Can't make the dates for the next course but still want to kickstart your permaculture life?
Get the skills you need to start living like it matters - with David Holmgren, co-originator of Permaculture, and the Milkwood crew!
Join the waitlist, and we'll let you know when future classes are open for bookings. Places are strictly limited, to ensure an awesome experience for everyone.
We can't wait to meet you.
Our Permaculture Living course is a 12 week program that will take you from ‘hmm, that sounds like a good idea’ to a version of yourself who is FULL of new projects, habits and knowledge – and motivated to start making life better. Better for you, for your ecosystem, and for our planet, too.
You will learn the principles of permaculture from Permaculture co-originator David Holmgren. You will learn how to apply these principles in big picture thinking, and in everyday design.
Then, Kirsten and Nick will show you hands-on ways you can use these permaculture principles – arming you with practical, doable actions and skills that are perfect for your everyday life, while having a positive impact on the planet.
This is everyday climate action.
By the end of these 12 weeks, you will be empowered - you will have a personalised permaculture action plan, and a new online community. You will have the skills to transform your daily habits and decisions into meaningful actions that have far-reaching, positive outcomes for all. You will be armed to make a difference.
And we will be there to help you, all along the way - to ensure that you succeed, no matter what.
This is a live course, not just a bunch of videos! You will be part of a class who will become your community, with a stellar teaching team to guide and assist you...
In over 40 lessons, you'll learn how to implement permaculture principles into your life & community - with a mix of easy-to-follow videos & resources.
Alongside each lesson, we've created a swag of exclusive resources, plans, and downloads just for you - available in this course, and nowhere else.
During your course, you'll be in direct discussion with Kirsten & Nick - ask questions, get feedback, and get to know your classmates in these live Q&As.
Welcome! To our Permaculture Living online community, full of students just like you: make friends, swap ideas, learn, laugh & grow.
In this Permaculture Living program, you’ll learn skills in everything from making sauerkraut to connecting with community, starting a seed bank, growing microgreens on your windowsill, foraging for mushrooms, designing your home greywater system, learning your local waterways and how to effectively stand up for change, to name but a few of the many, many actions that you can choose from.
Delivered via a mix of video, worksheets, Q&As and more – you can take this course at home, on the train, up a tree (less likely, but still!), or in your lunch break.
Along the way, you’ll be supported by us and your fellow classmates to ensure you get the knowledge you need, within a super-positive community environment that will become one of your favourite places to hang out online.
By the end of this program, you will be armed with your permaculture living action plan, and committed to twelve positive new skills and habits to take on as your own – to use in your daily life, and also out in your wider community – to make life better for everyone.
"Thank you for helping me to focus on goals that are more likely to yield an abundant and connected life for me... I can't wait to see where this learning takes me!"
"Do this course, it will change your outlook on life, the world, your community and infinite ability to DO MORE and make a difference!"
"βThe knowledge was delivered with such passion in such a palatable way, and the whole operation was so slick and impressive. 10 out of 10β³ "
"After years of reading about permaculture and trying to apply the principles I finally 'get' what it is all about - thank you for demystifying it all for me."
"Thank you. You have opened a whole new world for me."
Two generations of Permaculture knowledge, with over 60 years of combined experience...
Nick founded Milkwood with Kirsten in 2007. Since then, he has led over 2000 face-to-face students through their permaculture design journey - as well as farming, homesteading and growing a LOT of mushrooms along the way.
David Holmgren is the co-originator of the Permaculture concept, alongside Bill Mollison. A prolific and visionary philosopher, teacher and writer, his latest book is 'RetroSuburbia: a downshifters guide to a resilient future.'
Kirsten founded Milkwood with Nick in 2007. She is author of the best-seller 'Milkwood' and known for her permaculture advocacy, and workshops in permaculture skills - from fermenting to natural beekeeping to foraging for wild food.
"I really want to make changes, but" ... sound familiar?
but my apartment is too small ... but I don't have enough time ... but I don't have a backyard ... but I'm not fit enough ... but I might get it wrong ...but I don't quite know where to begin ... but I killed my houseplant, so that means I can't grow things ...
Hey. You there. Guess what? Permaculture is for everybody.
You don't need a garden. You don't need stacks of time each week. This is a mindset shift. This is about learning how to see the world differently, and yourself as a functional part of it. It's about changing your habits, one by one, to become the change you want to see. This is about creating the world we need. And you can be a powerful part of this change, even while going about your normal, everyday life.
This program will help you find your power.
You will learn how to create community, make great choices, AND make friends with your ecosystem - and the soil on which you stand.
We have crafted this program to be unlike any other permaculture course available. Created by acclaimed educators, thinkers, and doers - with your success as our collective and ultimate goal.
With David Holmgren, co-originator of permaculture, you'll learn about permaculture's history, present and future - as both a design framework AND as a global movement.
Then, David will lead you through an exploration of his 12 Permaculture Principles. You'll learn, step by step, how these principles can be used as a powerful design framework to create the world we need - with biomimicry, good observation, and thoughtful action.
Using David's 12 permaculture principles as our framework, Kirsten and Nick will take you through a world of ways that you can utilize permaculture thinking and design at your place, to create a more regenerative, kind and more inter-connected life for you and your family.
With video lessons and all the extra resources you need to get going, we'll cover everything from making sauerkraut to learning how to setup a neighbourhood crop swap - how to grow mushrooms, welcome pollinators to your garden. and learn about your wild spaces. By the time you're done, you'll be able to use permaculture thinking to design your future, for the better.
