# Afrinoon Permaculture — Full Site Reference A long-form, plain-Markdown reference document containing the human-readable copy from key pages on https://www.afrinoonpermaculture.org. Navigation, marketing chrome, and call-to-action buttons have been stripped. Use alongside `llms.txt` for citation and summarisation. --- # Home ## Learn permaculture in action Brittany, France. Since 2017. Afrinoon is a working permaculture demonstration farm in rural Brittany. Karen and Glen Noon host certified courses, open days, and seasons of hands-on learning. Small groups, real gardens, nothing staged. Certified by Permaculture Association UK. EuPN Assured Teacher and Permahub demonstration site. Volunteers welcomed since 2018. ## How it works at Afrinoon Most people don't need more information about permaculture. They need a place to experience it, where ideas come alive through soil, animals, and the rhythm of the seasons, and where you leave knowing what to do with the land you have. 1. **You're here.** You're here because you want a deeper relationship with nature. Maybe you dream of growing more of your own food. Maybe you've taken on a smallholding, or garden, or you're ready for something that feels more meaningful. You're not short on inspiration, you're simply looking for a clear place to begin. 2. **The quiet challenge.** Permaculture is full of beautiful ideas. But it's easy to gather knowledge without knowing how to begin, caught between concepts, plans, and possibilities. And in the meantime, the land waits. 3. **A place to learn it properly.** Afrinoon is a small farm in Brittany, and a place of learning. Here, every garden, pond, hedge, and animal system becomes part of the experience. We work in small groups, learning slowly and practically, grounded in real life, not just theory. 4. **What's next for you.** There are different ways to learn with us. You might join us here in Brittany, learn online at your own pace, or take part in a blended journey that combines both. Wherever you are, you'll be supported with practical experience and guidance you can apply to your own space. ## Ways to learn with us Whether you learn with us in person or from a distance, each pathway is grounded in practical experience and shaped by land we've been caring for since 2017. - **Permaculture Design Course (PDC).** 72-hour certified PDC. Our flagship course, accredited by the Permaculture Association UK. 72 hours over two weeks, taught on the farm in small groups. Runs 23 July to 7 August 2026, sliding scale from €650. - **Online courses.** Learn from anywhere. Through our collaboration The Teaching Grove you can learn at your own pace with courses designed to bring permaculture into real life. Whether fully self-paced or part of a blended journey, you'll be guided step by step with practical insight you can apply to your own land and life. - **Open days & site tours.** Come and look. Next: 11 August 2026. €5, children under 14 free. Donations go to a permaculture project in Kenya. - **Free resources.** Printable guides and seasonal checklists to take home. - **Diploma & workshops.** One-to-one Permaculture Diploma mentoring and bespoke group workshops. - **Volunteer with us.** Stay on the farm and learn by doing, via Workaway. Hosted since 2018. ## A small farm in Morbihan, slowly becoming what it wants to be. We've been building our life here in Brittany since 2017, learning, experimenting, and shaping this smallholding into a place where permaculture is lived, not just taught. It's a working site, where we explore growing food, caring for animals, and designing systems that support both land and people. - Chickens, ducks, pigs, sheep, goats, bees, and dogs - Vegetable gardens, polytunnels, and orchards - Rotational grazing, regenerative approaches ## Things people ask about Afrinoon **What is permaculture?** Permaculture is a design approach inspired by nature. It helps you create gardens, living spaces, and communities that are productive, resilient, and low maintenance, where we work with natural patterns rather than against them. **Where is Afrinoon Permaculture?** Afrinoon Permaculture is in Priziac, Brittany, France. The full address is on our Contact page. **Who teaches at Afrinoon?** Karen Noon and Glen Noon. Karen is a Permaculture Association UK certified educator, an EuPN Assured Teacher, and holds a Diploma in Applied Permaculture. Glen brings a 22-year Royal Navy career and freelance IT and project management background to the smallholding, and focuses on sustainable woodland management, beekeeping, infrastructure building, and milling timber. **What courses and offerings does Afrinoon provide?** The Permaculture Design Course (PDC) and Introduction to Permaculture at the farm, online permaculture courses hosted through the Permaculture Association UK and Payhip, open days and site tours, free downloadable resources in preparation, one-to-one Permaculture Diploma mentoring, and tailored talks and workshops for groups. **When is the next Permaculture Design Course?** The next PDC runs from 23 July to 7 August 2026 at the farm in Priziac, Brittany. **When are the next open days?