Permaculture Design Course


FEATURING 133 HOURs OF VIDEO! FROM THE PERMACULTURE DESIGN COURSE AND APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY COURSE at Wheaton Labs


Online Permaculture Design Course & Appropriate Technology Course

Online Permaculture Design Course

FEATURING 133 HOURs OF VIDEO! From our Permaculture Design Course and Appropriate Technology Course

Don’t Let Permaculture Overwhelm You.
Learn from the Experts with our Permaculture Design Course

With so much information about Permaculture available today along with many PDC Online Courses, it can be overwhelming to know where to start.


Now, with our Permaculture Design and Appropriate Technology course, you can benefit from 133 hours of expert instruction from permaculture leaders from around the globe to learn about Permaculture Design Online


You’ll get the SAME EXACT lessons from the in-person courses, but without the cost or time commitment.

177 hours of premium permaculture education, condensed down to 133 hours, in this PDC online course

Just how much content is contained within 133 hours? This exclusive PDC Online Course video series provides you with all the lessons from two 14-day courses offered at Wheaton Labs: Permaculture Design and Appropriate Technology.

Permies.com Logo




Join in on the discussion and ask other students and our staff questions on the Permies forums.

Kickstarter logo
1,200%
Funded
Help and support



Need help? Most questions are best asked and answered in the forums. This helps everybody.

Sneak Peek

Here is a QUICK look at a bunch of video from the PDC Online Course mashed together in a minute.

The Benefits of a Comprehensive Online Permaculture Course
Without the Commitments

  • 1
    It’s not always possible to take two weeks or a month out of life for an immersive education experience. Why should your interest in learning about sustainability suffer?
  • 2
    With this exclusive access to premiere permaculture courses, you get all the benefits of expert instruction, but with the flexibility of watching the lessons of this Online Permaculture Course on your own timeframe.  
  • 3
    With our PDC Online Course, watch only what you’re interested in or rewind each lesson until you have it memorized; the choice is up to you.

What You’ll Learn From This Online Permaculture Course:

These lessons in our Online PDC Course are designed to give you a comprehensive overview of Permaculture Design and Technology while remaining practical enough for you to experiment with right away.

Permaculture Design Course

Move beyond the basics of thinking in isolated systems and learn how to design integrated landscapes instead!


This course is formatted to teach you the practicalities of permaculture from day one. Even if you already have decades of homesteading experience, this course will show you how to think like a designer.

PDC Outline - Everything Covered During the Course (click to expand)

Online Permaculture Course

Appropriate Technologies Course

This low-tech skills course will help you take your newfound permaculture skills to the next level by incorporating them with science and engineering principles. You will learn the thought process and practical steps for building systems that help you live both sustainably and comfortably.

ATC Outline - Everything Covered During the Course (click to expand)

Rocket Oven




Using the power of the sun and a novel air flow system, you can dry much more food than with any conventional electric dehydration system on the market.

Easy Bake Coffin



Biosand Filter



Hay Box Cooker



Rocket Water Heater



Johnson-Style Air Well



Jumpstart Your Launch into Permaculture with Over 95% Savings

Attending both 14-day courses at Wheaton Labs is an unforgettable experience,

but it will cost you close to $2,500.
In contrast, these video courses will provide you with the same expert instruction and educational content for just a fraction of the price.

Choose Your Video Pack!

Online PDC

Online Permaculture Design Course


$50

  • Permaculture Design Course
  • Open Discussion with Viewers
  • 70 Hours of Showtime
  • 5+ Years of Viewing

Package

PDC and ATC all-in-one.


$65

  • Permaculture Design Course
  • Appropriate Technology Course
  • Open Discussion with Viewers
  • 133 Hours of Showtime
  • 5+ Years of Viewing

ATC

Appropriate Technology Course


$50

  • Appropriate Technology Course
  • Open Discussion with Viewers
  • 62 Hours of Showtime
  • 5+ Years of Viewing

Meet Your Instructors

Our Permaculture Design and Appropriate Technologies courses bring together some of the biggest names in the industry.
Through their variety of backgrounds and personal expertise, you will get a comprehensive education in the principles and practicalities of sustainable living.

Primary Instructor for our Permaculture Design Course


Tim Barker

The primary instructor for teaching Permaculture Design Online will be Tim. Tim has come a long way since his days as a diesel fitter mechanic, and now spends his time between Australia and New Zealand (and sometimes the US) as a semi professional pyromaniac and mad scientist teaching people how to burn stuff and make really cool machines and devices for low carbon living. He currently teaches Appropriate Technology for the Koanga Institute in New Zealand and Very Edible Gardens (VEG) in Melbourne, to name a few.

