Biomimicking - A Permaculture Design Course (PDC) at Cob Ecocommunity in Nessonas, Greece
A Permaculture Design Course (PDC) at the permaculture farm in Nessonas (COB farm) on 22nd of June - 6th of July . An intensive 12-day (+1free) seminar that will cover all aspects of permaculture and enable participants to learn how to design farms, landscapes and organizations based on permaculture principles.
Permaculture is the applied design science inspired by David Holmgren and Bill Mollison that aims to regenerate natural and social systems through the efficient management of available resources. Permaculture is widespread worldwide as one of the keys to addressing climate change and one of the most successful methods of sustainable farming. The Permaculture Design Course (PDC), 72 hours of practical & theoretical teaching hours is the way the founders of the method proposed to disseminate permaculture so that one can holistically deepen permaculture-based planning.
This seminar is focused on the technical parts and also has a lot of practice. It particularly aimed at designers and architects and those who want to design regenerative systems, growers who want to transition to a regenerative way of cultivating the land, people interested in a collective or individual transition to a more sustainable way of living, those already working in resource management (energy, water, soil) for new ideas and tools, and those interested in having an intense permaculture experience on a property that is already implementing many of its principles.
Topics
Introduction to Permaculture
Design principles, ethics of Permaculture
Nature patterns in Permaculture design
Climate & Mediterranean Permaculture (emphasis on Mediterranean climate)
Water management and earthworks (rain harvesting, keylines etc.)
Soil regeneration and compost, Mycology
Renewable Energy & appropriate technologies
Seeds & seed storage
Zones and sectors
Animals in the system
Food forests
market gardening
Syntropic Agroforestry
Social Permaculture (CSA, Ecovillages, Zone 00)
Non-violent communication & Sociocracy
Natural building
Waste management (grey water, composting toilets, etc.)
Natural ponds
Aquaculture
Group Permaculture Design
and much much more...
Meet the Facilitators
Christos Kontomanos is 28 years old and grew up in Larissa, studied Agronomy in Thessaloniki and has been trying to unlearn everything he learned ever since. Through his thesis, he also started his journey in alternative agriculture, where he learned the reasons why the farmers around the former headquarters of Panagiotis Maniki were not influenced towards an innovative change. Since then, he has committed his life to working to overcome the barriers that keep conventional farmers from turning to alternative methods. He started living permanently in the potential eco-community of cob 6 years ago and has been working there ever since. Plus he created the "basket" of vegetables and processed produce in an effort to bridge the gap with the city and demonstrate sustainability through alternative agricultural and economic systems and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). He learned about Permaculture through books until July 2019 when he co-taught the first Permaculture Design Course with his friend and mentor Sam-Parker Davies, student of Geoff Lawton. Since then he hasn't stopped evolving. He also considers Panagiotis Manikis (Natural Farming) and Giuseppe Sannicandro as his teachers. A part time farmer, he is involved in Market Gardening, Food Forestry, and syntropic Agroforestry, with a passion for fungi and for disseminating on what knowledge he has. He is also a permaculture designer and educator. He has facilitated around 8 PDC's and 14 seminars introductory to permaculture and Regen Ag inside and outside Greece.
Kostas Kontomanos studied economics and worked on it for many years. Sometime in 1995 he tried to become a farmer by buying the farm in Nessona, with not so much success. In 2001 he and his best friend built their first house with a natural structure inside the estate and he has been stuck ever since. He quit his earlier job a few years ago and created Cob. He has done over 150 workshops to spread natural building in Greece, built about 30 houses for other people and over 150 natural structures to date. He is constantly trying to move and stay permanently on the property, but also to start working less and is a member of the Cob's potential eco-community.
Christos Karystinos is a passionate environmental and political activist, who is particularly interested in community life. In 2017 he was introduced to Permaculture and in 2018 he did his first PDC, certified with Same Parker Davies and a Permaculture & Social Permaculture trainers training inspired by the work of Rosemary Morrow by Alfred Decker and Giuseppe Sannicandro. She has lived and visited eco-communities around the world (Sunseed, Lakabe, Auroville) and volunteered in various permaculture projects across Europe. He is particularly interested in Energy Management as he graduated as an Electrical Engineer from the National Technical University of Athens. He tries to distill his experience by giving seminars and sharing his passion for groups through his Community Lab project, a member of the organization Cycles of Evolution. Since 2023 he established his own land-based project in Crete, Greece, called Syntrofia Permaculture
Annachiara Bucci (Buccino) grew up in the notorious Giuliano Teatino, Italy, and then studied as an Environmental Engineer. After doing many other jobs and travelling extensively around the world, she ended up in the centre of Greece, in Nessona. Full of curiosity to explore innovative and more sustainable systems than the ones she studied, she attended Sam Parker Davies' PDC, Giuseppe Sannicandro's other non-certified PDCs and many more Permaculture workshops since then. She has lived in the potential eco-community of Cob since 2019 and has taken over and developed all the Water and Waste Management systems on the farm. She has installed a Bio-digester unit, a grey water biological treatment unit with reeds, a natural pond, but is also working hard in the Food Forest and market garden, cultivating for the basket.
When
Arrival 22/6, Seminar 23/6-5/7, Departure 6/7.
Where
At COB farm in Nesson. At the Nesson permaculture farm there are natural building structures that use appropriate technologies to make the most efficient use of available energy, water recycling and harvesting structures, and an edible forest that feeds the produce basket that supplies residents locally. The farm is supported by a community of people who support the project and co-create a framework of inclusion and participation in operations and management. During the seminar an in-depth explanation of the farm's design will be provided.
Equipment
Camping equipment, work clothes and waterproofs, cool clothes and changes of clothes. Also, your personal hygiene products (soap, toothpaste, etc.) should be natural, otherwise you can equip yourself with ours. Musical instruments will also be greatly appreciated for those cool evenings around the lake.
Food
Vegan and delicious (Sometimes honey or eggs from the farm are served on the side)
Acommodation
The participants stay in their own tents inside the farm's area
If needed you can rent camping equipment of the farm (tent, sleeping bag, mat)
There is a limited option of staying in a bed of a small natural building with symbolic pricing.
Language
The workshop will be taught in English
Cost
The course is european co-funded, so the price is reduced:
A) 320 e "Price with scholarship - For people with financial difficulties"
B) 350 e "Price that we consider fair for both the organization and the participants".
C) 380 e "You cover the costs and something further supports the organizing venue"
There is a prepayment of 50e which is needed for the booking of your place.
It is not returned 15 days before the workshop.
For more info
If you have any questions about the entry form or other questions, please contact:
or by phone 6973970075.
For application forms:
Limited number of seats so advance booking is necessary.
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