There, I said it. Permaculture is more than gardening, it’s a way of life. A life which encompasses a more enriching, loving and connected one to not only the earth but to others.
Recently, I completed a 7 week Permaculture Design Course at the magical Ella’s Farm in northern New South Wales. Why did I do this? I guess I have been on a journey to connect more to myself and nature since August and it just came to me. It was perfect timing, and it just aligned.
Ella’s Farm is based in Northern New South Wales and delivers a 7 week Permaculture Design Course. For more information visit here.
How I came to do a Permaculture Course?
In a world where MORE is standard (and expected!), where you feel like you’re on a conveyor belt of trying to reach utopia and trying to keep up with the list of achievements to make a ‘successful’ life really isn’t sustainable. I found myself feeling extremely anxious, in a work environment that expected more and more and feeling unfulfilled with less and less connection to myself and others (I didn’t know this at the time!).
I was flung off the conveyor belt and started the (sorry so cliché) journey in becoming more aligned with what was in my heart and what I could give back to the planet.
This led me to doing what I love most, spending more time in nature and encouraging more people to do the same.
Fast forward 6 months and the opportunity to learn more about where and how our food is grown was presented.
Why live by Permaculture Design?
In the first weekend of the course, I immediately knew I was in the right place. Ella, the infectious bubbly and knowledgeable woman that she is, welcomed the 10 students with such ease starting with “what is your Quality of Life Statement’. Wow, I thought I was here to learn about plants and growing them. How I was wrong and knew this was just perfect.
Permaculture in true definition has three major ethics which is caring for the earth, caring for others/people and sharing your surplus. However, everyone’s Permaculture Design is so unique to every individual because it all hinges on YOUR Quality of Life Statement, this is – why are you doing what you are doing and why do you want to achieve it. This means, you don’t need to have hundreds of acres, nor do you want to develop a full blown commercial farm. You could be in a house, unit or apartment just wanting to reduce your waste and source your food from local farmers whilst growing some herbs on your balcony.
What do you learn in the Permaculture Design Course?
You learn everything from geography and weather, what makes healthy soils right through to economics! There is so much learning and expanding your knowledge over the 7 weeks as well as hands on experience seeing it in action on Ella’s Farm.
What I loved most and what I was able to implement in my life straight away was removing green waste from my bin, building my own worm farm out of a wheelie bin, enrich my current plants soils to see them flourish, have the confidence to give growing from a seed a go and looking at how I will live more sustainably in everyday life.
The next course is coming up in a few weeks and if you are interested in learning what your Quality of Life can be, I highly recommend doing this course.
What is Permaculture in Summary
Permaculture is more than gardening, it’s a way of life and it’s your Quality of Life to live a more loving and meaningful life. I was flung off the conveyor belt of the need to achieve more when I was presented with learning more about plants and how to grow them. I did the 7 week course and I learn much more than growing plants. I learnt more about myself, what it meant to live a quality life and to have the confidence to give growing plants from seeds! You can learn the key principles of Permaculture Design in a 7 week course at Ella’s Farm in the northern hinterland of New South Wales and I couldn’t recommend it more.
Ella’s Farm is based in Northern New South Wales and delivers a 7 week Permaculture Design Course. For more information visit here.
WANT MORE?
To get inspiration on what trail to do next and to get more useful adventure tips make sure you sign up to receive weekly emails or follow along on Instagram.
