Info, news & debate
Smallholding
Life on Birchwood Croft: tales of smallholding in the Scottish Highlands
Lesley Anderson learns about the ups and downs of life for crofters Beth and Tim Rose in the Scottish Highlands.
Chagfood community market garden apprenticeships on offer in 2019
Could 2019 be the year you learn how to set up and run a community market garden? Chagfood, a CSA scheme based in Chagford, Devon, is offering two apprenticeship opportunities from April to October.
Why my farm is not a “permaculture farm” with Marit Parker of Just Wild – Garw Teg
Farmer and permaculture practitioner Marit Parker of Just Wild-Garw Teg shares why she chose not to label her farm in Wales as a “permaculture farm”.
Seeking future farmers for East Sussex: apply to be a smallholder with the Ecological Land Cooperative
The Ecological Land Cooperative opens smallholder applications for future farmers at their East Sussex site, continuing the work of generating ecological farming opportunities and rural enterprise. We hear from Lauren Simpson about how you can apply for this unique opportunity.
Permaculture pigs: integrating pigs into a permaculture design
Firstly I should state there is no such thing as a permaculture pig, but rather pigs woven in to a permaculture design. Firstly we have to look carefully at every element we are planning on putting in to our design.
CSA Network UK AGM and inspiring photography exhibition – all in a day!
If you’re in London on 16th October, don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to celebrate community supported agriculture at the CSA Network UK AGM and be inspired by the Feed the World photography exhibition.
Want better food for all? The Good Food Good Farming march is for you.
The Landworkers’ Alliance are joining with others to call for an Agriculture Bill that provides access to healthy sustainable food for all. Join them on Sunday 14 October as they head to Westminster for the Good Food Good Farming March.
Celebrate a bumper harvest at a CSA Open Day this autumn
We hear from Maresa Bossano about the CSA Open Day events promising fun, friendship and the opportunity to learn about your local community farm this autumn.
Farm Hack is coming to Wales! Join in 6-7 October at the CSA Gathering
You’re invited to participate in skill shares and farm hacks from 6-7 October 2018 at Tyddyn Teg Co-operative near Caernarfon. A joint event between Farm Hack and the Community Supported Agriculture network in Wales, Frank White tells us more.
The future of land ownership: interview with Oli Rodker of the Ecological Land Co-op and the Landworkers’ Alliance
This week we’re talking with Oli Rodker, founder director of the Ecological Land Co-operative and the Landworkers’ Alliance, about his work, and how we might change the nature of land ownership in the UK, where 0.06% of the population own 50% of rural land in England and Wales, according to the Country Land & Business …
Taking the food sector from corporate supermarkets: interview with Maresa Bossano, co-ordinator of the UK Community-Supported Agriculture Network
This week we’re talking with Maresa Bossano, who is the co-ordinator for the Community-Supported Agriculture Network in the UK.
Would you like to be a smallholder with the Ecological Land Co-op?
As we prepare our smallholder application process for our next sites in East Sussex, the Gower and Somerset (all going well with planning permission!) we would like to find out some more information about our potential smallholders.
Managing an orchard floor as a wildflower / hay meadow
With careful management the orchard floor can become a thriving wildflower meadow, a habitat which is not only good for the wildlife, but also good for the soul.
Join the Land Justice Network national gathering on 18 August in Sheffield
The Land Justice Network national gathering is your chance to learn about their work campaigning for land reform and to together help plan next steps.
The case for feeding food waste to pigs
If we are going to use livestock to produce food, we need to work out how to do so sustainably. It has always been a source of frustration to me that so much food is wasted, yet we cannot legally use it to feed our livestock, leaving them munching away on food which could have …
Models of repopulation: bringing low-impact living to life in rural Europe
We hear from yurt and tent builders and suppliers Spirits Intent about their new mission to revive low-impact living and rural economies in southern Europe through the Heartland Association.
How to build your own aquaponics greenhouse – Part 3
In Part 3 of his how to build your own aquaponics greenhouse adventure, Root Cause Organic’s Pete Blunsdon covers the all important growing media, the plants and the fish.
You’re invited to the Ecological Land Cooperative Summer Gathering
We hear from Lauren Simpson about plans for the Ecological Land Cooperative Summer Gathering & AGM taking place on 14th July on the beautiful Gower Peninsula.
Heartwood Community are seeking new members – could it be you?
Heartwood Community is seeking energetic, reliable and committed people to join their intentional community in South West Wales. It’s over to Staci from here to tell us more.
How to build your own aquaponics greenhouse (Part 1)
Pete Blunsdon of Root Cause Organics, an experimental microholding in Buckinghamshire, shares the first in a series of guest posts about how he built his very own aquaponics greenhouse and how you can do the same. It’s over to Pete from here…