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25.01.2022 "Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Mexico, interrupting the industrial food supply in important ways, small farmers have increased production and rehabilitated abandoned chinampas to fill the demand for fresh, local food. The word chinampa comes from the Nahuatl chinmitl, meaning a hedge or fence made out of reeds. Mud from the bottom of the canal as well as lake vegetation are piled into this fencing until they reach the surface, creating a fertile and well-irrigated place fo...r crops to grow. These favorable conditions make the chinampas one of the most productive types of agriculture in the world, enabling as many as seven harvests per year. A variety of produce flourishes here: greens, herbs, flowers, fruits, and milpaa combination of corn, beans, and squash also grown by Native American farmers in the United States, who call this collection the three sisters." via The Big Fix

25.01.2022 "Rosemary Morrow has taught permaculture to thousands of people, both in Australia and overseas, including in Vietnam after the war, Cambodia after Pol Pot and East Timor after the Indonesian occupation." Read more in the article below about her receiving the Order of Australia medal for her services to permaculture.

25.01.2022 Despite the smell of smoke in the air, the helicopters overhead, and the fire raging on the horizon behind us, our wonderful Blue Mountains Pluriversity and Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute group demonstrated their brilliant team work as they transformed a compacted sloping piece of grass at Katoomba High School - Official into a Zone l Permaculture Garden with a herb spiral, a pond and a sheet-mulched garden bed. And they did it all in just over 4 hours using recycled materials and donated plants! #satisfaction #thisishowyouchangetheworld

24.01.2022 Thanks to generous funding from Blue Mountains Food Co-op and the FRRR Strengthening Rural Communities Program, were now taking enrolments for our free Permaculture Design Course in November. Its for young people aged 16-24-ish. We call it the PDC+ because we also offer an additional six months free mentoring and workshops to develop social enterprises. This is an amazing opportunity, so if youre interested in a place let us know because the class is filling up quickly. Feel free to ring Lis on 0407 437 553 to discuss or book here: https://bit.ly/2L4uK0i We are currently considering running it on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday but these days are negotiable, depending on what suits participants best.

24.01.2022 Were currently taking bookings for the free Permaculture Design Course (for 16-30 year olds) coming up at the end of this year with the Blue Mountains Pluriversity and the Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute. We call it the PDC+ because it also includes Social Enterprise Design and optional ongoing free mentoring to develop social enterprises and learn advanced permaculture skills. Yesterday two of our participants, who graduated from last years course, were working with... a water engineer to design a grey water recycling system. Thank you so much to the Blue Mountains Food Co-op and the FRRR for the funding to make this course available free for young people. What a great investment in everyones future!!!! If youre interested youll need to book as the course is filling up quickly. You can book here: http://bmpluriversity.org/permaculture-and-social-enterpri/

23.01.2022 Some farmers in the Great Plains of the United States, who traditionally only grew for global export, are sowing chaos gardens - fields of mixed fruit and vegetable plants such as peas, squash, radish, okra, melons and sweet corn - as cover crops between the soy and corn that are the dominant crops in the area. The produce is harvested by volunteers and donated to food banks or other community groups.

23.01.2022 David Holmgren talking about how Permaculture started:

23.01.2022 One of the earliest beds at Blackheath Community Farm was built by a group of permaculture students studying a Design Course through the Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute, (now part of the Blue Mountains Pluriversity)! This coming Sunday 13 October, well be teaching a free Introduction to Permaculture at the Farm for young people aged 16-30. Bookings via www.bmpluriversity.org/program

