Info, news & debate
Land
Making local food production and land commons more viable with procurement hubs
small, local food producers are having a hard time making ends meet, because small farm incomes are falling, due to supermarkets constantly squeezing farmers/growers, to make food prices cheaper and cheaper. Here’s a potential solution.
Laying a Hedge with ‘dead hedge’ and woodchips rather than a bonfire
The first time I watched a hedge being laid was way back in the day. I vividly remember the enormous bonfire that followed, as the contractors burnt all the brash – with a little help from a can of diesel and some pallets. I saw it from Castle Cary, a good three miles away, and I thought the house had gone up. Yikes.
Does foraging damage the countryside?
Andy Hamilton – ex of Self-sufficientish has written books on foraging, and his new book New Wild Order is out now. Here’s his take on whether foraging is bad for the countryside and wildlife:
Rebuilding the flax / textile industry as a commons: Fantasy Fibre Mill
Dave Darby of Stroud Commons and Lowimpact.org talks with Rosie Bristow and Nick Evans of Fantasy Fibre Mill, working to resurrect the flax / linen industry in the UK, as a commons.
How a new land commons movement can support agroecology
There’s huge overlap between the principles of agroecology and of commoning, and growth in the commons movement could mean a shift towards agroecology and away from damaging industrial agriculture.
Local, community-based measures to prevent drought in arid regions
El Habib Ben Amara, an architect and urban designer from a tribal ksar (fortified oasis) in Algeria, who’s been working with a partner of ours. He’s an activist against desertification and one of the foremost authorities on sustainable water management in the Sahara.
What makes the commons movement different? (A: it’s much more difficult to co-opt.)
The commons is a movement to create a different world, not just the same system with a few tweaks to make it more bearable. If successful, obviously there will be entities out there that will try to undermine it, buy it and ultimately, to crush it. But there are aspects to the commons model that will, I think, make it more resistant to this than existing models.
How to create white willow
Creating white willow involves a number of processes and a large amount of specialist knowledge and skill. A mixture of patience and haste is also required. Some stages take a great deal of time while for others speed is of the essence.
What’s happening to hedgerows in 2024?
Once famed as a green and pleasant land for its verdant and varied habitat, the UK now ranks as one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. This comes as no surprise to those with an interest in the countryside who have witnessed what has happened to it. Compounding the corruptions of big business …
Using compost as mulch
Home compost is a great source of mulch for your garden, it will improve your soil over time.
Beyond Conservation: The Farmland Commons
The Farmers Land Trust is diversifying participation in our food system and helping to create stronger communities that can not only survive the land, climate, and social injustices of the world, but can thrive while helping to heal them. Learn more about the work of The Farmers Land Trust and the Farmland Commons.
Taking the water industry off the water companies: Julian Jones of Water21, Part 1
Part 1 of an interview with Julian Jones, a water engineer and distinguished fellow of the Schumacher Institute, about building a water commons for Stroud.
8 amazing benefits from street trees
Read about the importance of street trees and one group’s mission to make sure their role in our life is recognised.
Native British pond plants
Learn about the native British pond plants that can support life in your pond.
Human scale technology at the Green Fair
This is a call out to designers, inventors, makers and creators of alternatively powered human scale appropriate technology.
20 year research project reveals devastating loss of British and Irish flora
What has causes a devestating decline in British and Irish flora?
Bring on the peat ban – no garden should cost the Earth
Despite UK-wide commitments to end the use of peat in horticulture, the legislation needed to make this happen is still frustratingly out of reach. This week, an official announcement on the ban in England was postponed because of the Conservative Party leadership election; and the other three administrations have no firm plans on the table. …
Rewilding or local food production?
We like the idea of rewilding, but it needs much more thought when it removes good UK lowland farmland – because then, obviously, land elsewhere will have to brought into agricultural production to take up the slack.
More Sustainable (and Beautiful) Alternatives to a Grass Lawn
Ideas from the American NRDC about how to develop a sustainable alternative for your lawn.
Preparing for new growth at Imbolc
How the Celtic festival of Imbolc can inspire new growth.