** The next open day is on 11 August 2026. Guided tour start time is 10:30am. Adults €5, children under 14 free. All donations go to a permaculture project in Kenya. **Can I stay at Afrinoon?** The yurt is currently unavailable while improvements are made to the site. We expect to welcome guests again from 2027. You can register your interest and Karen will let you know when bookings reopen. **Can I volunteer at Afrinoon?** Yes, through Workaway only. We have been welcoming volunteers since 2018. Please apply through our Workaway listing. We do not accept direct applications by email or phone. --- # Our Story ## Permaculture teachers in Brittany, France Brittany, France. Since 2017. > "People often say that I'm curious about too many things at once... But can you really forbid a man from harbouring a desire to know and embrace everything that surrounds him?" > — Alexander von Humboldt We're Glen and Karen Noon, permaculture teachers who have been living and teaching in the beautiful Brittany region of northern France since 2017. When we moved to our rural smallholding, we set out to renovate our home and gradually restore the land around us, shaping a way of life that feels more connected, resilient, and in tune with the countryside. With a strong commitment to ecological living, we're developing our land as a working permaculture demonstration site and learning space. It's a place where people can see regenerative gardening in action, explore resilient system design, learn about integrated animal systems, and understand how thoughtful land management can support both people and nature. Over time, our vision has grown into creating a smallholding that combines permaculture education, climate-resilient food production, and practical nature stewardship. We warmly welcome learners, visitors, and anyone curious about more sustainable ways of living. Whether you're looking for inspiration, hands-on skills, or simply a deeper connection with nature, we hope you'll feel at home here in Brittany with us. ## Meet Karen I'm a passionate permaculture teacher and designer, and my journey into sustainable living began after I completed a Permaculture Design Course in 2011, following a previous career in Finance and IT. Since then, I've focused my work on ecological small farm management, climate-smart planting, and holistic land stewardship. My practical experience includes organic vegetable growing, herbalism, and making natural products such as salves, creams, and soaps from herbs grown here on site. I also love preserving food through fermentation, as well as making jams and chutneys. I'm particularly committed to social permaculture and have co-founded a community association that shares skills and encourages mutual support and connection. Alongside teaching permaculture and mentoring Diploma students, I've designed eco-education projects, corporate gardens, and community gardens across the Middle East, the UK, and France. My work is centred on helping people reconnect with nature and develop practical, resilient, and thriving systems in their own lives and communities. ### Karen's qualifications - Diploma in Applied Permaculture - Assessment Level Tutor Training (Permaculture Association UK) - PTLLS - Permaculture Teacher training (Designed Visions) - Permaculture Design Course (Aranya) - RegenAG courses (Darren Doherty) - Holistic Management (Kirk Gadzia) - Small Scale Mushroom Production (Gourmet Mushroom Academy) Karen is a Permaculture Association UK Certified Educator and an EuPN Assured Teacher. Profiles: https://www.permaculture.org.uk/user/karen-noon and https://permaculture-network.eu/permaculturist/karen-noon. ## Meet Glen I bring a rich and varied background to Afrinoon Permaculture, with experience spanning engineering, project management, and hands-on practical problem-solving. My 22-year career in the Royal Navy, followed by freelance IT and project management work in the airline industry, has shaped a methodical, resilient, and solutions-focused approach to everything I do. Today, I channel that experience into sustainable woodland management, beekeeping, infrastructure building, and milling timber directly from our land. I'm also developing forest garden systems and raising pigs, which help naturally work the soil while providing nourishing food for our family and local community. I'm a qualified paraglider and drone pilot, and I enjoy combining my interest in flight with modern technology. I use drones for land surveys, orthomosaic mapping, and aerial analysis, bringing a practical, precise, and creative perspective to the development of our smallholding. ### Glen's qualifications - RHS course in Forestry and Arboriculture - Pizza oven build (Sustainability Centre) - Coppicing (Ben Law) - Round timber build (Ben Law) - Charcoal (Ben Law) - Woodland Management (Centre for Alternative Technology) - Traditional Timber Building - Traditional Austrian Scything (Bright Permaculture Trust) - Traditional Hedge laying (Sustainability Centre) - Orchard Management and Pruning (Brighton Permaculture Trust) - Forest Gardening (Martin Crawford) ## The smallholding in Priziac At Afrinoon Permaculture, we run a diverse, thriving smallholding