The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey (NOFA-NJ) and The Permaculture Project, LLC, will offer an eight-day permaculture design certificate course at Duke Farms, in Hillsborough, over the course of two four-day weekends, May 16 to 19 and June 6 to 9, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. The first four days will focus on the planning and design components, and the second four days may include some hands-on implementation of the permaculture concepts at Duke Farms. All eight days must be completed for certification. Upon completion, students receive a permaculture design certificate sanctioned by the Permaculture Institute of Australia.

Experiential and hands-on, permaculture is about designing ecological human habitats and food production systems. The course objective is to attain a working understanding in ecologically based planning, site design and management. Instructor Wayne Weiseman is the director of The Permaculture Project, LLC, a full-service international consulting and educational business promoting the ideas of eco-agriculture, renewable energy resources and eco-construction methods. He is certified by the American Institute of Architecture to teach continuing education in permaculture to licensed architects and landscape architects.

Cost: $1,200 for NOFA-NJ members; $1,300 for nonmembers, includes lunch each day; multiple members of same family/farm are eligible for discounted registration. Installment payment plans are available. For information about course content, visit PermacultureProject.com. For preregistration (required) and information about lodging, meals and services, call 908-371-1111 or visit Nofanj.org.