2012 is going to be a really busy and exciting year for Permaculture Sydney Institute. Our courses and workshops program is currently being formulated but here’s a sneak preview of just some of the things you can expect. There are also some special surprise events and workshops we hope to reveal soon so please stay in touch.

We kick start the year with our prestigious Summer Permaculture Design Certificate Course with Geoff Lawton and special guests at the beautiful, luxurious “Bandusia Country Retreat” – 2nd to 15th January. January is the time for harvesting those summer fruits and we will be offering a first class Food for all Seasons workshop where we will harvest, then learn the art of preserving, pickling, bottling, storing, and drying the fruits from the summer harvest for all year round food supply and “Food for all Seasons”. First rate and certified Introduction to Permaculture Courses will be offered all year through the Permaculture Sydney Institute. These will be offered as 10 flexible modules in both Sydney and St Albans with flexible payment and date options. Stay tuned for more news coming shortly on this.

Autumn is right for earthmoving, and so we will be conducting a Cracking and Ground Breaking Water and Earthworks Workshop and real life experience on “How to move your Ground”. This will be followed by a “Get your Forest Growing” workshop where you will learn the art and science of food forest design, construction and maintenance. A Poultry keeping workshop will also be featured around then, showing how to design, care for and cull your poultry. Don’t worry, the last bit is not compulsory!

We return to the home in winter for a winter warmer “Weave those Winter Woollies” workshop where we learn the art of shearing, spinning, knitting, weaving and natural dying, all in one weekend. Then to the kitchen for a “ cheeses of the world” workshop. Then back to the garden for our seasonal kitchen garden “Winter heritage vegetable garden” workshop and a “Heritage and rare fruit tree” workshop where we learn the art and skill of grafting, pruning and planting rare heritage fruit tree varieties in the food forest. The Winter Permaculture Design Certificate in July will warm everyone’s hearts and minds around Bandusia’s fireplaces, sauna, hot tubs and spas.

Amongst the scents of spring when a thousands flowers bloom you will be able to do one of our of “Take a walk on the Wild-side Workshops” – a series of workshops where you will think like the wildlife, follow their footsteps and learn about our wild nature, in our “wildlife weekends” where you will learn how to do your own fauna survey, and not to mention our “Birds and the Bees” workshop weekend.  Following this is our “Forestry and Floristry” weekends where you will learn how to manage zone 5 for fertility, diversity and fire resistance, using succession as a tool and permaculture strategy, as well as making an income from your property.

There’s something special for everyone and every zone of your permaculture paradise and apart from these you have the additional option to design your own workshop. That’s right, you design, and we will deliver a workshop of your choosing for you or your group. Escape from the rat race. Relax in luxury, do something rewarding, and learn something too. Drop us a line and let us now what you might like to learn.

Permaculture Sydney Institute also provides specialist school and community garden workshops and courses and community development services.  I look forward to seeing you at one of these many opportunities. Earth care, people care fair share.

Penny Pyett Director Permaculture Sydney Institute