in Brittany, home to chickens, ducks, pigs, sheep, goats, bees, and dogs. Our vegetable gardens, polytunnels, and orchards are designed using low-energy, regenerative growing methods, producing abundant harvests while supporting healthy ecosystems. Our animals are an integral part of the system: pigs cultivate and enrich the soil, sheep manage rotational grazing, and all are raised with ethical care and welfare in mind. Visitors to Afrinoon can explore practical permaculture techniques, sustainable food production, and regenerative land management in action. Through hands-on observation, teaching, and ongoing experimentation, we demonstrate how a thoughtfully designed smallholding can nurture both people and the environment. > "A wonderful place, filled with interesting characters and stories, and a great introduction to the principles of permaculture. Really gave me hope that there IS a future for the planet, and for humanity." > — Margo, open day visitor --- # Permaculture Design Course (PDC) A certified permaculture course rooted in real land, real systems, real experience. From 23 July to 7 August 2026, join us at Afrinoon Farm in Brittany for a two-week immersive Permaculture Design Course. Accredited by the Permaculture Association UK, the course is based on our small demonstration farm. - Dates: 23 July – 7 August 2026 - Duration: 72 hours - From: €650 (Seed) - Certified by: PA UK & EuPN ## Living permaculture, not just learning it It often starts with a book, perhaps by Bill Mollison or David Holmgren, or a growing curiosity about how we live, grow food, and build community. Then comes the realisation: real systems are more complex, and more connected, than anything on the page. At Afrinoon, you step into that reality. Whether you're working with a garden, a balcony, a piece of land, or exploring the social side of permaculture, you begin to see how it all fits together. Here you start to understand the patterns, relationships, and practical design elements. This is where theory becomes something you can actually use. ## Where design meets daily practice Permaculture makes the most sense when you can see it, question it, and experience it. At Afrinoon, you're learning on a real smallholding in Brittany, where the systems you're studying are part of everyday life. Compost, water, trees, animals, and growing spaces are all around you, shaped and developed over years of hands-on practice. Nothing is staged. Everything has a purpose. Karen is a certified educator with the Permaculture Association UK and an EuPN Assured Teacher, so your certificate is recognised across the UK and Europe. Afrinoon is also a registered Permaculture demonstration site. The course is taught in English and is one of the few UK-certified, English-language PDCs based on a working farm in continental Europe. You leave not just with a certificate, but with a way of thinking, and a practical design approach you can apply wherever you are. ## Karen Noon (your teacher) I grew up on a smallholding in South Africa, living close to land, food, and animals. Most of my adult life was then spent in the corporate world — three decades in finance and IT across the UK and the Middle East. I discovered permaculture in 2010 and completed my PDC in 2011. It changed the direction of my life completely. Afrinoon has been built since 2017 with my husband Glen. He brings a strong background in construction and systems thinking from his Royal Naval engineering career, along with more recent focus on forestry, woodland management, and beekeeping. Together we combine practical design, building, and land-based skills to shape the farm as a working demonstration site that continues to evolve each year. I teach from experience, because I remember what it feels like to start from scratch. Most people who come here are in that same place, and that's exactly why this course is run here. ## Guest teacher: Josephine Holleran We are really happy to share that Josephine Holleran will be joining us for a few days during the course. Jo is a permaculture designer, educator, and sustainable gardening specialist. I have had the pleasure of working alongside her for the past three years, and together we created The Teaching Grove project. She has been working in the permaculture world since completing her PDC in Leeds in 2007, supporting a wide range of projects across the UK and Europe, from edible gardens and eco-businesses to wildlife-friendly smallholdings. Jo holds a Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design, has lectured at a specialist land-based college in Yorkshire, and has produced designs for sites in Portugal, Italy, and France. She is also a Permaculture Association certified teacher. Jo is currently based in southwest France, where she designs, grows, and experiments on her own one-hectare plot. She brings both real hands-on experience and a genuinely thoughtful approach to everything she teaches, and we feel lucky to have her join us. ## Curriculum The PDC runs from 23 July to 7 August 2026 and is a 72-hour certified in-person course. Most of the learning takes place at Afrinoon, where the farm itself becomes the classroom — supported by our two other teaching spaces. We also visit other sites to see different approaches and widen the perspective beyond a single holding. Days are shaped by combining observation, discussion, and hands-on engagement with real systems as they are designed and managed. The curriculum covers: - Ethics and permaculture principles - Observation, pattern literacy, and design methodology - Soil, composting, and fertility systems - Water: harvesting, catchment, and management - Forest gardening and cultivated ecology - Climate, microclimate, and site analysis - Animal integration and productive systems - Community, economy, and social permaculture - Waste systems and closing the loop - Design practice: applying what you have learned to a real brief Suitable for beginners. Most students start without prior permaculture training. ## What two weeks at Afrinoon looks like A PDC can be one of the most intense and rewarding learning experiences of your life — plus great fun too. Surrounded by like-minded people on a real working farm, you will gain the tools to understand and work with the natural world, and build greater resilience in your own life. No previous experience needed. The course runs 23 July to 7 August, with a two-day rest break built into the schedule. Days run from 9am to 6pm. Evenings are left open for you to prepare your own dinner, giving space for rest, reflection, maybe some homework, and informal time with fellow participants. Food is an important part of the learning experience and a chance to connect, share, and slow down together. Each day includes a hearty, delicious lunch prepared by Fede Fantini — she's an artist, forager, and cook who brings creativity and deep knowledge of seasonal, local ingredients to every meal. Lunch is made using produce grown on-site at Afrinoon Permaculture or sourced from our network of local organic growers and farmers. Breakfast is simple and self-serve, set up each morning for you to help yourself at your own pace. Together, these shared meals help build a sense of community rooted in good food, local connection, and seasonal living. We kick off with a welcome dinner on arrival night — a chance to meet your fellow learners before the journey begins. Come ready to get your hands dirty. Bring clothes you don't mind working in. ## Sliding-scale pricing Three tiers, one curriculum, your honest choice. The PDC uses a sliding scale. There are no income checks and no questions asked. You choose the tier that honestly reflects your current financial position. - **Seed — €650.** If money is genuinely tight. For anyone where the full fee would be a stretch right now. - **Sprout — €750 (most chosen).** Standard rate. For anyone in a comfortable financial position. Most people choose this tier. - **Bloom — €820.** Pay it forward. Helps open a Seed tier place for someone who needs it. Deposit: €200 at booking. Deposit deadline: 3 July 2026. Deposit is deducted from your course fee. ## Accommodation options Accommodation is not included in the course fee. Three options offered: - **Tent or live-in vehicle.** Up to 6 tents or 2–3 medium vehicles in our designated camping area. €8/night (€120 for 15 nights). - **Yurt.** Furnished yurt with double bed, wood burner, outdoor kitchen, private compost loo and outdoor shower. Sleeps 2. €16/night (€240 for 15 nights). - **Off-site farmhouse.** Self-catering, short drive from teaching site. Own transport needed. 1 double, 1 shared twin, 1 single. Pricing on enquiry. Camping and yurt accommodation share a shower, compost toilet, and shared outdoor kitchen. ## Travel to Priziac Afrinoon is located near Priziac, in the Morbihan department of Brittany. The nearest TGV station is Lorient, with direct high-speed trains from Paris taking around 3 hours. From Lorient station, local bus services run directly to the nearest village to Afrinoon, making it possible to complete the journey without a car. Flights are available to both Rennes and Nantes, with onward train connections from each city to Lorient. Many participants also use BlaBlaCar, a common and convenient way of sharing lifts within France. - From Paris: 3 hr direct TGV to Lorient - From Lorient: Local bus to Berne or Le Faouët - From UK: Ferry to Saint-Malo or Roscoff - From Ireland: Brittany Ferries, Rosslare to Roscoff > "Doing my PDC with Karen was an enriching and exciting experience. Through the two weeks we developed an amazing relationship as a group and really covered so much more than the basic design process. Karen was always willing to put in the extra effort and time to facilitate discussions, explore countless ideas and make the course both a personal and group journey." > — Harry, Portsmouth UK, PDC graduate ## PDC FAQ **Can I do the PDC if I have no previous permaculture experience?** Yes. The course is designed to work from first principles. Most of the people who join have not studied permaculture formally before. If you want to test the water first, the Introduction to Permaculture (two days, €145) is a good place to start. **What if I cannot take two weeks off work?