Visit to the Permaculture Trust.

On the 29th October, a bitterly cold but actually sunny and dry afternoon saw us travel in convoy through Drefach Felidre to the Permaculture Trust where Philip, Michelle and their two small children live and work the soil for total self-sufficiently.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FARM

A 20 acre farm, at Bach y Gwyddel, straddling the hamlets of Cwmpengraig and Penboyr, has been farmed organically for 35 years. Set on a hillside, it looks out south and west with stunning views across a wooded valley and up to hill pasture and scattered farms beyond. The farm comprises wildflower meadows and mixed grazing pasture bordered by mature hedgerows (particularly laburnum), 3 acres of woodland, a tree nursery, ponds, sheep, bees, a multi-purpose wooden pole barn, retreat and camping areas, rainwater catchment for the fruit & vegetable gardens & allotments, compost toilets and solar showers. Bats, badgers and buzzards find a home here in this very peaceful rural setting.

• The aims of the trust; 
• To maintain one or more areas of land in Dyfed as a holistic permaculture system, aiming at self sufficiency in basic foods, fuel, water and energy: and recycling wastes.
• To research and record the process of designing and implementing this system, offering students of organic growing, green design, sustainable living, alternative technology, country crafts and skills and other allied disciplines the opportunity to put theory into practice.
• To offer educational courses, work placement activities and recreational events as a way of integrating work, study and play.
• To establish close working relationships with the local community, including welcoming visitors, learning and using the welsh language, and sharing information and resources
• To provide space for, and to conserve, an ever increasing diversity and complexity of wildlife on the site: devoting some areas entirely to wilderness and incorporating wildlife needs into designs
• To carry out the above objects with a commitment to co-operation, a respect for all life, and a willingness to take decisions in a spirit of simplicity, truth and love.

• HOW THE TRUST WORKS

The Trust has had a home at Bach Y Gwyddel since January 1995. It is owned by it’s members, overseen by trustees, run by a management committee; with the day-to-day workings carried our by a Farming & Conservation Group and an Education Group.

The Trust manages the land sustainably; sells yellow rattle seed (a pioneer wildflower species that suppresses grass) to support the development of new wildflower meadows; hosts educational visits & courses that empower people to live & work in a more sustainable way through learning & practising new skills; as well as providing space for local people to grow food & set up small livelihoods.

MAKING ENDS MEET

The Trust is a not-for-profit enterprise registered with Environment Wales and a Permaculture Association member. The Farm derives a small income from produce (such as wildflower seed, hay, trees and cuttings), letting space for allotments and bee keeping, as well as educational visits/courses (such as woodland crafts), recreational events (such as LETS fairs and parties), camping and retreats. Other income comes from membership fees, donations and grants (which in the past have included Society for Environmental Improvement, Environment Wales, Coed Cymru, Carmarthen County Council and the National Assembly). It currently receives a 10 yr Tir Gofal grant for sustainable Land Management (through the National Assembly).

GETTING INVOLVED

Get involved with activities here by joining either the Farming & Conservation Group or the Education Group (or even set up a new group to help implement our future plans)

• Take part in an Education Visit Day or Course
• Camp or come on Retreat
• Hold your own Event or Course here
• Rent Organic Allotment space
• Buy willow cuttings
• Stay for up to week, doing volunteer work in exchange for food and boa

Rydlewis & District Gardening Club Meeting Tuesday 29th Oct. 

Visit to the Permaculture Farm Trust in Penboyr from 2.0 pm.

Dear member,

We do hope you’re able to come on this afternoon farm visit. Please note that due to the limited amount of parking space at the Permaculture Farm (5 - 6 cars), we are meeting at the Rhydlewis community hall at 1.30 pm so that we can car share for the journey.

However, in case anyone does wish to go directly to the farm, then the directions are as follows from Newcastle Emlyn:

Take the A484 going east towards Carmarthen.  After about 3 miles ( in the hamlet of Pentrecagal ), turn right towards Drefach Felindre.  Follow the main road into Drefach Felindre and on through the village and over the humpback bridge and onwards (about 200 yards) when you will see a left turn up a very steep hill.  Take this left turn and continue up the hill and continue until the hamlet of Penboyr.  Continue through Penboyr until you reach a red telephone box on your left.  Directly opposite the telephone box (on your right) is a very narrow unmarked track leading down to the farm.  The track surface is very uneven and stony so care is needed especially if you have a low ground clearance on your vehicle.At the end of the track (about 200 yards), turn left through an open gate and after about 30 yards there will be a small parking area. Some parking is available opposite the village hall in Penboyr but this will mean walking down he track to the farm.

