Taking a Permaculture Course
Overview
Permaculture is a holistic, nature inspired design methodology that can be used to grow food, build businesses and create communities.
Why study permaculture?
There are a number of reasons why a permaculture course is valuable. Permaculture design can assist you to reduce your ecological footprint while saving you money, time and energy. This illustrates a permaculture concept- taking one action and accomplishing three or more tasks.
If you are interested in learning more about permaculture, I recommend that you begin with an introductory course. This allows you to find out if you are intrigued enough to develop you knowledge and skills further or if you just want to take what you know and apply it your yoru daily life and work.
Unless you want to become a teacher or permaculture design consultant, the intro course is all you need.
However, if you seek more and want to consult and or teach then further work and learning is required.
If you have your own land and want to grow all or much of your own food, the intro course will help you decide whether or not this is a realistic goal. If you are convinced that you can indeed grow the food you need than it is time to take a closer look at the permaculture design certificate (PDC). The PDC is also essential if you wish to become a permaculture teacher or to take more advanced permaculture design courses.
My Path
I first came to permaculture after years of working in the anti-poverty movement. I was looking for a solutions based methodology that could actually make a difference and develop positive alternatives to the problems that seem at time insurmountable.
I was an avid gardener and supporter of community gardens and one day while casually surfing the Net for some ideas, i stumbled across permauclture.
i read about it and thought about it and was hooked.
I could not travel anywhere to take a courses and there was none being offered near my own so I looked for distance and online course. There were not that many, then.
The course that I decided to take was the one offered by April Samson Kelly at Permaculture Vision.
She had worked with Bill Mollison the co-founder of permaculture and the educational program Permaculture Vision offered meet my pocket book and my schedule.
I began with the introductory courseand by the time I completed that I knew that I was ready for the next step.
I do not work as a permaculture designer, however, I do use what I learned to, one, continue the learning experience and to enhance my work as both a gardener. cook, informal educator, writer and community organizer.
As my awareness of Nature grows, my ability to share with others how we can observe Nature, learn through that observation and model our interactions, business, personal and educational upon the examples Nature so generously provides.
Permaculture design provides pathways to building sustainable lives lived in a sustainable community.