October 18th
I had a meeting to discuss the inclusion of Permaculture Design as an open college network qualification to participants at an allotment site currently run by a mental health group. The objective being to apply permaculture principles to the daily running of the plots, and potentially stack functions all around.
Made an appointment with the manager of a local Park to discuss options for the future habitat plan for the first clear felled sectioned area of an extremely well established stand of Rhododendron ponticum. The Park has an extremely large resident deer herd.
I communicated via email regarding funding options for deer fencing at the Rhododendron site.
I had a meeting to discuss the inclusion of Permaculture Design as an open college network qualification to participants at an allotment site currently run by a mental health group. The objective being to apply permaculture principles to the daily running of the plots, and potentially stack functions all around.
Made an appointment with the manager of a local Park to discuss options for the future habitat plan for the first clear felled sectioned area of an extremely well established stand of Rhododendron ponticum. The Park has an extremely large resident deer herd.
I communicated via email regarding funding options for deer fencing at the Rhododendron site.
October 19th
Important meeting with my management and above at the HQ of my work, BTCV Cymru. Went really well! I applied the principle of; The problem is the solution, and got a good result! I gave a box of six of our hen`s eggs to each of the three management staff attending the meeting. Fair share of surplus! Opportunities to integrate permaculture design into my work can now be nurtured. Time to sow more seeds!
Important meeting with my management and above at the HQ of my work, BTCV Cymru. Went really well! I applied the principle of; The problem is the solution, and got a good result! I gave a box of six of our hen`s eggs to each of the three management staff attending the meeting. Fair share of surplus! Opportunities to integrate permaculture design into my work can now be nurtured. Time to sow more seeds!
October 20th
I took my line manager for a walk around an area that has very recently been cleared of Rhododendron ponticum. It is on a slope that would be fantastic to terrace. I took a few pics and shot a video.
October 21st
I listed Permaculture, Food forests, Greenwoodworking and bushcraft as experiential learning on offer in an article for a funding newsletter.
I arranged for Dr Dan Forman, Head of the Ecology Dept of Swansea University to attend the meeting next week with Mike Wynne, Margam Park manager.
October 22nd
Alex, Seth, myself and Bow went on an multi purpose round trip and achieved multiple functions;
Obtaining material for curtains at our current living space.
Choosing materials for the next renovation stage of my house.
Spent time as a family.
Cean has been renovating the external rendering at my house over the past few days also.
Alex, Seth, myself and Bow went on an multi purpose round trip and achieved multiple functions;
Obtaining material for curtains at our current living space.
Choosing materials for the next renovation stage of my house.
Spent time as a family.
Cean has been renovating the external rendering at my house over the past few days also.
October 23rd "Never under estimate how important it is to spend time doing things that you take pleasure in with people you love and have fun with. its the way to a healthy and happy mind."
- Ambika Wauters
Bow, organic protein, and the ferret carrying box.
Today I stacked functions! No work so got up early and visited my house to check in with everyone at my house and then went on to a walk with Bow (Lurcher), Seth (riding in the ergo baby carrier on my chest) and a ferret (riding in a purpose made-curved-back snug carrier that hugs my waist) . It was a walk stacked with functions;
Quality time with nature and my family today.
Permaculture principle; Obtain a yield.
- Physical exercise for man and dog
- Fresh air for all concerned
- Increased bonding time with my son and Bow
- Opportunity for ferret to engage in natural instinctive behaviour
- The bonus prize of a fresh undamaged 3/4 grown wild rabbit, bolted by the ferret, caught by lurcher. Its going to be lovely grilled! Genuine organic meat, wild and natural.
- Inspiration from nature all around
Quality time with nature and my family today.
Permaculture principle; Obtain a yield.
When Bow catches a rabbit, she retrieves it alive and unharmed to my hand. I can make the choice then as to whether it ends up as my dinner or is released again. If it had been an obviously pregnant doe rabbit, I could have released it back down a warren once the ferret had re-emerged.
Part of the ferret team at home. The animal on the far right is indistinguishable from a wild polecat in appearance.
It wasn`t however, but it was a 3/4 grown animal, ideal for eating, so I dislocated it`s neck which kills the rabbit in an instant.
Permaculture principle; Produce no waste.
When I got home later, the ferrets had the head and ribcage and the fur to line their nest with. I will grill the saddle meat and the back legs as it was a 3/4 grown rabbit and will be very tender.
It`s a very simple process to ensure that your lurcher will retrieve rabbits, alive to hand. All of my lurchers over the years (Bow is my fifth) have done so. The key is to teach the puppy to retrieve using a tennis ball or similar. A tennis ball does weave and bob about much like a rabbit. Becoming a proficient retriever of objects to hand during puppy-hood means that when the day comes when the dog is a young adult and it inevitably catches its first rabbit, then when feeling the rabbit in it`s mouth, rather than shaking the rabbit to kill it (like a terrier does with a rat) the lurcher will instinctively bring it back to you. Crouch down to the ground calmly when the dog has done so. This will encourage the dog towards you, Call her gently, use the same word that you have used all through the retrieving training as a puppy when you want the dog to relinquish it`s prize (I use the word drop). She will gently release it into your slowly outreached hand. Take the rabbit from her calmly and quietly. Praise her calmly.
