Never heard of permaculture? Not sure what it is? Deciding whether to do it? Tomorrow’s free information night on the upcoming Sustainable Tacoma-Pierce permaculture design course is what you need.
Permaculture, a design system for edible gardening focused on sustainability, ease, organic practices and land nourishment, is gaining momentum around the South Sound.
Local homeowners are opting in for a way of gardening that allows for maximum diversity, edible produce and wildlife habitat.
Sustainable Tacoma-Pierce, a community group that organizes many local sustainability and permaculture events, is holding its second Tacoma-based permaculture design course from September through February.
Folks can discover what it’s all about during a free information night Thursday.
“Many people choose to study permaculture for the sheer enjoyment of growing food and living in more sustainable neighborhoods,” said Kelda Miller, a permaculture professional and course organizer who runs Divine Earth garden design in Puyallup.
An added benefit, Miller said, is that 33 percent of permaculture design graduates go on to create their own businesses in fields such as garden design, home retrofit, water management, neighborhood energy systems and more.
Patricia Menzies is a course graduate who found the course completely changed her yard, as well as her view on using her own land.
“You learn how to modify what you have,” said Menzies, whose North End Tacoma house had a complete backyard permaculture redo as one of the parts of last year’s course.
Assisted by course participants, she covered her lawn with mulch, pathways, fruit trees, shrubs and food perennials.
“It’s about thinking out of the general urban box, about other ways of getting food,” Menzies said.
The course, based on an internationally recognized curriculum, teaches permaculture practices such as biodiversity, solar energy, rainwater harvesting, natural building, composting, garden design and food forests during eight weekends. The emphasis is on hands-on learning and relevance to urban living, Miller said.
Teachers include Miller, Jordan Fink, Marisha Auerbach and Carolyn Hartt.
For the first time, Sustainable Tacoma-Pierce is partnering with a local church for both venue and practical application: First Congregational Church is the site for most weekend classes.
However, the course will extend its activities into other sites in the neighborhood, Miller said.
Last year’s course helped inspire a partnership with MetroParks Tacoma in the master design of Swan Creek Park, a yard-by-yard edible landscaping conversion in Parkland, and numerous educational events. There also will be related workshops on topics such as making your own solar food dehydrator and organic beekeeping.
The free information night features many past participants as speakers and offers a table to share garden produce, plants and seeds.
Rosemary Ponnekanti: 253-597-8568, rosemary.ponnekanti@thenewstribune.com
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