Each month we’ll highlight some of the great activities our PA members are up to & where permaculture has been featured in the news. Here is a selection of our favourites below – noting there are many more!
If we’ve missed you or you’ve got some stories to share, let us know via hello@permacultureaustralia.org.au so we can include them next month.
Enjoy!
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Listen
The impact of the pandemic on our food chains has resulted in an increase in the purchase of seasonal eating and veggie boxes, as discussed by Chris Ennis, from PA Organisation member CERES on ABC Radio National.
PA Supporter, Robyn from Pip Permaculture Magazine was interviewed on the Futuresteading Podcasthere on taking small steps and how to make a difference without the overwhelm.
The seed garden is a joint initiative with Permaculture Noosa and the Cooroy Community Permaculture Gardens, to give residents access to local knowledge and seeds and was featured here
Fiona Blackham, Gaia Permaculture, Western Australia shared tips and tricks on sustainable, water wise gardening in Farm Weekly.
PA Organisation member Yandina Community Gardens have secured $34,000 for composting and waste reduction projects and were featured on local television and print news.
PA Organisation members Northey Street City Farm and Brisbane permaculturists were quoted throughout this article in the Independent Australia on how COVID-19 has impacted food security and sustainability
Alicia Kidd and Adam Burrows. Photo credit: ABC Tropical North: Melanie Groves
This North Qld couple quit the mines, studied permaculture & now grow veggie boxes – and encourage consumers to learn about their practices, including building healthy soil, as featured on ABC news.
The Permaculture school project at Five Island Secondary College, with support from Elemental Permaculture, were featured on WIN News Illawara.
Photo credit: ABC North Coast: Catherine Marciniak
The Channon community in NSW adapts bushfire-fighting skills to create COVID-19 response, including PA member Fionn Quinlan. Fionn head up a group tasked with food and water security and was quoted in the ABC article here and associated newsclip below.
‘The role of imagination in creating change’ – an all-star permie line-up panel discussion between Linda Woodrow, Starhawk, PA life members David Holmgren and Robyn Francis, Su Dennett and PA members Beck Lowe and Charlie Mgee.
The latest Happen Films features Victoria based permies Artist as Family sharing their experiences using goats to regenerate forests and reduce bushfire risks.
Lisa Passmore is a third generation Horticulturalist and has worked in the production and retail horticulture sectors in Perth, England and New Zealand. Lisa’s twin passions of Horticulture and Art led her to create her own landscape design and consultancy business in 1998. In addition, Lisa has been co-teaching the Diploma in Permaculture with Ross Mars in 2019 and running the Garden Design Course at Homebase since 2006. Lisa holds a Diploma in Horticulture, a Diploma in Permaculture and a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. A Water Corporation endorsed water- wise landscaper, Lisa is a member of the Horticultural Media Association (HMA) and is a regular contributor to horticultural industry publications. She has featured on the Garden Gurus TV program, Burkes Backyard and is a regular speaker at Garden Week and various WA garden clubs.
Martina Hoeppner from the PA Education team chats with Lisa about the impact on studying permaculture, changing beliefs about insects and soil health, and marrying permaculture & horticulture in her career.
You were a horticulturist before you studied permaculture. How has permaculture changed your view of horticulture and has it changed your practices?
Studying Permaculture has opened my eyes to the bigger picture of growing plants on this planet, specifically to what is going on underneath our feet. This new understanding and appreciation of the soil biome has had a profound effect on what I teach my students and how I garden at home. Whilst previously I advocated organic practices as preferable for optimising human health, now I advocate organic practices as imperative in protecting the soil.
When I first studied Horticulture (some 25 years ago) we spent a lot of time learning the lifecycles of common garden insects from the point of view of when best to spray pesticides for maximum effect. Now I advocate balance in the garden and urge my clients and students to encourage insects to the garden, to learn to tolerate some damage, to live and let live and above all else avoid using chemicals in the garden. So much has changed!
Like many permaculturists, you currently have more than one job. Could you tell us a little bit about the things you do at the moment?
I have been running a small garden design and consultancy business since 2000 and in addition to this provide talks and workshops on garden related topics. Being self-employed is wonderful and I’ve enjoyed the flexibility of being able to work around the family’s needs, however it does come with seasonal fluctuations. At the beginning of 2020 I took on extra work in different areas as a way of weathering any economic uncertainty. I applied for a casual pool position at TAFE teaching Horticulture and as a Senior Horticulturist at a local specialist native garden centre. I am now on contract at TAFE teaching most of the week, whilst still helping on Saturday’s at the garden centre and looking after my garden design clients in my spare time.
How do you see the future of permaculture in this current climate of emergencies, including COVID-19?
I do feel that people are looking to gardening right now for mental health surrounding themselves with greenery inside and outside their homes, as well as for food security in growing their herbs and vegetables.
I actively recommend to my students the Accredited training in permaculture (as well as the PDC) and hope to have TAFE pick up the training in the future. There is a real opportunity for permaculture education at the moment. Now is the time!
