A unique course
A national qualification
Funding available

This course is designed both for people who are working with the land and those who intend to, whether as gardeners, smallholders, farmers, foresters, landscapers or in other land-based occupations.

No previous knowledge is required, but students with previous training or experience have found the course offers many new insights and perspectives which are not obtainable from more conventional courses. The emphasis is on how we can work in harmony with natural cycles.

The course gives the theoretical knowledge which complements those skills which can be learnt while actually working on the land. We hold it in winter because that is the quiet time of year on the land and thus the best season to take time out from land work for indoor learning.

A wide range of teaching methods is used, including: talks, slide shows, discussions, small-group work, and observation and design exercises on the land. An extensive library is available for students' use. There is an outdoor session almost every day. These include the observation and design exercises and there is a practical work session once a week. But most of the teaching is indoors.

The course is modular, and it's possible to take some modules and not others, but priority is given to those who want to take the whole course. Each module includes independent study assignments in addition to the tutored coursework. Each day there is time set aside for private study, and there is ample time to complete the assignments during the course.

All students who complete the course gain the Level Three Certificate in Sustainable Land Use, a nationally recognised qualification issued by the awarding body, Investor in Quality. When combined with two years' practical experience this is equivalent to a National Diploma. The practical experience can take place either before or after the course and is not a compulsory part of it.

Dates
Four days a week - Monday to Thursday
12th Jan - 19th March 2009
Half term break,
week beginning 16th Feb

Modules
The Soil
12th-15th Jan.
An investigation of the soil from an ecological perspective, for gardeners, farmers, and other land users.

Ecological Interactions
19th-27th Jan.
Learning to understand how plants, animals, climate, soil and humans interact. This understanding is the very basis of sustainable land use. Each afternoon during this module we go out on the land to explore ecological interactions in the woods, fields and gardens on the farm.

Organic Horticulture
28th Jan - 5th Feb.
An introduction to growing fruit and vegetables, this module is applicable to both domestic and market gardens. In the assignments students can choose to study those crops which most interest them.

Sustainable Forestry
9th - 12th Feb.
An introduction to sustainable woodland practice, both working with existing woods and planting new ones, using the woodlands on the farm as living examples.

Permaculture
23rd Feb - 19th Mar.
This is the standard Permaculture Design Course, recognised by the international permaculture community. It covers the principles of permaculture and the permaculture approach to: gardening, building, farming, woodland, nature conservation, community and the transition to the post-petroleum world. It’s centred on a series of design exercises on the land. Students can choose between a domestic garden and a smallholding as the subject of these exercises.

Tutors
Patrick Whitefield - main tutor for the course as a whole
Jo Newton - main tutor for the Organic Horticulture module, and co-tutor for the Soil and Ecological Interactions modules
Mike Gardner - main tutor for the Sustainable Forestry module
Sarah Pugh - co-tutor for the second part of the course, the permaculture modules

Guest tutors include:
Matt Dunwell, permaculture pioneer and the farmer of Ragmans Lane
Mike Feingold, permaculturist extraordinaire!
Jonathan Hines, ecological architect
Steve Pickup, expert in living willow structures.
Paul Benham, organic vegetable grower and educationalist
Jimmie Hepburn, aquaculturist
Mark Moodie, water treatment expert
Chris Johnstone, transition activist

We make the following visits:
Stroud Community Agriculture - a first-rate example of organic growing and of community supported agriculture
Dragon Orchard - an apple orchard with an innovative marketing system, where we also have a practical pruning session
Achitype - a firm of ecological architects where we see their innovative office building and a presentation of their work, which includes self-build and co-housing schemes
Primrose Farm - both an organic market garden and an earth education centre for schools with outstanding permaculture gardens
Bristol Permaculture - including visits to Easton Community Allotments, a community orchard and the allotment of permaculture pioneer, Mike Feingold

Venue
Ragmans Lane Farm is situated in beautiful countryside in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, on the banks of the River Wye.

The farm is presently in a state of transition. Formerly supporting a rich diversity of permaculture activity,  in recent years this has been narrowed down to just two enterprises. One is mushroom log production - innoculating logs with the spawn of shii-take and oyster mushrooms and selling the logs as a source of fresh organic mushrooms. The other is organic apple juice production, and part of the farm has been planted up with orchards to supply the apples. The rest of the land is let out for grazing and the large vegetable garden, shown at right in its heyday, is not used at present.

With the appointment of a new manager, Freya Davies, the farm is moving into a new phase of activity. One of her first priorities is to bring the vegetable garden back into production and the consideration of a Community Supported Agriculture scheme. Plans are also being considered to start actively managing the two woodlands on the farm.

The farm is also the home of the Willow Bank, which supplies a wide range of willow varieties and installs living willow structures. Many of these can be seen around the farm. In addition, there is an interesting range of ecological building styles on the farm, and there is both mature and newly planted woodland.

For more information on the farm, including a pictorial tour, see www.ragmans.co.uk (Please note that you should use the booking form on this website, not the one on the Ragmans Lane site.)

Accommodation
This is in the bunkhouse, a converted stone barn with many ecological features. There are no individual or double rooms, but you’re welcome to bring a caravan or a bender if you want private living space. You’ll still be able to make full use of the bunkhouse facilities, and there is no reduction in price for those in their own living space.

You can stay full time during the course or just for the four teaching days. Only a limited number of students can stay full time, so if you wish to do this please apply as soon as possible. Everyone must leave for the half term break as another course takes place then.

The course is self-catering, with kitchen and dining facilities in the bunkhouse. We cook communally and buy wholefoods in bulk. This means each student only helps with food preparation on one of the teaching days each week, and food costs have worked out at around £3 per day on previous courses.

Fees
The full fee, including tuition and accommodation is £1550.

If you’re under 19 or receiving Job-Seekers Allowance or any means-tested benefit, including Housing Benefit, you are eligible for the full concessionary rate of £550.

If you’re on a low income but not receiving benefit we can offer you a partial concession. We don't have a fixed rate for this but arrive at it according to the individual circumstances of each person. Please contact us and we’ll be happy to discuss it with you. We can also offer information about possible sources of external funding.

If you’re only taking some of the modules, the fee is £175 per week (pro rata for half weeks if applicable). The full concessionary rate per week is
£65.

A deposit of £70 must be paid on booking. A further £480 must be paid by 31st November. Deposits are non-returnable unless we’re able to fill your place. The balance, if any, is payable on arrival at the course.

Please make cheques payable to P&C Whitefield.

We also accept payment in euros. Please calculate your payment according to the current excahnge rate.
Please make Euro checks payable to C Whitefield or contact us for bank transfer details.

There’s a charge of £10 per weekend for those who are staying on the farm full time, only payable on weekends when you’re actually there.

To book a place please fill in the booking form and send it in with your deposit.

If you’d like your free copy of The Earth Care Manual sent to you now please tick the box on the booking form and add £7 p & p to your deposit.

For More Information
If you’d like to discuss any aspect of the course, please contact us by phone or e-mail. We’re always happy to hear from you. If you want more details of the course contents we can send you a sample timetable.

What previous students have said about the Sustainable Land Use course:

“. . . excellent and inspiring and has fulfilled my expectations plus a lot more.” Howard Meadowcroft.

“. . . covered a lot of ground in a lively and interesting way, and was well varied with a good amount of student participation.” Barbara Charvet.

“Patrick's teaching, enthusiasm and knowledge are excellent.” Dominic Guy.

“This is the best educational experience of my life.” Lucy Bates.

Don't forget! The full deposit of £550 is due by 31st Nov 2008.
Post early to beat the Christmas rush!