What is a Permablitz?
Permablitz is a contraction of permaculture and blitz – where blitz means an intense burst of activity to get something done. A permablitz is a garden make-over (yes, just like on TV!) where a group of people transform a backyard into a food production system.
Imagine 20-30 people working together for a day to make up veggie beds, plant veggies, herbs and fruit trees, set up a compost bay or worm farm, build a chook run or a fish pond. A detailed design is prepared beforehand with the home owners, to make sure that the garden suits the needs of the family. On the day, volunteers work under the direction of team leaders/designers who know where everything needs to go. Materials are provided by the home owner, volunteers bring their own favourite hand tools and larger tools and equipment are brought along in the BPG Permablitz trailer.
There’s plenty of social interaction, yummy food and lots of learning. The design is explained at the start of the day and you gather your own ideas by seeing what other people are trying. Oh, and attending a few permablitzes earns you the right to put up your hand and ask for one at your place!
Permablitz is about establishing a food garden with minimum effort (many hands make light work) to provide your own organic fruit and veggies, reduce the cost of your groceries, protect you against shortages (remember the ‘banana shortage’ or the poisoned veggie seedlings?) and reduce your dependence on ‘industrial’ food which requires huge amounts of energy and water. Oh, and you won’t have to pay gym fees to spend time in your garden!
Still unsure what a permablitz involves, watch Hannah from Good Life Permaculture in action at a blitz in Tasmania for Gardening Australia. What a great outcome!
If you're interested in hearing about upcoming blitzes or want to host your own, please contact us at info@ballaratpermacultureguild.org or fill in the host survey: https://forms.office.com/r/cMNS7LnStQ
See what we did at our latest blitz