The first two courses in basic woodwork I run cover everything you need to know for making simple everyday things for the home and garden, stools, raised beds, trestles, picture frames - all with hand tools. With plenty of practice, you can even use the same tools and experience to make seriously useful stuff - such as the extra sheltered space we've made at the farm. I'm very proud to say that a couple of the people helping me on this project had no previous experience at all...
Monday, May 15, 2023
GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS - 7th May 2023
TEN THOUSAND CARROTS
On this course Charlotte and I tried to pack in as much information and as many techniques, with hands-on practice, as we possibly could. We covered seed sowing and propagating plants from root and stem cuttings, compost making and management, planting tatties and onions, different kinds of fruit and veg beds and managing them, and a bit about forest garden, orchard and woodland management. Perth Community Farm is a brilliant place for doing all this as we have such a wide range of stuff set up for people to see in action, rather than just reading about it. We always planned that teaching would be our main function - I reckon teaching 100 people to grow carrots is better than just growing a hundred carrots yourself. If a hundred people grow a hundred carrots you get ten thousand carrots...
NEXT DATE FOR THIS COURSE - SUNDAY 4th JUNE
NEW SPACE AT THE FARM
Friday, March 3, 2023
!? RATIONING !?
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| Pipe smoking optional... |
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
Basic Woodwork first level - 19 Feb 23
This course has been really popular, it gives complete beginners a chance to try cordless drills, handsaws and other basic woodworking tools and gain that vital confidence to start making and repairing stuff themselves.
I've been teaching it for a few years now and have found the best way is to split up tasks, like sawing accurately, into little chunks, demonstrate each bit then give plenty of time for practice. I set up various different simple practice pieces for that.
Thursday, February 9, 2023
FRUIT TREE PRUNING 2023
We put on two fruit tree pruning courses this year which both sold out. It's really encouraging that interest in all aspects of sustainable living is picking up so strongly.
We held one course at Perth Community Farm and one in a large well-established garden belonging to a lovely couple I met through one of our earlier gardening courses. The basic principles of pruning and tree care in general are reasonably simple, it's more a question (like so many things) of practice, practice, practice - and everyone got plenty of that on these two days... more detail about pruning on my post from last year here.
Tuesday, January 10, 2023
ALL THINGS SUSTAINABLE - Woodworking and more...
We had a great response from the courses we put on at the farm last year, people find them really informative and we have lots of fun too, so I'm building on that for this year with repeats of the popular events and some brand new ones too.
| Lots of clamps... a brand new level two woodwork course, whole weekend for repairing, reclaiming, repurposing and getting creative |
I'm putting everything in a collection here on EVENTBRITE.
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We've been making this second tiny house for Inverquiech over three shed making courses, two at Kate's and one at Perth Community Fa...
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I've set up some classes for the first few months of 2026 - they're all ideal for people with little or no experience. My big missio...
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THE WAY OF THE WOODS Here in Perthshire we're very fortunate to have lots of wonderful woodland around us. These photos are from Kinnoul...






