[Pil-pc-oceania] Jims Permaculture approach comments

[Linda Shewan]

Hi all, 

I did Rick and Naomi's course 2 years ago and have recommended it to
many others - HOWEVER - I came away knowing that I then needed to study
for years more before I could confidently design a space where it
'mattered'  ie. someone's livelihood depending on the design. 

That being said though - I would not imagine Jim's Permaculture would
ever be designing a space where someone's livelihood depended on the
outcome. They will be designing food spaces in urban backyard situations
and really, with the PDC knowledge they should be able to create a good
outcome. I think if we look at the situation like this it makes much
more sense. A lot more people will be growing food in their own back
yard and spreading the message about how wonderful it is to eat food
from their own garden. This is a very positive outcome and will lead
more people to attend PDCs for themselves. 

Perhaps there could be some 'restrictions' built into the PDC
Certificate about what projects the Jim's Permaculture franchisees can
undertake but I don't really think this is necessary. Jim's guys own
their businesses don't they - they are not going to design a space they
can't deliver. They have too much to lose. They should ensure the
landowner sign off the design specs before beginning implementation.
With the signoff done, the risk is all around implementation. 

In an urban backyard situation most of the implementation will be
building gardens, drip irrigation and the like. What they are unable to
undertake themselves they will need partner organisations for. This has
a great potential for everyone in the industry... 

I doubt there will be a reconciliation of this but since it looks like
it is happening - I think support is what we should be offering. We
don't need any more splits in permaculture! Make yourselves known to Jim
et al if you can offer services that go alongside or can improve what
the Jim's Permaculture people are doing. Then the initiative is more
likely to be successful and we all win in spreading the work of
permaculture!

My 2c worth... Linda


-----Original Message-----
From: pacific-edge [mailto:info at pacific-edge.info] 
Sent: Wednesday, 11 July 2007 7:39 PM
To: pil
Subject: Re: [Pil-pc-oceania] Jims Permaculture approach comments

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Hi 

In response to Virginia, what I think I'm reading is not pessimism, but
rather discussion on the need for a good quality safe integrated food
design
system available to the general public. There has also been mention of
sustainability design of energy and water system for the domestic
market.

I don't think anyone is doubting the quality of Rick and Naomi's PDC.
Rather
people are exploring what it means to design gardens/energy and water
systems for the general public for money, and do it in a safe and
quality
way using permaculture methodology.

Virginia mentioned: this is really just another bunch of people wanting
to
do a PDC and to spread the message ethically. I think it's more a
business
proposal rather than a spread the message exercise.

As Pamela and Judith have pointed out, it is best to make sure you do it
right.  I think a PDC in its early days was geared towards design
professionals, to give them an integrated approach to their design
profession. More recently, I think it has become more a general
introduction
to permaculture design rather than equip you to become a design
professional
after the course if you haven't had the previous qualification or years
of
experience.

Many people in the permaculture movement have put in an enormous amount
of
time to develop an acredited training program, so I'd like to support
that
professional approach.

In my years of teaching PDC's, I always saw them as training people to
set
up their own domestic systems or be involved in community based projects
and
provide a basis for life directions. Those that came to the course with
professional architectural, landscape architecture training etc, used
the
PDC to inform their design decisions.

Regards

....Fiona




On 11/7/07 6:30 PM, "pamela" <serendipity at picknowl.com.au> wrote:

> G'day to you all,
> I haven't been following the discussion for long and so may repeat
what

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