Date: Sunday 3rd April
Time: 9:00am-12:30pm (3.5 hrs)
Teacher: Cal Champagne (about the teacher)
Price: Early Bird $86 | Full-priced $96 | Concession $66

Are you interested in learning more about the ethics and principles that underpin permaculture and how these can be used to design systems to produce our food that are both sustainable and abundant?

Join leading permaculturalist Cal Champagne for this 3.5 hour immersive workshop which will help you understand the foundations of permaculture. We will take you on an in-depth tour of the Green Connect Farm, one of the largest urban permaculture farms in the world, to show you how we apply permaculture design principles to produce abundant chemical-free food, and explain how these principles can be applied anywhere.

This workshop will explore a range of permaculture-focused topics:

  • Learn about the various levels of holistic site design and land management practices applied at the Green Connect Farm.
  • Meet the chickens, goats, alpacas, pigs and sheep and learn how they have been integrated into our perennial food systems to help repair the land and yield ethically raised produce.
  • Walk the creek line to see how bringing back indigenous rainforest species as part of a biodiversity belt is helping to create a diverse, resilient ecosystem that complements our food production.
  • Understand the sustainable cropping techniques that produce veggies and herbs for households, restaurants and cafes throughout the Illawarra region.
  • Learn how nutrients are recycled throughout the farm to create production and efficiency rather than waste.
  • Hear how permaculture has been used as a vehicle at the Green Connect Farm for empowering former refugees, young people, and the wider community.

You’ll come away from this workshop with a good foundational understanding of what permaculture is, what the intentions of the permaculture movement are, practical applications of permaculture in a real-world farm setting, and how you can apply permaculture design thinking to your own life and move towards more intentional, sustainable systems of production.

This workshop is for anyone interested in permaculture design, regenerative agriculture, backyard gardening, urban agriculture, local food systems, sustainable and ethical animal management, fairness for agricultural workers, recycling organic waste, or the role of native restoration in agricultural landscapes.

Included:

  • A tour of Green Connect’s award winning urban permaculture farm.
  • Detailed course notes, including a recommended reading list.
  • Morning tea will be provided for all participants

Before you book your ticket, please consider the following:

  • Plants love rain and so do we! We don’t cancel workshops because of rain – we will only cancel if there is a severe storm forecast. Please come prepared for the weather conditions.
  • The site is a working farm – all visitors will be given a brief safety induction upon arrival.
  • The terrain at the farm is steep and can be slippery in parts. Though the workshop will take place primarily within our accessible education hub, there is a possibility that participants will be required to walk across uneven or sloping ground. If you have mobility restrictions or any concerns about your ability to navigate the terrain, please contact us before booking.
  • Allergen advice: Our farm is home to domestic animals as well as bees, wasps, and macadamia trees. Please pack an EpiPen if allergic and keep it with you while on site.

All workshop participants must:

  • Wear enclosed shoes or boots (no thongs or sandals) and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. Long pants are recommended.
  • Bring a hat and sunscreen or raincoat, depending on the weather forecast.
  • Bring a pen/pencil and paper if you wish to take notes.
  • Bring a refillable water bottle.

 

“While FFI takes every reasonable effort to ensure that information is correct at the time of publication, we recommend that the individual confirm details with the event organiser, as events can be subject to last minute changes.”