lawton

(Watch 'Greening the Desert' for more
)

**see blog section
for more info on 2012 courses and posts
and discussions on permaculture issues

course group may 09
Course group at the Workhouse May 09

Be part of the Class of 2013!
We are very proud to offering this intensive permaculture design course. Sector39 has delivered 19 PDC's thus far and we offer is as an ideal opportunity ideal for anyone who wants to go beyond just talking about sustainability and is ready to turn their convictions into actions and to meet and get involved with like minded people.

This Full Permaculture Design Course is bought to you by Sector39 design partnership. In the stunning Welsh borders, on the edge of the Shropshire plain.


View at Pant, by Underhill Farm

Sector39 is an association of sustainability facilitators, trainers and project crew building forest gardens and edible landscapes and running permaculture courses and events.

Permaculture is a design system based on observations of natural systems, it is the concious application of the priciples of ecology to create sustainable human settlements. Permaculture is insipiring, fun, inclusive and a chance to join in and meet people.

Permaculture is a chance to look at the world in a creative, positive and solutions based approach. Gardens, communities, businesses; its ideas and insights can be applied in many contexts. It is a bottom up, nature first development approach focusing on the relocalisation of food and resource production.

animated gif of past permaculture courses
Montage from previous courses

Nature as a teacher: Natural systems are self perpetuating, abundant, diverse and dynamic. Permaculture is the art of getting the power of nature and natural abundnace to work for you.

The two week intensive course examines the core principles and building blocks of sustainability and shows how this understanding can be applied to any situation.

Who is the course for?
The course is open to anyone over the age of 16. No prior knowledge of permaculture is needed, just an enthusiasm for the subject area and to learn.

What will the course cover?

This is a 72-hour full permaculture design course, which will offer information about, and some hands-on experience of, the basics of permaculture design; designing for sustainability in all walks of life. Whether your interest is gardening, farming, planning, building homes, community work, economic regeneration, business or green lifestyles, the application of Permaculture principles empowers you to make a positive contribution towards a sustainable future.

The course will enable you to apply permaculture principles in your individual circumstance to help move towards sustainability.

Permaculture relates to:

  • Personal development
  • Energy efficiency and renewable energy
  • Natural systems and ecology
  • Organic gardening
  • Soils, water, forests
  • Eco housing and buildings
  • Community working and Transition Towns
  • Crafts, working with hand tools and natural materials

planting a forest garden at the workhouse
Course group planting a forest garden, at the Workhouse May 09

Venue

Treflach Farm

This family owned 100-acre stock farm is perched on the edge of the Welsh mountains and the Shropshire plain, right on the Welsh/ English border. the farm is commited to work with community , education and sustainability and is embracing and learning how to apply permaculture principles and ethics to what it does.

steve jones and emma maxwell permaculture design course

Course tutors
Elements of the course will be delivered by these and other tutors:

  • Steven Jones, permaculture teacher and designer
  • Chris Dixon, permaculture pioneer and teacher
  • Steve Evison, course host, PDC Graduate
  • Richard Stephenson, green woodwork practicals
  • Sue Dolman, spinning, knitting and textiles
  • Amanda Dean, herbalist, interested in personal development and Transition
  • Charlotte Hollins, of Ford Hall Farm
    ... more guest speakers to be announced

We will also be visiting goundbreaking projects such as;

Learning methods and outcomes
The course is spread over 2 weeks and is intensive. It combines practical exercises with classroom based session
s, talks and presentations.

We use a variety of methods; small group work, games, presentations, discussion, video and slides. We will also explore the Farm at Treflach and find out more about its history and practices.

By the end of the course you will have a good basic knowledge of the permaculture ethics and principles and how to apply them and have seen examples of them at work in a variety of different contexts.

The course is completed with group presentations of design projects you will have completed during the course. Rather than seeing this as a test, the exercise is designed to provide experience of developing and presenting a design as part of a group.

On completion all participants are awarded with a certificate of completion as a permaculture design graduate recognised by the Permaculture Association of Britain.


Recommended reading

Any of the books below are recommended but it is not necessary for those attending to have read them, but they are all good starting points.
Sector39 permaculture and sustainability book store
Have a browse around my Amazon bookstore for some top titles.


Course group at Centre for Alternative Technology Oct 09

What you are advised to bring

Warm/waterproof clothing & sturdy outdoor footwear - Very Important!
• Sun hat & sun screen
• Warm indoor footware
• Gardening gloves if you want to get involved in the practical demonstrations

• Torch - ideally a wind up one
• Pens, pencils, notepad & an A4 paper and ring binder
• Water bottle
• Tent and sleeping bag if you are planning to camp
• Pictures, maps etc. of your plot of project, if you have one
• Musical instruments/ sketch pad etc. in case you are feeling creative
• Favourite books or other resources to share


Plenty of opportunity for green crafts

Booking -

Fees £600 - £450
We are offering this 2 week course at an all inclusive price. Price includes tuition, site visits, practical sessions and materials as well as camping and food for the duration. The reduced fee is available to those on low income and students.

Fee breakdown, £150 deposit on booking, balance due two weeks before the start of the course.

Food; We provide 3 nutritious meals a day as part of the course fee, and participants are encouraged to assist in preparation and clearing up to help us keep costs as low as possible. All menus are basically vegetarian, with meat/ dairy options served separately. Let us know in advance if you have any specific food allergies/ intolerancies, we are used to catering for vegans, coeliacs etc.

permaculture design course 

  • Limited places so please complete a booking form and send a £150 deposit with your booking to secure a place

    Payable to TSW Jones,

    please send to

Lesley Sweet
Penybryn Hall
Waterfall Rd
Llanrhaeadr Ym Mochnant,
Powys, SY10 0BY

Normal group size 14 participants, with an absolute maximum of 16

Any questions please get in touch with me directly.

booking form

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Steven Jones,
Sector39, Ty Cornel, Llanrhaeadr Ym Mochnant, SY10 0JW
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Chat, info and background on the
Permaculture Aventures in S39 Blog

A 2 week certificated residential course that can change your life and be the catalyst to turn personal convictions into actions.

A Permaculture Design Course is is an internationally recognised 72 hr curriculum aimed at personal empowerment and developing a real understanding of the key concepts in design for sustainability.