Helping and protecting the environment has been my passion since I was a child. I started thinking the permaculture way when I was 8. I learned that trees produce the oxygen that we breath, so I persuaded my parents to plant an oak tree in the garden. My passion for permaculture was born, even though I didn't know the word.
My quest to find better ways to live in harmony with nature was begun.
From as far back as I can remember, I have felt a desire to be deeply connected with nature. Over the years my nature connection journey has included playing in the rain as a child, being a scout master in my late teens, organizing survival expeditions for young offenders in my twenties and living entirely off grid in a Scottish woodland for four years in a self-made shelter with a wood burning stove.
My ongoing exploration of sustainable food production systems and ways of reconnecting people to their natural environment has led me to establish myself as a forest garden/permaculture designer and teacher and bushcraft mentor.
Earth Ways was created by Ludwig Appeltans in 2007 in a response to a fast-growing demand worldwide for sustainable ways of living that work in collaboration with nature rather than continually fighting against it. He has many years’ experience of restoring natural habitats, re-introducing biodiversity, pioneering sustainable ways of growing food and harvesting bio fuels, as well as mentoring others in bushcraft and survival skills. Ludwig obtained his Permaculture Designer Certificate in 2009 from Patrick Whitefield, the foremost permaculture expert in Britain. Ludwig successfully completed a Permaculture Training of Teachers course organised by 'Designed Visions' in 2010.
In September 2011, I started the Penninghame Permaculture Project. There I also completed a Natural Health Coach training with the fantastic teachers Bill Tara and Marlene Watson-Tara.
I have set up a permaculture farm since Nov 2013 in Forres and after 5 years of an intense and successful journey, moved to a permanent location on the Isle of Skye, were I am not working hard on setting up a Nature based Permaculture Community.
I’m teaching short, 2 week residential and 2 month PDC courses, and am taking clients for permaculture design and consultation.