How do we facilitate the course?
The schedule for our PDC’s is made up of four main class times during the day and one evening session to extend the days learning or weave in elements from related but extended ideas. The evening sections are usually focused on movies, presentations, skill-shares or participatory activities. We extend the traditional PDC curriculum by integrating continual community building and self- leadership development to leave participants with tangible skills to support their continued work in their own communities after the course. We have found this to be very effective to support the learning environment during the course, as well as witness the valuable work students go on to do. Many past students are engaged full time in deeper study, research and project development all over the world.
We dynamically weave lecture story- telling with hands on practicums and design exercises designed to leave students tooled up with the skills and techniques to leave the course fully prepared to apply PC design to all aspects of their lives. Action Learning, learning by doing, is core to our courses, and combined with thorough and effective design methodology participants will leave confident and competent in applying these tools in any area of their lives. With experience and deep passion in all aspects of regenerative design, combined with extensive self- study into Anthropology, Cultural History and Sociology our courses offer a rich holistic backdrop to this engaged and far- reaching un/learning.
The primary aspect of courses by Integralpermanence that set them aside is the commitment to returning the DESIGN to the Permaculture Design Course, through engaged participatory design exercises regularly throughout the course. This is a response to observing other courses with 1 or perhaps 2 design exercises that in our minds do not leave students competent or confident in applying this beneficial system throughout their lives and communities.
The course schedule is an ever-evolving entity because we are always re-evaluating to utilize any opportunity to improve our curriculum, and as Permaculturists we apply design process to our work continuously. We also recognize the uniqueness of each site (due to factors such as culture, climate, and resources) and adjust the schedule accordingly. We have functionally interconnected our ongoing learning to our course development and as such can bring participants the latest developments in regenerative agriculture and design. Our global systems research gives windows into living and truly regenerative solutions. We integrate Holistic Management decision- making frameworks as well as Keyline design as an organizing framework for effective and integrated design. Our experience shows this to be very effective in student’s uptake and synthesis of the diverse information covered in the course.
This course has a pre-set curriculum based on the content of Bill Mollison’s Permaculture: A Designers Manual. During the course, we will touch on every major topic in the book, combining dynamic lecture- storytelling and hands on practical/ demonstration exercises. A brief outline looks like this;
- Theory and principles of permaculture
- Methods of design
- Understanding patterns in nature
- Water harvesting and management
- Drought-proofing
- Keyline Design
- Mapping, GIS Systems
- Trees & their energy transactions
- Orchards, Coppice, Windbreaking
- Eco-friendly house placement and design
- Energy efficient architecture
- Energy conservation techniques for cold climates
- Earthworks & their use in earth repair
- Soils
- Soil rehabilitation and erosion control
- Organic food production
- Livestock
- Holistic Management
- Rotational Grazing
- Aquaculture
- Ecological pest control
- Humid tropics
- The temperate climates
- Humid cool climates
- Dry lands
- Strategies for urban and rural settings
- Recycling and waste management
- Right livelihood
- Catastrophe preparedness and prevention
- Money and finance
- Ethical investment
- Bio regional organization
- Regenerative Enterprise and business
Here is a detailed example schedule PDC_INfopackThai
About the Instructor
Richard Perkins is one of Europe’s most active Permaculture professionals, teaching and consulting through every major climate zone on 4 continents. Highly regarded internationally as a Permaculture Design Course (PDC) teacher, Richard is certified by the PRI (Aus) and Permaculture Association (UK). He also actively mentors Permaculture Diploma students through a 2 year intensive and innovative Action Learning based pathway developed from the existing UK Diploma framework.
Having studied up to MSc level (Integrative Eco Social Design- Gaia U), Richard also holds a Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design, HND Organic Crop Production.
Currently based in Sweden, Integralpermanence is focused on replicable and scalable community wide agricultural enterprise development, including establishing an extensive Holistic Management grazing operation, innovative compost heated glasshouse as well as perennial cropping nurseries and growing systems. Richard has worked on extensive system design and implementation from small scale food production through to farm management, agroforestry to food forests systems, water catchment, cleansing and irrigation systems, business design and overhaul, edible landscaping to keyline design, community building and empowerment, natural building with adobe, cob, straw-bale, timber and bamboo in temperate, semi- arid, sub- tropical and wet tropical climates.
Integralpermanence
Anyone who has taken a PDC with Integralpermanence can go on to teach the course and pass on the knowledge of Permaculture (though it is strongly recommended that you get several years of hands-on experience first). Upon successfully completing the course with Integralpermanence, you will receive a Certificate, which entitles you to use the word permaculture in your endeavors as well as to teach the course, or work as a permaculture consultant if you are so inclined
Permaculture in Practice
The crew at Rak Tamachat would also like to welcome you for a Permaculture in Practice course after the PDC. This is a one-two week opportunity to experience full immersion implementing Permaculture designs with your PDC partners and the Rak community.