23.01.2022 A new short interview with Rowe Morrow in which she describes permaculture as a way out of the trap of materialism for everyone - from the very poor to those with most power. Permaculture in Service with Rosemary Morrow View or download in full resolution on Vimeo... https://vimeo.com/400074863 View or follow on YouTube https://youtu.be/Hbl37io7Zxo Produced with assistance from Permaculture Institute of North Americas 2019 Media and Communications Design Prize. Created as part of a Diploma process with PINA www.pina.in Done as part of Post-Doc work with Larry Santoyo and the Permaculture Academy www.permacultureacademy.com Interview Video by: Dana S. Wilson www.aweandreverenceemedia.com Cinematography by: Jonathan H. Lee www.subtledream.com Edited by T.J. Squires www.teejvision.com Music by: Dixons Violin www.dixonsviolin.com Interview Team Envoy: Delvin Solkinson www.visionarypermaculture.com Kym Chi www.gigglingchitree.com Annaliese Hordern www.symbioticnature.au Rosemary Morrow runs Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute with Lis Bastian. Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute (BMPI) specialises in developing non-formal education opportunities that are accessible to everyone, and in providing strategies to grow social, environmental and economic resilience. www.bluemountainspermacultureinstitute.com.au Permaculture Institute of North America (PINA) offers pathways to professional development for graduates of the Permaculture Design Course. We work to elevate the role of permaculture in society, to create work in the field, and to focus attention on the urgent need and the solutions we carry for land and climate repair to support communities at risk. www.PINA.in Video brought to you by Grace & Delvin Solkinson www.visionarypermaculture.com

22.01.2022 Renowned ecologist and artist Wyn Jones, who was involved in the discovery of the Wollemi Pine and who is developing the Great Western Walk, will be our guest for a Pot Luck Dinner at 6.30pm on Thursday 5 March. Find out more about our World Heritage Regeneration Program and have the opportunity to discuss with Wyn strategies for regenerating our ecosystems. The Dinner is for young people aged 16-30. Its free but bring food to share and please book here: https://bit.ly/3crTmNx Read more about Wyn and the Great Western Walk here: https://bit.ly/3ct41aD

21.01.2022 Game of Thrones ended this week, but a far greater story that has spread around the world and inspired individuals and communities everywhere is the story of Permaculture. Its a story that shows us how were an integral part of the natural world, and offers ethics and principles to apply to all our decision making moving forward. Its theoretical and practical and provides us with the tools to transform gardens, farms, landscapes, communities and social systems, to create a more resilient future for us all, and for all life. Lis Bastian, from the Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute and The Big Fix will be sharing this life-changing story with an Introduction to Permaculture at Rahamim Ecology Centre in Bathurst on Saturday and Sunday 29 & 30 June, 2019. Bookings are now open via https://bit.ly/2We9v3W

19.01.2022 This coming Wednesday, 4 September, award-winning Permaculture pioneer Rowe Morrow will be the guest at the Blue Mountains Pluriversitys Youth Caf, a non-formal fortnightly gathering in Blackheath where professionals share their life experiences over dinner with young people. The evening is an opportunity to find out about what its like to live a life in permaculture and to ask questions about the most proactive ways young people can prepare for a future that is being impacted by climate change, resource depletion and biodiversity loss. The Youth Cafe starts at 6pm and is free for young people aged 16+, although everyone is asked to bring food to share for dinner. Bookings essential via bmpluriversity.org or by ringing Lis on 0407 437 553

19.01.2022 Young people were enthralled and inspired by the stories of Rowe Morrows life journey last night at the Blue Mountains Pluriversitys Youth Cafe!

19.01.2022 Tomorrow at 9am (Sun 8 Aug) well be starting our World Heritage Regeneration program. Were thrilled that one of the leading Bush Carers and trainers in the Mountains, Lyndall Sullivan, will be showing us how to regenerate the bushland around Blackheath Community Farm to create food and habitat for wildlife ... in permaculture this would be Zone V. This is the beginning of an ongoing program to provide local residents with hands-on experience in bush regeneration. Whether youre looking for a new career or are keen to learn what you can do as an individual to regenerate our bushland, or even if youre looking to be part of a like-minded group who cares passionately about nature, contact Lis on 0407 437 553 if youd like to join us (Numbers are very limited for this first session so you will need to book in, but there will be many more).

18.01.2022 Looking forward to a night of discussing what its like to live a life in Permaculture over dinner with Rowe at the Youth Cafe next Wednesday - all young people aged 16+ welcome. Its a free, but bring food to share, event.

