Permaculture is a holistic art and science which impacts and is influenced by every area of life, it is therefore very diverse in the subjects that it covers, emphasis throughout the course is on training oneself to think in a permacultural way, looking for win-win situations, getting more out by putting less in by getting nature to do your gardening for you, always looking for more yields that can be harvested from a system whilst taking nothing from the land which is not returned.

Some of what you will learn on a Steward Wood Permaculture course:

·          How Steward Community Woodland uses permaculture principles to create an ecologically sustainable and healthy place for working, studying and living.

·          How to get the most of a learning experience, why creativity and activity are so important in learning

·          Where permaculture came from and why

·          The ethics and principles which drive the permaculture movement and inspire designs that work with nature, providing for human need without costing the earth.

·          How to go through a permaculture design process to create your own designs which give bountiful yields with a minimum of effort!

·          How to integrate different design elements for their mutual benefit and create win-win situations rather than trade offs.

·          Tools and strategies to help group work to go smoothly without conflict.

·          Some effective, low-tech surveying tools to analyze the lay of the land and how to record this onto a base map.

·          How to make a no-dig mulch bed and practical planting skills to grow plants whilst improving the soil with a minimum of work.

·          How to observe the patterns in nature and apply your observations in creating original and inspired designs.

·          How to grow your own forest garden, the concept and why it works.

·          How permaculture can work on a continental scale and integrate different bioregions for mutual benefit.

·          How to make best use of space and slope in designing land based permaculture designs.

·          Good practice in house and garden design to get the most from a small space.

·          The benefit of woodlands and agro-forestry on a permaculture project and best practice techniques for woodland management.

·          Green woodworking skills… take home your own home made mallet!

·          The magic of trees and plants and how they are capable of seemingly miraculous  feats with nothing more than seeds, sun, soil and water.

·          The structure of soil, how to understand and how to work with it to improve its quality whilst growing your crops.

·          How sitting still in nature can bring greater insight than reading a dozen books.

·          What constitutes ‘appropriate’ technology and some examples of such.

·          How Steward Community Woodland have reduced their need for electricity to allow them to generate the whole community’s electrical requirements from a tiny forest stream through a micro-hydro system and backup solar panels and batteries.

·          How the international ‘problem’ of sewage could be turned into a ‘solution’ to de-mineralized and eroded soils.

·          About the nature of global water system and the urgency with which we must preserve this precious resource.  Techniques and strategies to achieve this will be examined.

·          The advantages of water as a growing medium and how to set up a healthy ‘aquaculture’.

·          Strategies for arid landscapes to bring life to where water is scarce.

·          How Permaculture can be used in cities to make them healthier and more productive places to live.

·          Techniques for building eco-friendly and low impact homes and how to design them into the landscape to minimize both pollution and unnecessary work.

·          Alternative and progressive financial and exchange systems which avoid many of the pitfalls of traditional commerce.

·          How to apply permaculture thinking to yourself and to see yourself as a being with unlimited potential for growth.

·          Many more tools and techniques for creating good permaculture designs to use in your own projects.

·          Ways to present your permaculture designs to friends and clients.

There will also be an opportunity to see other permaculture projects in the area and lots of optional evening activities.

The final part of the permaculture course involves working in a group to produce an original permaculture design using the tools and techniques covered earlier in the course.  Be assured though that there is no exam, so you cannot fail!

Course Fees.

This Permaculture course is being run by the Workers Educational Association (WEA) and it is being hosted by Steward Community Woodland (SCW). 

The course fees are paid separately to the WEA, and the balance of the catering costs to SCW.

To enroll and secure a place you will need to send in advance £45.  This deposit covers:

£25 for registration with the Open College Network (the accrediting body) and £20 deposit for the catering.

·         (Cheques payable to: ‘Workers Educational Association’, to be sent to: Workers Educational Association, South Western District, Ground Floor, Bradninch Court, Castle Street, Exeter, EX4 3PL.)

On arrival you will need to pay the tuition fees (£200)  to the WEA or

·          £5.00 if on means tested benefits

·         plus SWC will negotiate further costs for the catering.

 Note: 

·            You will need to contact the WEA to find out if you are on a qualifying benefit.

·            The WEA operate a ‘Learner Support Fund’ to help people not on benefits, but on low incomes, again, please contact them for details.

The SCW fees:

·          £100 - £170                sliding scale depending upon income for food and accommodation (3 meals per day).

·         There is a £20 discount IF you are sleeping off site at one of the nearby camp sites, B&Bs or Hostels (not the recommended option). 

Food costs (with a little going towards accommodation) for the course are paid for on arrival.

