Are you looking to create a permaculture design for your property. Then look no further. This course will give you the philosophical and practical tools to create a resilient permaculture design. You will learn the “what”, the “why”, and importantly the “how” of Permaculture Design.
This course is based upon our accredited Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course. The PDC course material has been reworked and re-sequenced so you learn about Permaculture while creating the design for your property. Because you have learnt the rationale behind the design decisions you are able to adapt your design to any changing circumstances in the future.
A PDC project is usually a theoretical design project that is a by-product of the PDC. In Our Practical Permaculture Design course the project is no longer a by-product, neither is it theoretical. We use your real situation, your and your stakeholders needs and wants, the characteristics and properties of the location, etc. to create a Permaculture Design that you can implement straightaway.
This Practical Permaculture Design course fulfills the requirements of the international permaculture curriculum and upon satisfactory completion you will receive a PDC certificate. We will shortly submit the curriculum to the European and International Permaculture agencies for accreditation. Once accredited, your certificate will be recognised internationally.
Design Project
An essential component of this course is the design project. You will work on your own or in a group to produce a Permaculture Design of your choice. At the end of the course you will have a Permaculture Design that best fits your situation, and because you have had a major part in the design, you will be able to maintain it into the future. Each student is expected to spend approx 20 hours on this project. This is in addition to the monthly sessions.
At the end of the course each design group will present their final design to the rest of the class and invited visitors.
Cost €450
2026
September 26-27
October 31 – November 1
November 14-15
December 12-13
2027
January 9-10
February 13-14
March 13
From 9:30am to 4pm
What people said about our PDC (upon which this course is based).
Very engaging course. Lots of fascinating content! Workload is about right. Great lunches. – Tom, Auckland
I really enjoyed learning about the many aspects of permaculture design, the interesting conversations, and of course the great food – participant 2022
Principal tutor
Your principal tutor is Rory Fogerty. Rory has worked in the Permaculture arena for many years and was awarded his Permaculture Design Certificate in 2017.
Rory was instrumental in establishing Te Maara Kai O Wirihana attached to the Manurewa High School, in Auckland, NZ. This project formed the basis for his Permaculture Diploma. Rory has extensive experience teaching all ages through his university work in Auckland and abroad, his high school teaching, and the PDCs he has presented on the farm.
Rory is a core council member of https://permaculture-network.eu/ and a member of the Research, Education, and Training Circle of the Permaculture Collaborative Laboratory
The course is presented one weekend in each month for 6 consecutive months.
- Month 1: Introduces the Permaculture Design Design process and explains what it entails. The main deliverable will be a detailed project plan (Gantt chart, dependencies, tasks and actions, and who does what).
- Month 2: We will focus on “reading the land” – how to understand and make an inventory of what the property offers in the way of flora and fauna, etc. The main deliverable being a map of everything that could influence the design (sun and shadows, wind, etc.).
- Month 3: This weekend we will focus on the needs and wants of the different stakeholders and how the property can best meet then. We will also dive into the ethics and principles of Permaculture in much greater detail. The deliverable here will be a first cut plan of the property which will show how the vision will be turned into reality.
- Month 4: We will expand the initial design and explore what options are available. The deliverable here is a detailed plan should you require formal planning permission.
- Month 5: The focus here is on how the plan will be implemented. The sessions will cover, for example, crop planning, pruning, growing vegetables, ponds, etc. We will tweak the detailed design accordingly
- Month 6: These sessions will focus on the structure and management of the different types and styles of organisations. We will also run through and practice the final presentations which will be presented on March 13th.
- Month 7: Presentation of the final Design – this concludes the design course. The presentations are open to invitees (family, friends, stakeholders,…..) and will be followed by a celebratory lunch.
Note: to be eligible for a certificate you must attend all of the sessions and complete the design project to a satisfactory standard.
Important
The course is a blend of class work and outside exercises. Please dress accordingly.
Location
The Brambles, Rathcahill, Shinrone, Co. Ofally, R42P688
Price
€450 paid at time of registration.
- Firstly, we do not need to hire a teaching premises – we have the tailor made space on our permaculture farm in Shinrone, Co. Offaly.
- Secondly, meals are on a shared basis with each person bringing a dish to share. We only supply tea and coffee.
- Thirdly, its our way of applying the third Permaculture ethic of “Fair Share”. We want to “pay forward” some of what we have gained from Permaculture over the years.
Complimentary tea and coffee will be provided. You will need to bring your own lunch to share and snacks.
Registrations close one week before the course starts.
Cancellation
Cancellation up to 1 month before the start is free, after that you will receive a pro-rata refund up to 60%. If we cancel before the start you will receive a full refund, and afterwards a pro-rata refund.