Hedvig’s permaculture diploma

The last few months have been filled with lots of doing, and just not much writing.  My garden project is developing so quickly, which is super exciting and the last few weeks have been spent going round different DIY shops to sources a few things, and just getting on with painting the trellis, the shelving unit, transplanting the bolting mizuna, rocket, chard in the tree pit.  We have also got a new flat mate in, which is great.  She is much more into growing and lots of other good things.  We ordered a dumpy bag of compost, and have been happily distributing in the garden, the neighbours garden, the tree pit, mulching the pots, her allotment.  The potatoes are bursting out of their raised beds, we’ve been harvesting lots and lots of salad leaves, the broad beans and looking pretty fine, the calendula is flowering and doing its companion thing attracting lots of beneficial insects.  I have been harvesting chamomile and elderflower and drying that for teas. I’ve been busy in the kitchen as well with my local food project: I made elderflower cordial, been sowing more seeds to replace the stuff that is bolting.  Started getting a veg box from Ashurst (as I’m not working there as often), getting ready to do an infinity order.  The infinity order also involves setting up a food co-op, of sorts, and encouraging the neighbours to get involved. I have also been cracking on with my tools project.  I have made two bags so far, and loving figuring out how to use my machine.  It just feels so positive to be able to use it, and so much quicker.  I have been looking at my pile of ‘to mend/alter’ with greater conviction.   Next project is to make a purse, which involves sewing in a zip and making darts, so that will get new skills and tricks in the bag. The teaching project continues.  I co-taught the Intro to Permaculture for Transition Town Brixton, and I have been running a series of workshops in Regent’s Park for Capital Growth alongside my weekly growing club at Somerford Grove.  There have been other workshops as well, but less permaculture heavy.  Feels like I’m building up my own sets of resources, which is great, and the lesson plans are getting amended all the time.  Like it. I am in the process of creating a new website that will pull together my diploma and present it in a more project-oriented way.  Doing all that stuff has taken away a bit of time, and to be honest, inclination for writing up.  It has been great to get on with projects.  It feels like a summer/winter thing… in the winter is a good time to be writing up and reflecting, and at this time of year I want to be making the most of the longer days and warmer temperatures. But I recognise this means less writing up.  Not a good thing. The herbal project still continues with new version of my deodorant all the time, and I tried the chamomile dye again.  I still use the facial oil every day, and my lip balm.   My flat mate manages an essential oil company so scheming about working together on a little project…. more of that later…May/June has been a frustrating one for ALGs.  After the long dearth of ALGs and then forming two and being part of another, this month was the month when none of the meetings happened.  So it goes.   But one thing for sure, it is going.  Lots going on, and lots more going to be happening.  Good stuff, me thinks.

Since last summer I have been supporting ‘Introduction to permaculture’ courses that are run by Brighton Permaculture Trust.  Pippa leads the course, with various co-teachers and support staff.  The first day is often up at the Earthship in Stanmer Park, and the next day in a different location.  I have found it so beneficial to be involved in the courses.  It means that I regularly get back into taking permaculture back to its basics and telling more people about it.  It is such a great opportunity to meet a whole new bunch of people that are interested in the concepts, and to see the number of them that walk away really inspired by the solutions-oriented approach.

Yesterday, a little collection of us made our walk through the dark village of Southease and into Pippa’s wonderful home.  She was seated with two kids snuggled by her, and we began our review with the tale of ‘Pancakes for Findus’ and ‘the Hungry Hen‘.   Once the kids had been tucked in bed, the tea and chocolate cake came out.

Then the review began, looking at the feedback from past courses and then going through the timetable.  It was a great process: balancing the ‘likes’ and ‘do differently’ comments with our own ideas, and desire to try out a few new things.  I really feel like we left a little more inspired, not just because the drizzle had cleared, but we a sense that we were involved in a process to make the course feel even more relevant for people.  Love it.

Oh yes, I went along to the Sustainability Centre, bundled into Jan’s car and chatted along the way about credit, like real credit geeks.  We were there for three days and had long, intensely-packed days discussing all manner of things connected to permaculture and teaching.  I really liked the set up where it was very much up to us to decide the topics depending on what we were really passionate about, and to see the diversity of issues.

My thing was about designing a permaculture teacher, and I found the session really helpful.  We discussed the different design and models people used to get into teaching.  So interesting.  One of the really clear message that came across to me was that we are a network and there was a real desire for us to act more like one: to share more knowledge and resources. I hope that doesn’t mean I’ll have to start singing or chanting. 

I went along to the Permaculture Design Course that the Brighton Permaculture Trust run.  I went for the second day of their weekend about food, focusing on soil.  It was really great to hear new trainers discuss soil.  And always great to see a bunch of people soil testing and getting their hands dirty.  Like it.It was also lovely to walk into a new course and recognise about half the students.  It reminds me that I have helped out on a number of courses both in Brighton and in London and this is one of the outcomes: meeting a great number of people that are getting more and more into permaculture.  I do feel like I have met some amazing and inspiring people through it all and hope to be bumping into a lot more of you soon.