Permaculture principle; Produce no waste.
When I got home later, the ferrets had the head and ribcage and the fur to line their nest with. I will grill the saddle meat and the back legs as it was a 3/4 grown rabbit and will be very tender.
It`s a very simple process to ensure that your lurcher will retrieve rabbits, alive to hand. All of my lurchers over the years (Bow is my fifth) have done so. The key is to teach the puppy to retrieve using a tennis ball or similar. A tennis ball does weave and bob about much like a rabbit. Becoming a proficient retriever of objects to hand during puppy-hood means that when the day comes when the dog is a young adult and it inevitably catches its first rabbit, then when feeling the rabbit in it`s mouth, rather than shaking the rabbit to kill it (like a terrier does with a rat) the lurcher will instinctively bring it back to you. Crouch down to the ground calmly when the dog has done so. This will encourage the dog towards you, Call her gently, use the same word that you have used all through the retrieving training as a puppy when you want the dog to relinquish it`s prize (I use the word drop). She will gently release it into your slowly outreached hand. Take the rabbit from her calmly and quietly. Praise her calmly.
You now can now assess the rabbit and make a choice about your next action. If you are a vegan, you can return the rabbit to its burrow. If however you are an omnivorous primate like me, then you now have a pot filling lurcher that is not an indiscriminate killer. A respectful and natural harvesting of genuinely wild and organic protein. I like a dog that can catch it`s own dinner, as well as yours.
I also had confirmation from my friend today, Les, that the funding that I sourced for him to cover the cost of a series of wildlife ponds that he has created on his land went into his bank account a few days ago.
November 4th
Alex and I took bow and Seth for a long walk. Great to get fresh air and find inspiration in nature and spend time with my family.
November 7th
I attended the first day of a three day course; Developing skills in Forest Gardening. This has been run by BTCV Cymru in conjunction with the Coed Hills project. Completing the course will mean that I can deliver training in Forest Gardening in the future at work to participants. It will entwine nicely with my plans for forest gardening at Margam Park.
I attended the first day of a three day course; Developing skills in Forest Gardening. This has been run by BTCV Cymru in conjunction with the Coed Hills project. Completing the course will mean that I can deliver training in Forest Gardening in the future at work to participants. It will entwine nicely with my plans for forest gardening at Margam Park.
November 11th
I received a book as a gift from Alex. It is a beautiful book and is potentially going to be an extremely useful resource.
EDIT: Having now only partly read the book, I can already say that this beautifully illustrated, enlightening and explanatory book is inspiring and fascinating. Fungi are absolutely essential components of eco-systems that modern humans know very little about. We would do well to know more.
"This is the kind of book I love: highly factual and practical and mixed with the spiritual content that sets the great writers apart from all the rest." - John Norris, former deputy commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and the founder of the Bioterrorism institute
"This visionary and practical book should be an instant classic in the emerging science of how to use nature`s wisdom and fecundity to rescue the earth and ourselves from the unwelcome consequences of human cleverness." - Amory B.Lovins, chief executive officer of Rocky Mountain Institute
EDIT: Having now only partly read the book, I can already say that this beautifully illustrated, enlightening and explanatory book is inspiring and fascinating. Fungi are absolutely essential components of eco-systems that modern humans know very little about. We would do well to know more.
"This is the kind of book I love: highly factual and practical and mixed with the spiritual content that sets the great writers apart from all the rest." - John Norris, former deputy commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and the founder of the Bioterrorism institute
"This visionary and practical book should be an instant classic in the emerging science of how to use nature`s wisdom and fecundity to rescue the earth and ourselves from the unwelcome consequences of human cleverness." - Amory B.Lovins, chief executive officer of Rocky Mountain Institute
November 21st
I completed the Forest gardening training today.
November 23rd
Another book that I am currently reading.
December 11th
I got out in the countryside ferreting with Bow, my lurcher and a few ferrets. Stacking functions, fresh air, inspiration from nature and four large rabbits. Taking advantage of the healthy organic wild larder. Fair share; rabbits were shared between people, ferrets and dog.
I got out in the countryside ferreting with Bow, my lurcher and a few ferrets. Stacking functions, fresh air, inspiration from nature and four large rabbits. Taking advantage of the healthy organic wild larder. Fair share; rabbits were shared between people, ferrets and dog.
December 12th
Another gift from Alex, a comprehensive and useful guide to fruit trees.
It will be useful to increase my very limited knowledge on this subject.
It will be useful to increase my very limited knowledge on this subject.
December 18th
I spoke on the telephone with Phil Corbett of Cool Temperate nurseries about sourcing own rootstock fruit trees.
He was incredibly helpful and sharing of his knowledge.
He was incredibly helpful and sharing of his knowledge.
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