** We are creating a blended learning option whereby you study some of the modules online before joining us here on site and face to face for 7 days. This makes the course more accessible in terms of time and travel. This option will be available from 2027. **Is the course certified?** Yes. The PDC at Afrinoon is certified by the Permaculture Association UK. Karen also holds Assured Teacher status with the European Permaculture Network (EuPN). Your certificate is internationally recognised and publicly verifiable via the PA UK and EuPN websites. **How does the sliding scale work?** There are three tiers: Seed (€650), Sprout (€750), and Bloom (€820). You choose the tier that honestly reflects your current financial situation. There is no means-testing and no paperwork. The sliding scale works on trust. Most people choose Sprout. **What about the yurt glamping?** The yurts are currently being upgraded and are not available for the 2026 PDC. We expect to reopen glamping bookings in 2027. **Is Brittany easy to get to?** The closest train station to Priziac is Lorient, approximately 40 minutes by car, on the Paris-Quimper TGV line with direct services from Paris-Montparnasse. Rennes (~1.5h) and Nantes (~2h) are alternative TGV stations. For visitors from the UK, Brittany Ferries runs from Portsmouth or Plymouth to Saint-Malo or Roscoff. Car hire from the station is the most practical option for the last stretch. **I am travelling from outside Europe. Can I still join?** Yes. Several past students have joined from further afield. The course is taught entirely in English. --- # Introduction to Permaculture Two days of permaculture on a working farm. A practical, inspiring two-day introduction to permaculture design. Hands-on, site-based, and grounded in the working systems of the Afrinoon farm. No prior experience needed. - Format: In-person, Priziac - Duration: 2 days - Price: €145 - Tutor: Karen Noon - Certified by: Permaculture Association UK ## Where curiosity meets a working farm Most people considering permaculture have read a little, watched a few things, and tried something in the garden. The next question is usually whether to commit to a full course. The Introduction is designed exactly for that decision point. It is two days, hands-on, on a 9-hectare working farm. Certified by the Permaculture Association UK. Taught by Karen Noon, a PA UK certified educator and EuPN Assured Teacher. If you have been wondering whether permaculture is for you, two days standing in a real productive system will tell you more than any book or video ever could. ## What two days on the farm gives you In a world of rapid change, many of us are searching for grounded, resilient ways to live and strengthen our communities. This weekend is your opportunity to explore those solutions in a supportive, inspiring environment. Whether you are tending a garden, managing a smallholding, or making the most of a balcony or courtyard, you will leave with practical tools and ideas you can start using right away. Students who do the Introduction and want to go further can progress to the full Permaculture Design Course (PDC) with a structural advantage. They have already met Karen, walked the farm, and seen the systems they will be designing. ## Curriculum During this course you will: - Discover the core principles of permaculture - See practical examples of design in action across our land - Explore simple systems that support biodiversity, food abundance, and climate resilience - Connect with others who share your passion for sustainable living What you will learn: - Understand the basics of how permaculture gardens work - Spot simple patterns in nature and use them in your own space - Create easy, low-maintenance designs that give great results - Make the most of natural energy like sunlight, water, and wind - Build healthy soil through straightforward composting methods - See how people, plants, and wildlife can support each other > "Thank you for a great weekend of an on site Introduction to what Permaculture is all about and the tools to implement the structures in everyday life. I would recommend this introduction weekend to anyone who is interested in the environment and how to lead a more conserving of energy life." > — Hilary, course participant, Brittany, France ## Introduction FAQ **What does "certified" mean for a 2-day course?** The Introduction to Permaculture is certified by the Permaculture Association UK. You receive a certificate of attendance from a PA UK certified educator. It is a recognised first step within the wider permaculture education pathway. It is not the same as the full PDC certificate, which is a separate 72-hour qualification. **Is this suitable for complete beginners?** Yes. Most people who join have not studied permaculture formally before. **Can I progress to the full PDC after this?** Yes. Many people do. Completing the Introduction is not a prerequisite for the PDC, but it is a useful first step. **What is included?