August 5 – 18: 2-Week PDC at Terra Alta, Almocageme, Portugal

Dates: August 5th-18th, 2013

Terra Alta, 2012

Location: Terra Alta, Almoçageme, Sintra, Portugal

Facilitators: Doug Crouch and Pedro Valdiju with guest speakers

Language used: English (with help to translate unknown words whenever needed)

Course Fee: 550€

includes camping accommodation and all meals that are organic, delicious, and homemade**

For more information and to register contact the following:

Pedro at +0031 5937115275 or

Melissasa at terraalta.sintra@gmail.com

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THE COURSE: Format and Content

The course will be an 80-hour Permaculture Design Certificate Course spread out over 14 days. This allows for ample time for students to digest the material, get hands-on experience and work on the final design project and presentation. The course will be a certified through TreeYo Permaculture as we are guided by Bill Mollison's curriculum that comprises the 14 chapters of his book "Permaculture: A Designer's Manual". Our schedule reflects this commitment and has a strong emphasis on how the design principles and process influence site develop and systems management. We will cover the following topics throughout the course:

• Ethics, Principles, and Methods of Permaculture Design
• Pattern Understanding: Interpretation and Application
• Climatic Factors: Broad Climatic Zones and Microclimate – Effects on Landscape and Design
• Water: Harvesting, Conservation, Purification, and Revitalization
• Trees and their Energy Transactions: SoilWaterTrees
• Soils: Classification, Food Web, and Restoration
• Aquaculture: Food Web, Aquatic Plants, Chinampas, Tyre Ponds, Water Quality Parameters
• Animal Systems: Integrate worms, chickens, goats, and many other animals in your design
• Strategies for Tropical, Dry-land, and Temperate Climates: Influences on Vegetation, Housing, and Earthworks
• Introduction to Natural Building: Earth as a Building Material
• Fermentation and Nutrition: Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Sourdough Bread and Pickles
• Local Food Systems: CSA-Community Supported Agriculture, Cooperatives, Food-Coops
• Social and Economic Permaculture: Bio-Regional Organisation, Living in Communities, Transition Towns and Local Resiliency

• And last but not least: Lot´s of laugh, fun and happy faces, music, music, music, a sound journey, drumming, dancing – in the mud and around the bonfire, trips to the near beaches, yoga, group activities and lot's of work! A Transformation of Your Life is guaranteed at this one of a kind seaside project!