This is a hands-on practical building course introducing the principles of the Walter Segal method of timber framing through the construction of a small structure on-site at Harehope Quarry. Practical instruction will be supplemented by an evening talk on Saturday. The course includes a light lunch & refreshments each day plus an evening meal as well as the option to camp on site. Further details can be provided on request.

This session will cover how to harvest, dry and sow your own seed for vegetables, fruit and flowers. Seed is always best sown fresh, and the most reliable way of doing this is to harvest your own. Learn the best times to do this, when and how to collect seed and why gathering your own produces more reliable, sturdier crops. Caroline Beck is a garden writer and cut flower grower with over 25 years experience of harvesting and sowing her own seed. Refreshments provided.

Make the ‘most boat’ you can from a single sheet of plywood using basic DIY skills. The one-sheet skiff can carry a small adult or young person and can be paddled, rowed, even sailed or driven by a small electric motor with a bit of imagination. Over two days you will mark up and cut the component parts, fix together the sides and transom and attach the bottom to create a perfect small boat for still waters. Test-launch on Sunday and then take home (on a roof rack) to paint with ordinary domestic paint. Suitable for adults and families with children over 8. There are places to make 4 boats so booking is essential at least 2 weeks in advance. Refreshments and lunch provided and camping available.

The aim of this course is to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to grow their own gourmet mushrooms outdoors. An indoor session will cover the biology and ecology of mushrooms and fungi and the important role that mushroom mycelium play in the cultivation process, including a look at different types of mushroom spawn. A practical outdoor session will demonstrate making up a Shiitake log and a Nameko woodchip mushroom bed. Each participant will make their own log and take it home with them. Gourmet Woodland Mushrooms has been producing mushroom spawn since 2004, so this course will provide a wealth of knowledge and experience to draw upon. Includes refreshments and a light lunch.

This introduction provides an insight into the 'Quick Return' method of composting and how to get maximum benefit out of available garden and kitchen waste resources. Includes history, theories, types of bins, compostable materials, the system and methodology, using the compost and its effects, adaptations and alternative applications. The talk will include a practical demonstration on composting kitchen waste. Refreshments provided.

Learn the basics of charcoal making - what materials to use, how to load, light and shut down a kiln and what is involved in grading and bagging the charcoal. The day includes a bag of charcoal to be collected at your leisure and tea, coffee and cakes. Bring a packed lunch or food to cook over a fire.

http://www.permaculturinginportugal.net/natural-build-2019/

Quinta do Vale is partnering with our local community natural education project, Folha Verde, to host a NATURAL BUILD-IN during July 2019..

This is a natural building course, but with a difference. It’s conceived as a learning experience which not only gives you some natural building knowledge and skills, but also immerses you in our local, largely off-grid community to collaborate on a community project.

The natural build-in runs between July 7th and 28th 2019 in weekly blocks. You can attend as many blocks as you like. You can also stay on after the Permaculture Design Course which runs at Quinta do Vale from June 23rd to July 7th.

We build Monday to Friday. Weekends are kept free for arrivals and departures and for exploring the area or enjoying the many other events and activities which go on here throughout the summer.

Families are welcome – Folha Verde have an open month in July and children aged 6 and over can join in the project’s activities.

We’ll use the same Agile Learning System we use in our community education project as the framework for the build-in. If you’re not already familiar with this system for managing and developing workflow, it’s essentially codified biomimicry. It takes the natural way people self-organise and self-manage to achieve an objective and ensures it’s fully participatory, supportive and successful.

ABOUT THE COURSE
A weekend permaculture course for teachers, permaculture practitioners, parents and others to engage children in all aspects of permaculture. Composed of both indoor and outdoor sessions we will learn how to spend times with children which are child-centred and/or child-led.

* We will find out how permaculture ethics and principles can be applied to education, in how we speak, the activities we engage in and in the spaces we design.
* We will discover some great benefits of outdoor learning, including relevant research, and learn how to create session plans which engage the whole child: eyes, heart, hands and head, through active participation in a session learning about soil.
* We will look at different garden designs both in school and home gardens and get involved in practical activity.
* We will learn about the different activities that we can do with children and, more importantly, think about how the way we approach the child can enable us to think of infinite possible activities.

WHO IS THIS COURSE SUITABLE FOR?
People working with children aged 3-12 years, such as school, nursery and kindergarten teachers, as well as those working in non-formal settings such as after-school or out-of-school club leaders (e.g. scout leaders), parents (whether natural, foster, adoptive, home educators or grandparents) and others who are aware of the importance of their role in children’s education.

Build Camp is designed as an alternative to high cost courses for people with spare time to learn on the job. This is also our chance to come together to build the better world we’d all wish for.

Build Camp exists to help make the most mind bogglingly beautiful natural buildings affordable for schools, charities, community groups, trusts and public organisations who put other people and the environment first.

During this camp we are building a large fully insulated reciprocal roundhouse with green roof, whiskey barrel walls, doors & windows, suspended floor and extention with conpost loo and lobby. Organiclea Workers Coop will use this building as a teaching space for their amazing out reach program. We ask a minimum commitment of two weeks but the longer you can spend with us the better. We’ll be spending 3 months on this build and we’ll all be camping, eating and working together on-site for the duration.

This intensive course is a professionally tailored curriculum for people who really want to know how its all done. You will be taught the keys skills by a pro with 14yrs of timber framing experience. You will not simply be working to finish someone’s project. This 4 day intensive Roundwood Timber Framing & Reciprocal Roundhouse Building Course gives you the chance to learn cutting the scribed (butter-pat) and mortise and tenon joints and we’ll build a full size reciprocal roundhouse roof so that you understand how that wonderful piece of geometry works. We’ll look at all the joints you’ll need for a roundhouse and experiment with reciprocal roofs of different size and pitch, to make sure that you really understand how this intriguing piece of geometry works. There will be time to discuss any technical questions you might have. No previous experience necessary. Camping available.