Permaculture is an ethical holistic design system that encourages least harm and highest benefit for people and ecosystems. We create resiliency through proactive design. As we incorporate natural life cycles, multi-functionality, diversity, and appropriate technologies, we can begin to mitigate the climate crisis on an immediate level as well as learn to live as lightly as possible on the earth.
Permaculture is interested not just in sustainability but creating regenerative structures that positively impact our societies on social, economic, and environmental levels. It’s an umbrella term that is closely related to ecology, agro-ecology, re-wilding, food forests, reverse desertification, land restoration, appropriate technology, animal husbandry, addressing symptoms of extreme climate events, carbon sequestration, homesteading, and small-scale farming. This is why you can find permaculture courses that incorporate a variety of practical and theoretical skills.
Why choose a Permaculture Design Certificate course?
The Permaculture Design Certificate course at Three Acres offers you a system of design that has a profound effect on the way you can approach all areas of your life. Since permaculture values multi-functionality, efficiency, and results, you can expect to garner new ways of thinking, new tools and solutions to your unique circumstances, and a renewed sense of empowered accountability…all within the framework of a supportive community environment. Permaculture is both theoretical and practical. Our classes are engaging and include daily hands-on activities and practical applications to integrate learning. Some segments may also include guest teachers, permaculture professionals, and field trips.
In 2023, Three Acre Permaculture will be hosting 2 Permaculture Design Certificates plus a 9-month Gardening Certificate class:
The Design Course
We offer two styles of learning to provide accessibility for varying schedules and life responsibilities. For those interested in an intensive burst of learning, we offer the internationally-recognized PDC course curriculum over a two week period. This certificate course is perfect for students and individuals who are interested/able to commit 2 weeks to transformational learning this summer.
In addition, we host our flagship 9-month program, one day per month. This approach allows you to observe the seasons on your own property while deepening and integrating the knowledge you acquire from each of the PDC modules. It also provides accessibility to those with busy schedules and families, thereby broadening the diversity of the participants themselves.
This course can be life changing for participants because for many of us it gives us a new lens with which to examine our lives. At Three Acre Permaculture, we also put a heavy emphasis on social permaculture.
Permaculture teaches us to deeply accept what is and to be in relationship with life. It teaches us that tiny seeds can grow into the mightiest of trees and that we can plant those seeds both physically and metaphorically. This gives us the tools to be be proactive in co-creating high yielding, ethical, regenerative systems – within your garden, relationship, business, and/or life ecosystem.
Due to the intensive nature of this curriculum, attendance is a mandatory factor for certification.
Three Acre Permaculture, Bothwell Ontario
9-month, 1 teaching day per month
2023 Calendar Dates: April 16, May 21, June 11, July 16, August 20, September 17, October 8, November 12, December 3
Hamilton Ontario
2 weeks, M-F day classes
2023 Calendar dates: August 14-25, 2023
A note about PDC fees:
All classes are sliding scale to accommodate wage inequities and to promote accessibility.
Course Fee: $1200-$1800
Design Course Curriculum (subject to change)
Day 1
Introduction to permaculture, history of permaculture, garden tour
Day 2
Introducing food webs, mapping part 1, flow diagrams, foraging
Day 3
Earthworks, windbreaks, design strategies, measuring distances
Day 4
Permaculture in urban settings, social permaculture, forests, food forests
Day 5
Broad scale permaculture application, animals, fruit trees and pruning
Day 6
Economic and invisible structures, designing productive landscapes
Day 7
Designing for drylands, tropics, and other extreme environments, eating weeds and/or trees
Day 8
Gardening concepts, water capture, appropriate technology, aquaponics
Day 9
Self- and group empowerment, group project presentations
The Gardening Course
We’re bringing you a new permaculture experience directly in the garden! This is a hybrid curriculum that gives you real hands-on experience with the rationale and theory to help integrate your learning. As a 9-month program, you’ll learn the entire lifecycle of a garden, starting with starting seeds!
You’ll also learn different ways to propagate your food plants as well how to care for your veggie garden and build your food forest. We’ll forage weeds and other edible perennials, we’ll make good compost and community together. We’ll talk about ethics, relationships to the earth and each other, proactive strategies, and you’ll even learn how to map out life plans as well as the garden. This is a great way to level up your PDC, but beginners who love to get their hands dirty are also welcome.
This 9-month certificate class is an excellent opportunity for students of all levels to apply permaculture techniques to their own gardens. You’ll learn permaculture concepts along with practical skills that will bring your garden know-how to the next level.
Whether you’re just beginning your gardening journey or you’re looking for new ways to increase your skills, this is a well-rounded curriculum that has something for everyone. PDC Alumni are also encouraged to join this intimate class to integrate and deepen your knowledge.
Gardening Course Curriculum (subject to change)
Day 1
Introduction to permaculture, seed starting, winter pruning
Day 2
Mission/vision statements, mapping, zones, sectors, more seeds
Day 3
Soils, compost, amendments, propagating root stock
Day 4
Forest systems, tree identification, food forests and maintenance
Day 5
Earth systems, raised beds, no till/no dig, row covers, mulch, water flow
Day 6
Ongoing plant & garden care, young tree care, watering, weeding
Day 7
Seed saving, drying & storing seeds, making teas & spices, bud grafting
Day 8
Incorporating small animals, bee care, putting the garden to bed
Day 9
Using your produce, canning, drying, winter prep
Three Acre Permaculture, Bothwell Ontario
9-month, 1 teaching day per month
2023 Calendar Dates: March 12, April 2, May 7, June 4, July 9, August 13, September 10, October 1, November 5
All classes are sliding scale to accommodate wage inequities and to promote accessibility.
Course Fee: $1200-$1800
We’ll host this program again in 2024.
Join our list to be the first to know when we open registration again.
Three Acre Permaculture 