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Permaculture at Kinsale

An episode of a national TV programme called Nationwide in which one of the focus' of the episode is Kinsale and our Permaculture course

Below is a video called "Kinsale, Ireland: A Sustainable Community" It shows one of the past students Louise Rooney talking about the Energy Descent Plan that she iniated along with the help of Rob and the other students of that year.In the video are photos taken in and around the college in 2005 and also in 2007 (these recent ones were taken by Graham ,watch out for the class sitting on the steps holding their certs ..thats us 2nd years at the end of our first year) also there's a photo of us on our first week back at college in the gardens something like 60 of us Permies all sat in a circle getting acquainted, first years and second years all together. Another photo of us all when some of the ASPO speakers visited college.. Rob Hopkins, Albert Bates of the Farm Tennesee,Jonathon Dawson of Findhorn and Davie Phillips of Cultivate Ireland.
Here's a link to a photo of them outside the straw bale house on the college grounds (from Grahams site)

ASPO speakers

Permaculture at Kinsale
by Klaus Harvey

This following article was taken fromSustainability Magazine March 2007

When I first contacted Kinsale Further Education College about their Permaculture course, I was told that due to the demand, I should apply before Christmas 2005 to be sure of a place starting in September 2006. I applied in November, was offered a place, took a career break from my teaching job and moved to county Cork in the hot summer of last year. By the end of my first week on the course I had played some ice-breaking games with my classmates, discussed green ethics, planted herbs in a mulched bed, cooked pizzas in an outdoor cob oven, made compost, learned the details of peak oil and been given an assignment to research the life strategy and culinary and medicinal uses of sea beet. I was part of a group of smart, radical, funny, environmentally clu Peter Plastering

ed-in students, aged 16-44, from all over the country and beyond. This was the best mid-life crisis I’d ever had.

Kinsale College is home to the first two-year full-time Permaculture course in the world. It was set up by Rob Hopkins in 2001 and for me it was the chance to put into practice my ever-evolving green principles, to equip myself with the skills needed for a low energy future and to explore the possibility of a career change. Permaculture is about learning from nature and designing systems that are sustainable, be they your home, garden, farm or community. It is about creating a life that is fulfilling and abundant. Its ethics are summed up as: earth care, people care, fair shares.

The course has an excellent combination of theory, practice and plain get-your-hands-dirty enjoyment. There is always something new and fascinating to be learnt. We have been on numerous field trips to observe and participate in the practice of sustainability as realised through activities such as organic growing Keyhole Beds

or building with cob. We have had visiting speakers to talk about green architecture, renewable energy and wastewater systems. Every week we go on an ecology field trip to look at flora and fauna, and there is always some planting, pruning or other gardening activity taking place in the college grounds. For one of my projects I’m part of a group growing garlic. We have our winter crop well established, and I now know that it’s hardy, easy to grow and useful for keeping pests away from other plants.

After a few months I realised just how many important life skills I had been lacking. Here I was learning how to build using sustainable materials, how to grow some of my own food, how to build an efficient wood burning ‘rocket’ stove, how to charge a battery using a solar panel, how to coppice hazel and willow, how to identify different plants and trees and know what their culinary, medicinal and other uses are. I found myself asking ‘What have I been doing all these years?’ This is the kind of information everyone should know. It also raises the question: why aren’t there more courses like this all over the country?

The first year comprises modules in Permaculture Design, Organic Production Principles, Sustainable Woodland Management and Field Ecology. In second year there are modules in Conflict Resolution, Community Leadership and Start your own business. The tutors are all extremely knowledgeable and experienced, the atmosphere is relaxed and the work is highly enjoyable. It’s exciting and inspiring, and there is a sense that what we are doing might actually make a difference. Permaculture design is a design for a more sustainable future and with the impending challenges of climate change and peak
oil, it is to be embraced as an important part of the solution.
Klaus's article at sustainability.ie
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EarthyToes	Latest page update: made by EarthyToes , Jan 12 2009, 5:47 PM EST (about this update About This Update some of the photos were on top of eachother so I had to edit the page to make them all fit together..sorry Klaus - EarthyToes 8 words added 4 words deleted 4 images added 4 images deleted view changes - complete history)
	Keyword tags: Sustainability Article More Info: links to this page

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	EarthyToes		Re:link	0	Sep 28 2007, 11:31 AM EDT by EarthyToes
			Thread started: Sep 28 2007, 11:31 AM EDT Watch The link to the pdf no longer exisits so I've linked the first photo of this article to Andys details of Issue no.1 of Sustainability magazine Jeannie Do you find this valuable? Keyword tags: None Post reply

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