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Here I'm going to introduce you to what Permaculture Design Courses entail, through my experience of doing a PDC at the Wild Olive Guest Farm in Stillbay, South Africa.

So, what is a PDC?

Permaculture Design Courses range from 12-14 day intensive programmes in which you will gain a comprehensive understanding of permaculture theory through tutorials, practicals, field work and supplementary readings and videos. Courses are based on the book by Bill Mollison, Permaculture: A designer's manual. The aim is to ensure you are able to:

• Design a permaculture system for yourself, and can assist in designing systems for others
• Teach others through a thorough understanding of permaculture
• Assess systems for sustainability

Who benefits from Permaculture Design Courses?

Since the first PDC was offered in 1972, permaculture design has attracted people from all walks of life. Some of the professions of my colleagues at the Wild Olive's PDC group included farming, graphic design, IT, rope access, relationship management and real estate. The only requirement is that you be interested in acquiring practical skills and knowledge of sustainable living. However, I found the PDC to be an intensive, fairly-advanced course. Thus, I'd highly recommend reading Bill Mollison's: An Introduction to Permaculture, prior to the course.

What can I expect as a result?

By the end of the course, you will be able to confidently create your first permaculture design plan. You will also be awarded a Permaculture Design Certificate. This certification allows you to practice as a Permaculture Designer and develop a body of work in order to be fully certified after two years of work in the field. What's more, the PDC enables you to use the term 'permaculture' in your activities/business.

What topics does a PDC cover?

Below is a list of the topics we covered at the Wild Olive Farm's permaculture course, which will provide an outline of what each day in a PDC covers.

• Introduction to permaculture
• Ethics and design principles
• Zoning and sectors
• Water catchments and use
• Urban animals
• Companion planting
• Creating and caring for the soil
• Field work including contours
• Creating compost
• Garden bed preparations
• Mandala farming
• Worm farming
• From seed to harvest
• Natural pesticides

All in all, a permaculture design course is a rewarding experience, providing rich experiences and boundless knowledge. I would not hesitate to encourage anyone to attend one!