We’re pleased to announce that we will be offering two opportunities to attend the official 72 hour Permaculture Design Course (PDC) at Casalinho this summer.
Saturday 30th June until Thursday 12th July 2012
or
Saturday 18th August until Thursday 30th August 2012
What is Permaculture?
Permaculture is a sustainable design system that provides for human needs while having positive effects on the surrounding environment. It is based on the ethics of earth care, people care and fair share, and provides practical solutions to the global crises we are currently facing.
Who is the Permaculture Design Course for? 
Permaculture is for EVERYONE, regardless of their education, background, or previous experience.
Permaculture is NOT just about trees, or just about gardening! You don’t need loads of land to practice it and it’s a design method that can be applied to all social systems.
Whatever your plans for the future, the Permaculture Design Course will give you the perspective and tools required to find positive solutions towards a sustainable life.
Official Permaculture Design Course
When? Saturday 30th June until Thursday 12th July 2012 or Saturday 18th August until Thursday 30th August 2012
What? The official 72 hours Permaculture Design Course
Where? Casalinho e Escabelado, Aradas, 3320-361 Unhais o Velho, Pampilhosa da Serra
The course follows a 72 hour set syllabus and leads to the internationally recognized Permaculture Design Certificate. Taught in English by Josh Gomez and Rosie Stonehill (although they will be teaching in English, Rosie and Josh both speak Portuguese).
Josh Gomez & Rosie Stonehill
Rosie and Josh have been practicing permaculture design here in Portugal and in the UK for many years. When they aren’t involved in spreading the permaculture word they perform and teach circus and performance skills to all age groups. Examples from their design portfolio can be accessed here.
Andrea and Jeroen are your hosts at Casalinho. We have both attended Permaculture Design Courses ourselves and are now working towards the Diploma in Advanced Permaculture Design with Casalinho as our focus. We’re assisted in our projects by the international volunteers that we host, a fabulous opportunity to bring permaculture to a wider audience and expose ourselves to new ideas and inspirations. The rest of this website should give you the flavour of our project.
The subjects covered during these Permaculture Design Courses include:
- The ethics and principles of Permaculture
- Learning strategies
- Pattern in design
- Biodiversity
- Water in the landscape
- Forests and trees
- The importance of Soils
- Climate
- Buildings and structures
- Formal / informal economies
- Community development
The course includes a combination of classroom and practical sessions and culminates in a 2 day design workshop.
Participants in Casalinho’s 2011 PDC hard at work surveying the field and creating a mulch bed
Prices and Payment
The total cost of this course is €350. 10% of Josh and Rosie’s teaching fee will be donated to TPRF, the Prem Rawat Foundation, striving to address fundamental human needs so that people everywhere can live their lives with dignity, peace, and prosperity.
The price includes:
- Permaculture course tuition, practical sessions and official certificate.
- Camping space for your own tent. We have several basic caravans (suitable for two sharing) which may be available on a first come first served basis for those who cannot camp.
- Use of compost toilet and washing facilities.
- All meals, including an evening meal on the Friday of arrival and breakfast on the Friday of departure. Meals will be vegetarian and will aim to utilise as much home produced, organic produce as possible. Please let us know of any special dietary requirements in advance and we will do our best to accommodate. Additional meals available at a small cost if you wish to extend your stay with us following the course.
Places are limited. Contact us via email to reserve your place and we will provide you with bank transfer or PayPal details. Or telephone us on (00351) 235512171 or 934542254 (mobile).
A minimum deposit of 50% is payable at time of booking, with the remaining 50% payable on arrival. When your deposit is received we will acknowledge it by email and confirm your place on the course.
Payments cannot be refunded for cancellations by the student less than 10 days before the course commences.
We reserve the right to cancel the course and refund monies paid in the unlikely event of illness or that insufficient bookings are confirmed. We cannot be held responsible for other costs.
We may be able to offer a limited number of concessionary places for those who could not attend a PDC otherwise. If you think this is you, please contact us to explain why.
PDC class of 2011 with Lesley Martin & Bonita the goat. Participants joined us from Portugal, UK, Norway, Holland, and USA.
Other Information
What you will need to bring with you:
- Tent and all your bedding requirements.
- Notebook / paper and pens for note taking, pencils, coloured pencils, ruler.
- Something to lean on (clipboard, hard notebook) for practical sessions.
- A torch or lantern. It’s dark at night!
- Sensible footwear for practical sessions.
- Sunhat, suncream etc.
- Eco-friendly toiletries (a small selection available for sale here)
For a more in-depth packing list, intended for our volunteers, see here.
What you need to know
- Please do not bring dogs or other pets. We have dogs and other animals of our own, and their security is our priority.
- Please use only biodegradable toiletry and washing products.
- If you smoke, we request that you take particular care with cigarette ends. Not only is it impolite to leave them around, but they represent a serious fire risk. We don’t allow candles during the summer months.
- You can reach us via public transport, and we will pick you up from local bus stops by arrangement. Car-sharing would be great. We’ll include participants on a travel share list unless you would prefer that we didn’t.
- Please don’t rely on having internet access during the course. There is access in local villages, but opening hours will clash with class time.
- Non participating partners and friends are welcome to join you at Casalinho. They can pay to enjoy a holiday with us, or we can arrange for them to join our volunteering team.
- You are welcome to extend your stay at Casalinho after the course. Consolidate your new learning with some volunteering, or pay to just relax and enjoy the beautiful area after the course.
- We would love to welcome children, but we do not have the facilities to take care of them whilst you are in class. Therefore, any children who will be here during the courses must be accompanied by a carer who is not participating.
- Please respect that this is a family home and normal life must go on as usual!
- Trucks and other live in vehicles are welcome, but please let us know in advance so we don’t overbook the available space.
Please contact us with any queries.
We look forward to welcoming you to Casalinho e Escabelado and one of our courses.