** Two days of teaching with Karen on the Afrinoon farm, tea, coffee, and refreshments. Please bring a packed lunch. --- # Part-Time PDC (9 Weekly Sessions) The full PDC, over nine weekly sessions. Same 72-hour curriculum, same Permaculture Association UK certification, same working farm. Designed for people who cannot take two weeks off. - Format: In-person, Priziac - Duration: 9 weekly sessions (one per week) - Price: €485 (€150 deposit at booking) - Tutor: Karen Noon - Next cohort: 2026 dates TBC ## Two weeks away from work is a real barrier Two weeks of residential teaching is a serious commitment. The good news is that the certified PDC does not require it. The same 72-hour curriculum is delivered here over nine weekly sessions, with the same small-group feel and the same site-based teaching. If your life or work cannot accommodate the residential PDC, the part-time format is the same qualification, on a slower rhythm. ## Same curriculum, same certification, different rhythm Want to transform your property into a beautiful, sustainable, and healthy oasis? This course enables you to create a complete permaculture design for your own project over the course of a few months, and at the end you will earn your internationally recognised Permaculture Design Certificate. The course content has a wide and flexible application, not only in home-based settings, but also for those wishing to apply permaculture design within their business or community. This slower-paced course gives you time to absorb and practise what you learn as we move through the modules. Perfect for anyone who cannot commit to the full-time two-week PDC, or who wants to let ideas settle and return with questions each week. The curriculum covers ethics, principles, observation, soil and composting, water, forest gardening, climate analysis, animal integration, social permaculture, waste systems, and design practice. Includes vegetarian lunch, refreshments, teaching, site visits, handouts, and access to online resources. Deposit is deducted from your final fee. > "Her Permaculture Design Course turned out to be a joy and was one of the most insightful things I have ever done, awakening my love of nature and introducing me to the wonderful world that is around me. Her passion for and knowledge of permaculture, in all its guises, flows out to invoke in you the belief that the world can be a better place." > — Jill, PDC graduate, Brittany ## Part-Time PDC FAQ **Is the certification identical to the residential PDC?** Yes. Both formats deliver the same 72-hour curriculum and award the same internationally recognised Permaculture Association UK Certified PDC. **Can I switch to the residential PDC if I realise I can make two weeks work?** Get in touch and Karen will help you work out the best path. **What if I miss a session?** Make-up arrangements are decided case-by-case depending on the missed module. **How far apart are the sessions?** One session per week across nine weeks. --- # Permaculture Gardening (4-Day Course) Permaculture for your own garden. Four days across two weekends. Hands-on, site-based teaching for gardeners who want to apply permaculture thinking to their own plot. - Format: Non-residential, Priziac - Duration: 4 days, 2 weekends - Price: €140 - Tutor: Karen Noon - Current cohort: 11-12 Apr + 16-17 May 2026 ## Most gardening courses teach techniques. This one teaches design. Plenty of gardening courses cover what to plant and when. Permaculture Gardening covers something earlier in the process: how to read the land first, then decide what to do. Over four days across two weekends, you will work on the Afrinoon farm, applying observation and design thinking to real growing systems. You leave with a framework you can apply at home, whatever the size or stage of your garden. ## What four days on the farm gives you A specialised course for those drawn to permaculture with a particular focus on food production. Permaculture gardens are multifunctional spaces, offering a range of benefits that go well beyond the food they produce. Across four days split over two weekends, you will move through the full cycle of setting up, tending, and expanding a permaculture garden, with plenty of hands-on time on the land. You leave with a design framework you can apply immediately at home, whatever the size or stage of your plot. ## Topics covered - Starting your garden with methods like no-dig and raised beds - Understanding ecological growing methods and implementing permaculture systems - Healthy soils, composting, mycelium, and mulching techniques - Growing abundant, healthy food through planting guilds, companion planting, and pest control - Seed saving and seasonal planting - Enhancing biodiversity to support wildlife and insects > "Just enjoyed the first weekend of a permaculture course run specially by Karen for the AIKB Gardening Club. Looking forward to the next session in June." > — David, course participant, Brittany, France ## Permaculture Gardening FAQ **Do I need my own garden to attend?** No. The course is taught on the Afrinoon farm and the design framework you learn applies to any size of plot, from a balcony or small back garden to a full smallholding. **What if I can only make one weekend?** The course is designed as four connected days across two weekends. We recommend attending both weekends. **Is this the same as the PDC?