 (Please note: It is highly recommended that you stay at the woods to get the full benefit of this opportunity for a community living experience)

Contact details for further questions:

The Workers Educational Association (WEA):                    (01392) 490470

Steward Community Woodland (SCW):                              0845 458 1926

Devin Ashwood (coordinator and main tutor):                      (0845) 456 1246

What accreditation does the course have?

• This particular permaculture course is unusual in that it benefits from being accredited with the Open College Network (OCN)  at level 2/3 which is close to the status of a GCSE/‘A’ Level.  The course qualification is recognised by Colleges and Universities and can be used as an entry to get into these establishments or to get on in the workplace should you so desire.
• On successful completion of the course, you will also be awarded the standard Permaculture Association ‘Certificate in Permaculture Design’ which is recognised internationally within the permaculture movement.

About the Teachers:

Devin Ashwood has been involved actively in the environmental movement for the last 10 years.  After an initial focus on protest and campaigning, he moved on to creating positive solutions to the ecological problems we face in the world today.  He has been a founder member of two eco communities, one in Spain and one in the UK (Steward Community Woodland) and has designed ecological solutions to problems ranging from food production to community living.  Devin now teaches Permaculture evening classes, residential courses and workshops at colleges, communities and festivals in the UK and abroad.

Guest teachers…There will be a number of guest teachers on the course who specialize in subjects ranging from woodland management through appropriate technology to earth healing and manifesting your dreams.

What to expect at Steward Woodland…

Food:

Steward Community Woodland is a vegan project, this means that all food eaten there is free of all animal products. To respect the aims and ethics of the residents of the project, we ask that all attendees refrain from bringing meat and dairy foods into the land.  What is eaten at Steward Wood is made primarily from fresh fruits, nuts, grains, seeds and vegetables.  To keep costs down, we are afraid that some, but not all food will be organic, a proportion will have been grown on the land, but the bulk has to be bought locally as the community is not growing enough food to feed large courses.

Many and varied dishes are prepared for the evening meals during permaculture courses, and while there, should you wish, you will get the opportunity to learn how to prepare a wide range of delicious and interesting dishes from these foods. 

If you have a diet which is heavy in  meat and dairy products, you might consider cutting down on these before visiting Steward Woodland, as some people have found that the sudden transition in diet can bring on uncomfortable cleansing symptoms.  A more gentle transition tends to make any ‘detoxification symptoms’ more mild and manageable.

Water:

The drinking water currently comes from the woodland spring/stream and boiled water is available upon request.  Dishes are washed in water tapped from the stream also. Washing and bathing facilities from this same water source will be available via a screened heated shower.  There is also the possibility of a communal hot tub.

Accommodation:

Those choosing the recommended option of staying at the woods for the duration of the course will either need to bring a tent, or make special arrangements in advance to stay in the visitors benders (if they are available).  There are a number of areas within the woods where visitors can pitch their tents.

For people opting for the less exciting option of staying nearby, a number of our immediate neighbors run Bed and Breakfast establishments and there is a back packers hostel in the nearby village of Moretonhampstead.  There is also a more traditional campsite next door at Budleigh Farm which also have facilities to park camper vans or caravans. Please note that we are not able to host camper vans at the woods, and we cannot accept people onto the course who are ‘parking up’ mobile homes\live in vehicles nearby unless at a designated campsite, this is a measure we need to take to keep a good rapport with the local population.  Details of local off site accommodation can be sent upon request

Communication:

There is a community phone available for urgent calls only, access to Email would be by personal negotiation with community members but could not be guaranteed. There is a nearby postbox.  The nearby village of Moretonhampstead does have some facilities including a few shops, pubs, a phone box, a small library etc. There will be an opportunity to go into Moreton during the day off mid course. There is reception for Orange and some other mobile phone networks, but not all.

Access to Town:

It is likely they there will be a van going into one of the nearby bigger towns (e.g. Newton Abbot) which will have most of the facilities you would expect from a typical high street during the mid course day off.

Communal Space:

There will be a cosy communal space with solar powered lighting available (the long house) for socializing in the evenings. The longhouse is heated when necessary with a large wood burning stove.

The Kitchen:

The Communal kitchen space is covered, but not insulated.  The sink is fed from the woodland stream.  We have a rayburn stove and plenty of well stocked rodent proof cupboards  for storing communal and personal food.

Toilets:

At Steward Wood, we are committed to long term sustainability, and this means that the food grown on the land and coming onto the land goes back to feed the soil after we have eaten it.  This is achieved by the use of compost toilets.  These are covered and screened rustic affairs which combine human waste with sawdust to create a rich compost for trees etc.

Electricity:

For the few electrical appliances used at Steward Wood (laptop, phone charger, video projector and lights), 12v electricity is generated from renewable energy (e.g. micro-hydro and solar power).  240volt electricity is occasionally available through an invertor.