18.01.2022 We did it! We needed to cut back a massive blackberry patch so that a fence can be built at Headspace Katoomba before we begin to create and implement a permaculture design with young people. We also mowed a tree shape into the rapidly growing grass on the property - it's where we'll be holding our free Introduction to Permaculture for young people aged 12-25 today, starting at 9.30am. Thank you Kate and Ian for your help yesterday!

18.01.2022 We spent a lot of yesterday outdoors, learning about soil and water with the inspiring Robin Shannon and Rowe Morrow From looking at layers of peat and more recent sediment in the soil profiles of the gully erosion above Katoomba Falls, to hearing about how Rowe recycles her greywater with macrophytes (phytoremediation) and has created a water retentive bush backyard.

18.01.2022 What a glorious day on Sunday at Blackheath Community Farm where we did a Planting and Plant ID workshop for the Blue Mountains Pluriversity! In two weeks well be back at the Farm with a free Introduction to Permaculture (13 October). In the meantime, young people aged 16-30 will be meeting up again for a Youth Cafe this Wednesday 2 October for a social evening with architect Josh Andren. Hell be answering questions about creating environmentally friendly affordable housing... and how to get started on projects like garage conversions. Its a great opportunity to speak to Josh, too, about what its like being an architect! This coming Saturday 5 October the Pluriversity is also holding a free hands-on Reflexology and Food as Medicine workshop with western herbal medicine and reflexology practitioner Penny Henderson. Shell discuss the function of complementary therapies as part of a holistic approach to health and self-care. To book in for all these free workshops and events visit www.bmpluriversity.org/program

17.01.2022 Over the last year The Big Fix and the Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute ran a groundbreaking Permaculture and Social Enterprise Design Program which resulted in what weve called a PDC+ and which led young people aged 16-24ish to learn traditional Permaculture Design Skills + Social Enterprise Design Skills. As well as the traditional 72 hr course, young people were then mentored for over 6 months to develop their enterprises. This has resulted in the formation of the Bl...ue Mountains Pluriversity and Edgy BM - a Collaborative Social Enterprise Incubator where young people are experimenting with creating and developing their own meaningful enterprises to tackle the worlds challenges. We are now thrilled to be opening bookings for this program again. You can view the content of the first individualised badge awarded through the Pluriversity for this program here: http://bmpluriversity.org/badges/ and, if youre 16-24ish, you can now apply to do this free training here: https://bit.ly/2L4uK0i You can view the rest of the August to December program here: http://bmpluriversity.org/program/ You can download the program here: https://bit.ly/2ZkAex2

16.01.2022 Rowe Morrow has taught permaculture to thousands of people around the world. Shes also the author of The Earth Users Guide to Permaculture which has been translated into ten languages. If youd like to find out what it means to devote almost forty years of your life to helping people redesign social and environmental systems, come along to the Blue Mountains Pluriversity this Wednesday 4 September at 6pm. All young people aged 16+ are welcome - just bring a plate to join her for dinner. Its free, but please book here http://bmpluriversity.org/rowe-morrow/ so we can have an idea of numbers.

16.01.2022 This is the most fascinating article about how Russia managed to cultivate subtropical plants in freezing temperatures after the Russian Revolution when the Communist Party was determined to become self-sufficient in citrus production. "First, they bred citrus varieties that were more resistant to cold. Second, they pruned citrus plants in radical ways that made them more resistant to cold, heat and wind. This eventually resulted in creeping citrus plants, which were only 25 cm tall. Third, they planted citrus plants in unlikely locations, most notably in trenches of up to two metres deep." https://bit.ly/2xsiG6t

15.01.2022 The Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute and Blue Mountains Pluriversity are really excited to be teaming up with Upper Katoomba Creek Bushcare Group , Blue Mountains Organic Community Gardens and Blue Mountains City Council in our World Heritage Regeneration Program. Participants will learn from experienced bush-carers to create a demonstration Zone V or bush zone around the food production area, including restoring the riparian zone on either side of the creek. If you...re aged between 16 and 30 and would like to find out how you can be part of this exciting project, come along to our free Pot Luck Dinner at 6.30pm on Thursday 5 March. Bookings here: https://bit.ly/2IdKOfc This panorama photo was taken this morning as we were planning the program.

