Project includes small forest garden and allotment. Space in dvelopment for food storage, preparation and cooking, as well as permaculture display and resource library and workshop to demonstrate aspects of low-carbon, sustainable living. Outdoor areas demonstrate a domestic-scale garden of useful plants using permaculture design methods in an urban setting.

A thirty year old forest garden (the longest standing intentional food forest garden in Britain according to Permaculture Magazine) fully equipped as a teaching space with major improvements to our household in terms of energy efficiency. Last year (2018) we have grown over a tonne of food in a fifth of an acre (800 sq metres or .08 of a hectare). Peak yield has been 1.25 metric tonnes of food. This is a yield rate pro-rata of 16 tonnes a hectare, twice what even the best chemical farmers produce here. For the last many years we have also produced our own firewood and half our electricity, and operated a working plant and tree nursery in the same space. We are now changing that arrangement as we are getting older, but the garden is still highly productive. We continue to teach courses here and off site. Our main expertise and interest are Permaculture Design (introductory, full design course, and advanced), Forest Gardening, Food Preservation and Permaculture Training of Teachers.

The Apricot Centre is a social enterprise (CIC). We produce high quality food on our 34 Acre farm at Huxham's Cross in Dartington South Devon, growing a wide range of Biodynamic and Organic produce including vegetables, fruit, jams, chutneys, juices and flours. Huxham's Cross Farm is also the home and therapeutic space for the The Apricot Centre Well being Service providing therapeutic support for families and children in both East Anglia and in Devon, using the farm and nature as a co-therapist. Where the two activities overlap we offer a rich experience on the farm for children and their families, providing mentoring for young people with specific needs such as special education, behaviour or mental health needs. We also provide school visits, children and adult workshops in traditional rural crafts and skills, training courses that cover land and person Permaculture Design, Biodynamics and many other courses. We have a very successful Permaculture Consultancy service on the farm and have helped design and support a wide range of businesses and can often be found at festivals across the country spreading the word of setting up Permaculture Projects. We have also designed a number of school gardens working alongside children, staff and parents in creating and implementing a garden that is specific to the schools needs and to help support their curriculum.

We run a number of volunteer days and community events including Open Farm Sunday, plant sales and in the future art exhibitions, treeplanting events and apple pressing.

The aim of the Apricot Centre is to create and run a sustainable diverse farm, well being service and business. It recognises that there is a fundamental link between the well being of the soil, food and habitat and the mental and physical health of the people in and around the farm, making for a wonderful environment for a warm and effective mental health/ well being service for children and families. The Apricot centre is a small (CIC) company that cares for the environment and for people.

Our Ethos & Underlying Principles

Value diversity at all levels of the business
Follow the feedback of the system allowing it to evolve ('Feedback leads the way')
The 'edge' of a system is where it is exciting, creative, and where potential lies.
Where there is a disturbance there is wisdom within the disturbance. This allows us to creatively work with change.
The Aim of the Apricot Centre is to create and run a sustainable diverse farm, well being service and business. It recognises that there is a fundamental link between the well being of the soil, food and habitat and the mental and physical health of the people in and around the farm, making for a wonderful environment for a warm and effective mental health/ well being service for children and families.

Our Objectives are:

To produce Local Sustainable Food
To create sustainable bio diverse farms that support wildlife
To provide for and support the mental well being of families and children that visit the farm for therapy, education or recreational purposes.
To provide training courses and consultation on how to do this.
To create an economically resilient business
To support the well being and professional development of its staff and team.
To collect data and research on the effectiveness of these models
Although this might seem to be an unusual mixture what we have found the underlying principles inform our work both with people and the environment.