Immerse in the Theory and Practice of Regenerative Food Production in the Humid Subtropics, integrating techniques and philosophies inspired by Permaculture, Successional Agroforestry , Syntropic Farming and Traditional Food Production Systems from Cultures of our Climate Zone around the world.
This hands-on learning experience in our ‘living classroom’ at The Farm is designed to give participants the experience of learning alongside professional regenerative producers in their working systems. This project has been evolving since 2017 and is a wonderful learning space to observe and work within areas of gradationally differing ages and stages of development.
Our systems work with the process natural succession and multi-layered plant stacking to maximise carbon sequestration, build soil biologically, create closed-loop nutrient cycling and yield an abundance of food, fuel, and fibre.
In this short course we will cover:
Ecological fundamentals (with special emphasis on our local region)
Foundations of Wholistic site design
Management of polycultural successional production systems including the use of Syntropic Farm Planning Methodology
Incorporating trees and perennial plants into whole-farm design
Organic bed preparation including cover cropping, minimal tillage and no-til methods
Foundations of seasonal vegetable production in our bioregion
Regenerative soil management through a methodology of minimal inputs with increasing dependence on managing onsite biomass production and plant root exudation to build soil biologically
Tree row establishment for building forest based Agroecological Production Systems
Pruning and microclimate creation
Harvesting and Cooking tropical food crops! You can look forward to some delicious recipes inspired by South East Asian Cuisine, Slow Food of the Pacific Islands and Local Seasonal Bush Tukka at our final day Feast
This course is ideally suited to:
Community Members with an interest and active engagement in issues of Resilience and Local Food Security Landholders and custodians in the Byron Shire seeking a greater understanding of soils, climate, crop suitability and seasonal planting in our region.
Land managers wishing to integrate more sustainable and regenerative practices Aspiring market gardeners and farmers Landscapers with an interest in edible foodscapes
About the facilitators:
Bunya Halasz is inspired by cultures that evolve creative practices of sustaining their material needs in a manner of deep reverence for their natural environment and all of its life forms. Through the lenses of Permaculture, Regenerative Agroecology and Successional Agroforestry, Bunya works as a designer, educator and gardening mentor. His work supports individuals and communities to grow food, fuel and fibre within ecologically regenerative systems as well as facilitating pathways of knowledge and skill sharing through courses and traineeships.
Dr. Kevin Glencross is a research fellow who has been working in Asia/Pacific and subtropical and tropical Australia on applied research in agroforestry- integrating trees in agricultural systems. He has a particular focus on traditional agroecological systems and publications that address biodiversity conservation, soils and catchment protection, climate change resilience, food security, carbon sequestration, agroecology and ecotourism.
Flavia Renata Assuncao is a children’s educator with a Degree in Pedagogy from Federal University of Sao Carlos, Brazil. She has been working in Schools with Permaculture Concepts creating composts, organic vegetable gardens as well as recycling and social economy programmes with children since 2002 in both Brazil and Australia. She is a passionate writer and photographer with an eye for detail and a beautiful curiosity of the natural world
Agroecology is the application of ecological processes to Agricultural Systems. This work entwines the science of ecology with the practice of farming including its social, political and economic aspects. In our region, forest ecology is the foundational knowledge of this work as biodiverse forests are the natural pattern in our bioregion - without trees and fungi integrated into agricultural ecosystems, the soil is in a continual state of degradation.
Our role is to grow and evolve our economic and social systems from this ecological reality.
The dates for this course are: Thursday 17 August to Monday 21st August
All days 8.30am to 5.00pm
We strongly advise you book this course ASAP if you are keen – we have been overwhelmed with interest in this course over the last few years and some late requests have had to be turned down.
For more information contact: Bunya - growingrootsgarden@gmail.com