Date(s) - May 7, 2017
Time - 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

This is a third-party event not organised by Permablitz. We've added it because we reckon it looks pretty good!

Location - Geo Echo Farm

This hands-on workshop is designed for soil appreciators, gardeners, farmers and ecologists that want practical, simple and effective methods for replenishing soil.
From house-hold to acreage, these classes are designed to empower participants and give them the tools and knowledge needed to create healthy soil that will increase yields and stabilise the home and farm economy.
Biologically Active Compost:
• Learn about the Soil Food Web
• How to make biologically active thermal compost
• Various hands-on composting techniques and recipes
• The science behind composting
• How to grow and source various materials
• Determining adequate the moisture, temperature and turning

The Functions of a Healthy Soil Food Web are:

– Retention of nutrients so they do not leach or pass off as vapour from the soil. Retaining the natural nutrients means a decrease in the need for fertiliser usage.
– Nutrients are cycled into the right forms at the right rates for the plant. The correct ratio of fungi to bacteria is needed for this to happen, as well as a balanced level of natural predator activity.
– Building the soil structure, so that the oxygen, water and other nutrients can easily absorb into the soil thus enabling plants to develop a deep, well-structured root system. When the biology is functioning properly, water use is reduced, the need for fertilizers is reduced, and plant growth is increased.
– Suppression of disease-causing organisms via competition with beneficials, by setting up the soil and foliar conditions so as to assist the beneficials as opposed to diseases.
– Protection of plant surfaces, above or below ground, This is achieved by making certain the foods created by the plant surfaces release into the soil and are used by beneficial, not disease organisms, thereby ensuring that infection sites on plant surfaces are occupied by beneficial, and not disease-causing organisms. This also ensures that the certain predators that prefer disease-causing organisms are present to consume them.
– Production of plant-growth-promoting hormones and chemicals that assist in plants developing larger stronger root systems.
– Control of toxic compounds through the breakdown or decay of these organic materials.

(http://www.soilfoodweb.com/)

– AUTUMN SOIL MASTERCLASS –

This 2-Day workshop has a hands on focus with practical techniques for improving the quality, structure, biology and mineral composition of the soil.

From house-hold to acreage, these classes are designed to empower participants and give them the tools and knowledge needed to create healthy soil that will increase yields and stabilise the home and farm economy.

Most life is in the first 7cms of soil, or should be.
Our soils have been depleted through modern agricultural processes, which means the life within the soil has diminished, giving rise to various environmental, economical and social issues.
A teaspoon of good garden soil should contain billions of bacteria and several yards of fungal strands!

This course will address soil health and plant nutrition, as well as pest control and fungal control… its all got to do with the functional diversity of micro-organisms within the soil!
Micro-biology is key to the physical and chemical composition of the soil; the biology governs the chemistry, and if we create conditions for these microbes to thrive, we strengthen the structure of the soil, make nutrients plant-available and build humus-rich productive living soil!

Learn methods that can be scaled for all types of farming enterprises using minimal inputs, putting the agricultural technology back into the hands of the people who are at the forefront of their own enterprises; farmers.
Whether you are learning for urban-farming, market-gardening or larger scale agricultural farming, this course is designed to teach you how to produce your own inputs from available resources and minimise wastes within the industry.

Your Facilitators:

Tomas Cifuentes
Tomas is a passionate organic gardener and landscaper. He is also a permie and founder of Seed Of Life Gardens, a business that aims to promote ‘growing our own food’ by design and construction of edible gardens. Since 2010 I have been working & volunteering in Organic farms around the world. Finally when I settled in Melbourne in 2013 I started a small operation of heritage tomatoes and italian vegetables. I am obsessed with Soil fertility. In these last four years I have studied and practiced so many different methods to achieve this goal. And it keeps getting simpler and easier. You only need strong foundations and the proper knowledge.
By doing this course you will learn to understand soil conditions and also how to prepare in advance correctly any area of any size. The principles are the same. Do you want to create your veggie patch? Plant an orchard? Regenerate soils? Flower/Medicine beds? Natives? Come and learn.

Taj Scicluna
The Perma Pixie (Taj Scicluna) is passionate and motivated to inspire and educate people to live more nourishing and regenerative lifestyles with a deep connection to Nature.
Using her skills of Permaculture and Herbalism, she reminds those wishing for a deeper sense of purpose that individual and collective action can generate change and reformat the current state of humanity.

Being a fringe dweller, The Perma Pixie straddles the worlds of nature connection and professional business, hoping this will ripple through to others and create larger effects beyond the scope of her reach.
She intends to create a fusion of ancient wisdom with modern times, weaving the awareness of the past with the knowledge at present to form a synergy that will benefit future generations.

This is where functionality meets alchemy, a marriage of the mystical and practicality, an awareness of the internal and external landscapes which can exist in harmony.
Taj is well versed in Permaculture Design, specialising in Ornamental Edible Gardens that mimic natural systems for beauty and efficiency. Her journey has now lead her to facilitate Social Permaculture workshops, focusing on the awareness of the self and how we may integrate ourselves back into forms of community for a positive impact on the Earths systems and processes.

The Pixie’s Proof on Paper:
– Permaculture Design Course (Southern Cross, 2009)
– Cert II in Horticulture (Swinburne, 2010)
– Permaculture Diploma (Eltham College, 2011)
– Dynamic Groups + Community Covernance (Robin Clayfield, 2012)
– Cert IV in Micro-Business (Boxhill TAFE, 2013)
– Regrarians PDC (Darren Doherty, 2014)
– Permaculture Australia Board Director (2014)
– Soil Food Web Course (Dr. Elaine Ingham, 2014)
– Permaculture Teacher Training (Rosemary Morrow, 2015)
– Advanced Design Course (Dan Palmer, 2015)

– Forest Garden Design Intensive (Dave Jacke, 2016)

Tickets available here: https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=273926