Education - ASPDC

 

* ASPDC is the "All Seasons Permaculture Design Course"

* A Full Year of Learning: 12 contact weekends from March to February the following year. Experience "all seasons" learning that gives you a chance to implement as you learn thereby reinforcing and refining new knowledge and skills.

* Twice the contact hours of a standard PDC (Permacuture Design Course) ... at a much lower hourly rate.

* A very wide selection of well-known and respected Permaculture instructors. Including: David Holmgren (Co-originator of the Permaculture Concept), Virginia Solomon (Prime Mover in Accredited Permaculture Training), Beck Lowe (Cydonia Permaculture), Rick Coleman (Southern Cross Permaculture), Graeme George (Permaculture Melbourne), John Ditchburn (Urban Food Garden) and David Arnold (Owner of Murrnong and Publisher of the Permaculture Calendar and Diary) ...

* Focus on southern Victoria's seasonal cool-temperate climate

* Presented by Ballarat Permaculture Guild, BREAZE (Ballarat Renewable Energy and Zero Emissions Inc) and Eltham College.

* Chance to complete Certificate III in Permaculture (Govt Accredited Permaculture Training) through Eltham College as part of ASPDC.

 

This year's course dates are:

2010 Mar 13,14
2010 Apr 10,11
2010 May 15,16
2010 Jun 12,13
2010 Jul 10,11
2010 Aug 07,08
2010 Sep 11,12
2010 Oct 09,10
2010 Nov 06,07
2010 Dec 04,05
2011 Jan 15,16
2011 Feb 12,13

 

Get more news about aspdc !!!

 

For other information about ASPDC, please  email aspdc@ballaratpermacultureguild.org and ask to be put on the mailing list.

 

Rick Coleman

 

For more information see "ASPDC Information Session - Presentation Sept 09" on the Downloads page.

 

Student Comments


All Seasons Permaculture Design Course (ASPDC) students wrote comments on the first five months of the course for the Permaculture Melbourne newsletter "PIE", and some of those comments are reproduced below.  Students had learnt about natural systems and permaculture design methods with Graeme George; been enthused by a weekend site visit to Melliodora with Su Dennett and David Holmgren; and considered ‘all things water’ with Rick Coleman (water harvesting, slowing, movement and recycling). 

Reflection on the ASPDC (by Brenda)

Joining a group of keen trainee permaculturists is exciting.  Eager to learn, share and support each other in this new venture and adventure, it's evident that the format of a weekend a month is proving very useful.  It gives one time to reflect, discuss and practise key permaculture principles verbally and practically.  The course structure is building on my own knowledge and exposing me to a group of experienced hands on practitioners who are teaching skills that will last a lifetime. I do struggle as a 'greenie' with the altered landscape view because I feel that the protection of our own indigenous vegetation would add to the principles and reinforce that fact that it is not all about 'us humans'. 

The Permaculture Compost Cycle (by Michelle)

Following an inspiring visit to John Ditchburn’s urban food garden, my chicken coop underwent reconstruction to improve productivity in the vegie garden. A three-bay compost bin, built from recycled solar water heater plates and cover, was installed in the  coop. Daily kitchen scraps and straw encourage the chooks to scratch and turn the mass constantly. Silverbeet crops are also used to feed the chooks each day and the benefits of increased dietary iron are obvious in the size and quality of their egg production. In turn, their droppings are added to garden compost bins as additional fertiliser. The integration and cyclical nature of this process is rewarding and highly productive.

Permaculture goes Underground (by Robyn)

Inspired by a tour of David Holmgren’s Hepburn property, Melliodora, the home cellar was begun. With minimal excavation to allow a person to stand, and the installation of recycled timber shelves on bricks, a functional storage space was created under the eastern end of our split-level, double-brick dwelling. This provides for cool storage of preserves, all of which are the result of permaculture practices. By improving the organic structure of the soil, and therefore its moisture retention through composting via bins, worm farm and chicken run, the excess garden produce has allowed green tomato pickles, plum jam, apricot & ginger jam, preserved fruits and pumpkins. A veritable feast!

 

Graeme George