I've built up a business over the last six or seven years running courses in skills for sustainable living - simple woodwork with hand tools only and organic gardening. It's inspiring and heartening to see people with no previous experience make something from scratch or take those first vital steps in their own gardens.
IAN'S BACKGROUND - ECO ADVENTURES
I'm a woodworker, therapist and general eco adventurer. Since a wake-up moment in 2006, I've been actively exploring what a sustainable way of life might look like, visiting and helping out on eco-projects, small holdings, hill farms and community gardens here in the UK and in Portugal. Read all about my work at Lammas Eco Village, Treflach Farm, Quinta Serrinha and on many other projects here: Ian's Eco Blog.
BACK IN PERTH
I moved back to my hometown, Perth, with my partner, Ruth, in 2017, got involved with the Zero Waste initiative and with the early days of Perth Community Farm (PCF). The farm has now grown into a busy and inspiring project, and has some brilliant features:
PCF - TEACHING/MEETING/EVENT SPACE
We felt that teaching would be a major role for the farm right from the start - teaching by demonstration and experience rather than lecturing. When we put up our larger polytunnel we kept half of the space open so that it could be used for courses, events and visits. This has proved to be very successful and inspiring for visitors such as local schools, businesses and gardening groups. It has also been an excellent venue for my own woodworking and other courses: Ian's Practical Workshops.
PCF - FUNDING
People are often surprised that no one managing or helping to run the farm receives a wage, it is entirely run by volunteers in their own time. We have had very welcome funding for capital expenses, such as our larger polytunnel, and donations, such as for our smaller polytunnel, but we do not have regular funding for wages. All of us core volunteers have our own work and incomes. My own business, Ian's Practical Workshops, funds my voluntary work indirectly, at PCF and on two other projects, Inverquiech Farm and Cottage Three Growspace. I run courses at all three projects, focused on skills for sustainable living.
PCF - MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL ARRANGEMENTS
My business has some interesting mutual benefit/network features which might be a model for other enterprises:
- The income from running my courses allows me to do my voluntary work at the farm and on other projects. I have had a hand in the design and building of all the farm's infrastructure.
- My courses bring a steady stream of new people to the farm, many of whom go on to get involved regularly.
- My courses also fund materials, eg for the new compost toilet at Inverquiech, and participants have often worked on fixtures for the farm while learning, such as trestles and benches. In return, our friend at Inverquiech has offered to make a species count on our wilderness area to help us resist any attempts to develop that land for building.
PCF - MANAGEMENT
Perth Community Farm is managed by a core of four volunteers, two of us have been with the farm right from its start. We do not have a boss as such and our decision making is not a from-the-top-down-commands process. Typically, someone will make a suggestion and we will all consider it, then may or may not try out the idea, often as an experiment before trying it in a bigger way. This works well for us and I wonder if there's anything that other organisations could adopt from this sort of approach. I hear all the time about work situations where poor management has ruined working life for many employees.
PCF - PRODUCE
We focus on growing as wide a range of plants as we can, so that people can see that it's possible to grow things like grapes and asparagus quite easily, as well as the usual potatoes and onions. We volunteers share our produce amongst ourselves and give away any surplus to charities.
HELP, SHARE, LEARN AND HAVE FUN AT PCF!
Our regular volunteers' day is Wednesday, you're welcome to drop in any time between 11am and 3pm
See you soon!
Ian
I'm a woodworker, therapist and general eco adventurer. Since a wake-up moment in 2006, I've been actively exploring what a sustainable way of life might look like, visiting and helping out on eco-projects, small holdings, hill farms and community gardens here in the UK and in Portugal. Read all about my work at Lammas Eco Village, Treflach Farm, Quinta Serrinha and on many other projects here: Ian's Eco Blog.
BACK IN PERTH
I moved back to my hometown, Perth, with my partner, Ruth, in 2017, got involved with the Zero Waste initiative and with the early days of Perth Community Farm (PCF). The farm has now grown into a busy and inspiring project, and has some brilliant features:
PCF - TEACHING/MEETING/EVENT SPACE
We felt that teaching would be a major role for the farm right from the start - teaching by demonstration and experience rather than lecturing. When we put up our larger polytunnel we kept half of the space open so that it could be used for courses, events and visits. This has proved to be very successful and inspiring for visitors such as local schools, businesses and gardening groups. It has also been an excellent venue for my own woodworking and other courses: Ian's Practical Workshops.
PCF - FUNDING
People are often surprised that no one managing or helping to run the farm receives a wage, it is entirely run by volunteers in their own time. We have had very welcome funding for capital expenses, such as our larger polytunnel, and donations, such as for our smaller polytunnel, but we do not have regular funding for wages. All of us core volunteers have our own work and incomes. My own business, Ian's Practical Workshops, funds my voluntary work indirectly, at PCF and on two other projects, Inverquiech Farm and Cottage Three Growspace. I run courses at all three projects, focused on skills for sustainable living.
PCF - MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL ARRANGEMENTS
My business has some interesting mutual benefit/network features which might be a model for other enterprises:
- The income from running my courses allows me to do my voluntary work at the farm and on other projects. I have had a hand in the design and building of all the farm's infrastructure.
- My courses bring a steady stream of new people to the farm, many of whom go on to get involved regularly.
- My courses also fund materials, eg for the new compost toilet at Inverquiech, and participants have often worked on fixtures for the farm while learning, such as trestles and benches. In return, our friend at Inverquiech has offered to make a species count on our wilderness area to help us resist any attempts to develop that land for building.
PCF - MANAGEMENT
Perth Community Farm is managed by a core of four volunteers, two of us have been with the farm right from its start. We do not have a boss as such and our decision making is not a from-the-top-down-commands process. Typically, someone will make a suggestion and we will all consider it, then may or may not try out the idea, often as an experiment before trying it in a bigger way. This works well for us and I wonder if there's anything that other organisations could adopt from this sort of approach. I hear all the time about work situations where poor management has ruined working life for many employees.
PCF - PRODUCE
We focus on growing as wide a range of plants as we can, so that people can see that it's possible to grow things like grapes and asparagus quite easily, as well as the usual potatoes and onions. We volunteers share our produce amongst ourselves and give away any surplus to charities.
HELP, SHARE, LEARN AND HAVE FUN AT PCF!
Our regular volunteers' day is Wednesday, you're welcome to drop in any time between 11am and 3pm
See you soon!
Ian
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