After a years pause, we are back and ready for action. Come and help us build a Wheelchair Accessible Compost Toilet!
During the course you will:
Help create a small timber framed building and compost toilet infrastructure, using sustainable and reclaimed materials.
Learn about the benefits of composting toilets, the various kinds of compost toilet systems that can be built and how they work.
Learn how to design and build a simple timber framed building. The principles of this build will be transferable to the creation of many small structures such as cabins, dens, studios or sheds.
Gain confidence in a range of wood working skills and in the use of common wood working tools
This workshop is led by Matthew Douglas, experienced wood worker, artist and compost loo builder. We are keeping the number of participants small to ensure that everyone receives maximum benefit.
23rd-26th July 2021 9am – 5pm
Course fee – £200 This includes: – Four days of tuition and fun – Daily delicious two course lunch from the kitchen of the talented Veganishmum – Tea breaks -Free Onsite Camping if required
Our annual celebration of all things Moth returns!
NOTE DATE HAS CHANGED DUE TO POOR WEATHER FORECAST FOR SATURDAY NIGHT. Sorry for the short notice, hope you can still come
After a year off due to you-know-what, we’ll be setting up the moth trap on the night of 18th June and seeing what wonders we have found on the morning of 19th June.
All lovingly surrounded by friends, campfires, lovely food, chat, games, wildflower labyrinths and all that lovely stuff we missed last year.
Due to Covid, there will be some changes from previous years.
We will be limiting numbers to 30 and you MUST pre-book if you want to come.
We will not be sharing food. You can either bring your own food or order a delicious takeaway for collection from @veganishmum
The event will be held outdoors around the Trust barn and Roundhouse. (If the forecast is very poor we will postpone.) If you want to stay overnight, camping is available on site at no extra cost.
Cost £10 (1 adult or 1 adult with 1 child) £20 (2 adults or family of 1 or 2 adults plus children) PLEASE BOOK IN ADVANCE
Outline Timetable
Friday 18th June
5pm – Arrivals, campers set up
6.30pm – Eat your own food
Evening – Campfires, games or craft, walk the wildflower labyrinth
At Dark – Set up the moth trap, probably in Mari Jones
Bed!
Saturday 19th June
9am – Look in the moth trap! Identify, record and release the moths with the help of Sally Hall
Departures by lunchtime.
To book please contact Michelle – michelle_laine@yahoo.co.uk / 07813 464990
We are really excited to be hosting a 3 day Sustainable Beekeeping training run by experienced natural beekeeper, Sean Hearn
During the course we will look at beekeeping practice from a holistic perspective and seek to explore what a practice would look like if bee health and bee-centred design were at its core, rather than honey production
The course starts by seeking to understand the honeybee as deeply as possible. This includes basic biology, swarming behaviour and honeybees in the wild. We view this knowledge as an essential starting point on the journey to more sustainable ways of working with bees.
We will also seek to place honeybees in the context of the wider ecology and spend time understanding other types of bee including bumblebees and solitary bees
Then grounded in our understanding of bees we will then look into the craft of sustainably working with bees. This will include sustainable hive design, Warre management throughout the season, swarming, honeybee health and the sustainable harvest of honey, wax and propolis.
We will also spend time observing the beehives at Dyfed Permaculture Farm Trust during the course.
This course is for anyone from beginners to experienced beekeepers who are interested in learning about more sustainable methods of beekeeping. There are 12 places available.
We are asking for £225 for the 3 day course and £180 concession rate and we are more than happy to talk about payment plans to make accessing this course as fair as possible.
To book a place on the course and with any questions please contact naomi.glass@gmail.com.
We will be providing teas and coffees but ask that you bring along your own food for the day and a bee suit if you have one!
Beautiful accommodation is available at nearby Larkhill Tipis and Yurts for the course if required. Please contact larkhillcamping@gmail.com.
Camping may be possible at the Dyfed Permaculture Farm Trust whilst you are on the course. Please contact Michelle on 07813464990 or michelle_laine@yahoo.co.uk for more info.
