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E-News - SEPTEMBER 2018
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On Saturday 1 September 2018 the Permaculture West AGM was held at Henderson Environmental Centre, North Beach.  Thank you to all those who attended and for those who forwarded apologies.  A big thank you to all those who assisted on the day and those working in the background to bring the event together.

The 1st September 2018 saw us spring into a fresh new start for the year with an overwhelming response for willing volunteers to join the Permaculture West Committee.  An total of 15 members now make up the new voted in committee for Permaculture West.  Your new committee is as per the below and can also be seen on our website:

The Permaculture West Committee for 2018/2019 are: Among our AGM attendees were two senior members of the WA Permaculture community, Gerald Shepperson and Richard James Lionheart.  Following the formalities of the AGM, both gentlemen presented and shared some truly inspirational stories from their past, including projects they are working on to this day.  Gerald shared history of Permaculture being "Simple Living" and shared some storytime of original copies of the Permaculture Association of WA's very first newsletters he use to write dating back to November 1978!  Of course his original copy is under tight lock and key but thanks to technology we have taken some photos of the newsletter to share with you all which will be published in next months issue combining a feature interview on Gerald Shepperson himself.  Next month we will also be publishing a story on a very exciting project happening in the South West, headed up by Lionheart with significant funding from a large foundation here in WA.  It calls forward Permaculture enthusiasts to become involved in what is set to be a very heartfelt opportunity that is giving back to those needing skills the most and we will share more about this opportunity in our October issue. 

We were so so inspired by the sharing from Gerald and Lionheart, it had the new committee agree to reinstate the Permaculture West eNews, which since April 2018, was trialling more of a social media presence.  You will now see a monthly eNews publication again, which is set to include some continued storytime and sharing from some of our Permaculture elders in light of celebrating and acknowledging 40 Years of Permaculture in WA.  

We take this opportunity to further advise that the recent announcement to hold a 40th Anniversary event in November will now be held on Thursday 15th November (details TBC) in conjunction with the November Permaculture West Committee Meeting.  We extend the invitation to all of our Permaculture West elders and willing members who would love to celebrate the anniversary.  At the November Committee Meeting we will extend the opportunity to those who attend to form a sub-committee to organise a large celebration event which is set to take place in 2019, celebrating 40 Years of Permaculture in WA. 

Until next month, enjoy the start of Spring and getting the dirt under your nails!




 
Image Above: New Permaculture West Committee (from rear left) Fiona Blackham, Martina Hoeppner, Tanvier Fowler, Tamara Lilly, Marina Graydon, Peter Austin, Jodie Vennitti, (inset centre) Jenny Hanna, Kath Moller

Image Below: (top left) Jenny Hanna (Treasurer) Delivering financials at the AGM (top right) Gerald Shepperson takes Permaculture West AGM attendees down memory lane, sharing all things Permaculture since the 1970's (bottom left) Richard James Lionheart shares permaculture opportunities at White Kangaroo Glades Community Farm in Denmark, WA. (bottom right) Gerald Shepperson

A introduction to Tanvier Fowler -  Permaculture West's new elected Convenor for 2018/2019

Lately I’ve been trying to remember how I was first introduced to Permaculture. All I can remember is that I was at Uni in the early 90’s and somehow I found the Permaculture International Journal. I was hooked and it started to shape the way I was in the world. Soon after I found WWOOFING (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) and my mind was blown open to a new world of exciting possibilities! A few years down the track I took my training as a Botanist and experience working on farms and restaurants across Australia, to a small intensive farm just outside of Broome, Serendipity Farm. Here I applied my knowledge of natural systems to farming, achieving organic/biodynamic certification and trading as Fusion Herbs. Fusion Herbs supplied supermarkets, farmers markets, restaurants, Canning Vale markets and an onsite café, 12 Mile Café, during its 10 years of operation.  In my search for knowledge and guidance I found Permaculture: Principles & Pathways beyond Sustainability (David Holmgren), no doubt one of the biggest influences in my life! Soon after I started an online PDC and met David at an international organic conference.

Towards the end of my time on the farm I started The Broome Organic Growers (member of the Organic Association of WA). The community was invited to tour the farm and learn skills and knowledge. I was privileged to work with Josh Byrne, Andre Leu (Director of Regeneration International and former president of IFOAM) and Alan Gray (Earth Garden editor) on several events. The farm appeared on Gardening Australia (ABC television) and was part of the Australian Open Garden Scheme.

I now live in a townhouse in Doubleview with my teenage daughters. Since moving to Perth I have been reskilling myself, this time in Social Permaculture and education. Last year I finally got my PDC (advanced in urban permaculture) at Polam Farm in India and volunteered at the international Permaculture Conference. This year I was awarded a Masters in Education (Social Ecology), attended training in Dragon Dreaming (project management), and volunteered at the WA Garden Gathering and the Social Impact Festival. I like to network and can see many diverse opportunities for Permaculture practitioners to participate in conversations, and help shape the narrative of our state.

I am passionate about creating and making possible new ways of living, in a beneficial relationship with nature, and with each other. I aim to inspire, empower and facilitate individuals to live an ecologically sustainable life and believe in leading by example.  

