NEW! - Managing a Sustainable Smallholding

Dates Available

This course is led by James Strawbridge.

Ranging from simple decisions like which breed of duck to rear to specific questions of how to power your irrigation systems using solar power, this new sustainable course will revolutionise the way you run your smallholding!

INTRODUCTION: This exciting new day course explains how to run a smallholding using the most up-to-date sustainable methods. James Strawbridge will offer his experience and enthusiasm for managing one of the greenest smallholdings in the country: Newhouse Farm. Throughout the day there will be practical demonstrations and visits to different areas around the working smallholding. There will also be plenty of time to ask specific questions relating to your plot and objective advice offered to any aspiring smallholders. Dick Strawbridge and the rest of the Newhouse Farm team will also be available at lunchtime to answer more technical questions on certain aspects of eco-engineering.

The main emphasis of this course is how to succeed growing and rearing your own food, how to reduce your bills, and finally how to efficiently farm the land with a low eco-footprint.

COURSE CONTENTS:
Self-sufficiency VS sustainability: A brief summary of lifestyle choices. Do you want to aim for complete self-sufficiency and become subsistence farmers, is lowering your environmental impact your motivation, is saving money on your utility bills your main concern, or do you just want to learn how to encourage wildlife to your plot?

Natural cycle of the seasons: Discussion of what happens when on a smallholding, plus help planning your growing year.

The house: An important part of the bigger picture. Here we explain how to do a useful Eco-audit of your home, tips for conserving energy, options for green-building infrastructure, and advantages of increasing passive solar gain.

The workshop: How to set up your workshop followed by what key ‘eco’ tools you need?

The shed: Involves a trip to the shed and testing manual vs machine tools, garden equipment and useful smallholding investments.

Surveying the land: Observing, Planning and Design of your plot. Zoning principles and understanding your land’s orientation.

Approaches to Growing: Different growing options including; Permaculture, organic principles, biodynamics, hydroponics, square foot gardening, and market garden techniques.

Growing under cover: Everything from using cloches to how to build cold frames, assembling geodesic domes to making your own green house heat sync.
Sustained Productivity: Understanding compost, crop rotation in action, and soil conditioning. Irrigation systems Hydraulic Ram pump and simple automated DIY watering systems.

Keeping Livestock: Details of how to select what livestock to rear, what they need, how to set up electric fences and water systems. In addition, plenty of info about animal welfare, incubating and finally turning them into meat. Specific animals covered in detail: Chickens, Turkeys, Ducks and Geese, Pigs, Bees.

Renewable Energy solutions: Microgeneration has a huge number of benefits on a working smallholding. This section of the course explains all about solar photovoltaics, solar thermal, water power and wind power systems. Importantly, it explores how to quickly and easily employ these eco-technologies around your plot to save you time, effort and money!

Biodiversity: Growing in harmony with nature. Why wildlife corridors, bat boxes, ponds etc are good for productivity and how to attract beneficial insects to your plot. Also, plenty of examples of useful companion planting.

Harvesting and Storing: Designing a functioning store-room, root cellars, clamping, drying and the chutneyfication of life.

Working with Willow: A brief introduction to woodland management, how to pollard, and marking your boundaries.

Lunch: You will be invited to join us for an organic and tasty Newhouse Farm lunch. Onmivores, vegetarians, vegans… everyone is catered for and we’ll guarantee there’ll be more than enough food to satisfy even the heartiest of appetites! Local ales, organic wines and cordials are also on offer. Lunch time is always a good opportunity to fire questions at James and get to meet the rest of the Newhouse Farm team.

Booking: If you'd like to book one of the dates above please at [email protected] to register your interest. Payment details will be forwarded if an applicant is given a place. Full payment is required 21 days before the course date.

Transport and Accommodation:
The course is held at Newhouse Farm in Cornwall. Full directions will be provided once payment has been cleared. We are a short distance from the local train station; transport can be arranged if necessary. Details of B&Bs in the village will be provided upon booking.

What you need to bring:
Newhouse Farm is a working smallholding with plenty of mud, uneven ground and nettles. So please bring sensible footwear (wellies or trainers are good but definitely no flip flops). Also as we cannot guarantee the weather so a raincoat or umbrella could come in handy too.

Newhouse Farm Course days are typically organised as follows:

Time	Activity
0930 - 1000	Course meets with organic tea, coffee and nibbles
1000 - 1230	Introduction, theory (!), and practical demonstrations
1230 - 1330	Lunch break - you are invited to join us. We are never sure how many people will be there - long arms are an advantage!
1330 - 1630	More theory and practical work
1630 - 1730	Tea, coffee and more nibbles - an opportunity to discuss individual projects.
1730 ish	Course disperses