Our Integrated
Permaculture Skills Workshops
We are designing a set of 12 integrated and complementary 1-day workshops supported by practical exercises, photos, fieldwork, and videos. These 12 workshop modules builds up to the Official 72-hours Permaculture Design Certificate Course (PDC) over 3 months. An intensive program as taught by the founders of Permaculture – Bill Mollison and David Holmgren.
So far, we have designed 6 of these workshops which are listed below.
Read more about each of them, or see workshop availability and buy your tickets on our Booking page.
Réservation Événements
We all play a role in the fate of our society, our food, agriculture, science and technologies. We can all individually help bring change to almost all of our world problems, right from our own gardens, our agricultural lands, or just on our balconies and rooftops, and why not build a career and become Permaculture teachers or consultants, and create not only a more resilient food system, but also sustainably manage our energy systems, water systems, waste management systems, and even our economy.
From Biomimicry, Permaculture offers ethics, design principles, and solutions that can even be adapted to our businesses, and the many human systems that make up our complex modern world, giving us resiliency to live long on our earth as a society. So if you feel like it’s time to start shifting to a more earth-centered life, with regenerative systems, in harmony with nature, then here are some real opportunities to learn, and take part in getting through all these coming global crises and challenges.
We will provide a whole diversity of courses such as: The Introduction to Permaculture. The PDC (Permaculture Design Certificate), Food Forests and Syntropic Agriculture, Biointensive Organic Gardening, Plant Propagation and Seed Saving, Compost and Biofertilizers, Biochar, Earthworks and Land Water Management, Aquaponics, Apiculture, Animal Farming, Weaving, Nutrition and Food Conservation. As well as health and wellness events like: Tai chi, Hiking, Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Therapy), Bird Watching, and many more.
Much of your learning and gaining here will be based on real life projects, as well as practicing your new design skills working in small groups with your fellow participants. Giving you lots of opportunities to explore the various aspects of permaculture and discover the areas that are of most interest to you. Take your pick from one of our workshops and events, and immerse yourself in learning about the diverse permaculture ecological systems towards your self-sufficiency.
You can participate to the whole program at your own pace and in any order, hop in anytime during the year, or only the workshops that are of most interest to you, if you are not interested by the whole program. The workshops are held every Saturday to the public, and private Sessions can be organized for private groups during the week on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
For those who opted for the full program. The last 2 session workshops is held over a 2 consecutive day weekend at the farm, with onsite assignments for each section – questions related to the material covered in the course. Some of the assignments include outdoor activities, observation, and drawing exercises, as does the Final Design Project.
Upon successful completion of the whole 3 month program, graduates receive the official, internationally-recognized Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC). The PDC course should supply you with enough information and feedback to:
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Plan and implement a Permaculture system for yourself and others.
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Assess systems and structures for sustainability and resilience.
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Design sustainable human settlements.
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Develop ecological food production systems.
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Design water harvesting systems and earthworks.
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Build healthy soil, sequester carbon, and increase fertility naturally.
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Design natural, non-toxic homes, and structures that heat and cool themselves without expensive systems or outside inputs.
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Incorporate relevant Permaculture ideas and methods into existing systems (home, office, business, restoration sites).
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Develop your research into particular systems, technologies, or strategies.
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Develop personal interests in Permaculture subject areas.
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Encourage community interest in activities that focus on real (and not just economic) growth and development.
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Start-up sustainable income-streams and/or start businesses related to Permaculture.
The design course should provide you with a thorough understanding of Permaculture Design and enable you to begin teaching others. Only those who have completed an official 72-hour PDC course are legally permitted to use the word “Permaculture” for business purposes.
How does our integrated program works.
