If you have the means (Spotify), please play this track, then read on: Noah And The Whale – Instrumental I

There was a near full moon and it was dark when I set off to climb the hill this morning. Here are some photos of the view nearer the top. Imagine seeing this (next time I’ll take a better camera, sorry) and listening to that tune. It does something incredible to my chest .. such.. almost longing. Incredible.

Apart from the more specific ones (like ‘keep water high on the land’, but maybe just try to metaphor these as taoist haikus to trigger bewildering insights.)

• Relative Location Components placed in a system are viewed relatively, not in isolation. Functional Relationship between components.
• Everything is connected to everything else. Recognise functional relationships between elements.
• Every function is supported by many elements – Redundancy Good design ensures that all important functions can withstand the failure of one or more element.
• Every element is supported by many functions Each element we include is a system, chosen and placed so that it performs as many functions as possible.
• Local Focus “Think globally – Act locally” Grow your own food, cooperate with neighbours. Community efficiency not self-sufficiency.
• Diversity As a general rule, as sustainable systems mature they become increasingly diverse in both space and time. What is important is the complexity of the functional relationships that exist between elements not the number of elements.
• Biological Resources We know living things reproduce and build up their availability over time, assisted by their interaction with other compatible elements. Use and reserve biological intelligence.
• One Calorie In/One Calorie Out Do not consume or export more biomass than carbon fixed by the solar budget.
• Stocking Finding the balance of various elements to keep one from overpowering another over time. How much of an element needs to be produced in order to fulfil the need of whole system?
• Stacking Multi-level functions for single element (stacking functions). Multi-level garden design, ie., trellising, forest garden, vines, ground covers, etc.
• Succession Recognise that certain elements prepare the way for system to supports other elements in the future, i.e.: succession planting.
• Use Onsite Resources Determine what resources are available and entering the system on their own and maximise their use.
• Edge Effect Ecotones are the most diverse and fertile area in a system. Two ecosystems come together to form a third which has more diversity than either of the other two, i.e.: edges of ponds, forests, meadows, currents etc.
• Energy Recycling Yields from system designed to supply onsite needs and/or needs of local region.
• Small Scale Intensive Systems start small and create a system that is manageable and produces a high yield.
• Make Least Change for the Greatest Effect The less change that is generated, the less embedded energy is used to endow the system.
• Planting Strategy 1st-natives, 2nd-proven exotics, 3rd unproven exotics – carefully on small scale with lots of observation.
• Work Within Nature Aiding the natural cycles results in higher yield and less work. A little support goes along way.
• Appropriate Technology The same principles apply to cooking, lighting, transportation, heating, sewage treatment, water and other utilities.
• Law of Return Whatever we take, we must return Every object must responsibly provide for its replacement.
• Stress and Harmony Stress here may be defined as either prevention of natural function, or of forced function. Harmony may be defined as the integration of chosen and natural functions, and the easy supply of essential needs.
• The Problem is the solution We are the problem, we are the solution. Turn constraints into resources
• Mistakes are tools for learning
• The yield of a system is theoretically unlimited The only limit on the number of uses of a resource possible is the limit of information and imagination of designer.
• Dispersal of Yield Over Time Principal of seven generations. We can use energy to construct these systems, providing that in their lifetime, they store or conserve more energy that we use to construct them or to maintain them.
• A Policy of Responsibility (to relinquish power) The role of successful design is to create a self-managed system.
• Principle of Disorder Order and harmony produce energy for other uses. Disorder consumes energy to no useful end. Tidiness is maintained disorder.
• Chaos Has form, but is not predictable. The amplification of small fluctuations.
• Entropy In complex systems disorder is an increasing result. Entropy and lifeforce are a stable pair that maintain the universe to infinity.
• Metastability For a complex system to remain stable, there must be small pockets of disorder.
• Entelechy Principal of genetic intelligence. i.e. The rose has thorns to protect itself.
• Observation Protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted and thoughtless labor.
• We are surrounded by insurmountable opportunities
• Wait one year
• Hold water and fertility as high (in elevation) on the landscape as possible
• The only ethical decision is to take responsibility for our own existence and that of our children.
• Cooperation, not competition, is the very basis of future survival and of existing life systems.

http://www.thefarm.org/permaculture/

Just the other day somebody
Said to me, hey maybe you’re slightly schizophrenic
And a little out of reach my friend.
I said, yes that?s partly true,
But jokes aside, I can explain,
It?s just my way of keep in track with
Living on this planet now, then
Have you turned on your TV?
Have you seen reality?
Have you found the program, that you spend your whole life looking for?
There’s a girl in Camden Town,
And decision makes her frown.
Which dress would she wear today and which way should she smile at me?

How did it come to this?
How did it ever come to this?

All this noise and all this lies,
All this talking through the nights,
All this expectation now,
It’s making me neurotic, tell me
Have I seen your face before?
Have forgot to say hello!
Though I’d made it clear now,
That I’ve always been a smiler, tell me

How did it come to this?
How did it ever come to this?

Just the other day somebody
Said to me, hey maybe you’re also slightly
OCD, a little out of reach my friend.
I said, yes that?s partly true,
But jokes aside, please stay with me,
It’s just my way of compartmentalising
All the things I see

How did it come to this?
How did it ever come to this?

Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread,
Whose flocks supply him with attire;
Whose trees in summer yield shade,
In winter, fire.

Blest, who can unconcern’dly find
Hours, days, and years, slide soft away
In health of body, peace of mind,
Quiet by day.

Sound sleep by night; study and ease
Together mixed; sweet recreation,
And innocence, which most does please
With meditation.

Thus let me live, unseen, unknown;
Thus unlamented let me die;
Steal from the world, and not a stone
Tell where I lie.

Solitude. by Alexander Pope

I was there the other day filling up with petrol, and they had something sitting in a huge wooden crate next to the car wash, so I asked if they had plans for the wood once they’d unpacked it.

They didn’t know, so I left a number, and they’ve just called up, three days later, and said it’s ready for pickup if I’d like it!

Ace! Thanks, Waitrose!

We’re setting up a small-holding in West Lexham, Norfolk, on 2 acres of land. We will be suppling food to, and helping out with the development of, the new sustainability centre which is being developed there, renovating an old farm (photos, and more about the plans).

Ali has taken up the offer of a full-time job with the UN Principles for Responsible Investment. They are a WONDERFUL organisation who have found a very successful way of enculturing civilisation amongst the financial sector by asking them to adhere to a set of principles. I’m very proud. It’s changing the world in a huge and subtle way.

In addition to some interesting and fun interface design work with an old employer, I’m rekindling Online Personal Assistant. I’m also going to be doing a permaculture course in October for a few weeks.

Our field is just across the road from our house (annotated map) and so very easy to get to. It slopes away to the south, so catches lots of sun, and is bordered on all sides by trees, with many large oaks. It’s a lovely place to be working.

We hope to be getting our first pigs in a month or so, once we’ve re-fenced, and obtained our DEFRA licences. About the same time you will be able to invest in Lexham Farm* Pork Futures, wherein you invest in your pig now, and when it’s ready we supply you with discounted, organic, packed-and-delivered rare-breed pork, butchered and prepared to your wishes. Alas we’re unlikely to have any ready before Christmas, but if we can, you’ll be the first to know.

If you’re thinking – as I know some of you will be, “Sustainability centre? That sounds a bit wafty / dull / predictable / ambitious ..” Then you will probably be reassured by the same fact which first drew me to it: it’s all taking place on the family estate of one of the chaps who established the Secret Garden Party, Ed Colville. This immediately speaks volumes about its vibrancy, and potential to ignite the imagination, whilst being economically sustainable.

If you’re thinking “Sustainability centre? What does that even mean?” then there is an Open Weekend happening on 25-26th September where we’ll talk about what the place is going to be. (In essence, we’re currently looking at a sort of social / rural enterprise Hub type setup, coupled with courses, events, and erm.. things. A blend of renaissance enterprise, the Centre for Alternative Technology without too much geekery, and Findhorn without too much herbally-infused expressive dance)  If you’re disposed, it would be lovely to see you. There will be festivities, tours around the buildings and gardens, camping, and probably swimming if it’s warm. I’ll post more details about this later, but save the date.

I was up at the farm yesterday, emptying the car from our journey back from France, and it’s really very lovely. It’s going to great up there. Everything is right on the doorstep: barns, toolsheds, fields, good people, and just 90 minutes into central London and 30 minutes to the beach. Ideal, really.

* Or whatever it ends up being called. Any ideas? We’ll decide after the Open Weekend.

Exactly a week, almost to the hour, after the end of our experience chez Jimmy’s Farm, I was helping a farmer friend with a little challenge:

1. There is a field with some cows in it.
2. We have some hurdles.
3. We need to make a pen.
4. We need to herd the cows into the pen.
5. We need to select the small bull from the herd, and put it into a trailer.

The small bull (let’s call him Randy) we needed was following around a big old cow called Rita, who was the most fertile of the herd. She also had a calf. So if we focus on getting the calf into the pen (which was easy enough to build), then Rita would follow, and Randy would follow Rita.

It worked a treat. We moved nice and slowly and let them take their time, stood in the right places to funnel them suitably, and then swooped quickly to pull the hurdles together, to close the opening we’d made to let them into the pen.

So there we all are. Rita, her calf, and Randy all in the pen together. Tidy job, plenty of time left to spare.

“Are these going to be OK without a pin [to hold the hurdles together]?” I asked the very experienced and successful farmer.

“No, that’ll be fine. Come and hold the gate here whilst I drive him out.” And since the hurdles are pretty heavy, and appeared to the eye to be closed, it seemed like a reasonable assertion.

I went to do the gate. Nameless Farmer started moving the cows towards the gate. Randy turns … and bolts out of the pen the way he’d come in, straight through the unpinned hurdles.

Alas I’m contractually prevented from telling you quite how similar this was to the events of a week before, but I just wanted to salve my indefatigably tiresome ego by telling this story of how the seasoned professionals make mistakes, too.

It’s also worth mentioning, again for the sake of my ego if nothing else, that things only become problems if you don’t have the nous – or have not allowed yourself sufficient time – to rectify them.  We simply had a longer-than-expected chat, repeated what we’d done before, rounded them up, got them in the pen, pinned it, put the bull in the trailer, and were home in time for dinner.