permaculture

["Darren Doherty" <darren@permaculture.biz>]

G'day,

Excuse the cross posting from the folks at Permablitz:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Permablitz Melbourne <permablitz@gmail.com>
Date: 2008/6/17
Subject: Blitz? Yes you can.
To: Permablitz Melbourne <melb_blitzes@permablitz.net>


Have you ever tried smiling to make yourself feel happier?  It may take a
while, but once you force your cramping and convulsing cheeks through the
pain barrier, it can really work -- perhaps in a not dissimilar way that a
mystic finds enlightenment through fasting in a cave.  Somehow expression
manifests attitude which manifests reality.

And out of what gestural seed did the permablitz network arise?  Why from
little more than one man and a particular can-do expression.  I give you Dan
Palmer and the can-do-dan:

[image: The image] <http://ameralia.net/PDCportraits/images/060.jpg>
 <http://ameralia.net/PDCportraits/images/060.jpg>
On its own it's a very powerful expression.  But get two fellows doing it
while facing each other, and you have yourself what scientists call a
mutualistic can-do excitation feedback complex.  No one yet knows what would
happen if a larger crowd got together and did it.  It may go non-linear, and
then it's anyone's guess.  But I'm willing to try it if you are.  How about
we try at one of the next two exciting permablitzes this month...

Yes, welcome to another permablitz newsletter in which we have all the usual
upcoming blitzes and courses, plus permablitz news from the urban fringe, a
call to support a food fight, a new food gardeners alliance, and a
self-compost option for loved ones.


~~~ Upcoming blitzes ~~~

Blitz #45 at West
Preston<http://permablitz.net/component/option,com_extcalendar/Itemid,26/extmode,view/extid,93/>
June 22, 2008 (10:00 am - 5:00 am)
Continuing the rush of Permablitz activity in this part of Melbourne,
Alastair, Nancy and Susie invite one and all to 30 Birch St West Preston for
a jam-packed day of permaculture workshops, demonstrations, installations
and winter solstice feasting and festivity.  Bring a shovel or an
instrument. More
info....<http://permablitz.net/component/option,com_extcalendar/Itemid,26/extmode,view/extid,93/>

Blitz#46: Farming in
Brunswick<http://permablitz.net/component/option,com_extcalendar/Itemid,26/extmode,view/extid,113/>
June 28, 2008 (All Day)
An exciting blitz in a big back yard shared by five households with one big
vegable patch and 6 chooks. "We have plums, apple, peach and nectarine trees
but we want to plant more. We'll show you our triple compost heap, our
egg-laying department, our garden and tell you how it works, how we set it
up and why it's called The Farm. We'll eat & drink and share ideas and keep
warm by a fire (wood from the garden too)." More
info...<http://permablitz.net/component/option,com_extcalendar/Itemid,26/extmode,view/extid,113/>


~~~ Upcoming courses ~~~

Last course was a blast, with three new wonderful teachers added to the
team.  We're taking a two month break from the courses, but just today we
have one booked in for Ceres for the weekend of August 16-17.

Register 
here!<http://permablitz.net/component/option,com_extcalendar/Itemid,26/extmode,view/extid,120/>

Feedback from the last course:

"Bloody brilliant, guys."

"Fantastic. Thanks so much for providing such a potentially life changing
course."

"Very interesting and inspiring, a great taste and a call to action."

"The course was great! Exceeded expectations and I have learned a lot over
the course of the weekend.   I especially enjoyed the group activities and
the hands on approach taken by each of the facilitators."


~~~ *Greater Dandenong Edible Gardens Project* update ~~~

Paul and Kim just got word that their permablitz associated project in
Greater Dandenong has been granted the full 12 months of funding after their
initial trial period.   Good on them!  Paul reports on the recent blitz in
Noble Park:

40 Permablitzers, including over 20 new-comers, made the trip to Noble Park
on the first day of Winter for an amazingly productive and educative
Permablitz.  It was thrilling to see that the 15 Greater Dandenong locals
were joined by folk from Doveton, Mooroolbark, Reservoir, Altona, Heathmont,
St Kilda, Windsor, Box Hill, Essendon, Kew and beyond, with ages ranging
from 2 months old to about 80 years old! Read
more...<http://permablitz.net/content/view/66/1/>


~~~ Food Gardeners Alliance ~~~

Watch out when people who employ pitchforks and shovels get together to
fight for their rights. While you might expect some kind of uncouth scene
from a group called the Food Gardeners Alliance, I'm told the meetings are
actually quite civilised.  Who are the FGA? "An alliance of horticulturists,
educators, home and community gardeners... support[ing] the rights of all
Victorians to grow their own food locally."  Just don't make them angry.  More
info... <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/foodsecurityvic/message/1197>

The next FGA meeting is set for June 24 in Collingwood: Details
here...<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/foodsecurityvic/message/1204>


~~~ Food Fight 3CR radiothon ~~~

Domenica writes: "If you want to hear more about food issues on the radio --
everything from community gardens to GMOs to slow food -- you need to tune
into Food Fight on 3CR Community Radio, 855 on your AM dial, every Thursday
from 6-6:30pm."

And as a past FF team member I can at least vouch that the quality has
improved.  You've just missed the radiothon show but you can still go to
www.3cr.org.au to donate online to help keep the station on the air.


~~~ Natural burial ~~~

Want to go to heaven when you die and listen to harp music all the time for
eternity while your formaldehyde filled body leaches toxins into the earth?
(Boring.) Or be eaten by worms, sucked up by tree roots, eaten by herbivores
and gradually have all your trillions of component particles weave their way
out amongst all the wondrous creatures of the biosphere, merging with the
entire ebbs and flows of life over evolutionary time scales?  (Quite cool.)

If the latter, check out this burial system with a difference: Natural
Burials NZ<http://www.naturalburials.co.nz/index.php?page=naturalCemSummary>


~~~

And a reminder that if you've been to a couple of blitzes and would like one
at your place, let us know!

See you at a blitz with that can-do attitude!

Adam @ Permablitz Decentral


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-- 
Hooroo,
Darren J. Doherty

Australia Felix Permaculture
Broadacre Permaculture Design & Development

Web: http://www.permaculture.biz
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Blog: http://www.australiafelixpermaculture.blogspot.com/

+61 (3) 9010 6220
skype: permaculture.biz

Coming Up!

Dalpura @ Moriac Workshop Series May-July 2008
Keyline Design(R) Course
Ferrocement Tank Building
Farm-Based Silviculture
See Online Course Ad