PERMACULTURE LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Join us as we take you into the world of Permaculture, and introduces you to regenerative land and garden landscape design. A holistic landscape planning of your own food security, water harvesting, energy flow and management, waste disposal... towards a much more resilient lifestyle. This workshop is for anyone interested in learning to create more meaningful and self-sufficiant strategies for all interconnected systems that consists our lifestyles, and create abundance for your families and communities, right from your very own home gardens or agricultural lands. We will mainly present you: The definition of permaculture, as well as ethical principles, and the design of natural ecosystems towards ecological rehabilitation, and discuss the idea of self-sufficiency, and the urgency of investing in your food security. Observation in real conditions of the different elements that constitute ecosystems and their interactions, in addition to providing you with ideas that you could immediately experience at home and on your land, with regard to sustainability, recycling, waste disposal, water management, nutrient flow, and energy use and management. Garden planning with permaculture zones and sectors, by identifying the impact and use of the natural elements moving through your property, towards a better adaptation to the challenges of our society, and of climate change. How we can adapt and use biomimicry to all the systems that make up your home lifestyle, and introduce you to the benefits and importance of soil fertility, the creation of biointensive vegetable gardens requiring little maintenance, the spread of herbs and perennials, and the creation of edible forests “Food Forests”, creating abundance by connecting your house, to a productive garden and lifestyle. Day Schedule : 9h00 : Check-in 9h30-10h15 : Teacher and Group Presentation 10h15-11h00 : Definition of Permaculture and design principles 11h00-11h15 : Coffee Break. 11h15-12h30 : Design methods, zoning and sectors, from dreams to site management. 12h30-1h30 : Lunch Break 1h30-2h30 : La Meule guided tour : its design and implementation in real life. 2h30-2h45 : Cofee Break 2h45-4h30 : The "flower" of permaculture, Self-sufficiency, and it's different ecological systems.
BIOINTENSIVE VEGETABLE GARDENING
A gardening experience, rich in nutrients, in a regenerative way, beyond sustainability and the so-called "organic" standards, by producing abundance on a small area. With nature as a guide, the garden becomes a sanctuary, an artistic expression, a healing force for the earth, and much more. This 1-day workshop focus on Permaculture gardening concepts, teaching you the techniques, to get you started with organic vegetables year round. From urban gardens to rural farms, this workshop teaches you how to grow more vegetables in less space than you ever imagined. Design strategies will give you an inspiring insight into how permaculture can redesign your thinking, our future, and our gardens. The course is partly practical and theoretical. There are many tasks that need to be done to ensure that at Terganic we have an abundance of fresh organic produce, and these tasks will form the basis of our experimental learning. Key course topics will include: Cultivation Methods: Learn about the “No Dig,” “Double Digging,” and “Biointensive” gardening techniques, among others, that can help you create extraordinarily healthy and productive gardens, even if you start from damaged soils or an overgrown neglected plot! Integrated Pest Control: The ecological garden aims to accommodate a diverse range of plants, animals, and insects, mimicking a natural ecosystem to provide services such as pest control and pollination. Learn how to create habitats that attract beneficial insects. Identify the root causes of potential disease and pest problems to create a harmoniously integrated edible ecosystem. Vegetable Garden Holistic integration: Apply the science of permaculture design to map, plan and organize all elements of your garden to maximize efficiency and productivity. No matter the size of your garden, permaculture can help you get the most out of it, in terms of production, energy efficiency, economy, and pleasure. Day Schedule: 8h00: Check in and breakfast 9h00-10h15: Ecosystem and Integrated Pest Control 10:15-10:30: Coffee break 10h30-12h00: Practical Session:The “Double Digging” method. 12:00-1:00: Lunch 1h00-2h15: Practical Session: Guided Tour. 2h15-2h30: Coffee break 2h30-4h30: Garden Planning, and garden workflows.
