Bread, cheese and chickens at Whanganui Permaculture Weekend

Nelson Lebo (centre) was talking to people about his eco-thrifty home when this 2012 photograph was taken. Photo / file

The sixth Whanganui Permaculture Weekend has been planned and will be well worth travelling to, co-ordinator Nelson Lebo says.

The weekend is September 8-9 and there are eight hands-on workshops and two property tours on offer. He's willing to help find accommodation for visitors.

All the workshops and tours have some degree of cost, with a donation the lowest cost and $75 for a natural cheesemaking workshop the highest.

Lebo and his wife Dani own Kaitiaki Farm on the outskirts of Whanganui and train permaculture interns at their Eco School. He is hoping the weekend will be a do-fest rather than a talk-fest.

"Too often we see environmental events in our community that are just talk-talk-talk and no action. I think some people are tired of that and want to experience real practical solutions to the problems we face locally and globally," he said.

The new permaculture bible is Australian permaculture co-founder David Holmgren's 600-page book RetroSuburbia, Lebo said. It outlines how people in the suburbs can be more energy efficient and have slower and more self reliant lifestyles.

One of the star performers in this behavioural change will be Whanganui's Lydia Harris, who has a Back to Basics blog and is also a TVNZ columnist. She gives a workshop on the Saturday.

Lebo follows it up with the "making and doing" side. He gives a tour of the Castlecliff house and garden he retrofitted on first arriving in Whanganui, and then the rural property where he and his family live now.

Others will give workshops on growing seedlings, and making cheese, sourdough bread and biochar, and keeping chickens in a back yard.

Phil Holden gives a tour of his Live for the Land property in Matai St, followed by a shared meal, and there's an heirloom seed swap on the Sunday afternoon.

To find out more or register go to ecothriftylife.com. To ask questions email theecoschool@gmail.com.