Permaculture in New Zealand

Permaculture helps us deal with today’s issues:

Maintaining food security - healthy food for each meal
Strengthening our communities – co-operating in many ways, with diverse groups and individuals
Including other species in our definition of community
Developing strong local economies
Creating and maintaining clean air, soil, and water- for ourselves and future generations
Promoting diversity and beneficial relationships.

This workshop intends to share the most current educational research in permaculture in schools, with a focus on New Zealand Schools and The New Zealand Curriculum. However, the information can easily be translated to Australian Schools.

This workshop intends to share the most current educational research in permaculture in schools, with a focus on New Zealand Schools and The New Zealand Curriculum. However, the information can easily be translated to Australian Schools.

Save energy. Save resources. Save money. This workshop describes and explains the process of eco-thrifty renovation in two segments. The first documents the highly successful eco-thrifty renovation of a villa in Wanganui, and the second applies the eco-thrifty design principles to a potential "do up" at Solscape Eco Retreat. The workshop is designed to be highly practical by offering dozens of examples of eco-thrifty strategies and potential strategies.

Thoughtful design and timely management of gardens can yield an abundance of food with little very little ongoing maintenance. The productive and attractive vegetable gardens at Solscape Eco Retreat will be used as an example of the successful application of a design/management system developed over the last decade by organic farmer Nelson Lebo. Some of these strategies were adopted at Rainbow Valley Farm - world famous permaculture property - after this workshop was presented there in 2010.

What can a roundhouse be used for?   There are many uses of a round house.  They are great spaces for people to come together, they make good indoor/outdoor lounges, classrooms or can be used as a home. The roundhouse makes a good emergency shelter or a guest room. They can even be built smaller and used as a glass house, chook house, or dog house.
What could you use a roundhouse for?

Earthbag Building Workshop 17th - 19th

Earthbag is one of the most environmentally friendly and cost effective forms of building. Unlike conventional building earthbag construction is quicker to complete and easier to master. No previous building experience is necessary.

Earthbag Building Workshop 19-22 May
The purpose of this workshop is to give you the tools needed to get started building with earthbag. We’ll cover all the phases of construction from design and modeling to foundation, earthbag walls, plaster and roofs. Learn the theory and design principles of this type of building along with gaining hands on experience working on the structure currently under construction.

Philosophy and design May 7th. 2011 Hamilton
Climate and Water June 11th.
Human Sphere July 9th. Ngaruawahia
Community Resilence August 20th. Hamilton
Landascape and Site Assessment September 10th. Raglan
Large Animals and Forestry October 8th.
Small Animals and Orchards November 12th. Raglan
Soils and Gardening December 3rd. Hamilton

EARTHBAG is one of the most environmentally friendly and cost effective forms of building. Unlike conventional building earthbag construction is quicker to complete and easier to master. No previous building experience is necessary.