Additional information
Martina Hoeppner holds a Diploma in Permaculture and a Certificate IV in Training & Assessment, teaches PDCs and Certificate III in Permaculture in Perth and is the current Co-Convenor of Permaculture West. She contributes to Permaculture Australia’s Education Team and tries keep alive her own garden and three sons in her spare time.
More information on the Accredited Permaculture Training, including the Diploma ofPermaculture completed by both Martina and Lisa can be found here.
Martina is professional member and volunteer of Permaculture Australia, the national member based organisation in Australia. Sign up as a member here today to join hundreds of members across Australia advocating for permaculture solutions.
We are always keen to hear from PA members who would like to volunteer, please get in touch via hello@permacultureaustralia.org.au to see how we can utilise your skills.
Virginia Solomon is a permculture elder and one of the PA Board of Directors and fundraising team volunteers. In her ‘spare time’ she has also been spearheading the ‘PA Face mask project’. In this role she has been leading a team of volunteers to make and sell resuable facemasks to raise funds for PA, while reducing waste and enacting the three permaculture ethics. Read more in her guest blog below.
“When Elise, fellow PA member and fundraising volunteer, suggested we make face masks to raise money for Permaculture Australia, I thought it would be hard to mobilise enough people and resources at short notice. However we decided to give it a go – and what a great success it has been!
Elise and Virginia at the Eltham Farmers Market.
I approached our local Eltham Farmers Market to ask if they would give me a little bit of table space the following Sunday and maybe leave it with an honesty box. They agreed, saying ‘I don’t think you will sell many, but that sounds fine as a service to our community’.
The next day the Victoria Premier announced that mask wearing would be mandatory outside the home. Suddenly interest ramped up and we started making in earnest. We managed to make 70 masks for the market on that Sunday, and sold out within an hour! The following week we sold several hundred, as well as launching an on-line pop-up shop for postal orders.
Using the positive power of social media, calls for additional volunteers to cut and sew fabric were answered, and the team grew! This project could not have been achieved without a village involved. An example of community action in a new contactless environment. We used letterboxes and drop off points to create a system of cutters, pressers, sewers, finishers, packers and marketers. A fabulous team effort!
A *huge* thank you to the MMM Team (Mask and Miracle Makers) for all of your fantastic work including Sally, Doris, Fiona, Elise, Sinead, Nikki, Viv, Ros, Rob, Sara, Phil, Trish, Lyall, Lindsay, Adel, Stephen and Mia (all pictured below). A huge thank you also to Eltham Farmers Market for their support and promotion too.
How can I purchase a mask (or three)?
The masks are available for purchase here with 100% of profits donated to Permaculture Australia in line with the principle: Produce No Waste. Financial members of Permaculture Australia and Permaculture Victoria receive a 10% discount as one of their member benefits.
Tell me more about the masks?
Our masks are triple layer, made from all new materials (100% cotton outers, non-woven filter layer) and include a nose wire as well. They use a tie system like a surgical mask which is much more comfortable than elastic – and the ties are tree tie, so use them to tie up your tomatoes when you no longer need a mask!
Thanks for your support to Permaculture Australia and supporting our work in Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share, as well as working to reduce single use plastic.
“Learning permaculture is one of those cyclical patterns, each time you go round it’s like a year: every summer is different from the summer before, you’re a bit older and wiser, it’s a different environment. It’s been really fascinating.”
Delldint chatted to PA volunteer Julia about her approach to teaching permaculture online and how she makes use of her suburban block as a permaculture canvas for the public. She also gives us a VIP tour of her amazing garden.
“Our main focus is to continue providing access to local food through the community garden and introducing various workshops/demonstrations that address barriers to food security, educate about good soil and plant health and offer hands on experience in growing your own food.”
Jared Robinson chatted to PA volunteer Julia about his background in permaculture, its future under coronavirus and the most underrated piece of space in the garden: the verge.
Virginia Solomon is the Chair of the PA Board of Directors, and a member of the PA Education and Fundraising teams. In response to the Melbourne COVID-19 restrictions, Virginia started making and selling homemade face masks – with all profits being donated to Permaculture Australia.
If you’re wondering what has making reusable face masks got to do with permaculture…. the answer is lots! Permaculture is based on three ethics – Earth care, People care and Fair share. You can’t do one without the other. These masks will help keep people safe (People Care), reduce single use masks (Earth Care) and profits are being donated to assist with permaculture projects and being made by volunteers donating their surplus time (Fair Share).
“It is unfortunate, but I think we may be in masks for a long time to come, so we might as well have beautiful, comfortable and compostable (or almost) ones! I am still seeing a lot of single-use [masks] around, but hopefully most people will be wearing re-useable ones soon. In fact, this was the main motivator for me from a permaculture point of view – reducing waste, using donated fabrics (although we do insist that all materials be new), involving our community in something positive at such a challenging time – and helping the planet heal one small mask at a time,” Virginia Solomon
Demand for the product has skyrocketed with the announcement by the Victorian Premier on compulsory use of facemasks.
