A welcome to newcomers - and old friends
Things were going quite well for us before the virus emergency started. We had a whole host of new entrants to the PDC at Manchester Road. and we were looking forward to getting to know them all. In addition to the usual welcome on the first day, we were able to treat them to a comprehensive demonstration of applied permaculture design from Asmelash Dagne as he presented his diploma portfolio, containing some of his work from Ethiopia .
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Asmelash diploma award
Early this year, the board at the Permaculture Institute of North Britain authorised the award of the Diploma in Permaculture Design to Asmelash Dagne Datiko, based on the work submitted in his portfolio. He was supported throughout the development of his portfolio by the Northern School of Permaculture, after being referred to us by Zoe Rozar.
In his role as a founder member of the Institute, Angus took the opportunity to make a public presentation of the certificate to Asmelash during his recent visit.
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North West England - in just a day
Up to now, we have worked with Asmelash remotely, so while he was with us, and the weather was fairly clear, we took the opportunity to do a short tour of some of the interesting projects in the North West. We looked at community gardens, a forest garden, flood threats and damage on the Lune and the Lancashire Calder (Whalley again), and a general review of the topography and built environment of the region.
Ethiopia is a land-locked country, and even in Berlin it is not easy to get to the sea-side. So we ended up in Morecambe for a bit of salt spray, beach-combing, "partaking of the sea air" and enjoyment of the fabulous vistas. Another thing us locals take for granted?
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Angus returns to Lancaster University
On 10th February, after a long absence from the Halls of Academe, Angus made a visit to Lancaster University. He was there at the invitation of the University permaculture group (Faculty don't invite him any more).
He gave a spirited evening talk with the prescient title, "Cheer up, things could get worse" (subtitled Permaculture and Disruption). The group hoped that the event would promote the forthcoming Permaculture Design course in the area, but "disruption" was to dictate otherwise. While Angus was on campus, he noticed large numbers of Chinese students, all wearing face masks...
Many thanks to the Lancaster group for making Angus so welcome. The planned PDC is merely postponed!
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| so we cheered up and, sure enough, things got worse... | "Ethics? In a University?" |
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| questions growing under fluorescent lights... | "It's nice to be appreciated!" |
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Edwina is "working from home"
Like her friends at The Northern School, Edwina Hodkinson has been adjusting to the restrictions of the recent virus outbreak. At times like this, we need her advice more than ever. We will hear more from her when her usual column resumes in our next issue. Meanwhile, you can check out her on-line offerings such as the Weeds and Wild Medicine course, also find her her excellent video series on wild plants on Youtube.
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Peak Prosperity plugs Permaculture
During his excellent video series on coping with the current emergency, Chris Martenson of Peak Prosperity is encouraging all his subscribers to grow their own food. You can watch his approach here, taken from his video of the 15 May 2020.
Chris has put out a lot of information about permaculture over the last ten years, including interviews with the likes of Toby Hemenway. In return, we can recommend Chris and Adam's book on resilience, "Prosper" click [here] for a free download! Recommended by many, including the now-legendary James Howard Kunstler ("The Long Emergency"), it is a good read on a challenging subject.
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| chrismartenson | "Free Vitamin D with every garden" |
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From the archive
April 2012 and a bitterly cold April in the Southern Uplands. But a warm start to the first PDC that we did at Wiston Lodge A great group of people followed it through to the summer sunshine. Where are they now? Let us know at Northern Edge!
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News in brief
Asmelash made it safely back to Berlin, and continues to study German, along with Germany and its business practices.
Chris Mallory is riding out the emergency in the sunshine with his family and his pruning shears in France.
Trevor and Hayley Wynne are pleased to announce the arrival of baby Byron Angus at the end of March (just in time for lockdown).
Debra Delglyn is in South Africa and, among other things, is looking at renovating culverted rivers.
Peter Fearon is, sadly, exiled from Quinta da Estrelinha and marooned here on Brexit Island, but you can read an update from him in this issue's YourSpace section.
Freddie Cannon is currently tucked away in Colne, Lancashire, and we re-publish this picture of his visit to New Zealand, just to remind him that he has promised us more on bicycling adventures in a future issue!
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