Are you tired of blind consumerism? If you’d like to be more self-sufficient, this course is ideal for you. You’ll learn how to save financially, live healthier and reduce your environmental footprint!
Self-Sufficiency and Sustainability is a professional development course that shows you how to provide for yourself and your family and embrace an alternative lifestyle.
In this self-sufficient lifestyle course, you will learn how to start your own sustainable business and source sustainable products and services. You’ll also learn how to create cost-effective meals using home-grown produce, plan a food garden, consider animal stocking and bee hives, create your own clothes from sustainable materials, and more!
On completion of this course, you will have a comprehensive understanding of how to live a self-sufficient lifestyle while embracing sustainable environmental practices.
Course Structure
Unit - Self Sufficiency I
Unit 1 – Introduction to Self Sufficiency
- Introduction
- Modern society
- The concept of self sufficiency
- Considering today’s world
- What is self-sufficiency?
- What is needed to make a successful change
- How to start
- Getting the right attitude
- Keeping it real
Unit 2 – Nutrition, Health and Clothing
- Sustaining good health
- Health and fitness
- Aerobic and anaerobic exercise
- Examples of general aerobic and anaerobic exercise
- Mental health
- Human nutrition
- Major food groups
- Fats, proteins, minerals and vitamins
- Clothing
- Safety with fabrics
- Protective clothing
- Gloves
- Eyewear
- Ear protection
- Face masks
- Full body protective clothing
- Knee protection
- Footwear
- Suns screen
- A good hat
- General care and hygiene of everyday clothing
- Brushing and airing
- Sensible storage
- Mending and cleaning
- Victims of fashion
- First aid
- Falls, bleeding or haemorrhage
- Nose bleeds, bruises, foreign bodies and wounds
- Burns, bites/stings
- Spinal injuries
Unit 3 – Horticulture: Fruit and Vegetables
- What is horticulture
- Selecting and growing vegetables
- Planning the crop
- What do you want to grow?
- Cropping program
- Crop rotation
- Examples of plant families (vegetables)
- Soils
- No dig techniques
- No dig raised beds
- Building ‘no dig bed’ retainers
- Growing tomatoes
- Growing conditions, nutrient requirements, planting
- Growing mushrooms
- Growing fruit
- Establishing an orchard – what to consider
- Site characteristics
- Designing and setting up an orchard
- Fruit directory
- Growing deciduous fruit trees
Unit 4 – Horticulture: Herbs
- Cultivation of herbs
- Moist soil
- Fertile soil
- Protection
- Pruning
- Herbs for different situations
- Medicinal, culinary, aromatic and ornamental herbs
- Harvesting herbs
- Harvesting leaves
- Harvesting roots
- Harvesting fruit and seeds
- Harvesting material for medicinal use
- Harvesting hints for selected herbs
- Drying herbs
- Handling fresh herbs after harvest
- Cooking with herbs
- Herb vinegars, oils, cheeses, salts and honey
- Herb biscuits confectionery and mustards
- Herbal teas
- Herbal baths
- Companion planting
- Repellent plants
- Attractant plants
- Plants which affect the soil
- Repellent plants
- Insect repellents
- Bait plants
- Companion plants
- Herbal pest management
- To make tea
- Soil improving plants
- Poisonous plants
- Poisonous plants
- The mints
- Propagating herbs
- Seeds and cuttings
Unit 5 – Animal Husbandry
- Short cuts in animal rearing
- Fowls – chickens
- Feeding and watering
- Housing and shelter
- Health
- Turkeys
- Feeding
- Watering
- Housing and shelter
- Health
- Geese
- Watering
- Health
- Ducks
- Feeding
- Watering
- Housing and shelter
- Health
- Bees
- The beehive
- Lids, supers and bases
- Excluder
- Frames and foundations
- Spur wheel embedder
- Emlocks
- Bee smoker
- Locating the hive
- Comfort of bees
- Safety
- Buying an established hive
- Nucleus hives
- Swarms
- Honey production
Unit 6 – Animal Husbandry B
- Meat
- Fish
- Livestock terms
- Sheep
- Goats
- Cattles
- Horses
- Other terminology
- Feeding on pasture
- Nutritive value of pastures
- Soil fertility
- Climatic conditions
- Pasture management
- Livestock equivalents
- Housing and shelter
- Fencing
- Health
- Nutritional diseases
- Plant poisons
- Bacterial diseases
- Internal parasites (worms)
- External parasites (blowfly strike)
- Breeding
- Sheep
- Goats
- Pigs
- Pig pens, feeding, piglets
- Problems with pigs
Unit 7 – Building
- Breeding
- How to make mud bricks
- Soil used for med bricks
- Brick size
- Mixing the mud
- Casting the bricks
- Foundations
- Laying mud bricks
- Wall finishes
- Tools
- What is the difference between paint, stain and sealer?
