What is a Permablitz?
Permablitz (noun): “Blitz”, from the german for lightening, means a focused application of energy. A permablitz is when that energy is focused on installing part of a permaculture system. “Perma” is short for permaculture, which is a design system for sustainable living and land use. As a comprehensive design system, permaculture includes much more than organic food gardening. Growing at least some of our food where we live, however, has always been a central emphasis within the broader picture of permaculture.
Technically, a Permablitz is an informal gathering involving a day on which a group of people come together to achieve the following:
- Create or add to edible gardens where someone lives.
- Share skills related to permaculture and sustainable living.
- Build community networks.
- Have fun!
As an example, if you come along to someone’s house, plant a lettuce, learn about worm farming, meet some people, and have a few laughs, it may be accurate for you to say you’ve been at a permablitz. You may have already been to some in the past without knowing it!
The Permablitz story
Permablitzes began in 2006, when a collaboration between Permaculture designer 'Sourdough' Dan Palmer & friends, and a South American community group in Melbourne, Australia's, became a revolution of edible garden landscapes quietly appearing in backyards all over the suburbs. Check out Asha Bee's article and Katherine Kizilos' excellent article for The Age newspaper for the full story.
As of 2011, 120 permablitzes and counting have been held in and around Melbourne and throughout Australia, and have even spread overseas to California, Calgary, Montreal, Istanbul, Uganda, and now Hawaii.
Join Hawaii's Edible Garden Revolution here to receive details on PERMABLITZ-HI #05, to be scheduled early 2012.
Hawaii-based Permaculture instructors Hunter Heavilin & Matt Lynch will be teaching 72-hour Permaculture Design Course over 6 alternating weekends on various locations around Oahu beginning March 2012
Stay tuned, and subscribe to our mailing list for more details.