** No. The PDC is a 72-hour internationally certified Permaculture Design Course. Permaculture Gardening is a focused four-day course on applying permaculture thinking specifically to garden food production. **How does this compare to the Introduction course?** The Introduction is a two-day general overview. Permaculture Gardening is four days, with a specific focus on food-producing gardens. --- # Online Gardening and Permaculture Courses Our online courses are part of a collaborative project called The Teaching Grove, created together with Josephine Holleran. Through this shared space, we bring together our experience in permaculture education to offer thoughtful, practical learning journeys that you can access from wherever you are. Our courses are hosted on Mighty Networks through the Permaculture Association, as well as on Payhip. ## Working with Trees: Building Resilient Gardens for a Changing Climate This course is designed to make planting and working with trees simple, practical, and accessible, whether you have a large rural space or a small garden. You'll learn how to choose the right trees for your soil and changing climate, design with microclimates to protect and support your garden, and establish strong, resilient root systems from the very beginning. We'll also introduce the forest garden approach, showing how to create a layered, low-maintenance system where plants work together naturally. At its heart, this course is about making confident, long-term decisions, planting not just for today, but for a garden that will thrive for years to come. What is included: - 7 focused lessons covering tree identification to practical design - Learn to understand trees and their role in the landscape - Practical planting guidance, including small gardens and changing climates - Design with trees: tree guilds, forest gardens, healthy ecosystems - Easy-to-follow learning materials with videos, guidance, and practical support ## Future Proof Your Garden in a Changing Climate A 7-week teacher-led online course, co-created by permaculture educators Karen Noon and Josephine Holleran. Designed to help gardeners of all levels adapt their growing spaces to shifting weather patterns, improve soil health, attract pollinators, and create resilient, low-input, high-yield gardens. Take practical steps to future-proof your garden, learn regenerative gardening techniques, and gain confidence in creating sustainable growing systems that work with nature. > "When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world." > — John Muir --- # Open Days & Site Tours Step into a living, working permaculture site and experience how it all comes together in practice. Afrinoon is a registered Permahub demonstration site, offering a chance to explore real systems, ask questions, and learn directly from the land. During our open days and guided tours, you'll walk through gardens, animal systems, and evolving landscapes, discovering how principles of permaculture shape everyday decisions, from soil health and planting to water, energy, and land management. ## What happens on an open day Our open days are guided, small-group visits around our Afrinoon smallholding in Priziac. We share how the site has evolved over time, what's working, what we're still learning, and the thinking behind the systems we've put in place, from growing areas and animals to water and energy design. These visits are relaxed and conversational, with plenty of space to ask questions, observe closely, and connect ideas to your own context. Keeping groups small allows us to create a more personal and unhurried experience. Tours usually begin around 10am. Depending on bookings, we may run a few sessions throughout the day, each with small groups. We also provide refreshments. We welcome anyone curious about permaculture, whether you're just starting out or looking to deepen your understanding through a real, working example. All donations made on the day go towards supporting a permaculture project in Kenya. ## Upcoming open day 11th August 2026. Tours begin around 10am. Limited spaces available. ## What you'll see As we walk the site together, we'll share the working systems we've designed and continue to develop. Everything you see is part of an evolving landscape, producing food, building soil, supporting wildlife, and helping us learn as we go. We'll explore our growing areas and approach to sustainable food production, alongside the soil-building practices that underpin everything we do, from composting to regeneration techniques. A key part of the system is how we integrate animals into the land. We'll show how chickens, ducks, and other animals play active roles in fertility, pest control, and overall system health, working in balance with the gardens and wider landscape. You'll also see how we approach water and energy on the site, using simple, thoughtful design to make the most of natural resources. ## Practical information - Donation: €5 per adult. Children under 14 free. - Spaces: Limited. Book in advance. - Location: Priziac, Brittany, France. - Pets: Please leave pets at home. > "Our family visited early this month and spent a lovely few hours chatting with Karen and Glen all about the Afrinoon project and way of