Unit 8 – Energy
- Alternative energy
- Use renewable energy sources
- Renewable energy sources compared
- The realities of solar energy
- Some facts on wind power
- Wind power
- Wind speed conversions
- Solar house design
- Solar design principles
- Energy conservation
- Wood grows to meet our demands
- Selecting drying and storing firewood
- Wood as fuel
- Wood treated with preservatives
- Collecting wood
- How to build and light a fire
- Safety issues
- Environmental aspects of using wood as a fuel
- Firewood plantations
- Choosing a wood burning appliance
- Installation
- Wood heating appliance use
- Creosote formation and flue fires
- Care and maintenance
- Chimney fires
Unit 9 – Craft and Country Skills
- Craft checklist
- Marketing crafts
- Setting a price
- Protecting your designs
- Painting
- Oil painting
- Watercolour painting
- Acrylic painting
- Fabric painting
- Candle making
- Enamelling
- Herb crafts
- Making potpourri
- Mixing herbs
- Herb sachets
- Sachets
- Rustic timber furniture structures
- What timber to use
- How to join timber
- Some design options
- Some hints
- Cleaning and sharpening tools
- Secateurs and other pruning tools
- Shovels and spades
- Saws and chainsaws
- Maintenance
Unit 10 – Making Decisions
- Preparing for emergencies – in the event of a crisis
- Being prepared for fire
- How to stop children lighting fires
- Minimising fire hazards around the garden
- Maintenance for fire control
- Making money from home
- Home tourism
- Open a bed and breakfast
- Open gardens
- Wedding photos
- Food glorious food
- Earning extra income – what can be grown?
- Producing for your own needs (subsistence crop)
- Growing for a market
- Where to get helpful information
- Consider and compare the alternative crops
- Nursery production
- Open ground growing
- Tropical indoor plants and ferns
- Trees and shrubs
- Cut flowers
Study Hours
Estimated duration 50 hours
Course Delivery and Start
Start anytime, self-paced and 100% online
Assessment
Assessment will be comprised of written exercises, including short-answer questions, reflective tasks, short reports and/or projects. There are no examinations or due dates for assessment. As a result, you can complete training in your own time and at your own pace with the assistance of unlimited tutor support.
Testimonials
About Us
Graduation
A Certificate of Attainment and Statement of Results will be issued upon successful completion of this course.
How to Enrol
Enrol Online: Enrol Now
Enrol via Live Chat (Business Hours)
Enrol via Telephone 1300 76 2221 (Business Hours)
Enrol via Purchase Order/Tax Invoice
Enrolling Multiple Staff?
To enrol multiple staff, please complete the Employer Enrolment Form. We’ll be in touch within 60 minutes during business hours!
Payment Options
Visa, Mastercard, BPAY and EFT/Direct Deposit. Please allow 1-2 Business days for processing for EFT and BPAY.
Course FAQs
Why Choose Australian Online Courses?
- Professional development that is widely recognised and respected;
- Improve your employment opportunities;
- Study online, anywhere via our elearning system;
- High-quality professional development programs written by industry experts;
- All course materials provided online – no textbooks to buy;
- Unlimited tutor support via email;
- We offer twelve (12) months’ access, with extensions available upon application (fees apply);
- Course may be tax deductible; see your tax advisor.
Are there any entry requirements or pre-requisites?
There are no course or subject pre-requisites for entry into our programs. However, our professional development programs are generally intended for people over the age of 18. In some circumstances, enrolments from younger people may be considered. Please complete the AOC Parent Guardian Consent Form prior to enrolling and submit here.
Are there any computer requirements?
To study online with Australian Online Courses you will need a computer (desktop PC/laptop) running a current/updated operating system with reliable high-speed internet access. You will need to use the Google Chrome browser to access your course.
When can I start this course?
You can start within 60 minutes during business hours when you enrol and pay in full with a credit card!
Credit card: Within 60 mins during business hours.
BPAY: Within 1-2 working days.
Internet Banking: Within 1-2 working days.
Cheque/Money Order: Upon receipt of mailed cheque.
How is this course delivered?
This course is delivered online via our easy-to-navigate Learning Management System (LMS), where you will discover interactive online learning/written content, resources and assessment.
Do I need to attend classes or undertake any work placements?
No. All courses are delivered online via our LMS and there are no work placement requirements in this course.
What support can I expect from Australian Online Courses?
Unlimited tutor support is available throughout your studies via email only during business hours Monday to Friday. Our Administrative team are available Monday to Friday via email, live chat and telephone.
I am an international student. Can I enrol into this course?
Yes! We accept enrolments from individuals both within Australia and internationally; location is no barrier to entry into our programs.
Career Pathways
Future growth
Strong
Unemployment
Low
Personal and professional development for those who wish to learn about self-sufficiency and sustainability.
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