A weekend in a yurt
Feb. 17th, 2009 08:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
purpletigronI'm working on a Diploma in Applied Permaculture, which is assessed by presentation of a portfolio. The study is self-guided, with input from a qualified tutor.
My tutor decided to hold a project weekend for four of her students.
My tutor is currently living in a yurt (with her husband and two 18 month old children) on an Organic farm.
The project (which is ongoing) is to draft a potential re-design of the farm to suit the changing needs of the farming family.
So I turned up at a nearby mainline rail station, and was picked up by a fellow student who also lives in a yurt on a different farm - running a Permaculture Organic vegetable box growing scheme. She was in town buying from a local Organic vegetable wholesaler to supplement the contents of their box during this difficult time of year, as is common practice for vegetable box schemes.
We then went to the home of the third student, who lives one hours walk from the 'project farm'. Our tutor had cooked a five bean chilli on her woodstove for us to share, and we talked enthusiastically about practical aspects of sustainable living until I ran out of awake at about 9pm.
In the morning, we convened at our tutors - beautiful, cosy yet naturally lit - yurt, and I met my fourth fellow student.
We started by studying maps of the farm and the local area. The farm is about 70 acres, with some 20 acres of establish semi-natural/managed woodland and four more acres newly planted with native species such as willow. Much of the rest of the farm was used for pasture until recently, or is in a field-scale arable rotation. There is about two acres of intensive vegetable growing area, including a small field, a range of raised beds, and a collection of polytunnels and glasshouses. There is a small orchard. There is also a large naturalised pond (which was dug many years ago) and a small stream flowing from it along one boundary of the farm.
The farmhouse is a bungalow, which is solid enough for now, but using construction methods which won't be very long lived. There is a large brick-built barn, which could be converted into a very solid and larger house with appropriate planning permissions and funding.
We were then able to interview a key member of the farming family, who has over 30 years of experience in growing Organic vegetables commercially.
We spent the rest of the time walking the farm in pairs, and discussing our ideas, and drinking tea!
Now we are each back in our daily lives, and we need to develop our notes and ideas into a set of design proposals!
My tutor decided to hold a project weekend for four of her students.
My tutor is currently living in a yurt (with her husband and two 18 month old children) on an Organic farm.
The project (which is ongoing) is to draft a potential re-design of the farm to suit the changing needs of the farming family.
So I turned up at a nearby mainline rail station, and was picked up by a fellow student who also lives in a yurt on a different farm - running a Permaculture Organic vegetable box growing scheme. She was in town buying from a local Organic vegetable wholesaler to supplement the contents of their box during this difficult time of year, as is common practice for vegetable box schemes.
We then went to the home of the third student, who lives one hours walk from the 'project farm'. Our tutor had cooked a five bean chilli on her woodstove for us to share, and we talked enthusiastically about practical aspects of sustainable living until I ran out of awake at about 9pm.
In the morning, we convened at our tutors - beautiful, cosy yet naturally lit - yurt, and I met my fourth fellow student.
We started by studying maps of the farm and the local area. The farm is about 70 acres, with some 20 acres of establish semi-natural/managed woodland and four more acres newly planted with native species such as willow. Much of the rest of the farm was used for pasture until recently, or is in a field-scale arable rotation. There is about two acres of intensive vegetable growing area, including a small field, a range of raised beds, and a collection of polytunnels and glasshouses. There is a small orchard. There is also a large naturalised pond (which was dug many years ago) and a small stream flowing from it along one boundary of the farm.
The farmhouse is a bungalow, which is solid enough for now, but using construction methods which won't be very long lived. There is a large brick-built barn, which could be converted into a very solid and larger house with appropriate planning permissions and funding.
We were then able to interview a key member of the farming family, who has over 30 years of experience in growing Organic vegetables commercially.
We spent the rest of the time walking the farm in pairs, and discussing our ideas, and drinking tea!
Now we are each back in our daily lives, and we need to develop our notes and ideas into a set of design proposals!
