Free agriculture classes are returning that focus on permaculture, regenerative farming and sustainable living.

One of the organisers of the agriculture class, Eric Gamez said the classes were for everyone in the community.

“We're helping to give people skills that they can use at home and start small, step by step, to improve their food production at home,” Gamez said.

“Also it’s for growers if they want to try something different or to do a bit of regenerative agriculture to use less chemicals and more local organic matter.”

The classes are planned to run once a fortnight from around 4pm to 6pm, with the first class tomorrow. Gamez said the group would visit an organic farm in Nikao near Tereora College.

“Everyone will find something useful and it's very accessible. It's very easy to learn, it doesn't require too much effort and it's really rewarding.

“It's not only growing your own food or just growing flowers, it's more than that, it's connecting with the plant. It's bringing a bit of beauty into your life.”

Gamez said the classes were run by everyone who attended.

“Everyone is bringing something new and the group is getting richer and richer.

“We learn from each other, everyone has got different skills, and everyone is bringing a new angle and skills into the group.”

Gamez said the content was always different and mainly focused on practical lessons rather than theory.

For his class on social permaculture, Gamez said the group would watch a movie on sustainability and have a question-and-answer period at the end of it.

Gamez said he wanted to share more information with the community about sustainability. 

“People might not know too much about our footprint or how our consumption is impacting our social life and our local economy.”

Gamez said the group was given $400 from the Cook Islands environment charity, Moana Foundation, to promote the classes.

For those interested in the class call Eric Gamez on 74809.