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Food Forest Workshop at the PRI’s Zaytuna Farm – September 21-23, 2011

The 3-day Food Forest Workshop at the PRI’s Zaytuna Farm, starting September 21st, is drawing near. Book now to secure your place.


This Black Sapote (sometimes called chocolate pudding fruit) sits in a pool
of light coming through foliage of surrounding support species

One of the main concepts of Permaculture is that of growing perennial plant poly-cultures that don’t require planting every year and provide for many of our needs such as food, fiber and fuel. This is a more regenerative approach that builds soil, instead of destroying it through repeated cultivation, and saves us from so much hard work.

By applying ecological principles through design we can assemble the species from which we wish to obtain a yield in a way that mimics nature so the system is productive, resilient and beautiful. Each different plant in the system fills a role and a niche and leaves little space for ‘weeds’. Productive vines, trees, shrubs, tubers, herbs and ground covers are all assembled as if they were a natural forest.

Put simply, it’s a food forest or forest garden.

The 3-day workshop, led by Permaculture designer and educator Gordon Williams, will be packed with both theory and practical elements to give you the knowledge and skills to get you on the right track when planning, planting and maintaining your own food forest in a sub-tropical climate. This will include a range of strategies that you can use for your own site including the use of different animals, tools and equipment to get the job done.

The workshop topics include:

  • Forest ecology and the basis for food forests
  • Site layout and site preparation
  • Planting and maintenance techniques
  • Combining domestic animals with the system

Located at The Channon, Northern N.S.W., Zaytuna Farm is a 27 hectare Permaculture site demonstrating a wide variety of productive plant and animal systems that includes a range of food forest plantings. The sessions will take place in the straw bale classroom as well as out in the farm’s existing food forests. This is an exciting opportunity to experience food forests at different stages from just planted to nearly ten years of age.

About the Teacher

Gordon Williams is an emerging Permaculture educator and consultant based in Sydney, Australia. He sees accelerating the uptake of ‘Permaculture systems thinking’ as the most effective way to stabilize the environmental, social and financial troubles of the world we live in.

He has recently spent time studying and working at the Permaculture Research Institute of Australia in all aspects of the farm’s systems, including a role as the facilitator of the ten week internship program.With a background as a carpenter, Gordon has a passion for creative and practical design that combines built and living elements into functional whole systems that produce a yield while repairing our environment.

For information on accommodation, meals, pricing and to book, please click here.

One Comment

  1. you go Gordan
    I thought about this course when at pri and are really happy you are teaching this course, its a great idea and with so many examples at the farm in differnt stages fanstatic mate

    all the best

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