living. We felt very welcome and will definitely be visiting again and taking part in some way in the future. Can't wait to go back." > — Graeme and Family, open day visitors --- # Yurt Glamping (Returns 2027) Sleep under the stars in a hand-furnished yurt on our working permaculture smallholding in Morbihan, Brittany. Wake to birdsong, step out onto your deck, and spend your days exploring the orchards, wildflower gardens, and the sunny micro-climate of southern Brittany. Bookings are currently paused while we carry out improvements to the site. We expect to welcome guests again from 2027. ## A home under canvas At night the stars shine bright above. Lie back in your chair, a glass of wine or hot chocolate to warm you as you search for meteors and wandering satellites. Then sleep and dream in the exotic adventure of yurt life in Brittany, your home under canvas, a double bed to wrap you in comfort. On a bright morning, step out onto your deck for a cup of coffee and breakfast in the outdoor kitchen. Life in a permaculture setting offers you the chance to experience a hot water shower in the great outdoors and, together with your own private compost loo, to understand the cycle of enrichment of land and soil, and the nurturing of plants and pollinators in the orchards and wildflower gardens, where beehives and farm animals thrive. In this fête champêtre setting, the yurt provides a base to spend your days ranging the sunny micro-climate of Morbihan, where lakes, hills, and the stunning beaches of southern Brittany combine to offer the magic of a once-in-a-lifetime adventure holiday. ## Facilities - Sleeping: comfortable double bed with all linen and towels. Sleeps 2 adults (18 yrs+ only). - Heating: wood burner with bag of wood and kindling. - Kitchenette: gas cooker and oven, microwave, kettle, fridge, pans, crockery, cutlery. Tea, coffee, sugar, milk on arrival. - BBQ: provided April–September, with charcoal for one use. - Bathroom: outdoor shower with gas hot water, towels, soap, toilet paper provided. - Private compost loo. ## House rules - Sleeps 2 adults (18 yrs+ only) - 2 nights minimum stay - Check in from 4pm, check out by 11am - 20% deposit secures your booking - No pets ## A permaculture smallholding to come home to The yurt sits within the Afrinoon Permaculture smallholding in Priziac, Brittany, a working demonstration site where Karen and Glen Noon have been growing, teaching, and caring for the land since 2017. Orchards, wildflower gardens, polytunnels, vegetable beds, and a woodland area surround you. Beehives, chickens, ducks, sheep, and pigs are all part of the integrated system you will see and hear from your deck each morning. Priziac sits in inland Morbihan, one of the sunniest micro-climates in Brittany. The Atlantic coast and the Gulf of Morbihan are within an hour's drive. Lakes, walking trails, and the historic towns of the Blavet valley are on your doorstep. --- # Volunteers Afrinoon Permaculture has been welcoming volunteers since 2018, exclusively through Workaway. Volunteers stay on the farm and learn by doing, working alongside Karen and Glen on the gardens, animals, and infrastructure projects. Applications are accepted only via the Workaway listing. Direct applications by email or phone are not accepted. --- # Contact - Email: karen@afrinoonpermaculture.org - Phone: +33 7 88 11 35 05 - Address: 9 Bellevue, 56320 Priziac, Morbihan, Brittany, France Karen replies to all enquiries within two working days. For PDC enquiries, it helps to include where you are travelling from, which accommodation option interests you, and any dietary requirements. --- # Blog: Ethical Pig Farming at Afrinoon (Karen-authored blog post on the integrated role of pigs in our permaculture system, covering pasture management, soil cultivation, ethical husbandry, and the wider regenerative cycle. Pigs at Afrinoon move through different paddocks rotationally, breaking up compacted ground, fertilising soil, and clearing brambles before vegetables are planted. Welfare and ethics are central; animals are raised with respect, fed largely from on-site forage and surplus, and slaughtered locally. The post discusses the practical reality of food production within a permaculture ethic.) --- # Blog: Women Designing the Land (Karen-authored blog post reflecting on women in permaculture design and land-based work. Drawing on her own experience and on the women who taught and mentored her, the post explores how design choices reflect lived experience, how social permaculture is itself a form of land design, and why diverse perspectives strengthen the field.) --- # Blog: From Egg to Chick (Karen-authored blog post on hatching chicks at Afrinoon, covering broody hens, incubation, the integration of new birds into the existing flock, and what observation of the egg-to-chick cycle teaches about closed-loop systems on a smallholding. Practical notes on humidity, temperature, and timing sit alongside reflections on the rhythms of land-based learning.) --- End of `llms-full.txt`. For machine-readable structured data, see schema.org JSON-LD on each page. For a shorter index, see https://www.afrinoonpermaculture.org/llms.txt.