These Workshops are offered as complete lessons on their own. They extend the principles of the GOOF Series by providing more hands on practice and result in a finished product. They are handy for casual learners or GOOF graduates who want to add to their skills and knowledge.
The workshops run from 2 -4 hours, full day to two days. The two day workshops are spread over two weekends to complete assignments, apply the lessons and prepare materials.
Participants will be able to demonstrate the skills/techniques by the end of the courses so they are self-sufficient when they get back home.
Each workshop encourages participants to form peer-support groups to enhance implementation back home and provide ongoing support to each other. The teacher of the course will assist peer support groups to get up and running and help them achieve self-reliance.
Small Space Gardening - Vegetables
Small Space Gardening – Vegetables
a. Apply the permaculture principles to small spaces.
b. Balcony Gardens: boxes, pots, frames walls, hanging.
c. Small Spaces near public or professional offices.
d. Raised beds on concrete or rocky surfaces.
Small Space Gardening - Fruit
Small Space Gardening – Fruit
a. Why and why not?
b. Planning; designing a fruit calendar; soil water and sunlight; some research.
a. Small fruit garden: dwarf varieties; stacking; vertical fruit gardening; fruit tree circle; fruit salad tree; multiple fruit trees in one hole; pruning; integrated fruit plantings; containers.
Natural pest control for the Garden
Natural pest control for the Garden
a. Plants companion planting.
b. Habitats for predators.
c. Soil health.
d. Inoculants.
e. Natural repellents and traps.
Pruning
Pruning
a. Purpose: Growth, Yield, Pests control.
b. How to shape, clean, maintain, tool hygiene.
c. Espaliers, Hanging Branches.
Soil Building
Soil Building
a. Components of soil: Physical, Chemical, Biological.
b. Soil Testing.
c. Soil Building Composting. Worm Farms. Plants. Inoculants: hot, cold, in ground.
Keeping Chickens
Keeping Chickens
a. Types, yield, needs, neighbours, environment.
b. Housing, feeding, watering, dusting, predators.
c. Using them for garden work.
Herb Gardens
Herb Gardens
a. Aromatics
b. Medicinal
c. Cooking
d. Companions
Tool Purchase and maintenance
Tool Purchase and maintenance
a. Hand Tools: buying, restoring, sharpening.
b. Mechanical: Electric Engine
c. Alternative energy: water wheels, wind mills.
Natural Home Products
Natural Home Products
a. Home toxins: commercial cleaners, paints, pest control, appliances, packaging. Save & Exit
b. Natural ingredients: borax, bicarb soda, vinegar, salt.
c. Natural home cleaners: Surface, clothes, dishes, windows, toilets.
d. Natural Pest Controls
Natural Body Care Products
Natural Body Care Products
a. Toxins commercial products skin, hair, mouth, internal.
b. Natural body products: hair, skin, mouth.
c. Ftoxins, disease, pests.
d. Natural Pest Controls.
Natural Home medicines
Natural Home medicines
a. First Aid
b. Digestion
c. Skin
d. Respiratory
e. Anxiety
Natural Pest Control – Home
Natural Pest Control – Home
a. Toxins in commercial pest control sprays, surface, blocks, traps.
b. Inside pests cockroaches, ants, mosquitoes, moulds, flies.
c. Outside pests: fruit flies, nematodes, moths, worms.
d. Animal Pest Controls: insects, birds, mice, dogs, cats.
Fermenting
Fermenting
a. Vegies: kimchee, sauerkraut, beets, radish.
b. Dairy: Hard Cheese, Soft cheese, Yoghurt.
c. Probiotic Drinks: Kefir, Kombucha, Ciders.
d. Beans: Tofu, Tempeh.
Preserving
Preserving
a. Savoury: Fruits: chilli, eggplant, tomato, beans.
Roots – carrots, turnips,
Leaves – herbs
b. Sweet – jams chutneys, sauces from: Stone fruit, Berries, Fleshy ( Banana, pawpaw).
Bread making
Bread making
a. Basics of bread making
b. Flours, water quality, yeasts and salt.
c. Quick Breads ( Damper, Pizza, Scones)
d. Slow breads (3 hours, Overnight )
e. Sourdoughs
Beer Making
Beer Making
a. Process
b. Resources
c. Bottles
d. Storage
e. Tasting
Bee Keeping Part one
Bee Keeping Part one
a. Bee Basics (Life Cycle, Hives Organization, Swarming, Hygiene, Safety)
b. Hive Basics ( Natural, Boxes, Etiquette, Healthy, Diseases)
c. Role of Bees in Gardens and Nature
d. Attracting Bees to your garden ( Bee Hotels, Flowers,)
Bee Keeping Part Two
Bee Keeping Part Two
a. Review Bee and Hive Basics
b. Building a Brood box
c. Looking after your boxes.
d. Registering your hive and joining a group.
Setting up and Sustaining Community Gardens (Two days)
Setting up and Sustaining Community Gardens (Two days)
a. Community: purpose, ownership, rosters, sharing work and yield, custodians.
b. Garden management :Bed lay out, Soil, Water, Planting schedule, Harvesting.
c. Seed maintenance, capture, storage, sowing
d. Interpersonal Maintenance : conflict resolution, sharing work, planning, fun, belonging.
Sustainable Living (two full days)
Sustainable Living (two full days)
a. Water: Audit, Lifestyle changes to conserve, reduce, reuse.
b. Energy: Audit, Lifestyle changes to conserve, reduce, replace.
c. Consumer Waste: Kitchen, Shopping, Packaging, Garden, Travel, Recycling.
d. Grey water and Black water systems.
e. Hidden Costs of Consuming: the true cost of our lifestyle
Designing your more sustainable household (3 hours)
Designing your more sustainable household (3 hours)
- The big picture – sustainable lifestyle assessment matrix
- Energy water and waste auditing
- 4 more sustainable living audits
- Putting a plan together