Homegrown
Growing food at home has become a hot topic, especially since covid, so local permaculturist, Trish Allen is offering another course in the Matakana area.
Trish Allen has seen a big upsurge of interest in becoming a bit more resilient and self-sufficient recently. “It started with covid,” she says. “But now with the cost of living going up so much – especially food prices – there’s so much interest in growing food at home. So we’ve decided to run another permaculture design course in the Matakana area.”
The internationally-recognised course will run over weekends from April to November and be based mostly out of the Matakana Hall and Community Garden, but will also include other venues in the area, including the iconic Rainbow Valley Farm.
“What I love about permaculture is that it’s solutions-based,” Trish says. "With so many ecological problems in the world today, it can be overwhelming. But in permaculture we look at solutions – ways to take care of our soil, water and ecosystem to preserve them for future generations.”
Trish has lived in Matakana for over 35 years and has seen many changes. She describes Matakana back in 1987 as “a quiet rural backwater” when she and her late husband Joe Polaischer arrived. Trish and Joe bought 50 acres of run-down farmland up the Matakana Hill, called it Rainbow Valley Farm, and set about turning it into a permaculture paradise. Joe was born in Austria and spent his teenage years in the same village as fellow Austrian, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“Joe loved New Zealand,” says Trish. “He was passionate about our environment and the importance of preserving it.”
Trish has teamed up with Guenther Andrashko (another Austrian permaculturist) to teach the course, and they’ll be bringing in other experts for specific subjects. Guenther is a well-known local earth builder and landscaper with more than 25 years’ experience creating unique outdoor environments. He is passionate about supporting others to realise their own permaculture projects and aspirations.
“What makes this course unique is that as well as theory sessions, participants can choose from a range of different practical workshops, which include hands-on experience with earth building, pruning, grafting, mushroom growing, fermentation and more,” Guenther says.
To find out more visit www.resilientliving.nz under Trainings & Workshops