14.01.2022 A huge thank you to Alice McGlashan and Blue ARC for an inspirational Nesting Box Workshop at Blackheath Community Farm last Saturday. A big thank you too, to the 32 attendees who were all clearly as passionate as we are about providing habitat for our wildlife now that so many tree hollows have been destroyed. You can check out our nesting boxes on Saturday and Sunday this weekend because were thrilled to be part of the Blue Mountains Edible Garden Trail. There are over 40 gardens open from Lapstone to Hartley and well also be giving Compost Lab Tours at 11am each day. You can get your tickets here: https://www.ediblegardentrail.com/

13.01.2022 Have you bought your tickets yet for the Blue Mountains Edible Garden Trail this weekend here: https://www.ediblegardentrail.com/ After our difficult summer do you need to be re-inspired to garden or do you need your passion for gardening ignited?... Check out how gardens survived drought, fire and flood, and how Blue Mountains gardeners managed to keep providing food and habitat for wildlife as well as themselves. See whats worked and what hasnt and have a ball getting a sneak peak at 46 gardens from Lapstone to Hartley. Well be holding Compost Lab Tours at Blackheath Community Farm at 11am each day and well be open rain, hail or shine.

13.01.2022 For the last few months Rowe Morrow has been teaching permaculture to refugees in Bangladesh, Turkey, Lesvos and Athens. Last week we were honoured to receive, on her behalf, the University of Sydney Alumni Award for International Achievement. Read more here: https://bit.ly/2OKpoc4

13.01.2022 Weve just finished the first two days of our Permaculture and Social Enterprise Design Course and its been so much fun that our youngest participant is just exhausted! Its exciting to have over 20 young people focused on designing systems to create a better future! Bill Mollison once said: "Permaculture enables what is morally required and scientifically necessary."... Here are the definitions of Permaculture our groups wrote on the first day: A holistic approach to designing symbiotic multi-layered systems that regenerate and support diverse ecological communities. Permaculture is an ecological set of design principles that enable you to work with rather than against the land, and with rather than against the people, to restore the balance in Nature. A grassroots movement encouraging and facilitating a recovery to equilibrium within our ecosystem. Permaculture is a viable framework that recreates the symbiosis between human beings and the natural ecosystem. Adapting the principles of ecological design to create symbiotic social and agricultural systems. Holistic mindset in which one approaches ALL living systems, environmentally and socially, in an ethical way which looks to benefit all generations. Permaculture is a practical design system based on common sense. It applies ethical frameworks of the natural world that are flexible and adaptable to change. Remembering of ancient traditions in modern times. Were off to a good start!

10.01.2022 Permaculture farmer Nick Harris has been sharing his skills (and cow manure!) with us at Blackheath Community Farm. Yesterday Blue Mountains Pluriversity and the Edgy BM team visited his Megalong Farm. We checked out his watering system and were blown away by the quality of his produce. Well be selling his beautiful fresh beetroot at Blackheath Community Farm this Sunday, as well as holding a free workshop on Water Management at 12. Well also be bringing students down to le...arn more in our upcoming Permaculture and Social Enterprise Design Course (the PDC+) starting on November 25. Its being run with the Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute and is free for young people aged 16-30 but is filling up quickly so youll need to book here: https://bit.ly/2NI8Vou #permaculture #socialenterprise #socialpermaculture #megalongvalley #megalongfarm #blackheathcommunityfarm #beetroot #wateringsystems #watermanagement #edgybm #thebigfix #growinginthegap #farming #permaculturefarming #bluemountains #pdc #freepermaculture

09.01.2022 Only a few days to go until we start our Permaculture and Social Enterprise Design Course (PDC+). Its a full PDC with an additional six months of mentoring to help young people aged 16-24ish design and develop social enterprises. The course starts on Monday 25 November and runs on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays for four weeks (finishing on 18 December). The class is now almost full so were getting excited about meeting everyone and looking forward to being inspired by the... enterprises the groups develop. A big THANK YOU to Scenic World Blue Mountains and its Scenic World Shared Program, the FRRR (Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal) and the Blue Mountains Food Co-op for generously funding this program so that its free for young people. The course is being delivered by the Blue Mountains Pluriversity and the Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute. http://bmpluriversity.org/permaculture-and-social-enterpri/

