08/11/2024
Hi Permablitzers
As you might have noticed despite a few attempts we haven’t been able to get the network back up and running post COVID. Over the past 10 years we had an amazing time working to build the permablitzing community, holding 23 blitzes and 6 permabees. While I have personally gone on to do other permaculture related work it’s far and away the best thing I’ve been involved with and I really miss it!
What we didn’t do well was open the organising group put to new people and allow more people to learn how to become permaculture designers. It’s the design work that takes the time pre-blitz, believe it or not the actual organisation of the day is the easy part!
To try a different approach to getting the network back up and running 3/4 of the original Permablitz team (me, Sheryl Hands Wiffen and Rebecca Mayhew) are running a Permaculture Design Course through my side hustle Earthrise Permaculture. This 72 hour course teaches you how to design regenerative systems, care for people and other species, and facilitate community connections locally and globally.
I’ve been teaching this course for the past 4 years as an 8 - 12 week course and find this approach makes it more accessible than a traditional 2 week course for some people. We are planning to hold the course over 8 - 10 weeks in February and March 2025, exact dates TBC. There will be some Monday evening sessions and 4 Saturdays. There’s also homework - a workbook to complete along with some videos to watch and reading (with options to just look at the pictures) which will take an estimated 3 hours per week. It’s a pay what you can afford course and I would encourage anyone who wants to join us to commit to doing at least 1 design post course for permablitz to give back and help get the network back up and running (and practice your new skills!).
The course costs are:
Text book $55
Meals $75 (10 meals)
Field trips $120
Teaching $750
Total cost $1,000
Suggested donation:
$195 covers food and field trips, there’s a text book you can borrow from the Earthrise library
$250 covers basic costs (text book, meals and field trips)
$500 covers basic costs and make a 1/3 contribution towards teaching
$750 covers basic costs and make a 2/3 contribution towards teaching
$1000 covers basic costs and make a full contribution towards teaching
A limited amount of scholarship funding is available thanks to a generous donation by Rosemary Morrow. Please apply via email giving a brief background as to why you wouldn’t be able to participate without this and if you need a full or partial scholarship.
Permaculture Design Courses usually cost around $2,000 per person for a 14 day live in course. We are able to keep the cost of this course down by:
- running it at a site we already own and don’t need to rent
- hands on activities will assist in improving our site and hands on material costs are not included in the course cost
- not including any overnight accommodation (although a limited amount is available if required)
- not employing a caterer and offering VERY simple home cooked meals
- growing a lot of the food ourselves
- carpooling for field trips
- being willing to donate teaching time if needed in the hope this gets the permablitz network activated
We’re initially offering this through the Permablitz the Gong network, but if you know anyone else who is keen please feel free to pass this on.
If you are interested in finding out more please get in touch via [email protected]
