Cynthia Hobbs

I found a course that pretty much covers everything, and it has an optional specialization in Deep sustainability.

http://www.jfku.edu/Programs-and-Courses/College-of-Graduate-Professional-Studies/Consciousness-Transformative-Studies/Programs/MA-Consciousness-and-Transformative-Studies.html

Just a few problems. its on the other side of the planet, is a post graduate course, and its university (yuck, been there, don't want to the stress again). Don't even want to contemplate fees.
I was just surprised to find something that seemed to cover everything. So decided to share. It's not happening though

I am feeling clearer now

good luck with the produce selling! that's great. People always say "It's not what you know, it's who you know." Really seems to be the truth.

Ah mingling. I should do it, I feel I don't get the opportunity much because of where we live and I have 3 young kids that seem to take over my life but I will try harder

Thank you so very much for the reply and the complements! I really do appreciate your honest feedback.

I am in Australia, I don't think we have community colleges here, not quite sure if we have an equivalent as such. I will try to keep an ear out for events or speakers that relate to the topics I'm interested in. I know you said the speakers were not the focus but I would love to go to one of John Seed's workshops as his ideals interest me, but I can't see myself getting to any of the ones in the near future as they are too far away and travelling is not an option.

I have found this website which seems very interesting, it is online learning that is very much centered on the themes I was thinking of. Other people may find it of interest http://www.ecopsych.com/
From looking over the website it doesn't seem like a course that will give me a qualification on its own, I think it is meant to supplement other study/life experience.

I wonder if there is any courses I can do on sustainable/natural living? besides the permaculture route? It seems all courses that cover environmental sustainability are very sciencey - which is logical really. But Science was one of my worst subjects in highschool! And I don't know if those degrees are more about measuring and researching than doing and acting. I suppose I want a more practical route, that can be implemented by individuals, I don't want to be working for the government or for research organisations, I want to work with everyday people. Does that make sense at all?

I know I am idealistic, perhaps a little too much so. I am not overly young, but I feel I am lacking in life experiences.

I really didn't know where to put this topic, I'm not even sure if it relates to permaculture enough to be on this forum. I just thought you seem like a nice bunch of people and I don't know who to ask.

I've been thinking about my life a lot lately and I don't have a lot of direction. For fun I started fantasizing about what my dream job would be, would I be able to pursue everything that I'm passionate about.
I've thought about doing a permaculture course, but although it is something that interests me greatly, it's not something I've been able to implement a lot as I rent in town, and I honestly don't have much gardening experience.

I've thought about my passions and what I would like to do. I am interested in nutritional medicine (food as medicine), holistic counselling, sustainability and ethics behind agriculture (including permaculture), ancient or traditional cultures, spiritual connection to nature, natural therapies. I am passionate about preserving biodiversity, animal rights and essentially allowing the planetary organism to continue as nature intends, I would like to act as a healer/facilitator/educator - to help people reconnect to nature in mind, body and spirit, and heal themselves naturally. Perhaps through mindfulness and through a natural and ecologically aware diet, exercise & spiritual practice. I want to coach people on how to live in harmony with the planet - how to live a more sustainable life, go beyond recycling, what choices can be made as a consumer, and what can be done at home. I am also very concerned with how we produce food and all products and the impact that industrial growth has on our planet, our only home, and all its creatures. I am concerned that the modern lifestyle is making us all sick and stressed and I want to counteract it somehow.

I don't know where to start.
I think I might want to study nutritional medicine. But I feel like this is lacking the spiritual aspect and the sustainability. I feel it is all connected - healthy foods grown in unhealthy soil means less nutrients. I don't think there are any professional courses out there that lead to a qualification as a "sustainable living counselor" and "earth relationship facilitator". I want to help people too and the earth, I think it is a mutually beneficial relationship that should be explored and cultivated.

Just wondering if anyone knows any routes I could follow or have any tips for me?

I've seen something called coconut sugar at the health foods shop, I've never tried it but I was tempted!! I've used evaporated cane juice, but this is technically sugar cane, just not as processed. I usually just use dates and sultanas for sweetener, I don't eat a lot of bread or baked goods so I son't really know what to use for that. You can grow your own stevia, so you'd know it was good stuff, but you only use a very small amount so your cook might have to change the amounts. Another thing you could try is soak the wet ingredients with some raisins. So if a recipe has milk, soak some raisins in milk in the fridge overnight then strain the milk out and use it to cook with, some of the raisin sweetness will be in the milk. (I haven't tried this but I read it somewhere). You could add the raisins to your breakfast or cook them into something so they don't get wasted.

Hi there Jeanine, nice to meet you!
I'm a vegan, have been for quite some time now, I'm a permaculture newbie. I've noticed that veganism/vegetarianism is somewhat frowned upon by some permaculturists. I find this odd because I am a vegan because I think there is something wrong with the way we currently produce food, and this very same idea has lead me to permaculture. I think that animals raised in a true permaculture environment is a huge improvement from the kind of industrialised mainstream animal raising, and I am very happy for meat eaters to do this. But if I do end up implementing permaculture myself I can't see myself changing my vegan ways because it would still interfere with my personal beliefs of how animals ought to be treated. I would be happy to encourgae wild animals into my garden and utilise their manure, but not keep animals to intentionally cause their deaths ultimately, I believe animals have a right to exist in their own right and live a life that nature intended them to live. I DO agree with the permaculture idea of nature being a system and animals being a part of that system, but I don't necessarily believe that farming animals of is a natural process. Hope I'm making sense here, it's a bit hard to explain!

I like that you don't consider the starlings a pest as many people would. I agree with you that a mutually benefial relationship with animals is ok, I don't think animals animals have to be eaten, you could just encourage wild life or some people have animals as pets. I know that there would be a calorie loss by not eating them, but that value could be made up by the joy of their company and using their manure long term?

I am also a recipe freak!! Can't get enough lol

Thanks for the replies
We are looking at buying nearish to Melbourne so the area would be cooler. Oops I forgot to mention that before!
Hmm it's a tough decision! I think we'll have to move much further out to afford sunnier more desirable block, which I'm not sure we want to do. Part of the appeal of this block is that it would be a bit of a challenge architecturally but we could make that work for us where a lot of people couldn't. Problem is the same architectural problems we could overcome also apply to the garden, and us not being green thumbs (yet) I don't know if we could overcome that. I would like to grow a lot of fruit trees because we eat a lot of fruit! And some veggies. We would like to incorporate the design of the garden into the design of the house, so that why we are thinking of this at this early stage. Why does land have to be so expensive?! it's so stressful!

Hi I'm new (to this site and permaculture, will have to make an introduction soon!)

My hubby and I are looking at buying a block to live our dream... build an eco house and be as self sustainable as possible. We've been looking at blocks and we've found one that seems to tick all our boxes (lots of lovely native vegetation, not too far from town but feels like rural, as large as we can afford) HOWEVER the site is a steep slope, facing south! (We are in Australia so south is usually considered a bit of a no no) This is probably the only reason that we can afford it. Architecturally no problems my husband is a building designer But we have been wanting to produce a lot of our own food, especially fruits and veggies, implementing permaculture principles to nurture the site and our family. I am worried that the site will not have enough sun and we won't be able to grow anything. I've had daydreams of a little food forest surrounding our home. We like the gum trees and don't really want to get rid of heaps, but I'm sure we will need to clear some and hopefully utilise the resulting timber, but I have reservations about clearing a lot. If we do buy the land I am thinking of either employing a permaculture consultant to help us or doing a course myself! But should we even think about buying it or just keep looking? What do you lovely people think?

Thanks for your help