Permaculture for People and Place - S.E.E.D (Soil. Environment. Elements. Discovery)

A hands-on course for the whole family. Come get your hands in the soil and learn about growing food, caring for land, and designing for a thriving future — together. S.E.E.D. is playful, practical, and welcoming to all experience levels. Each session blends hands-on learning, storytelling, and time in the māra (garden), with space for both adults and tamariki to learn at their own pace.

Event Dates:

This event runs on four Saturdays in consecutive order,

10am - 1pm. 

A single ticket purchase will grant you access to all four sessions.

Week 1: Saturday 2nd August

Week 2: Saturday 9th August

Week 3: Saturday 16th August

Week 4: Saturday 23rd August

We'll meet at 298 Whitemans Valley Road at 10am on each Saturday.

Please note: we're asking that our attendees intend to join for all 4 sessions of the event. We understand if you can't make it for all sessions, however we would like to refrain from offering individual tickets to each Saturday event, in order to honour the progression of the learning journey.

Who it’s for:

Families with kids (ages 5+)

Educators, grandparents, and curious growers

Anyone wanting to connect with nature, food, and community

What You’ll Explore:

Week 1 – Connecting with Nature & Soil

• Introductions to each other and permaculture
• The web of life and nature observation
• Microclimate walk
• Initial soil testing 
• Adult Extension: Intro to permaculture, exploring your context. 

Week 2 – Compost & the Life of Soil

• Exploring soil types and what the soil has to tell you
• Soil test results
• Compost building
• Adult Extension: Starting compost at home & hot/cold compost systems.

Week 3 – Water in the Landscape

• Catching, slowing, and storing water
• How to find the land's contours and why its important
• Building a mini swale/berm
• Adult Extension: Greywater & rainwater harvesting at home, swales and water smart designs. 

Week 4 – Patterns & Celebration

• Patterns in nature and design
• Nature mandala creation
• What we’ve learned: soil, water, life systems
• Closing celebration & “Nature Wisdom” poster completion
• Adult Extension: Inquiry into your personal setting and how to approach planning through a seasonal lens. 

Expected Outcomes

For Adults

By the end of the course, participants will have a foundational understanding of key permaculture principles and practical skills including composting, observing microclimates, understanding water flow in the landscape, and working with natural patterns. Adults will leave feeling more confident to apply these ideas at home, school, or in their communities — and better equipped to grow healthy soil, food, and connection with the land.

For Children

Children will leave the course with a deeper connection to nature, a playful understanding of how soil, water, and plants work together, and a sense of empowerment through hands-on learning. They will have explored natural systems through story, art, movement, and exploration with contributions to a real compost, garden, and group-designed nature mandala.

Gear List 

Personal Essentials

• Water bottle
• Snack and lunch (we’ll have a short break)
• Weather-appropriate clothing (layers for warmth)
• Rain gear – waterproof jacket, gumboots or sturdy shoes
• Sun protection – sunhat, sunscreen
• Change of clothes (optional but useful, especially for younger tamariki)

For Outdoor Learning & Gardening

• Gardening gloves (if you have them)
• Notebook and pen or pencil
• Clipboard (optional, for sketching or writing outdoors)

This course is all about learning together — kids, parents, grandparents — by getting our hands in the soil and connecting with the whenua. It’s a chance to slow down, notice nature’s rhythms, and explore how we can live more in tune with the land and each other. Through simple, hands-on permaculture practices, we start growing a more connected and caring way of life.

“Modeling an awe and love for nature helps children to express their own appreciation and awe for the natural world.”
– David Sobel

About the Facilitator 

Halina Horn is a passionate educator, grower, and community weaver who believes that learning is most powerful when it’s shared across generations and grounded in the natural world. With a background in permaculture, nature-based education, and rites of passage work, Halina brings a warm, playful, and deeply thoughtful presence to her teaching. She created Permaculture for People & Place to offer families and curious minds a space to reconnect with the whenua, learn hands-on skills, and explore what it really means to live in harmony with nature.

Course Development 

This course has been designed with Guidance of Robina McCurdy and Children in Permaculture Manual (CiP). The CiP outlines 6 Key Stages based on the Permaculture Design Course written by Permaculture Co-Founder Bill Mollison. 

There is so much to learn! S.E.E.D will be the first iteration of 4 individual seasonal block courses (S.E.E.D, G.R.O.W, B.L.O.O.M & F.R.U.I.T) This way each block course stacks knowledge from the previous topic and offers a felt and experiential initiation into permaculture and permaculture design. 

More...

We understand cost can be a barrier to some. Please get in touch to discuss options if this is true for you - Halina@mangaroa.org 

Please note, this event will only run with a minimum of 6 signups to make it viable. Maximum participants is 20, so tickets are subject to availability.