The Eltham Farmers Market kindly agreed to host a Permaculture Australia stall each Sunday. They have been a huge hit – selling out within one hour on the first day of the market! The PA facemasks are also available via postal order to ensure we can reach as many people as possible safely.
A team of volunteers including several PA members has formed to assist with the sewing and fabric cutting. More volunteers based in Melbourne to keep up with demand are urgently needed. More details are listed below.
“It has been a lot of work! Very long days but it is all worth it when people are so enthusiastic and appreciative of the quality of our masks. I have had heaps of help from some wonderful volunteers, too, so it is not just me. We are a team of six including a 12 year old! Fantastic socially distanced community experience,” Virginia Solomon
Tell me more about the masks
The homemade masks are available at the Eltham Farmers Market this Sunday 2nd August from 0800am until all sold out. You can also purchase via postal order/online using the form here.
The three layer masks are $17 each or two for $30 (plus p/handling for postal orders) and come in three sizes. 100% of the profts are being donated to PA to help minimise the impact of single use masks in the waste stream.
UPDATE: Financial members of Permaculture Australia and Permaculture Victoria are able to access a 10% discount on the masks as one of their membership benefits.
I’m keen to volunteer – how can I get involved?
Volunteers who are available to assist with cutting fabric or sewing (chain piecing components) this week are urgently needed. Please get in touch via the PA email: hello@permacultureaustralia.org.au so we can link you up. All fabric is provided and you will need to be based in Eltham or surrounds due to travel restrictions. Thanks in advance for your support.
More information
Virginia Solomon is an active member and volunteer of Permaculture Australia, the national member based organisation. Find out more about Virginia here and here. Growing food, making things from scratch, sharing skills and working locally but thinking about global issues are all part of Virginia’s philosophy, which si captured as one of the featured casestudies on the Retrosuburbia website here.
The Eltham Farmers Market exists to provide trading opportunities for genuine local farmers and added value makers. The local food being sold has all been grown or made by the stallholder selling it. The market is a project of local Community Group – Local Food Connect – and is proud to be accredited by the Victorian Farmers’ Markets Association. The market operates from 8am to midday every Sunday and is following all Covid-19 restrictions.
The impact of the pandemic on our food chains has resulted in an increase in the purchase of seasonal eating and veggie boxes, as discussed by Chris Ennis, from PA Organisation member CERES on ABC Radio National.
PA Supporter, Robyn from Pip Permaculture Magazine was interviewed on the Futuresteading Podcast here on taking small steps and how to make a difference without the overwhelm.
The seed garden is a joint initiative with Permaculture Noosa and the Cooroy Community Permaculture Gardens, to give residents access to local knowledge and seeds and was featured here
Fiona Blackham, Gaia Permaculture, Western Australia shared tips and tricks on sustainable, water wise gardening in Farm Weekly.
PA Organisation members Northey Street City Farm and Brisbane permaculturists were quoted throughout this article in the Independent Australia on how COVID-19 has impacted food security and sustainability
Lisa Passmore is a third generation Horticulturalist and has worked in the production and retail horticulture sectors in Perth, England and New Zealand. Lisa’s twin passions of Horticulture and Art led her to create her own landscape design and consultancy business in 1998. In addition, Lisa has been co-teaching the Diploma in Permaculture with Ross Mars in 2019 and running the Garden Design Course at Homebase since 2006. Lisa holds a Diploma in Horticulture, a Diploma in Permaculture and a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. 
Like many permaculturists, you currently have more than one job. Could you tell us a little bit about the things you do at the moment? 
Martina Hoeppner holds a Diploma in Permaculture and a Certificate IV in Training & Assessment, teaches PDCs and Certificate III in Permaculture in Perth and is the current Co-Convenor of Permaculture West. She contributes to Permaculture Australia’s Education Team and tries keep alive her own garden and three sons in her spare time.
Virginia Solomon is a permculture elder and one of the PA Board of Directors and fundraising team volunteers. In her ‘spare time’ she has also been spearheading the ‘PA Face mask project’. In this role she has been leading a team of volunteers to make and sell resuable facemasks to raise funds for PA, while reducing waste and enacting the three permaculture ethics. Read more in her guest blog below.
Using the positive power of social media, calls for additional volunteers to cut and sew fabric were answered, and the team grew! This project could not have been achieved without a village involved. An example of community action in a new contactless environment. We used letterboxes and drop off points to create a system of cutters, pressers, sewers, finishers, packers and marketers. A fabulous team effort!
Demand for the product has skyrocketed with the announcement by the Victorian Premier on compulsory use of facemasks.
Tell me more about the masks
Virginia Solomon is an active member and volunteer of Permaculture Australia, the national member based organisation. Find out more about Virginia
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