Access:

Steward Community Woodland is on a valley side and there are rough ramps and some steps between the bottom and the top of the land, it therefore might not be suitable for those with serious physical challenges. While we promise to make every effort to accommodate everyone who wishes to attend, our financial and physical limitations mean that we would need to negotiate on an individual basis as to how we can best serve those with additional needs. People in need of assistance are welcome to bring an aide to help them with the course.  Assistants will only be asked to cover their food costs.

The Environment:

Steward Community Woodland is on the south facing slope of the green Wray valley within the Dartmoor national park in Devon. The woodland predominantly consists of plantation Japanese Larch, which have been thinned extensively allowing a rich diversity of naturally regenerating broadleaf indigenous and other trees and shrubs to come up in an understory.  There are also areas dominated by Scots Pine, Ash and Spruce.  The woods are amazingly beautiful throughout the year and there are many lovely walks in the surrounding hills.

Responsibilities.

Our Responsibilities:

·         To run the permaculture course, and deliver a diverse and comprehensive, positive educational experience.

·         To facilitate your stay, provide for your food needs and make your stay as comfortable as possible.

·         To make sure a telephone and first aid equipment is available on-site in case of emergencies. 

·         A basic tour of the site and its facilities on your arrival at Steward Wood.

Your responsibilities:

·         To pay a deposit for the course fees in advance to the Workers Educational Association (£45) and provide full payment of the course, accommodation and food on arrival.

·         While every effort is made to make your stay as safe and comfortable as possible, your own health and safety whilst staying at Steward Wood is your responsibility.

·        We ask you to follow the Steward Community Wood guidelines during your stay, and adopt an attitude of mutual respect. Violence or discrimination on any grounds (racial, sexual, etc.) is not acceptable at Steward Community Woodland.

Getting To Steward Wood

Steward Wood is located one mile south of Moretonhampstead in the Wrey Valley. The A382 (which runs north and south between the A30 and the A38) passes the woodland. Exeter is about 14 miles away to the east and Newton Abbot is about 12 miles to the south.

By Foot

• From Moretonhampstead you head south following the road signs for Bovey Tracy and Newton Abbot. You will pass the fire station on your left and Thompsons Haulage Yard on the right. A little while later you will pass Budliegh farm on your left. Keep going and you pass Steward Mill, Steward Cottages etc and a stone butress on the left that is all that is left of a railway bridge. You are now at the entrance to the disused railway track at the bottom of Steward Wood. Follow the track and you will find a notice board containing a map of the woodland.
• From Lustleigh you head north towards Moretonhampstead. You will pass Wrey Barton Manor on your right and after another half mile you pass the sewage works on the also on your right. Beyond this is Steward Wood. Keep going until you come to the lay-by and entrance to the disused railway track. Follow the track and you will find a notice board containing a map of the woodland.

By Bike
Eventually there will be a cycle path running from Bovey Tracy to Moretonhampstead. However, until that is built you will have to use the roads. A map would be useful. You need to get to the A382 which runs north and south between the A30 and the A38. There is also a 'back route', the B3212 from Exeter which is about 14 miles. The instructions given for people arriving by foot will help you find the entrance

Hitching
You will need to get to either the A30 or the A38. If you are coming from the west, use whichever you can get to easiest. Both roads pass Exeter which is on the M5. The A38 is fairly easy to get onto from Exeter services. The A30 is not so easy, so use the A38 unless you get a lift straight past Exeter and on to the A30. If you end up in Exeter city center you could try the B3212 which is signposted from the large roundabout over the river.

• Via the A38 you need to get dropped at the Drumbridges roundabout which is the junction for Newton Abbot. From their you hitch north toward Moreton on the A832 past Heathfield and Bovey Tracy.

• Via the A30 you need to get dropped at the junction for the A382 then hitch south for Moretonhampstead. See the directions from Moretonhampstead given above, it is a short walk.

Public Transport etc.
You can get either a train or a coach to either Exeter or Newton Abbott. The coach will be cheaper but not by much if you book your train ticket in advance. Note however that the coach may arrive too late for the last bus.

• From Exeter you get a bus Number 359 at 1.15pm 3.15pm 5.15pm, and 6.15pm being the las. There is also a 173, but it takes loads longer and the last one is at 5.15pm. On a Sunday, you have to get an 82.

• From Newton Abbot you can also get the 173 bus. It leaves at 2pm. Generally Newton Abbot is a bad option since the bus services have recently been cut.

By Car, etc.
If you have to come by private motorised transport, please let us at steward wood know as we have restricted parking and there may be other people who could share the journey with you. The route is well signposted from the A30 or the A38 which can be found from Exeter (probably via the M5 or the A303/A30). There is no facilities for live-in vehicles on the site, but there is a caravan park next door.

By Air:

Exeter has an airport, but this mode of transport would require some serious tree planting to offset your carbon emission contribution during the flight!