COMPOST AND SOIL BUILDING
This one day workshop will teach you that instead of only focusing on the health and vibrancy of our plants in our garden we should instead focus on the soil itself. If you don't have healthy, vibrant soil, you'll be forever struggling to keep your plants healthy and vibrant and productive. Gardeners use up a lot of natural resources and simply adding NPK fertilizer isn't going to make up for it. One of the most important things you can do to make your garden productive and sustainable is to put attention and effort into soil building - the building of your tilth. Tilth building takes work and effort and some investment now, but will really pay off in the future. You'll have a garden producing in sync with nature, and your plants will produce food that is more nutrient dense. We will go over composting, animal manures, green manures, cover cropping, soil layers and structures, mulching, subsoiling, tilling, and using mushrooms. We will also talk about herbal amendments, foliar sprays, comfrey, garden teas, compost tea, worm compost and other ways to increase or adjust soil nutrients. You'll leave the workshop with an understanding of these various techniques as well as some hands-on experience on applying these techniques to your garden or farm. Here's an outline of what we'll be covering in this Soil Building Full Day Workshop: The Basics: NPK/trace minerals Soil Amendments Composting – a great way to build biomass as well as diversity within the soil’s biomass. Types of Compost Piles Manure Management, Deep Bedding Method of Animal Keeping, Using Compost: Top-Dressing, as a Mulch, and as a Tea. Herbs in your Compost Pile and Garden Sifting and Screening Staggering nitrogen-fixers - annuals, shrubs, trees GROWING SOIL Some biomass plants (cover crops, green manures) Mulching and Green Top Dressings No Till methods and Subsoiling Feeding Your Aerobic Microbes with Nutritive Garden Teas (manure, comfrey, nettle, alfalfa, kelp) Mycorrhizal Fungi - The power of symbiosis Day Schedule : 9h00 : Check-in 9h30-10h15 : The soil food web, and Soil structure and minerals 10h15-11h00 : Mycorrhizal Fungi - The power of symbiosis 11h00-11h15 : Coffee Break. 11h15-12h30 : Composting Methods 12h30-1h30 : Lunch Break 1h30-2h30 : Herbs in your Compost teas and Garden 2h30-2h45 : Cofee Break 2h45-4h30 : Mulching, cover crops, and nitrogen fixers
GROWING FOOD FORESTS: SYNTROPIC FARMING
Join us to learn how to grow forests following natural principles to feed people and regenerate ecosystems. This workshop will teach you how to implement and manage agroforestry systems following the Syntropic farming method. You will learn both theoretical and practical knowledge of agroforestry. Syntropic farming was developed in Brazil by Ernst Gotsch (Swiss botanist) in response to deforestation and industrial agricultural practices. The word ‘Syntropy’ in agroforestry refers to “increasing complexity” and biodiversity within the system. A forest is a natural succession of plant species with the fast growing species creating conditions for slower growing plants to eventually establish themselves. Every species in a forest ecosystem has a particular ecological function and fills a different niche in the system. It is about systemising the natural processes of rainforests. We create food forests by mimicking succession, while also reinvigorating soils on degraded land. More of what you'll learn: Understanding forest vertical layering of the habitat; the arrangement of vegetation in layers. We will explore how plants behave in their environment, considering the quantity and quality of light that the plants need to be healthy and the particular forest micro climate they thrive in. Natural succession. To cultivate a forest it is important to see how plants behave across time. How long it takes them to reach their full life cycle and how long it takes until they reach maturity. The importance of Mulching. It is essential that soil stay covered with organic matter to be fertile. We will teach best mulching practices for maximum soil health. Intercropping. We will demonstrate how to combine plants in an Agroforest, including examples on how to properly combine different species in one system. Agroforestry Design. There will be a practical design exercise evaluating production goals regarding the quantity and type of products being produced and considering all variables of your property or agicultural land: climate, soil quality, ground leveling, positioning considering the sun, etc. We will also initiate the implantation of a new area that will become a food forest here at Terganic. Introduce you to Plant Propagation. Knowledge of best practices for the propagation of different plant species to create long-term health and productivity of individual plants. Day Schedule : 9h00 : Check-in 9h30-10h15 : Permaculture Food Forest vs Syntropic 10h15-11h00 : Natural successions from vegetable crops to Food forests 11h00-11h15 : Coffee Break. 11h15-12h30 : Intercropping, plant guilds, and companion planting 12h30-1h30 : Lunch Break 1h30-2h30 : Practical Design Exercise 2h30-2h45 : Cofee Break 2h45-4h30 : Planning and Production Considerations
