Mulched Earth Policy
What is the collective noun for permablitzes? A plethora, a shindig, a spree, a litter? We better invent one fast, for there has been an embarrasment of interstate and international permablitzes since we last spoke: Bega, Darwin, ACT, Texas, and Montréal! And upcoming blitzes have been announced for Castlemaine and here in Melbourne. And in this latest Permablitz Melbourne newsletter installment, we’ve also got some of the permablitz crew going head to head with Don Burke on national TV, splicing life forms together organic style, ‘depaving days’, and much much more, so read on…
~~~ Upcoming Melbourne Blitzes ~~~
Sat Aug 1 Permablitz Mooroolbark
Sat Aug 15 Permablitz #70 = Maries’ 70th Birthday Party!!!
Sat Sep 5 Glen Waverley Permablitz #71
And on this Sun Aug 2, Castlemaine has it’s first blitz, check out the new site: www.castlemainepermablitz.com!
~~~ Upcoming Courses ~~~
Come along to some fun and fantastical courses, quality edutainment…
Thu Jul 30 @06:30PM – 08:30PM
The Backyard Ecosystem: Organic Pest Control and Adventures in the Microcosmos (Fitzroy)
Tue Aug 04 @06:30PM – 08:30PM
Beginners Guide to Compost and Worms (Yarraville)
Tue Aug 18 @06:30PM – 09:00PM
Drought Proofing Your Garden (Yarraville)
Sat Aug 23 @10:00am – 05:00pm
Living Food: Wild Fermentation and Raw Foods For Your Health (Yarraville)
~~~ New look permablitz website ~~~
We’ve been working on a new permablitz website, check it: www.permablitz.net
It’s not just a new look, we’ve got an extended list of regional permablitz groups, we’ve rejigged the page describing permablitzes, and have begun a list of professional permaculture designers from within the blitz network. And you can now add the calendar of upcoming events to your website or inbox via our RSS feeds.
~~~ First Gold Coast Blitz ~~~
Craig Mackintosh over at the Permaculture Research Institute has written up a great report on the first Gold Coast blitz. Organisers Leah Galvin and Vanessa Fernandes got a great bit of pre-blitz publicity in the Gold Coat Bulletin.
~~~ Bega Blitz Behemoth ~~~
Not only probably the biggest permablitz ever (over 100 people) but they created perhaps the world’s scariest pizza oven. Check out the report from Bega’s latest blitz: http://www.thebegavalley.org.au/nardyhouse.html
~~~ Permablitz Montréal ~~~
The wonderful Clarisse once a teacher on our first permablitz Intro to Permaculture course here in Melbourne is helping co-ordinate permablitzes in Montreal, Canada! Check out the photos of the balcony permablitz at: http://permablitzmontreal.blogspot.com
~~~ Permablitz Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas ~~~
Bryce reports from the first US based permablitz network that despite the heat pushing 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the first Dallas / Fort Worth permablitz attracted 23 folks, building swales, mulching over 175 m2 of ground for food gardens, with food and tunes and a fine time. See photos: http://dfwpermaculture.ning.com/photo, full report coming soon.
~~~ Permablitz crew vs Don Burke ~~~
Dan, Paul, Nathan and myself from the permablitz network and Very Edible Gardens (VEG) were on the national current affairs program Today Tonight earlier this month — watched by an estimated 1.25 million viewers (!) Fear as we might that it would turn out to be an expose about hippies growing food in animal manures, no it was very positive. The main angle was recession busting (they didn’t mention permablitzing at all). Watch the segment here.
Incidentally, Don Burke was on the telly simultaneously on his regular Friday night spot on A Current Affair. I wonder how he fared? A very respectable 1.01 million viewers. Still, he must have been a just little disappointed.
~~~ Permablitz hits the Herald Sun ~~~
With this much good coverage from sometimes questionable media outlets, perhaps it’s time for some introspection. Are we doing something wrong?
Tony Fawcett wrote a great article about permablitzing for the Herald Sun Home magazine. Read it here.
~~~ Future Scenarios book launch this Saturday ~~~
I’m humbled to be helping launch David Holmgren’s new book Future Scenarios: How Communities Can Adapt to Peak Oil and Climate Change at Ceres in East Brunswick on Saturday at 11:30am
You can purchase the book over at www.holmgren.com.au
~~~ Help us… ~~~
Help out the permablitz network, we need:
1) A PHP programmer to create a Joomla module for the website to linking designers to potential permablitz hosts.
2) Not a permablitz request, but VEG needs storage space in the northern suburbs (a big garage with rear access would be ideal) to help spread the love and seeds…
Contact: [email protected]
~~~ In Brief ~~~
Depaving Day! Beneath the asphalt, the vegie patch. Check out this new US movement.
http://www.streetfilms.org/archives/depaving-day/
Check out the new Principles of Permaculture DVD by the Holmgren clan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_-J71k2bXE
Urban design patterns in Melbourne, – great article by permablitz founder Dan Palmer on common permaculture design strategies in Melbourne:
http://www.permablitz.net/component/content/article/1-latest/105-urban-design-patterns-in-melbourne
Permaculture covergirl Cecilia Macaulay in The Age
http://www.theage.com.au/national/growing-trend-for-palatable-shapes-in-shared-living-20090612-c67l.html
The anti-permablitz. If we went to one of those alternative universes in which our personalities and circumstances are somehow inverted, maybe we’re all busy spraying dead lawns green with paint. Sadly, it’s not pure science fiction:
http://earthfirst.com/new-company-offers-green-spray-paint-service-for-dead-lawns/
~~~ Grafting days ~~~
Learn to splice life forms together Dr Frankenstein style. Or just go along to get some otherwise unavailable heritage fruit tree varieties.
Heritage Fruit Society Events
Pettys Orchard – Sunday 2nd August 1:00pm – 4:00pm 1 Homestead Road. Templestowe
CERES – Saturday 8th August 1:00pm – 4:00pm Lee Street, Brunswick
Yarra Valley Permaculture Group
Healesville – Sun 16 Aug 1-4pm 35 Deering Ave, Healesville
~~~ Sustainable Gardeners Australia PODs ~~~
Check out this new initiative linking local vegie growers together: www.sgaonline.org.au/pods.html
~~~
Yours and creeping through the subsoil,
Adam @ Permablitz Melbourne