08.01.2022 Yesterday we had the most fabulous day of outdoor classrooms, site visits and hands-on work with the Blue Mountains Pluriversity First we visited Caroline Nelson to see how shes transformed a former barren quarry into a productive Permaculture paradise. There was so much to inspire: happy free range chickens, upcycling everywhere, a home-made outdoor solar food dryer, pumpkins growing in buried pots to reduce watering, a greenhouse that grows turmeric in Blackheath all year ...round, saltbush seedlings and enough produce to provide most of her familys food for the year. We were then further inspired by Jenny French and the strawbale home and permaculture garden shes built with her partner. The home, which is such a work of art, is so well insulated that it remains cool throughout summer. Instead of tiles they used the Moroccan technique of tadelakt (burnished lime) in their kitchen and bathroom. After the tours we headed to Katoomba High School where we built a permaculture garden in just over 4 hours (see our next post).

08.01.2022 Lis Bastian will be leading an Introduction to Permaculture from 10-4pm this Saturday 14 November for the Lithgow Area Women's Shed. If you'd like to join the group contact Susan on 0439 089 035 or Leanne on 0438 766 891.

08.01.2022 Storytellers are the nitrogen-fixing species we need to inject into every community to accelerate succession to healthier systems, because the first step in changing a culture is to change the stories we tell. Were so excited that the super-talented collaborative storyteller, Cindi Drennan from Illuminart will be on the Blue Mountains Pluriversity Artists Panel next Friday 16 November, and that she will then train a fortunate group of young people to create their own story i...n light at Junction 142 on Friday 13 December. Check out the award-winning Yabarra, Gathering of Light that Illuminart produced in a cultural collaboration with Yellaka at Adelaides Fringe Festival. Ancestral spirits come to life in an immersive Kaurna storytelling experience involving large-scale light and sound artworks using cutting edge technology and state of the art illumination. The upcoming Artists Forum will be a wonderful opportunity to learn from Cindi about how to work collaboratively to merge visual art, sound, and light to create stories that change our perception of the world. The Forum is free for young people aged 16-30 thanks to funding from Blue Mountains City of the Arts Trust grant program. Bookings here: http://bmpluriversity.org/artist-forum-and-world-cafe/

07.01.2022 Regenerating kelp forests as part of marine permaculture:

06.01.2022 Only a month to go until we repeat our groundbreaking free PDC+ for young people aged 16-24ish. Its a Permaculture Design Course which includes Social Enterprise Design and is followed up by 6 months of optional mentoring to develop social enterprises. Its being run by the Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute at the Blue Mountains Pluriversity and has been generously funded by FRRR, Scenic World Blue Mountains and Blue Mountains Food Co-op. Places are limited and the course is filling up quickly so youll need to book in at bmpluriversity.org/program

06.01.2022 More recognition for permaculture this week as Lis Bastian, co-founder of the Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute was presented with the Environmental Citizen of the Year Award by Blue Mountains City Council Mayor Mark Greenhill.

06.01.2022 Permaculture, one of Australia's greatest exports, has made a profound difference to many lives as it offers a way forward to redesign the systems that support life. In recent years, Rowe Morrow, co-founder of the Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute, also founded Permaculture for Refugees. We are thrilled that Rowe's dedicated work over decades, has been recognised with a 2021 Order of Australia Medal for service to permaculture. Photo: Rowe with Didier Assama Alain and Lachlan McKenzie, the first two Diploma graduates of the Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute, demonstrating Rowe's commitment to accessible non-formal learning for everyone.

06.01.2022 We will be running a Free Introduction to Permaculture for young people aged 12-25 at Headspace Katoomba this Sunday 31 January. Arrive 9.30am. Bookings essential to Headspace on 1800 478 626. For those keen to do the full Permaculture Design Course we will continue teaching through February, so contact Headspace if you're interested. You will need: Enough food and drink for the day, hat, wet weather gear if necessary and gardening gloves if you have them.

