This course is initially located in St Petersburg, FL and will half way through move to our farm in Brooksville, FL.
This course exceeds the requirements laid out by permaculture founder Bill Mollison for the internationally recognized 72 hour Permaculture Design Course. The training provides a deep and wide overview of permaculture design, focusing on skill sets you can apply immediately. It is a thorough introduction to a subject that has many levels and areas of expertise and professional practice. Further study is available through our apprenticeship programs and advanced study.
Table of Contents
Top Description Course features Subjects Locations Course schedule Course fees Course layout
Description of course
The Grow Permaculture Permaculture Design Course is a cutting edge approach to living that creates positive impact on both the environment and the individuals sharing that environment.
Homes, work places, gardens, farms, ranches, communities, businesses, local economies, or cities that are designed with permaculture principles and techniques are more resilient; they use resources in a regenerative way, ensuring that we, our children and our grandchildren will have access to all the resources we need. By incorporating people care into the equation, this process becomes more enjoyable too.
This course attracts students from all over Florida and beyond. Students meet others who think like they do, and often make lifelong friendships during the course; some find new career or lifestyle opportunities. Be the change you would like to see, and be effective at it, by designing that change!
The course addresses strategies for drylands, temperate, tropical and other climates based on the significant knowledge and experience of instructors working in those climates. It contains a bonus section focused specifically on Florida/subtropical climate because of the state’s unique ecosystem.
Each student will complete a permaculture design of the site of his or her choice, or with a team of other students, working through it step-by-step to ensure the student has an understanding of each step of the process. Upon successful completion of the course requirements, the student is awarded an internationally recognized certificate for the course.
Online course features
- Mentoring with veteran designers.
- Hands-on exercises.
- Videos of a variety of systems and how they work.
- Written step-by-step instructions and other material.
- Extensive subtropical plant lists and data, lists of recommended temperate, tropical and drylands plants.
- Top resources for further study.
- Test your knowledge with self-testing.
- Exercises to increase your ability to apply the knowledge you gained.
- Discussion groups and on-line community building opportunities.
- Q and A with mentors.
- Data and resources on permaculture careers.
- Links to and data about quality permaculture networks that will continue to support you.
- Internationally recognized Permaculture Design Course certificate upon completion.
Subjects covered in the course
• Permaculture design ethics, principles and tools
• Creating abundance with natural patterns
• Grow more food with less work by working with nature
• Edible landscaping, food in small spaces
• Building food forests
• Nutrient dense “beyond organic” gardening and farming
• Agroforestry and ecoagriculture, regenerative farming
• Aquaculture
• Building rich, live soils
• Composting and vermicomposting
• Alternative pest management
• Designing sustainable water use
• Greywater and rainwater catchment
• Natural building and regenerative building technology
• Reducing energy costs in your home
• Best forms of sustainable energy
• Appropriate technology
• Boosting your career with permaculture
• Sustainable economics
• Increasing quality of life through “placemaking” design
• Designing for climate change
• Community revitalization and rebuilding
• Successful intentional communities, ecovillages and
cohousing, urban and rural
Locations
The course starts in St Petersburg, FL 33712, some later classes will be on Our Permaculture Farm, in Brooksville, FL 34614, details in Syllabus.
Sep 13-14 - Design strategies, get to know one another, and understanding natural systems
Oct 11-12 - Climate, soil, and water
Nov 8-9 - Food forests, kitchen garden, animals, aquaculture, agroforestry
Dec has no classes.
Jan 10-11 - Built environment and appropriate technology
Feb 14-15 - Regenerative finances and building community
Mar 14-15 - Closing topics, presentations and graduation
Hours are from 9:00 - 5:00, with breaks in am and pm and a 90 minute lunch hour, Saturday and Sunday.
Starts on weekend September 13 (Saturday), 2025 and ends on weekend March 15 (Sunday), 2025.
Course fee
Full price is $1,295 for this comprehensive In Person Course. Take advantage of our Early bird discounts which begins 5 months before course start with $100 off for each month. Paying over time is often available, see the cart if available. If not talk to us.
The text book for the course is:
Introduction to Permaculture by Bill Mollison and Reny Mia Slay. Order the book here.
Our courses are an investment in yourself and your future - you will make and save far more than the course cost, to the degree you apply the information in the course.
We allow family members to sign up at a reduced rate, currently $650, as long as one member has paid the above rate. Having family members learning together makes for a more effective team and will result in better designs.
Course layout
This is a listing of the main topics. We also try to format the content to try to accommodate each student’s interests.
For the final class the lead instructor will review and mentor your submitted design and issue your certificate of completion.