Regenerative Design for Small Farms - course in North Pembrokeshire - April 28th/29th

[lauren & phil, phil & lauren]

Hi everyone

I hope this might be of interest to some of you. Please share with others you think might be interested too!

Thanks very much!

Regenerative Design for Small Farms
April 28th / 29th 2018
Canolfan Hermon Community Resource Centre, Hermon, Pembs, SA36 0DT

Fees (inc food): from £75 (sliding scale)
Booking is essential (deposit or full payment)
Booking form: http://bit.ly/2rRYDun

See below for some course info. Facebook event for more info.

Having done the course myself last year i would really recommend and think it would be really useful for farmers/smallholders/permaculturists at any stage. Niels is an excellent teacher.

Skills and knowledge to redesign your farm or land holding into an agroecological, productive and regenerative system.

Duration: 2 days 
Booking is essential (deposit or full payment)

Over the weekend we will be designing the layout of the farm. The course will be led by Niels Corfield. 

Frameworks Used:
Regenerative agriculture (RegenAg), agroforestry, Keyline planning, soil health principles, Holistic Management, permaculture design.

Course Format:
• Learn by doing - participatory/hands-on design session and facilitated discussions. 
• Learn dry/rote information in a digestible and easy to absorb fashion.
• Experiment with design options and create example plans in an informal, supportive setting. 
• Discuss the different design & management options available to us as farmers/land managers, through the medium of a site specific design.
• Gain confidence in design and decision-making through group discussion and by making placements 
• Create a synthesis of complementary elements on a farm.
• Relate new knowledge and thinking to your own farm or holding.
• Create an indicative design of a generic small farm that is to scale, show casing the options and opportunities for regenerative agriculture.

This course is suitable for:
• Farmers/farm managers & landowners
• Consultants and advisors
• Smallholders
• Those looking to buy/rent land
• Those looking to do a One Planet Development

What topics will be compared and presented? 
• Principles, frameworks & methodologies
• Site/microclimate analysis
• Agroforestry systems
• Windbreaks & shelterbelts
• Keyline design & cultivation patterns
• Dams, ponds, water harvesting in the landscape
• Constructed wetlands, living barns
• No-till, min-till & cover crops 
• Cropping systems and cash crop alternatives
• Holistic management, mob grazing, freeranging
• Fencing systems and water provision
• Mushrooms, biochar & biomass production
• Nurseries, propagation and breeding
• Woodland management
• Pasture management and reseeding
• Soil and plant management
• Tree establishment
• Case studies and examples

What visits will be included? 
• Grass-fed beef and microdairy farm (70 acres)
• Agroforestry smallholding (5 acres)

Course Design Objectives:
• Increased yields/yield stabilisation
• Reduced input costs
• Eliminate unnecessary work
• Resilience and future-proofing
• Better drought tolerance and alleviated flood issues
• Increased soil organic matter
• Carbon sequestration
• Low maintenance

What You Take Away from the Course:
• Printed 33 page handout 
• Powerpoint presentations

Catering & Accomodation
Lunch and dinner will be served on the first day and breakfast and lunch the second day. Mains dishes will be vegan and gluten-free, with side dishes to complement these.
Specialist dietary needs catered for.
There is parking on site. 
Please arrange your accomodation in the local area. (suggestions on the facebook event)

Thanks very much

Lauren

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Producers of the film series 'Living with the Land'

Communications for The Ecological Land Co-operative

Members of the Landworkers' Alliance