Over two Saturday workshops, Fay Burnett will be creating some beautiful new signage for the Trust whilst teaching participants the art of Sign Writing.
Participants will:
Learn about and practice the art of signwriting
Make a valuable contribution to the fabric of Dyfed Permaculture Farm Trust
Enjoy a two course lunch provided by the fabulous (and very local) Veganishmum
Enjoy the company of 4-5 other budding signwriters!
An outline of the course is below. At £20 for both days, including lunch, the workshop is great value!
Places are limited, please get in touch to book
To give you an idea of what might be achieved, I have added some photos of the work Fay has done for our neighbouring project, Eva’s Garden, at the end of this post.
Course Outline The courses runs over two days, 9am-5pm each day. Participants will be invited back to a future volunteer workday to help install the signs, if they wish.
Day 1 (Saturday 15th May) Introduction to sign writing, preparing the wood, design your sign and get stencils ready
Day 2 (Saturday 29th May) The basic signs prepared on day one will now be dry, ready to paint on the final designs.
Our next volunteer workday will be Saturday 14th November, from 10am – about 4pm.
We will be continuing work on the Roundhouse: finishing walls with cob, cordwood and bottle bricks that were not completed last time, fitting sills and windows and perhaps looking at fitting the woodburner and the wooden floor too.
Light shining in through some of the bottles built into the walls on the last workday.
If you want to come along and help, please get in touch 🙂
We need to know numbers in advance to ensure we have enough space to work safely distanced. We are not currently having a bring and share lunch, so please bring your own picnic lunch and your own mug for tea.
Our next volunteer workday will be Saturday 17th October, from 10am – about 4pm.
We will be creating the next layer of walling for the roundhouse, using cordwood, cob and bottle bricks.
A neat edging of dry stone stem walls, ready to receive the next layer of walling. This will be cord wood and bottles, held together with cob. Some of the cord wood we will be using can be seen stacked beyond the ladder.
Working on the drystone stem walls. The logs piled behind give an idea what the next layer of walling (cordwood) will look like.
Richard cut a hole in the rubber that was covering the skylight and let in the light! An ex-bus window was installed over the top to keep out the rain.
Using a two man crosscut saw to cut a larch pole to length. The pole was used to provide extra support to one of the corners of the little lean-to.
At the end of the day, reviewing what we have done and admiring the light coming through the roof light. We’re fond of the funky grass curtains hanging down across the front of the round house 🙂
Above – pictures from our September workday, when we built the drystone stem walls
The aim is to take the walls to about waist height (though we may not get that far in one workday!). This will leave the structure open and airy, as suited to pandemic times, but provide enough shelter to be able to install the wooden floor.
Cordwood walls are created by stacking logs, much as you would in a logpile. You can get an idea of what it will look like in the pictures above, as some of the cordwood we will be using is already stacked in the background.
The logs will be held together with layers of cob, which we will be mixing on the day (bring gloves and wear wellies!). The cob also helps exclude draughts. We will also be adding “bottle bricks” to make funky patterns and let in light (here are some beautiful examples).
If you want to come along and help, please get in touch 🙂
We need to know numbers in advance to ensure we have enough space to work safely distanced. We are not currently having a bring and share lunch, so please bring your own picnic lunch and your own mug for tea.
One successful set of Skills Share volunteer days completed and our tiny visitor caravan looks very snug under it’s new roof.
We had some lovely feedback from a volunteer, which sums up the event perfectly (see below). Watch this space for news of future Skill Shares!
* cwtch‘ (pronounced ‘kutch’, to rhyme with ‘butch’) is the Welsh for a cuddle or hug but can also refer to a cubbyhole or cupboard; a small space in which to store things safely; or a cosy corner in a pub!
What can I say???…..It was extremely enjoyable, I learnt several new skills (e.g. working with roofing tin, and rafter jointing) and used some new tools (e.g. the impact driver!). I now have the confidence to build larger structures and can offer to help with a wider range of building projects. Matt, you are fabulous!! I have really enjoyed working with you and am already looking forward to your next ‘Skills Share’ session.