He has previously been farm manager for the Permaculture Research Institute of Australia, power station operator/mechanic, adventure guide and professional turtle wrestler. His rocket stove and char making powered hot water systems, ovens and cookers reflect his passion for elegant simple and durable combustion technologies. Other projects include gravity powered water pumps, solar thermal cookers and dryers, pedal powered washing machines, cargo bikes, hovercraft, wooden boats and aquaponics, to name a few. When he is not tinkering he can be found on Macleay Island off the coast of Queensland Australia, where he and his family live and are currently in the process of building a rammed earth house (with maybe a little sailing thrown in).

He is particularly well known for his safe and effective rocket hot water heating system. He brings practical, hands on experience with some truly fascinating projects to the table.

Rocket Oven Book
Wood Heat Videos
Rocket Mass Heater Oven
Time Barker Permaculture Design Course
Time Barker Permaculture Design Course
Time Barker Solar Dehydrator

Guest Instructors for our PDC Online Course

Paul Wheaton


Thomas J. Elpel


Helen Atthowe


Paul Wheaton Permaculture Design Course Instructor

Paul Wheaton, the bad boy of Permaculture, was proclaimed by Geoff Lawton in 2012 the Duke of Permaculture. He is the creator of two on-line communities. One is about Permaculture, permies.com, and one is about software engineering, CodeRanch.com.


He is a powerful advocate of Sepp Holzer’s techniques, which a recent study showed to have the ability to feed 21 billion people without the use of petroleum or irrigation. He also promotes the use of hugelkultur, polycultures, free heat and hosts an organic master gardener program. He wrote several articles about lawn care, raising chickens, cast iron, and diatomaceous earth. Paul regularly uploads permaculture videos and permaculture podcasts.

Wood Heat Videos by Paul Wheaton
Bone Sauce by Paul Wheaton
Wood Burning Stoves DVD Set by Paul Wheaton
Hugel by Paul Wheaton
World Domination gardening by Paul Wheaton
The Duke of Permaculture
Permaculture Keynote
Toby Hemenway on Native Plants
Paul Wheaton TED Talk
Permaculture Playing Cards
Saving Heat by Paul Wheaton
Building a Better World by Paul Wheaton
Thomas Elpel  Permaculture Design Course Instructor

Thomas is an author, natural builder, educator, and conservationist. He has authored multiple books: Foraging the Mountain West, Botany in a DayShanleya's Quest and numerous others about plant identification, wilderness survival, and sustainable living. He has multiple videos: Building a Slipform Stone House from the Bottom UpHow to Make a Grass RopeBuild Your own Masonry Fireplace - Masonry Heater - Masonry Stove, and many more. Thomas regularly teaches classes on plant identification, primitive skills and natural building. He is founder/director of Green University, LLC in Pony, Montana.

Botany day by Thomas J. Elpel
Masonry Building by Thomas J. Elpel
Shanleyas Quest by Thomas J. Elpel
Botany patterns book by Thomas J. Elpel
Foraging the Mountain West
Botany Tutorial
Living Homes
Rope
Permaculture Skills
Tanning Animal Hides
Helen Atthowe  Permaculture Design Course Instructor

Helen has an MS in Horticulture and Agricultural Ecology from Rutgers University; worked at Rutgers in tree fruit IPM; studied natural farming with Masanobu Fukoka; interned at The Land Institute in Kansas; taught a Master Gardener course in Montana for 15 years while she was Missoula County extension agent; owned and operated Biodesign organic vegetable farm in Montana (1993-2010); consulted for a 2000 acre organic vegetable farm (2011); helped run her husband's Woodleaf Farm organic orchard in northern California 2012-2015; worked for Oregon State University Horticulture Department; and is now farming a 211 acre farm in eastern Oregon with her husband, where they have a mixed fruit and hazelnut orchard, small grain and dry bean production, vegetable gardens, high tunnels, and greenhouse.

Growing Fruits and Vegetables Organically
PDC Living Mulch
PDC Sustainable Food
Green Manure
Veganic Farming
Winter Annual Mulch
Food Revolution
Farming Profit
Conservation Farming

Ernie Wisner


Erica Wisner


Jacqueline Freeman


Ernie Wisner

Ernie is a botanist, educator, writer, researcher, rocket mass heater innovator, natural builder, and boat aficionado. He served in the merchant marine, Navy, and fisheries, and has tremendous experience with hydraulic and hot water systems. His family's sea time stretches back "since Noah was a babe," all over the 2/3 of our planet from which quitters can't walk home. Ernie is semi-retired due to a disabling injury, but still makes time for the occasional workshop or fascinating prototype project. He co-authored multiple books with his wife, Erica, and he is featured in many videos, documentaries and podcasts. Ernie is a wealth of knowledge; there are not many topics on which he does not have an opinion.

