Introduction to Permaculture with Jess Austin

Introduction to Permaculture Course

Connect with nature. Be inspired. Start your journey into sustainable living.

Join Jess Austin as part of the Great Green Barn’s Head, Heart & Health learning for a weekend exploring the fundamentals of permaculture – a powerful design approach for creating resilient, sustainable systems in gardens, farms, communities, and beyond. Whether you’re completely new to the idea or want to explore it further, this course will give you the tools, inspiration, and confidence to begin applying permaculture principles in your daily life. Our Introduction to Permaculture Course is UK CPD Accredited with the Permaculture Association Britain.

What We Will Explore

• What permaculture is.
• The core ethics and principles that guide permaculture.
• Design tools such as sectors and zones.
• An introduction to permaculture gardening.
• Real-life examples of permaculture in action.
• Simple, practical steps you can take right away.

Course Details

You can find the course dates and locations in the calendar below. Our Introduction to Permaculture Courses take place at various locations across the UK throughout the year.

Each course runs for two full days, from 9am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday. This course does not include accommodation.

Why not turn our upcoming course at the Great Green Barn into a weekend away in the Surrey Hills! Contact us if you’d like recommendations on what’s around and places to stay.

The course fee is £200.

You will be awarded a certificate on successful completion of the course, as this is a UK CPD Accredited course with the Permaculture Association Britain.

Our Tutor

Jess Austin passionate about creating meaningful experiences for children and adults through sport, permaculture, and nature focused learning. She spent three years in New Zealand, where she began as a volunteer basketball coach at a local high school and then went on to start her own club, running very popular holiday camps for children. During her time there, she also became actively involved in several environmental and community projects – from working in wetland restoration to volunteering on large-scale composting projects and in community gardens. Jess has continued her journey through work in market gardens and eco-communities, as well as volunteering on natural building and permaculture projects in Greece.

With the help of her incredible team, Jess now runs fun, skills-based basketball camps in the UK that help children build confidence, teamwork, and a love for the game. She also organises courses and retreats for adults including introduction to permaculture courses, permaculture retreats and sustainable food production courses – supporting people in learning more about permaculture and how to grow their own food. Some of these courses and retreats are in the UK and others are held in Portugal. Additionally Jess offers weekend nature school sessions where children can explore, play, and connect with the natural world.

Further details of Jess and her work can be viewed on her website - https://jessaustin.co.uk/.

Participant Information

We will meet at the Great Green Barn at 8.45am, and the session will run through to 5pm, with a few refreshments' breaks and a lunch break.

Weather appropriate clothing should be worn, including sturdy boots/shoes, as the surface area at points will be wet and uneven.

Water is available and water bottles can be filled during the sessions.

A pad and pen would be beneficial if you wish to make your own notes.

Please let the Great Green Barn know if you have any special dietary requirements.

Refreshments
Teas, coffees and water are included in the ticket price.

Please bring a packed lunch for the lunch break. An optional vegetarian or vegan lunch (Warmed Greek Spinach & Feta pie / Vegan Sausage Roll) and salad is available to pre-order at £8.

Please let the Great Green Barn know if you have any special dietary requirements.

DETAILS:

Venue: Great Green Barn, Upper House Lane (Run Common Road end), Shamley Green, GU5 0SX

Date & Times:  Saturday 19 & Sunday 20 September, 9am to 5pm

Price*: £200
   * Includes £1 GGB Restoration Fee​

Parking: Available across the road at For Earth's Sake. Please consider car sharing where possible.