PHR
Permaculture is often regarded as an approach that uses natural systems, to grow healthy, organic food with low labour intensity and natural pest control, integrating animals to provide food and reduce pests, while fertilising and cultivating the land.
However, Permaculture is not limited to efficient, sustainable food cultivation, but includes building energy-efficient structures, and sustainable social, cooperative and financial systems. It has a "code of ethics" of caring for the earth, people and sharing surplus goods, similar to a group of Professionals, but expects its followers not to exploit the earth and our fellow beings.
Permaculture design is "a system of assembling conceptual, material, and strategic components in a pattern which functions to benefit life in all its forms. It seeks to provide a sustainable and secure place for living things on this earth." - Permaculture - A Designers Manual p 36, Bill Mollison. It relys on observation skills to improve natural systems while including feedback.
Permaculture Hunter Region was originally incorporated in 1995 and is concerned with permanent agriculture and sustainable culture in the Hunter Region.
Although Permaculture Hunter Region joined up with Transition Town Newcastle in 2009 to combine resources, both organisations decided in 2010 to keep their former association structures and maintain their separate identities. This is because each organisation has a different focus, although they share the same Permaculture philosophy and values. They will continue to work together, including sharing the same web site.
Our current projects include:
. Our new monthly meetings on the third Wednesdays of the month, starting 19th of May, at the Elderly Citizens Centre, Laing St Newcastle, 6:30-8:30pm.
. National Permaculture Day - 1/5/10 - Open gardens and farms - see www.permacultureday.info for details
. Permaculture Blitzes (see description), where we design a permaculture garden over a few weeks, and build it with volunteers in 1 day. The volunteers who are members are eligble to have their garden Blitzed when they have about 6 days of help accrued, and pay for the materials etc. It includes lunch and some Permaculture workshop(s). We completed 2 in our first year (2009), although it took 2 sessions to finish each one, and eventually hope to do one every 2 months (contact John on jafshiel @ tpg.com.au - remove spaces - for information).
. Farmers markets stall at Broadmeadow Farmers' Markets each 4th Sunday of month, and stalls at local events.
. Sustaining our Suburbs project where we design and/or establish permalculture gardens for those disadvantaged in the community, under a grant from Uniting Care Ageing- Hunter, Central Coast and New England Region.
. Community Gardens eg. Warners Bay and Webb Park Mayfield (assisting with design and building community etc)
. Permaculture gardens in Schools - Adamstown Public, Cardiff North Public, (previously designed The Junction Public)
See subtopics under this heading for Food Blitz details.
