We will cover the standard 72-hour PDC syllabus emphasising integrated permaculture systems, practical work and permaculture design. You will experience living off-grid in a community setting, connect with nature, and enjoy healthy organic food and yoga classes. On completion of the course, you will receive a PDC certificate from the Permaculture Association UK.
You will see a working permaculture farm with food forests, agroforests, various Natual Buildings, many working examples of permaculture systems, and animal husbandry and enjoy yoga and meditation classes.
Permaculture Design Course Dates
All our PDCs are followed by a food forest course or a natural building course. Join the PDC, Food Forest or Natural Building course alone or stay for both.
The courses are two weeks and cost €700 each. Join both courses and stay for one month. You will enjoy three days of relaxing on the farm between courses if you join both.
Summer PDC
- Permaculture Design Course July 2nd – July 15th 2023 – with Tom Henfrey, Laurene Manchee & Guests
- Natural Building Course July 17th – 30th July 2023 – with Laurene Manchee and guests
Book Summer PDC now
Autumn PDC
- Permaculture Design Course 24th September 2023 – 7th October 2023 with Laurene Manchee & Guests
- Food Forest & Permaculture Gardening Course – 9th October 2023 – 21st October 2023, with Laurence Manchee
Book Autumn PDC now
What is included in this Permaculture Design Course?
- The standard 72-hour PDC syllabus and certified PDC certificate
- Two theory classes every day
- Two practical sessions every day
- Homesteading workshops
- Offgrid living workshops
- An event with the local community, eco markets or a workday on a local farm
- 3 healthy organic meals per day – a chef cooks breakfast, lunch and dinner for you.
- At least three yoga classes per week, plus meditation classes
- Free pre-learning online course
What to expect?
- Check out the photos from the September 2023 Permaculture Design Course – click here
- Watch various videos about Keela Yoga Farm on our youtube channel. Including a Natural Building Course, a tour of the farm, volunteering on the farm and many others
This permaculture design course will teach you about permaculture philosophy, ecological foundations, design methodologies, and real-world applications. You will get your hands dirty in the vegetable gardens, composting systems, food forests, silvopasture, appropriate technology systems, and managed woodlands on an established 18-hectare site. This course will suit you if you are thinking of applying permaculture in your own life by setting up or joining your own land-based project. It also works well for people seeking ideas, skills and inspiration to embark on a more fulfilling path in life and make positive contributions to the state of the world. The course is certified by the Permaculture Association (Britain), it offers a foundation to further your permaculture journey via the Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design or other advanced training.
Videographer wanted
We are looking for a videographeto join the course and take daily videos, edit and publish them. If you would like to join the course for free as the videographer then please contact us.
Your Permaculture Design Course hosts and teachers
Laurence Manchee – PDC Lead Teacher
Co-founder of Keela Yoga Farm. Laurence is certified by the Permaculture Association to teach certified PDCs. He is on the board of the WOOF Portugal Association, an author in Permaculture Magzine and leads Agroforestry, Permaculture Design and Natural Building Courses. Laurence is a homesteader based on his homestead and permaculture farm (Keela) in Central Portugal. Laurence has built many Natural Building houses and permaculture systems and managed an 18-hectare reforestation and agroforestry project with animals integrated, including Sheep, Pigs and Chickens. He will give you a practical onsite into starting a homestead, off-grid project or permaculture farm is all about using real-life examples.
Tom Henfrey – Certifed PDC tutor
Tom is a co-teacher at Keela Yoga Farm’s Permaculture Design Courses. He is the only certified Permaculture Diploma tutor in Portugal. He is an author of various permaculture and ecology books and has 20 years of experience in Permaculture and Ecology. Tom has co-taught PDCs at Keela Yoga Farm Since March 2022. He brings huge value to Keela Yoga Farm’s courses. Read more about Tom Henfrey.
Kimberly Manchee – Yoga teacher
Kimberly Manchee is the co-founder of Keela Yoga Farm. She is the farm and kitchen manager and resident Yoga teacher. Kimberly teaches workshops on Reiki, food fermentation and preserving, makes cheese, connects the fresh farm food to the kitchen, runs yoga retreats, teaches local yoga classes and looks after the farm animals. Have a read for more information on Kimberly Manchee.
Jonathan Ives – Forester
Jonathan has lived in Portugal for nearly 2 years. He has worked in the forest industry at all levels for 30 years. Jonathan is especially interested in sustainable forest management and rewilding projects.
Keela Permaculture Farm Interns & Volunteers & Staff
- Three Keela Interns will also assist with running the course. Interns usually are past guests of Keela Yoga Farm and would like to progress into either becoming a Permaculture teacher, staff member or opening their permaculture farm or homestead.
- Four volunteers will also assist with the farm work, cooking, hosting and cleaning.
- A professional chef
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us