permaculture

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

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Permablitz Melbourne <permablitz@gmail.com>
Date: 2008/7/31
Subject: Permablitz Five-O
To: Permablitz Melbourne <melb_blitzes@permablitz.net>


Hoorays all round and congratulations are in order, for we celebrate
Melbourne's 50th permablitz this Sunday! Thank you to everyone who has
contributed and been involved so far. You are part of a grand open
conspiracy of the beetroot and the spade. We are growing ever stronger and
more nimble, and we shall permablitz this whole city yet.

In this newsletter, we've got the details on the big blitz five-O, we've got
a plethora of courses to announce, we've got a former AFL star turned
minister for something at a recent permablitz, we've got compost power like
you would not believe, we've got prayers for more oil, we've got a self
sufficiency skill you could even do in the nude with no tools required, and
some fabulous endorsements from some of our all time heroes!


~~~ Blitz Five O! ~~~

August 3 12:30-17:30: Share the love at Permablitz #50. This will be as much
of a party as a blitz, as we make way for a blitz proper in September at
this blank canvas yard in Northcote.  But there is still lots of grass and
weeds to pulled, soil to be moved, compost to be made, fruit trees to prune,
green manure to sow, mini-greenhouses to make and we'll run several
workshops and some yogic warm up exercises.  Bring some food to share if you
can, even a couple of beers if you like and musical instruments!  We will
have an open post petroleum style jam session later on.  This blitz is
preparing the way for a future community garden to be shared by yoga
students who attend the studio on location.  Note the late starting time!
58 Basting St, Northcote.  Be there.


~~~ Upcoming Courses ~~~

(1) Permablitz Intro to Permaculture Courses

The August course at Ceres is now booked, but we can announce two more!

September 20-21 @
Ceres<http://www.permablitz.net/component/option,com_extcalendar/Itemid,26/extmode,view/extid,135/>and
October
18-19 @ Port Philip
EcoCentre<http://www.permablitz.net/component/option,com_extcalendar/Itemid,26/extmode,view/extid,136/>

Come on and get amongst it.


(2) Permaculture Design Certificate

Immerse yourself in the world of permaculture for two fascinating weeks with
the permaculture co-originator and others including the permablitz crew...

PDC @ Commonground, Seymour October 11-24
Tutors include David Holmgren, Su Dennet, Ian Lillington, David Arnold and
some of the permablitz crew for some urban flavour. This will be a great one
with good accomodation, food and field trips included.  More info and
application forms: <http://cydoniapermaculture.com.au/PDC2007.html>


~~~ Former AFL star Justin Madden visits a blitz ~~~

The Minister for Planning visited a permablitz in Dandenong a couple of
weeks back, organised through our affiliated Dandenong Edible Gardens
Project.  From his press release:

"At the heart of any town or city is the community and the more people help
and interact with each other, the stronger the community," Mr Madden said.
"This project brings people together so they can help one another, and learn
from each other in a relaxed garden setting. In a time when food costs are
on the rise and our waistlines are expanding, the edible gardens project
couldn't be timelier."
 Full article: 
www.premier.vic.gov.au...<http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/minister-for-energy-resources/madden-drops-in-for-a-slice-of-the-good-life-in-dandenong.html>


~~~ Words of support from the big Hs! ~~~

In order to celebrate our 50th permablitz we've been soliciting testimonials
from some well known people who's surname starts with H. So far we're
delighted to have words of support and encouragement from two great heroes:
Richard Heinberg and Rob Hopkins!

"Permablitz the world! That's the path to survival, sustainability, and
cultural renewal. Your lawn will kill you if you don't kill it first, but a
vegetable garden with fruit and nut trees will support you from cradle to
grave."
-- Richard Heinberg

"...What you guys have created is more powerful than the gardens you have
made, it is the concept of the permablitz... the idea that landscapes of
lawn, shrubs, concrete and dog mess are not the pinnacle of human
achievement, but are an odd manifestation of an age with more oil than
sense, and the idea that we can change them, and we can change them fast.
Out with the lawn and in with the salad!"
-- Rob Hopkins

Richard Heinberg is a California based home gardener and global energy
expert, author of the lucid The Party's Over, Peak Everything and The Oil
Depletion Protocol amongst others.  Check out: www.richardheinberg.com

Rob Hopkins is the originator of the Transition Network, the incredibly
inspiring grass roots permaculture whole region planning framework for peak
oil and climate change which is sweeping across the UK and the world. Check
out: www.transitionculture.org

And we hope to hear from two more H-Heroes soon...


~~~ Water systems in Elwood ~~~

This weekend help designers Cecilia and Grant install what Cecilia describes
as a "water nirvana" at the home of comedian Elliot Goblet in Elwood.
Should be good place to learn about some cutting edge passive watering
systems:
More info: <
http://www.permablitz.net/component/option,com_extcalendar/Itemid,26/extmode,view/extid,134/
>


~~~ The Power of Compost ~~~

"Jean Pain (1930 - 1981) was a French innovator who developed a compost
based bio energy system that produced 100% of his energy needs. He heated
water to 60 degrees celsius at a rate of 4 litres a minute which he used for
washing and heating. He also distilled enough methane to run an electricity
generator, cooking elements, and power his truck." (Wikipedia)

Exciting! A new English translation of a video about Jean Pain has just been
released on the net:
http://www.taranakifarm.com/blog/?cat=13


~~~ An Oily Godsend? ~~~

A couple of months back in San Francisco they had a pray-in at a gas station
to ask God to lower
prices<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/25/BUCN10C1KR.DTL>
.

Desperate times, somewhat embarassing measures.  While it's obvious there
are ways to cut our petrol usage by driving less, did you know that it takes
about ten joules of energy to produce every one
joule<http://www.eatthesuburbs.org/2007/10/grow-your-own/>of food we
eat?  To quote the former deputy PM John Anderson: "We're pouring
as much oil into refrigerators as we are into our cars."

If you must pray, pray to your patron saints of rain, and the protectors of
brassicas from slugs and snails, and begin reducing your energy burden with
some delicious home grown brocolli.


~~~ Self sufficiency skill of the week ~~~

Scientists have found out what dogs already knew (be prepared for some 'I
told you so' vibes) that licking your wounds greatly speeds
healing<http://www.scientificblogging.com/news_releases/histatin_why_licking_your_wounds_actually_works>.



~~~

That's it for this newsletter folks.  After blitz #50 there may be some
winter downtime from the blitzes, and we'll fire up again in spring.

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!

Free Range Permaculture Workshops November 2008, Cairns, Queensland, AU
Keyline Design(R) Course
Permaculture Design Certificate Course
(with Geoff Lawton)