The exact plan is not outlined yet, but rest assured there is the option of staying for an affordable price while getting some hands-on practice.
We all really look forward to a course like this, even more than a PDC because the community is 100% involved. As a result, we don’t wish to charge much for the course, but of course still need to cover costs. The price for the stay and PIP up till Feb 1st is 3000 Baht, basically 100 USD. Really hope you can join in on what is sure to be an amazing experience and a way to put your new-found knowledge into practice!
What can you do to prepare for the course?
This course is intended for 1) the beginner – who may have just heard about Permaculture for the first time, as well as for 2) those with some experience, who may be practicing Permaculture already, but are interested in learning the theoretical framework behind it. You are not expected to have any specific knowledge or skills upon arrival. We do think it is helpful to start thinking about ecological systems, and permaculture design in advance. Read! Find a book about design, organic gardening, integrated systems, ecology, solution- based exploration of our world’s problems, etc. Any of these subjects will provide you with some context prior to the lessons of the course.
Or, if you have a specific piece of property or ecological area that you are primarily interested in applying Permaculture principals to, sit and observe it, map it, read about it, and talk to others who are working in similar environments. Then, bring that information with you to the course. We may be able
to use it for a design project. Most of all, be excited to learn and be ready to soak up the information the PDC has to offer!
What to expect from Rak Tamachat?
This full 72-hour certified Permaculture Design Course will be held Rak Tamachat, the site of a new and exciting Permaculture project to the NE of Bangkok, in the province of Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat). The project will have it’s one year anniversary on January 15, and having had a full-integrated permaculture design completed for the farm, is in the early phases of implementation on that design. This backdrop allows for an amazing place to host a PDC course as the work will be happening all around you during the course. We will have plenty of opportunity to get our hands dirty to help with various aspects of implementing Permaculture systems in a meaningful way on the land.
With a community of committed and dedicated Permaculture enthusiasts we have a supportive, diverse and engaging learning environment to immerse ourselves in. You can read more about the community here
What should I bring?
- Work clothes, which will get dirty, especially if we do a bit of natural building. Bring multiple sets unless you are content to wash often. Some members here have the habit of ‘washing’ while swimming, which tends to work well enough if you get them while still sweaty and the mud hasn’t dried.
- Non-work clothes (short sleeves and shorts for the day, long sleeve and long light pants for evenings to combat mosquitos)
- A comfortable sun hat. There are straw hats here in Thailand for 50 cents, but a comfortable hat is worth it.
- Rain and mud gear – poncho, mud boots, etc. We do have some rubber boots on site, but can’t guarantee enough for all participants.
- Swimming suit (or whatever works for you)
- High quality chocolate (quality meaning ethical, and of course it’s optional but appreciated!)
- Flashlight / Head lamp- very important
- Books- Bring a few to show to others
- Mosquito repellent
- Towel
- Sunscreen and gloves. We have basic gloves for you, and some sunscreen. But, it is hard for us to find it in Thailand without whitening agents so it tends to just be a collection of leftovers from past visitors and members. Also, as we all here try to avoid putting chemicals on our skin, coving up is a much better option and the one the locals choose. Coconut oil is also a good alternative to sunscreen (spf15)
- Notebook and good pens/pencils for taking notes.
- Sandals (you don’t really need closed-toe shoes, but sandals with straps are handy, as are flip flops for most occasions unless it’s muddy)
- Beginners Mind – Be open to learning from everyone present.
- Snacks or personal comfort foods etc. Maybe your favorite coffee, as we only provide instant in order to keep our budget much lower. There is a very small village about 1km from the site, where you can buy soda, chips, soy milk, yoghurt, n random snacks, if the need does arise. **You will however be required to ‘stuff’ all the non-recyclable trash you bring back to our site into plastic bottles which we will use later in buildings. This is our alternative to burning trash which is the local method.
- Laptop if you like and an air card for internet
- Hard drive for data sharing is key! We have over 100gigs of Permaculture and Sustainability related books, pdf’s and movies we are happy to share. We will also compile the essentials into an 8gb folder if you only have a memory stick.
- A story/ Myth/ legend from your local area…
Costs: The two week certified PDC course:
January 12-24. 800$ all inclusive, 700$ early bird offer if paid in full before the end of November
Securing your place on the course - A deposit of $200.00 is required to reserve a space on the course. You can pay this via the website. Full payment is requested 2 weeks prior to the course.
Any troubles please get in touch thefarmcq@gmail.com or with Richardintegralpermanence@gmail.com
*If you work for an NGO and believe that permaculture could help your organization achieve its goals, please contact us about the NGO discounted rate.The intention of the NGO discount is to give back to those folks who have given their life or some portion of their life to better the world or the lives of others. Most NGO workers make very little money, but we would like them to still have the opportunity to learn and apply the skills of the PDC course.
If you simply volunteer for an NGO occasionally, we really appreciate your work as well, but this does not qualify you for the discount. Almost all PDC students volunteer a part of their time. That is just the kind of person who tends to take these courses.