NAUGHTY BUT NICE?

The terrain of the farm is fairly uneven and could be slippery in some areas so it may be appropriate to wear strong footware or wellies and possibly some warm rainproof clothing, just in case of bad weather conditions.  Hopefully the sun will be shining.

Should have any questions, then please give Nina or myself a ring on 01239 851096 or email us at ninahare@yahoo.com. Look forward to seeing you all soon

The Rhydlewis Gardening Club Autumn Produce Show 2013

Here we are almost in September and you can tell that autumn is upon us; the earth smells of fungi and there is a chill in the evening air. We celebrated a good growing season with our autumn harvest of exhibits. Well done to all the winners, and an even bigger thank you to everyone who took part.

The Five Vegetables class was almost as colourful as the flower classes; the winner was Janette Sharman with Dilys Davies coming second. 

Kathryn Horton, a new member, with her winning tea cosy in the Homecraft knitting class. She was placed second in another Homecraft class.

 Joy Hayles, right, who hasn't exhibited before, won two of the Flower classes and was placed first and second in two Homecraft classes.

Winner of the D&G Williams Shield for Homecraft,  the Rose Shield and the Floral Cup was Pam Evens. Congratulations, Pam, an extremely good result for a regular competitor.       

The winner of the Vegetable Cup was Janette Sharman who displayed an excellent array of vegetables in most classes, as well winning classes in Homecraft and Flower Arrangements.

Don't forget to put the next meeting in your diary; Sue Parker is coming to talk to us about wild orchids on Tuesday September the 24th - 7.30pm as always.

The Summer Party in full swing

 July 30th brought Rhydlewis Gardening Club's Summer Party to Nina and Jim's cottage, Rhos Hill. 



We had a break in the clouds for the party, after a drizzly start to the week which allowed everyone to wander round our half acre. 

Luckily, this year has been kind to most of our gardens and our veg plot as been blossoming. We've given veg away, and beans, peas and courgettes especially are coming out of our ears, we've eaten so many.

 Naturally, most people brought a dish from their garden's produce to go on the table  - everything from our lovely tennis-ball sized beetroots to gooseberries and other soft fruits, rich, eggie quiches and delicious,  inventive
salads and other delights to compliment the round of cold beef.

The evening stayed dry, if not bright and some brave souls managed to sit outside and enjoy their food, chatting to late in the evening. 

It was particularly nice to see new members, we do hope you can come again; it's the Produce Show next and the programme is already available from Rhydlewis Post Office or, by attachment, from Nina and Jim.

Thank you for coming and sharing our garden with us for one summer's evening.

Garden Visit June 2013

 A fine day for our garden visit to Sychpant  near Newcastle Emlyn, where Doreen and Billy Driscoll garden with skill and humour combined. Over twenty of the gardening club came to wander through the sunny garden, chuckling at the horticultural jokes and admiring the skill and determination of the gardeners. Doreen is always working on her garden; the Japanese garden is the latest addition.  The various themes were entertaining and imaginative, and I also loved the vegetable plot, which was the only conventional part of the garden, I think! The pictures will give you some idea of how original and successful her planting and landscaping is.

Afterwards we all went to the Riverside Cafe for stupendous veggie buffet meal. 
Still bathed in sunshine, some of us ate and chatted by the Teify in the Riverside garden. 
Everyone seemed to have a good time.

So now we turn our attention to the Summer Party; it's just all fun, fun, fun this time of year for Gardening Club Members.

Spring Show 2013

The Spring Show was voted a success by everyone who attended; the weather has been bitter for so long, with almost no let-up after a extremely wet winter, which 

made every single entry a triumph of gardener over climate.

Well done all exhibitors, and congratulations especially to Janette Sherman, who won the Derrick and Barbara Calow Memorial Cup, to Liz Climmer for her unusual and near-perfect spray of forsythia, which won Best in Show, and to Erica Knight for winning Best Exhibit Class 23...those pesky club tulips!