Project aims and how to get involved...

Background

When we asked members for their views on a range of possible projects in 2007, farming was the number one priority. Since then we have been developing links, research and project proposals to take this forward. For the past few months we have been consolidating this previous work to form the basis of a new farming project proposal, informed by the following three aims:

1. Support and learn from people already using permaculture at a farm scale.
2. Create an evidence base to inform farmers and policy makers about permaculture's  benefits.
3. Work to make permaculture skills, research and resources more widely accessible.

Get involved

Read the latest Project Report
Featuring key observations from the 2011 Permaculture Farm Project survey and some initial development of potential project ideas. Now is the time for prioritising the ideas and clarifying the options for delivering them. Please send us your comments (select 'farming' from the drop-down menu).

Attend the workshop - 7th February 2012, Leeds
The participatory workshop aims to move this project forwards collaboratively through discussion amongst permaculture farmers, practitioners and consultants. Survey responses will feed directly into the workshop. From this we will develop the project proposal and subsequent funding applications.

If you are interested in attending and wish to enquire about arrangements, please contact Celia.

Vision

Transition to Sustainable Farming Project (working title)
"By 2020 the UK farming community has on-farm demonstrations and skills in all regions for the transition to a new era of ‘regenerative’ agriculture – maintaining productivity whilst building soils, capturing atmospheric CO2, and sustaining local communities. This new era farming has an increasing resilience to rising oil prices, maximises local solar energy and nutrient flows to build sustainability, and uses advanced information technology to reduce wasteful excessive transport and synthetic inputs.

By 2020 the Transition to Sustainable Farming Project has built a network of farmers and organisations that demonstrates a range of sustainable farming models and food supply chains. This is the basis of a farmer support and learning network, ready to enable widespread adoption of regenerative agriculture."

That's the vision, and we want to make it happen and we are working with a range of organisations to see if we can make it happen together. Permaculture is an important aspect of sustainable agriculture, but not the whole picture, which is why we believe it is so important to create a collaborative venture that makes best use of the many other sustainable agriculture organisations, networks, practitioners and resources.

Some useful links

Carbon Farmers of America (http://carbonfarmersofamerica.com/) Carbon Farmers of America, was created in 2006 by a group of family farmers in Vermont and Massachusetts committed to the health of the Earth and dedicated to rebuilding prosperity in our rural communities.

Soil Carbon Coalition (http://soilcarboncoalition.org/) To advance the practice, and engage people in the opportunity, of turning atmospheric carbon into soil organic matter (oxidize less, photosynthesize more).

Holistic Management International http://www.holisticmanagement.org/

Managing Wholes (http://managingwholes.com/index.php) This grassroots site is about management for simultaneous social, financial, and ecological benefit. Their goal is to promote change toward a future that works.

Climate Friendly Food (www.climatefriendlyfood.org.uk) Have produced a useful carbon calculator for farmers.