Rocket Mass Heater Builder's Guide
Wood Heat Videos
Wood Burning Stoves DVD Set by Paul Wheaton
Cob Oven
Wood Burning Stoves
Stove vs Rocket Mass Heater
Greenhouse Rocket Mass Heater
Erica Wisner Permaculture Design Course Instructor

Erica is a science and art educator, curriculum developer, writer, illustrator, researcher, and rocket mass heater innovator. She loves making things from scratch - anything from blueberry scones to the oven itself. Erica is a skilled educator and project coordinator, with over 20 years of experience building teamwork and leading hands-on learning. Her and Ernie have taught numerous workshops on natural building and rocket mass heaters. Erica has written multiple books on rocket mass heaters, fire making, and survival shelters. She is featured in many videos, documentaries, and podcasts on rocket mass heaters.

Rocket Mass Heater Builder's Guide
Wood Burning Stoves DVD Set by Paul Wheaton
The Art of Fire by Erica Wisner
Bonny Rocket Mass Heat Plans by Erica Wisner
Science Girls
Rocket Mass Heater Manual
Cabin 8 Rocket Mass Heater Plans
Day Bed Plans
Wood Heat Videos
6 Inch Rocket Mass Heater
Jacqueline Freeman  Permaculture Design Course Instructor by Jacqueline Freeman

Jacqueline is a biodynamic farmer, author, and natural beekeeper. She is known for her gentle and understanding ways with bees. She appears in the honeybee documentary, Queen of the Sun and was hired by the USDA to work with rural farmers and beekeepers in the Dominican Republic, using historic methods of respectful beekeeping. She lives on a farm in Washington state with her husband, Joseph, where they have orchards, gardens, two big greenhouses, a small forest, rich pastures and plenty of flowering bee forage. Jacqueline also has lots of experience raising livestock: cows, goats, chickens for laying and broilers, turkeys, and horses. She has two websites: SpiritBee.com and friendlyhaven.com.

Song of Increase Book
Colony Collapse
Bee Swarm
Bee Hut
Moving Bee Swarms
Slug Control
Yellow Jacket
Bee Keeping Advice
Slow Bees

Zach Weiss


Davin Hoyt


Zach Weiss

Zach is a Protégé of legendary Austrian farmer, Sepp Holzer and the first person to earn Holzer Practitioner Certification outside of the Krameterhof training program. Blending a unique combination of systems thinking, empathy, and awareness, Zach uses an action-oriented process to improve human relationships with earth. Enhancing ecosystems and harvesting natural productivity over time is the ultimate goal - with high initial input, high yield systems that will last until the next ice age.

Zach currently has projects in 11 nations on 4 continents, spanning a wide range of climates, contexts, land-forms and ecosystems. Having experience with a wide range of techniques and systems (from natural building, to greenhouses, to carpentry, to watershed restoration), Zach also graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Ecology. He has two websites elementalecosystems.com and holzerpermaculture.us

Zach Equador Design Excavator
Zach Weiss Crater Garden
Zach Weiss Permaculture Crater Garden
Natural Swimming Pool
Zach Weiss Hugel Design
Davin Hoyte  Permaculture Design Course Instructor

Davin is an architect, artist, and entrepreneur. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Architecture and has 16 years of drafting experience. Davin has established two community gardens in Georgetown, Texas and he is the first to map Wheaton Labs. Davin practices architecture as a one-man firm and will soon be a small restaurant chain partner. He is the future illustrator of Paul's book on "Wofatis".

Wofati Design by Davin Hoyt
House Redesign by Davin Hoyt
Restaurant Redesign by Davin Hoyt
Community Garden Design by Davin Hoyt
Larger Community Garden Design by Davin Hoyt

About Wheaton Labs

Taught within the rugged beauty of the Rocky Mountains, the Permaculture Design and Appropriate Technology courses take place at Wheaton Labs, an eco-friendly learning facility in the Missoula area of Montana.


These PDCs (Permaculture Design Courses) take place over two consecutive two-week sessions throughout the year, regularly providing a life-changing experience for all involved. Many students find these courses to be the most intense learning experience of their lives and an incredible way to bond with others who are passionate about permaculture and sustainability. 

Don't just stand in the weeds.
Get The PDC + ATC Today!