This is where the fun really starts - as you move through the principles and the program with us, you'll start to build your own action plan. A personalised backpack of new habits, skills and knowledge that you'll choose yourself, from a wide range of options that align with the goals you've set at the start of the course.
By the end of these 12 weeks, you'll have your plan of action ready to go, and we'll be there to support you so you can make it happen.
Throughout your Permaculture Living course, our teaching team will be there to support you and answer your questions.
There's live Q&As for you to attend during your course, and an ongoing student forum where you can ask literally ANYTHING about the course and feel confident that you'll receive a helpful answer.
We have created this course with many, many years of face-to-face permaculture teaching experience - we know what students want to discover and explore, and where you're most likely to trip up on your way to creating change. We are here to help you succeed, from start to finish.
Throughout your course, we've created a suite of extra resources, downloads, calculators and other useful things to help you along your way. These resources are available nowhere else but inside this course.
At Milkwood, we're well known for being generous with our knowledge and sharing all sorts of useful and unique guides and how-to's for free... but this course is a whole other level of knowledge.
We've also teamed up with some of our favourite permaculture communicators, to make this course both dynamic and diverse for you - the talented Charlie MGee of Formidiable Vegetable has done all the music, kickass permaculture illustrator Brenna Quinlan has done all the diagrams, and our filmmaker Dylan Weihan has crafted an amazing experience - we can't wait to share it all with you!
As part of your Permaculture Living program you'll gain access to our specially created student forum - where you can make friends, share your journey, swap and share, and ask all the questions you need answered.
A safe and supportive environment, full of folks just like you - determined to make things better, bit by bit, day by day.
This community is a place to learn, question, discuss and share both your successes and failures. Your Milkwood teaching team will be in there too, and we will support you along the way - as you work on both your big picture and every day goals to create real change and your permaculture life.
Yes, we have been there. We know what it's like to establish a vegetable garden in a record-breaking drought. To have zero budget but want to build a tinyhouse on just a simple patch of earth. We know what it's like to have to 'begin again' and start from scratch in a rental, and to swap our organic market garden for growing in pots on a verandah in the suburbs. We know. We get you.
Most of all, we know what it's like to wake up in the middle of the night, scared for our kid's future, desperate to do something about it. Something that will really help. Something that you can get started with, right now.
AND SO - after years of farming, growing, designing and community organising ... after establishing community rooftop gardens, windowsill herb pots, community swap-meets, protests, bulk-buys and everything in between ... we know that there is a way for you to live a permaculture life. No matter where you live. No matter what your budget is. It can be done. And we can help you get there.
Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can - Arthur Ashe
Still got questions? Here's the answers you seek...
You can find all the information about upcoming dates by visiting the main Milkwood courses page.
We recommend you set aside 1-2 hours a week to do this course - 30 minutes for viewing, 30 minutes for reading, and 30 minutes for working on your permaculture action plan.
Each week you'll get access to roughly 3 new video lessons. These range in length from 5 minutes to 20 minutes.
On top of that there is additional reading and worksheets which will take you less than an hour to read through and absorb.
Then, there's your action plan to work on, and interacting with the student community - plus Q&A webinars, some weeks.
You can complete each lesson at any time that's convenient to you. Five minutes at a time, or all in one hit.
But..... a big part of your course is about building your permaculture life, one good habit at a time. We want these habits to last a lifetime - so the more work you put into this course, the more change you'll get out of it.
We've made this course for anyone who wants to get closer to their food , their community & their environment. Anyone whose interested in living a healthier, happier life.
There are no prerequisites or required reading. Just bring your enthusiasm.
We've found that our students get the most out of their experience if they move through the course with a group of peers.
For this reason, you'll receive a weekly package of lessons to work through, each week.
We'll do our best to make your course the best experience we can. However, it just might not be for you. That’s ok! If you decide that’s the case, let us know.
Notify our team within 30 days of your purchase and we’ll refund your payment. No questions asked. At this point you should be about halfway through the course.
Please note that the 30 day money-back guarantee applies for the online component of your purchase only. Books, postage or personal coaching calls that have already been supplied are non-refundable unless damaged or similar.
Nope! If you can view this page and the video on it, you can access the entire course just fine.
The course is delivered via our special course portal, web pages and email.
You can access your course content (and private community) via any web browser on any laptop, PC, Mac, tablet or smart phone that is connected to a reasonable internet connection.
You don't need any other special applications or memberships to other platforms. You are not required to have a Facebook or Google account.
It's simple and easy.
Everybody who joins the course will be able to ask questions in the comments section in each lesson or direct to our team, via our support email.
Not sure exactly what David meant in that video when he was talking about the solar design?
Wondering exactly how deep to plant your tomatoes?
Don't worry, we've got you covered!
If you choose the Premium or Fast Forward option you'll also get access to our exclusive student community & our live Q&A webinars.
Three times during your course, Kirsten & Nick will host a 60 minute live webinar - where you'll be able to ask anything you like and get all your questions answered.
You will also have the opportunity to submit your questions beforehand - and if you can't make the live stream, you can watch the recording in your own time afterwards.
Lifetime access means you will be able to access this course, and all its resources, for as long as we have it available online.
Milkwood has over 10 years experience of delivering stellar education - and we're not going anywhere, anytime soon.
This is a long-haul commitment for us, and for our family business. No tricks, no fine print. We want you to have access to this knowledge for as long as you need.
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