05.01.2022 Free public lecture in Launceston next Saturday 13 July by internationally renowned permaculture pioneer, Rosemary Morrow. Rosemary will reflect on her career w...orking in war torn areas during recovery phase, rebuilding with a focus on permaculture principles to grow food and community resiliance. See more

05.01.2022 We began work on Zone V at Blackheath Community Farm last Sunday!

05.01.2022 A growing movement of gardeners from ethno-botanists to green-thumb hobbyists is committed to spreading awareness of methods for enhancing the intricate ecological relationships in local spaces. Inspirational ethno-botanist Mony Caid says, If you have billions of people on the planet, and we all start restoring native plants, we could fix the problem in, like, a year or two. You become a beneficial species of your local ecosystem. You start to learn the uses of these plants, and you start to grow them for wildlife, but also for your own health, for your own medicine. . . We can be a little selfish about it. This is about human survival, too. Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/2Mk50OD

03.01.2022 Permaculture is guided by three ethics: Care of the Earth, Care of People and Share Surplus or Fair Share. A big thank you to Dennis and Gail who shared their surplus seedlings with Blackheath Community Farm on Sunday. Dennis grew lots of Green Sprouting Broccoli and Gail shared excess Broad Bean seedlings and Salvia plants which will be wonderful for attracting even more bees to the gardens. We all got stuck in to weed and clear spaces and by the end of the day all the seedlings and plants were comfortably re-homed at the Farm. Love our community! We also planted out most of our onion seedlings, grown in the greenhouse, and transplanted brassicas from the fence beds which we un-netted.

02.01.2022 If youre relaxing and planning your next few weeks, check out some of the amazing free opportunities on offer for young people aged 16-30 at the Blue Mountains Pluriversity!

02.01.2022 We cannot rely, Oh, May 1st, we plant lettuce. It just doesnt work that way anymore, says David Abazs, a farmer in northeastern Minnesota. So instead Abazs... is basing his decisions on natural signs of seasonal change, like when robins arrive in spring, the marsh marigold first flowers, or snow buntings migrate. Hes matched up records of those natural events with 30 years of his own planting and harvest data. Thats allowed him to see which events are good signposts. So when the dandelion flowers, we might be planting potatoes and transplanting lettuce, he says. After a few years of experimenting, Abazs has created a site-specific farming calendar based solely on natural events. This year, he plans to rely on that instead of traditional dates. Hes optimistic that the approach will help him maintain good harvests in a changing climate. And he says the process has been rewarding in other ways, too. It forces me to observe, he says. And whats better for farming than for a farmer to be observant?

02.01.2022 Tomorrow at 9am (Sun 8 Aug) we'll be starting our World Heritage Regeneration program. We're thrilled that one of the leading Bush Carers and trainers in the Mountains, Lyndall Sullivan, will be showing us how to regenerate the bushland around Blackheath Community Farm to create food and habitat for wildlife ... in permaculture this would be Zone V. This is the beginning of an ongoing program to provide local residents with hands-on experience in bush regeneration. Whether you're looking for a new career or are keen to learn what you can do as an individual to regenerate our bushland, or even if you're looking to be part of a like-minded group who cares passionately about nature, contact Lis on 0407 437 553 if you'd like to join us (Numbers are very limited for this first session so you will need to book in, but there will be many more).

02.01.2022 Japanese indigo is a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family. At Blackheath Community Farm both our Japanese indigo AND our buckwheat are flowering. Weve been growing the buckwheat as a cover crop but hoping in the future to grow enough to collect the grain to cook with as well. Were also hoping to eventually experiment with indigo dyeing! Were open Saturday and Sunday this weekend for the Edible Garden Trail. You can buy tickets here: https://www.ediblegardentrail.com/

01.01.2022 The Big Fix and the Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute have launched Australias first Pluriversity in the Blue Mountains. With offline learning, and online accreditation, young people can earn a backpack of digital badges that they can take with them anywhere in the world ... and its nearly all free! You can view the August to December program here: http://bmpluriversity.org/program/... You can download the program here: https://bit.ly/2ZkAex2 And you can find out all about our digital badges here: http://bmpluriversity.org/badges/