Recently, our friends from the Green School Village association in Bulgaria had the opportunity to visit some of the UK's LAND (Learning and Network Demonstration) centers. These centers are dedicated to promoting sustainable living and permaculture practices, and our friends were excited to learn from the experts and bring back valuable insights to share with our community.
First on their itinerary was a visit to Hyde Park Source, a community-run urban permaculture project located in the heart of London. Here, they saw how a group of dedicated individuals had transformed a small patch of land into a thriving food garden, complete with fruit trees, vegetable beds, and a community-built cob oven. They were impressed by the innovative and sustainable practices used at Hyde Park Source, such as rainwater harvesting and composting, and learned how these methods can be adapted to suit any urban setting.
Next, they headed to Henbant Permaculture Farm in Wales, where they were welcomed by the farm's owner, who shared his knowledge and experience of running a successful permaculture farm. They got to see the farm's diverse range of crops, including vegetables, fruits, and herbs, and learned about the various permaculture techniques used to grow them. They also got a chance to learn about the farm's livestock and how they are integrated into the permaculture system.
Finally, they visited the Scotswood Natural Community Garden, a community-run project that aims to provide a space for local residents to grow their own food and connect with nature. The garden is a model of sustainable living, with a focus on organic gardening, composting, and rainwater harvesting. They learned how the garden is an important resource for the community, providing fresh produce, education and training opportunities, and a place for people to come together and share their knowledge and skills.
To visit those LAND centers was a valuable learning experience for our friends from the Green School Village association. They were inspired by the innovative and sustainable practices they saw, and are excited to bring back what they learned to our community. We hope that this blog post will encourage others to visit these LAND centers and learn more about sustainable living and permaculture.