Designers' workshop - A weekend of permaculture design in practice

18th and 19th September 2010

Led by Angus Soutar

The weekend gives you a chance to learn more about the practice of permaculture design and to improve your design skills by working with experienced designers. We also intend that the results will bring lasting benefit to subsequent visitors and to the families who live on site.

Permaculture is a holistic approach to designing our lives and the space around us. Permaculture design is both theoretical and practical. It uses the patterns we see all around us in Nature, We can make sense of those patterns and use them as our guide to creating natural, productive livelihoods for ourselves. Permaculture Design involves integrating people into landscape in a way that meets their needs and at the same time allows them to put right any damage that has already been done to the landscape and to the local community.

Venue: Greave House Farm, Stocksbridge, Sheffield, S36 4GH

Greave House Farm is situated in open farmland above the town of Stocksbridge, about 12 miles northwest of Sheffield, deep in the Pennine Hills. The Farm's owners wish to create a welcoming, inclusive and therapeutic environment where people can get involved in various activities - animal care, gardening, and also in training courses, such as environmental education - all in a supportive, caring atmosphere. Find out more
 

What will we do?

• produce various designs and proposals for developing the site in question

• gain experience of working with clients and producing designs that meet their needs

• explore the process of permaculture design individually and in groups, while receiving practical support and advice

• make proposals for increasing the yield and efficiency of the farm, and improving on-site facilities

• evaluate the designs with residents of the farm to ensure that the proposals meet the needs of the small community.

Who should be there?

• anyone interested in learning how to do land-based design using an ecological approach, leading to sustainable outcomes

• those who want to see how environmentally-friendly methods and appropriate technologies can be made to be productive and cost-effective

• graduates of a permaculture design course who would like to do more design work – particularly those who have decided to work towards the Diploma and want to work on designs to put in their portfolios

• people who are exploring design and permaculture and are considering taking it further, perhaps by attending a permaculture design course

• those who want to gain some practical experience of design before doing work on their own projects

The weekend is a great opportunity for people who are interested in getting to know a wider network of like-minded people in the Northcountry, including those who are interested in experiencing the workings of a family-run care farm in its initial stages

Cost, Accommodation and Food

We are asking for £50 per participant in order to make this weekend happen, but would be willing to discuss this fee where appropriate.

It would be great if people could bring food to share for lunch on Saturday and Sunday.

In addition, there will be an optional overnight stay on-site on the Saturday night. For an additional £10 per person, a Saturday evening meal and Sunday breakfast will be provided.

Overnight accommodation options are:

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  basic camping at £2.50 per person

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  a place in the four-berth caravan at £5, on a first-come-first-served basis

• self-organised B&B locally

There are basic washing facilities and a compost toilet on site.

Bookings 

To make further enquiries and to book your place, contact Babs Bristow at the Farm

Tel: 0114 2888634

Mob: 07971024181

or e mail; Angus @ rsl@letsgo.u-net.com,