Permaculture in New Zealand

9am Arrival – with tea and muffins
9.15 -10am Welcome and an introduction to biodynamic principles
10 - 12pm Making compost heaps and liquid manures
12 -12.30pm Lunch (soup and bread provided)
12.30 - 1.30pm Discussion on the use of the biodynamic calendar and deepening our understanding of biodynamics.
1.30 - 2.30pm How to sow seeds and grow seedlings (participants take their sown seeds home)
2.30pm Stirring and spreading Preparation 500

The workshop covers visioning/goal setting, observation, site analysis and assessment and permaculture principles, tools and techniques. It culminates in a holistic design which meets the needs  of both human and natural worlds.

As the world runs out of cheap oil, companies are exploiting regions that were once too expensive, too difficult, too dangerous or just too plain dirty. In Canada, this means mining the tar sands. In Aotearoa, it means increased oil exploration, deep-sea drilling and exploiting lignite.

To mark the International Stop the Tar Sands Day, Climate Justice Wellington are hosting a screening of Dirty Oil, a film by Leslie Iwerks.

The film takes us deep behind-the-scenes, into the strip-mined world of Alberta, Canada, where the vast and toxic

WEEKEND WORKSHOP June 18 &19th Facilitated by: Robina McCurdy, Earthcare Education Aotearoa

Sat 18 & Sun 19 JUNE, 10am – 4:30pm

Venue: Charles Plimmer House, end of Lawson Lane, Mt Victoria, Wellington
Workshop Description

In this workshop, Robina will use community facilitation methods to the goal of community scale food interdependence, based on successful models of localised food production in Aotearoa/NZ and in other parts of the world.

You are all invited to an afternoon of discussion about permaculture and transition activity in our bioregion, and a workshop on the possibilities for alternative trade, exchange, and savings, with Gary Williams, Bryan Innes, and other guests (to be confirmed).

Come along on at 2pm, Sat May 28, to the community hall at Innermost Gardens, Mt Victoria, next to the Victoria Bowling Club:
http://www.openstreetmap.org/?minlon=174.779077759&minlat=-41.3085267639...

Proposed program:

Bioregion hui
2:00pm: Arrival - cuppa and chat

Learn how to scythe. This is an opportunity to learn the Austrian Scythe Association Tai Chi style. Tutors: Christoff Schneider, Bryan Innes, Jo Pearsall. No previous experience required. Scythes supplied. Throw away your lawn mower, weed eater and combine harvester. Course 3 hours, venue Gary and Emily Williams property, 107 South Manukau Rd, Otaki. To book (max of 6 students) go to www.ecoshow.co.nz or phone 021 799 056

11. Urban Living
Over 80% of the developed world’s population lives in cities that are dependent upon the countryside for water, food, building materials, power etc, and to absorb all the waste. With energy descent and resource depletion impacting on our economy, we look at more appropriate and sustainable ways of living in cities. We cover the challenges of living in the city, the opportunities for suburban retrofitting, co-housing and urban farming, adapting apartment living and reducing your ecological footprint, building urban eco-communities, and urban layout and development.

9. Energy & Appropriate Technology
Our way of life is based on finite, non-renewing resources. We will look at the importance of energy, and the nature of energy sources, flows and processes, and the implications of an energy descent. Then look at more appropriate technologies, and how to become more self reliant and energy efficient. This will include the methods of science and its application, energy use analyses, conservation, demand reduction and the use of renewable resources and local energy alternatives.
10. Shelter & the Built Environment

7. Home Gardens of Trees & Small Animals
The most productive home gardens are an integrated mix of food trees, shrubs, herbs, and small animals. We cover the basics of backyard food production, from the design and layout of an orchard, to the use and care of small animals. This includes the selection of species for climate and site characteristics, the layout and spacing of trees, planting, propagation, maintaining soil fertility and plant health. Also the importance of small animals in pollination, manuring and recycling within the orchard, and the management of these animals.

5. Water & Water Harvesting
We will look at the nature and mysteries of water, while taking a practical approach to understanding the role and importance of water to life, with a maori perspective on water and wild foods. This will include identifying the sources and cycles of water, water quality, purification and treatment techniques, storage, harvesting, use and conservation, and aquaculture.
6. Climate & Landscape