Backyard Food Production
This course has no current classes. Please the waiting list.
Growing your own herbs and vegetables can be a rewarding and exciting experience. This course provides you with a mix of practical information and hands-on experience to achieve great results.
During this 8 week course, you will become part of a small team who will be the custodians of our backyard vegetable garden plot at our purpose designed 1-acre permaculture site located at Mullumbimby Community Gardens (MCG).
We will follow the seasons of a north coast vegetable garden. Growing, maintaining, harvesting, fertilising and sowing with the seasons and in tune with nature.
This course will suit anyone interested in growing vegetables and herbs. Great for those wanting to be more self- sufficient, or for those wanting to grow on a larger scale.
A mixture of theory and practical make this course an exciting journey into the world of organic gardening.
What you will learn
- Establishing a garden
- Basic soil science for organic growers
- Fertilisers, compost, worm farms
- Seed saving
- Crop rotation, succession planting, moon planting, green manures
- Irrigation systems
- Simple plant physiology to help you improve your harvest
- Pest, disease and weed control
Entry Requirements
- There are no formal entry requirements for this skill set.
- The wearing of PPE gear including long work pants, long sleeved work shirt, solid work boots, garden gloves and a wide brimmed hat
- To enhance the quality of learning, students can only enrol in a single skill set at any given time and can explore each skill set just once.
- Learners must not have successfully completed more than one unit of competency attached to this course listed under Units of Study Required for this Skill Set
Desirable Requirements
- It is recommended that learners are able to work physically in a range of outdoor conditions (sun, rain, wind) for extended periods of time. It is also recommended that learners should be able to squat, kneel, bend, lift and carry loads, dig, shovel and weed.
Course Duration & Hours
- Classes are delivered face to face
- 8 days of classroom and onsite learning 9.00am - 3.00pm per week
- Delivery location: Mullumbimby campus and Mullumbimby Community Gardens
Course Fees
Fees are fully subsidised for eligible students:
- ACE Program Fee: $0* - most NSW residents are eligible for this subsidised fee!
- Full Fee: $400
We kindly remind students that a $100 cancellation fee will apply only to those who do not attend any sessions of the Skill Sets course, and we encourage timely communication if any unforeseen circumstances prevent attendance.
This training is subsidised by the NSW Government.
*Student eligibility for ACE Program fee
To be eligible for government subsidised training through the ACE Program, you must:
- Be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or humanitarian visa holder, or a New Zealand citizen; and
- Live or work in New South Wales; and
- Be aged 15 years or older;
- No longer be at school or equivalent; and
- Provide the College with your USI at the time of enrolment (admin staff can assist you in obtaining a USI); and
- Have not successfully completed the units listed under '**Assessments are made against units of competency' for this course.** Refer to the top of this page.
For more information or to find out if your are eligible for the $0 fee call our office on 02 6684 3374.
What to bring
- Pen and paper
- Own lunch and refreshments
- Students must have enclosed shoes and a brimmed hat
- Long sleeve shirt and long pants
- Sunglasses and gloves
USI
From the 1st of January 2015, any student enrolling in an Accredited Training course will be required to obtain a USI. The USI helps to keep your training records and results together in an online account which is controlled by you. You can logon to the "USI website":http://usi.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx and follow the simple instructions online to create your USI. This then needs to be provided to the College at the time of enrolment.
Important Information
Once your enrolment is completed you will receive a confirmation email. This email will be your receipt and inform you of the dates, time and venue of your course, it will also let you know of anything you need to take to class with you. Please make sure that you give us a valid email address and mobile number as any course changes will be communicated via sms or email.
Click here to read our Refund Policy
Course testimonials:
- The knowledge of our tutor was outstanding and that combined with hands on practice made the course extremely valuable. I consider myself a good gardener but still learned so much thanks to Angela‘s fabulous approach to teaching and her deep understanding of of organic gardening principles. The proof was definitely in the pudding — we had the lushest looking plot at the community garden. This course should be taught at school as a way to live
- Angela our instructor was so knowledgeable and a pleasure to spend the day with. Between the information shared verbally, the super helpful links and resources she would email us and the fantastic hands on learning in the garden, her course was well rounded and I am sad that it is over. Thanks Ang! My gardens are looking so much better already!
- A great course that covered all aspects of growing your own food, very practical and hands on which was great. The 8 week duration was too short for actual harvesting - a 10 to 12 week would have been better. Angela our tutor was a wealth of knowledge and patient to answer all our questions. Other members of the group also brought their own knowledge and experience to share with the class. Well spent 8 weeks at the Mullum Community Gardens which will be greatly missed now that the course has ended.