ZONE 5: "THE WILD ZONE" OBSERVATION
“The Forests, the birds, and the beasts”This workshop is for people who want to gain a greater understanding and appreciation of the Forest and its many secret, and not so secret inhabitants – the plants, insects, mushrooms, birds, animals, and their interactions in their wild natural environment. “The Forests, the birds, and the beasts” This workshop is for people who want to gain a greater understanding and appreciation of the Forest and its many secret, and not so secret inhabitants – the plants, insects, mushrooms, birds, animals, and their interactions in their wild natural environment. The workshop includes both theory and practical sessions. It includes presentations and easy educational walk and talk tours through the Forests, both on our ecovillage zone 5 forest and to the Mountain top Native Forest. You will see many plants, mushrooms, and animals that will amaze and inspire you. The walks will be conducted around La Meule Ecovillage which is rich with a diversity of special plants and animals, being surrounded by the Grand Port Mountain Range. These mountain tops are known as one of the last endemic forests of Mauritius and the most diverse place on the island, and during the workshop you will find out why. The walks are relatively easy for the average persons. The area is home to many plants and animals that you will see such as the Kestrel, and Pailles-en-queue, Geckoes, bats, and other rare birds. The tree species are rich with some Ebony trees, Bois d'olive, and a range of others and we also have plants and shrubs that are rare and beautiful. During the workshop we hope you will see some of the wild animals such as the Cochon Marron (wild boar), deers, or groups of monkeys – of course we cannot guarantee but the chances are always there. By the end of the tour you will enjoy lunch with us at our table d’hôtes and enjoy a relaxing time and chats with like-minded people around a refreshing drinks and meal. This life experience will give you a greater understanding about plants and animals and the native environment. You will be able to identify a range of plants and animals, know more about their needs and behaviours and their role in the native environment. For Permaculturalists, this will give you a greater understanding of zone 5 – “The Wild Zone”, the role it plays in the total design system and particularly the importance of natural conservation and biodiversity. This will enable you to go home knowing more about wild plants and animals in your backyard or community so you can better design for to meet their needs such as habitat and other requirements. This will be a fun packed hands-on experience with two passionate, very experienced and knowledgeable guides, and permaculture practitioners. Day Schedule : 8h30 : Check-in 9h00-9h30 : Definition of the Permaculture Zone 5 10h00-11h00 : La Meule Zone 5 Forest Creek 11h00-11h15 : Refreshment/Forest Bathing 11h15-1h30 : Endemic Forest Tour 1h30-3h00 : Refreshments and Lunch 3h00-4h00 : Relaxed Farm Walk Tour 4h00-4h30 : Zone 5 and it's role in Permaculture thinking and design concepts
THE PERMACULTURE FOUNDATIONS
Join us as we take you into the ethics, concepts, philosophy, and origins of the Permaculture movement, and introduces you to new ways of looking at the world. For anyone interested in learning regenerative systems, and how we can adapt to all interconnected systems that consists our society. We will mainly present you: ● The definition and history of permaculture, as well as ethical principles, and show you how to connect to the permaculture movement in the world, and discover the opportunities offered by the development of permaculture towards a new economy for the world of tomorrow, in Mauritius, and in the world (Business , job creation, activities, etc.). Day Schedule : 9h00 : Check-in 9h30-10h00 : Teacher and Group Presentation 10h00-11h30 : Definition and history of Permaculture 11h30-11h45 : Coffee Break. 11h45-12h30 : Ethics, design principles, Biomimicry. 12h30-1h30 : Lunch Break 1h30-2h45 : La Meule : its business design model and community connections. 2h45-3h00 : Cofee Break 2h30-4h30 : Design principles, and the "flower" of permaculture.
Let's Work Together
We will guide and train you to your dream garden and home life-style Permaculture resillient Oasis of abundance. See workshop availability and buy your tickets on our Booking page.