Ben Shaw Permaculture

Fifteen years ago I set about transforming my house in Geelong (which boasted a north facing backyard with shed, lawn and obligatory hills hoist) into an edible garden oasis. The goal seemed pretty simple, productivity and beauty, how hard could it be? Little did I know how much my life would change through the process of learning how to grow food in my own backyard. The first few years were spent clearing, weeding, pruning, and having a crack at growing all sorts of things. Unfortunately I didn’t have the knowledge back then to make a real success of the initial goal, the game changer occurred in 2010 when I completed a Permaculture Design Course (PDC). Now I had some tools, techniques, and more importantly the inspiration to turn our backyard into something really special. I had a clear vision to grow healthy, diverse and nutritious food for my family and friends and I wanted everyone to know that they could do the same. The benefits were clear back then and even clearer today - locally grown food is great for families, the community and our environment. 

In the midst of my Geelong backyard transformation, I went travelling and spent a year volunteering in South America. I was trying to use my newfound skills in the principles of permaculture to apply it in a practical way on the other side of the globe, and to learn from others who were growing food in a regenerative way. The more I read and observed what was happening in our food system, the more it became blatantly clear that we are not looking after the natural world, whether it be mining, logging or agriculture – as a people we are slowly destroying the ecosystem that is meant to sustain us. Feeling slightly helpless, I vowed to do my bit by trying to help and encourage people to grow food in a sustainable way - permaculture was my way of spreading this message and remains so to this day. After returning from South America, I began the process of involving myself in communities that support sustainable food production. This process has led to establishing my own permaculture consultancy business which has enabled me to pursue my passion to share my love of growing food with my community. I have recently made a sea change and our family has moved to Ocean Grove. We are now creating a new haven of edible and healthy fruit and vegies in amongst a diverse and healthy garden landscape. Also, I have co-founded Farm My School and @wedigthedairy, projects that really focus on urban farming and regenerative practices.

I run edible gardening workshops all year round for both adults and children. I also consult with families and businesses on how to design and build their gardens to get maximum yields and also achieve aesthetically beautiful gardens. My life is healthier, more fulfilling, more community minded, and a significant part of this has been achieved through the simple act of growing food.