6th Annual Whanganui Permaculture Weekend
8th-9th September, 2018
Whanganui’s permaculture community offers up another great weekend of sharing and learning with two major themes this year: RetroSuburbia and Making & Doing.
Saturday, 8th September
9:00 – 1:00 – River Traders Market
Local Currency: River Exchange and Barter System
Resilience Products: Broad Forks, Solar Ovens, Rocket Stoves, Hula Hoes, Permaculture Calendars, RetroSuburbia Books, Permaculture Plants, and More!
10:00 – 2:00 Natural Cheese Making – Bronwynne Dowson Anderson. $75
This teaches how to make cheese the natural way using raw milk, home grown cultures and not spending a fortune on equipment.
For each of these classes people will take home what we make. All ingredients provided and includes refreshments.
Register: kiwibokslady@gmail.com
10:00 – 11:00 Setting up a Home-Based Plant Nursery – Nelson Lebo. $10
Plant propagation can be fun and easy, and save you hundreds of dollars a year. See how we have set up our nursery for verge seedlings, fruit trees and natives. Kaitiaki Farm, No. 2 Line.
Register: theecoschool@gmail.com
11:00 – 12:30 How To Grow Strong Healthy Seedlings – Louise Knight. $10
In this workshop we will cover
– step by step from seed to planting out
– reasons why to grow your own
– helpful tools
– trouble shooting problems
– seed dormancy and ways to break it
– heirloom, hybrid and growing your own saved seed
Kaitiaki Farm, No. 2 Line.
Register: louise@ngileah.co.nz
11:00 – 1:00 RetroSuburbia: The Behavioural Field – Lydia Harris. Donation
Lydia Harris, TVNZ columnist, micro-entrepaneur, and author of Back to Basics, shares her knowledge and experience in the Behavioural Field with an amazing array of creative solutions on a tiny budget. Putiki.
Register: nourished2018@yahoo.com
2:00 – 5:00 RetroSuburbia: The Built and Biological Fields Case Study – Nelson Lebo.
$50 with $10 discount on the book for attendees.
This workshop covers the most cost effective approaches to home renovation and edible landscaping. Using the Eco Thrifty Retrofit as a case study – https://www.retrosuburbia.com/case-studies/eco-thrifty-retrofit-case-study/ – attendees can expect to learn many of the strategies described in David Holmgren’s book. More details HERE. Castlecliff.
Register: theecoschool@gmail.com
2:00 – 3:00 Making Biochar – Shane Middlemiss. $20
Biochar retains nutrients, water and microbes and is a fantastic amendment to poor soils like those with mainly sand or clay. Learn how to make your own in a low or no cost kiln and how to activate it for best effects. Complimentary sample bag of biochar included.
73 Virginia Road. Park on the roadside.
Register: shane@e-govwatch.org.nz
5:00 – 6:00 Live for the Land Open Day and Tour – Phil Holden. Donation
Come and plant some seeds in our nursery including a guided tour of the urban garden property . Learn of our bee keeping business and future plans .
Koha donation welcome and a plant to take home. 106 Matai Street, Castlecliff
6:00 – Shared Meal, 106 Matai Street, Castlecliff
Sunday, 9th September
9:00 – 12:00 Kaitiaki Farm Tour – Nelson Lebo. $40
Ever since the Whanganui floods of 2015 we have focused on climate-proofing our farm to the greatest extent possible within a budget. The tour is an ideal case study demonstrating drought-proofing and flood-proofing simultaneously. For a list of topics please click HERE. Kaitiaki Farm, No. 2 Line.
Register: theecoschool@gmail.com
9:00 – 3:30 Sourdough Workshop: the basics with SourBros bakery – John Wilson and Matt Ellingham. $30-40 (Pay what you can afford)
Experience the sourdough process from mixing through to shaping and baking in this hands-on workshop. We’ll be doing everything by hand so be prepared for sticky fingers!
While the dough rises, we’ll delve into the science of bread, the role of yeasts, bacteria and enzymes, creating recipes and managing time and temperature. There’ll also be tips on how to incorporate sourdough into your daily schedule and bake artisan loaves in your home oven.
The workshop includes two loaves that each participant will make themselves to take home afterwards and sourdough starter (please supply your own jar/container). Bring a plate for a shared lunch.
Place: Lucky bar, 53 Wilson St, Central, Whanganui. (bring a plate to share for lunch)
Register: john@sourbros.co.nz
10:00 – 2:00 Natural Cheese Making – Bronwynne Dowson Anderson. $75
This teaches how to make cheese the natural way using raw milk, home grown cultures and not spending a fortune on equipment.
For each of these classes people will take home what we make. All ingredients provided and includes refreshments.
Register: kiwibokslady@gmail.com
12:30 – 2:00 Keeping backyard chickens – Cyd Welsh and Nelson Lebo. $15
This workshop covers chicken breeds, characteristics, and common pests and diseases, as well as different approaches to care and management. Kaitiaki Farm, No. 2 Line.
Register: theecoschool@gmail.com
2:00 – 3:00 How to build a low-cost durable chicken tractor – Kaitiaki Farm Interns. $10 Kaitiaki Farm, No. 2 Line.
Register: theecoschool@gmail.com
3:00 – 4:00 Building Beautiful Garden Beds – Nelson Lebo. $10
Learn the cheapest, easiest and best way to prepare and build ‘No-Dig’ garden beds without the need of a rotary hoe or back-breaking digging! Kaitiaki Farm, No. 2 Line.
Register: theecoschool@gmail.com
2:00 – 4:00 Annual Heirloom Seed Swap – Whanganui Seed Savers. Donation
This is a chance to meet other Whanganui gardeners and to swap surplus heirloom and open pollinated seed that you have bought or saved. It will be a relaxed, friendly gathering with a cup of tea to follow. If you have seedlings or plants you would like to share please bring these along too. You don’t need to have seed to share in order to partake.
Bring: Details of your seeds such as a description, variety, date saved/use by date and any other notes you would like to share. A pen and envelopes to take seed home in.
Quaker Meeting House, 256 Wicksteed Street.
Queries: nangethepange@hotmail.com
Eco Thrifty Living 
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