So here’s my go at a little documentary. Part 1 of our Wwoof to Oz adventure.
Next stop Spain…
Posted in Appropriate Technology, Building, Diploma, Environment, Food, Health, Music, Permaculture, Travel, Wwoofing
Tagged Almonds, Berber, Bouthrarar, Culture, Design, Diploma, Eco Build, Family, Figs, Green Building, Integrated Systems, Irrigation, Morocco, Natural Building, Olives, Peach, Pise, Rammed Earth, Roses, Solutions, Tabout, Valley of Roses
One of the goals outlined in my diploma project 3 is that we “get to Australia in the most environmentally responsible way”. This will obviously affect our transport options, what we eat and what we buy. In fact all of our actions have some knock on effect including what we use to wash with or how many plastic bags we have to refuse in one day. We’ll be highlighting some of these decisions and other interesting topics in little video documentaries like this one…
Posted in Diploma, Environment, Permaculture, Travel
Tagged Design, Morocco, natural soap, Permaculture, Rooftop, scrubber, Solutions, travel, Washing
Recent objections to our planning application reviewed in a few short videos…
Posted in Building, Environment, Permaculture, Random
Tagged Green Roof, Natural Building, Nimbys, Norfolk, Patch, Planning, Solutions, Water
“ECOCIDE: the extensive destruction, damage to or loss of ecosystem(s) of a given territory, whether by human agency or by other causes, to such an extent that peaceful enjoyment by the inhabitants of that territory has been severely diminished”.
Back in July this year I read an article in Permaculture Magazine about an amazing lady called Polly Higgins. She is a barrister, author and the creator of a new law to protect the earth – Ecocide. On 30th September there was a mock trial, Ecocide Vs Living Planet, in the UK Supreme Court. The results of that can be viewed here (Link lost, changed to TED talk). Find out what you can do here.
I’ve just finished reading this amazing and insightful book by Robert Hart. When learning about designing a food forest I kept hearing about how not to do it like Robert Hart did which intrigued me. Mostly people have talked about his closed canopy temperate forest garden which didn’t allow much light to the lower layers. I say that it’s a good job somebody didn’t do it perfectly as it has allowed the rest of us to learn from his non-perfect garden. In this book however Robert talks in depth about his philosophies and world views with great suggestions and solutions whilst referencing some great work that I had not come across before. A must read for perma-junkies or indeed anyone interested in world changing!
After leaving the Burrowhill Cidery we visited the Willows & Wetlands Visitor Centre for an insight into the ancient craft of growing and harvesting willow for crafts and charcoal. Another National Trust property later and we were in Wales to visit more friends, Gerd, Camilla and Lea. They happened to live quite close to the Centre for Alternative Technology and so we also spent a day there…
Posted in Appropriate Technology, Building, Random, Travel
Tagged Green Roof, Natural Building, Solutions, Wild Food, Willow
The middle of June saw The Patch host it’s first PDC with Richard Perkins coming to teach in his unique style. The yurt went up, the kitchen was built, the library installed and before we knew it there was more than 2o people pitched up for the next 3 weeks. It was an incredible learning experience and one I was very glad to be part of. Details of the internship to follow…
At the beginning of June we planted a medlar tree for our new niece – Nina Eve. We decided to put it in with our vegetable garden using the principle of the things that are closest to zone 1 get the most attention. The Patch is starting to look very nice and soon we’ll be welcoming our students for a Permaculture Design Course…
Our vegetable garden was made purely with what we could find mostly for free. We gathered lots of cardboard to sheet mulch with. We then collected hazel from the hedge rows on our lane and began to weave some raised beds. We found more old fence posts and marked out our area – nice and close to the van and the shipping container. On freecycle we came across as much rotten horse poo as we needed and we mixed that with comfrey. It wasn’t long before we had our first packs of biodynamic seeds from Stormy Hall Seeds and were planting them. A gate and some chicken wire kept out the deer and rabbits and we were away…
Posted in Food, Permaculture
Tagged Biodynamic, Food, Hazel, Mulch, Raised Beds, Seeds, Skipping, Solutions, Veg, Weave