I'd like to take the opportunity to acknowledge our immediate past Convenor, Renay Gades for her commitment and contribution to Permaculture West this past year and t
hank you for electing me as Convener, I look forward to collaborating with a wonderful committee, and community of individuals striving to create a healthy planet for all living beings.

Warm Regards,
Tan

Djilba -
Growing Season (Season of Conception)

August - September


Djilba season is a time to look for the yellow and cream flowers starting on mass.

Djilba is a transitional time of the year, with some very cold and clear days combining with warmer, rainy and windy days mixing with the occasional sunny day or two.

This is the start of the massive flowering explosion that happens in the South West. This starts with the yellow flowering plants such as the Acacias. Also colours that are around at this time of year are creams, combined with some vivid and striking blues.

Traditionally, the main food sources included many of the land based grazing animals as in the season before. These included the Yongar (kangaroo), the Waitj (emu) and the Koomal (possum).

As the days start to warm up, we start to see and hear the first of the new borns with their proud parent out and about providing them food, guiding them through foraging tasks and protecting their family units from much bigger animals, including people.

The woodland birds will still be nest bound, hence the swooping protective behavior of the Koolbardi (Magpie) starts to ramp up and if watched closely, so to do the Djidi Djidi (Willy Wag Tails) and the Chuck-a-luck (Wattle Birds) to name a couple of others.

As the season progresses and the temperatures continue to rise, we'll start to see the flower stalks of the Balgas (Grass Trees) emerging in preparation for the coming Kambarang season.

Read more here

Principle #4
Apply Self-Regulation & Accept Feedback

 
“The Sins of the Fathers Are Visited on the Children Unto the Seventh Generation” 

We need to discourage inappropriate activity to ensure that systems can continue to function well.

The icon of the whole earth is the largest scale example we have of a self regulating ‘organism’ which is subject to feedback controls, like global warming. The proverb “the sins of the fathers are visited unto the children of the seventh generation” reminds us that negative feedback is often slow to emerge.

Summed up beautifully by the Formidable Vegetable Sound System's tune

Limits

Source: www.permacultureprinciples.com

#Permaculture

EVENTS!

FESTIVALS!

PERMY BLITZ's!

WORKSHOPS!

COURSES!


Follow our updates on Facebook for upcoming events, workshops and training opportunities around Perth and Regional WA

There is an absolute abundance of exciting things going on all the time and we can't possibly cover them all on your eNews for you!  Which is why we will be sharing these with you more and more via Facebook.

So! If you are hosting an event, running a workshop or training course or know of one please share it with us! 

We want to help spread the word!!!

Message us on Facebook @permaculturewest or email us at news@permaculturewest.org.au 

Do you remember the teenager who six years ago invented a machine that he said could get rid of the plastic that was gathering in the ocean?

Well! Less than a week ago on 9 September 2018 the first system launched into the Pacific some 250-350 nautical miles offshore from San Francisco Bay for a 2 week trial before continuing it's journey toward the Great Pacific Garbage Patch 1,200 nautical miles offshore to start the cleanup. 

Boyan Slat's non-profit Ocean Cleanup Project now employs 70 engineers, researchers, and scientists — all dedicated to cleansing the sea of plastic.  Just goes to show what is possible when we enrol others in the possibility of an idea for the greater good of our planet! 

You can read more about this global project
here


Milkwood 

~Real skills for down-to-earth living

AUTHORS: Kirsten Bradley, Nick Ritar
Released: September 2018  

MILKWOOD is full of skills to get you inspired and started on living a handmade, home-grown life.

The skills that we learn bind our lives together. If you want to learn how to grow your own vegetables, or how to keep bees, how to forage for edible seaweed along the shoreline, or wild greens down by the stream or perhaps you’re curious about growing mushrooms or how to grow the perfect tomato.  Milkwood’s authors say this book is designed to be read with a pot of tea by your elbow and a notebook beside you, while they draw on rich seams of knowledge and experience to bring the essence of these five subjects to you in a friendly, let’s-get-going format.  And! Better still! All copies bought directly from them will be signed by the authors themselves!

You can purchase your own copy of the book here


PIP Podcast #11  

 

What if you couldn’t eat any fruit or vegetables unless they came directly from your backyard?

Could you live off your garden?

For many of us this would be a real challenge, yet Jodie Vennitti decided to test it out.

 

A full interview with Jodie is in Pip Magazine Issue 11 - published in June with their next PIP magazine due out later this month. 

Source: https://www.pipmagazine.com.au/
 

Remember that you can still get a 10% discount on new subscriptions.

Just use the voucher PCWEST10 at checkout!  Woop! #winning

Know of a great workshop coming up? Or a permablitz near your place? Is your garden looking fabulous or are you’re just bursting to share photos of your community or school garden? Would you like to introduce your Permaculture business? Well we would LOVE to hear from you!
Your input is what really makes this monthly eNews special and relevant to local readers here in WA. Plus! It helps us showcase all the great stuff we’ve got going on to readers from other parts of the world. Let’s show them what we’re made of!

So send your updates and sharing today to: news@permaculturewest.org.au
 
Copyright © 2018. Permaculture West. All rights reserved.

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news@permaculturewest.org.au

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