July 12-17, 2009
During this week, participants will experience the wealth of new ideas, natural beauty, and innovative projects which are clustered around Schumacher College and Dartington. As well as enjoying a range of activities with College staff (learning new cooking skills, exploring Dartmoor, understanding sustainability challenges on the estate), the group will have an intensive introduction to the highly successful Transition movement which began in Totnes and is spreading rapidly around the world, and the opportunity to find out more about forest gardening from the one of the leading experts in the field.
The Summer Celebration provides an opportunity to enjoy time at Schumacher College on a less structured basis than a regular short course. Participants will be involved with the usual activities that form the basis of life at the College, such as shared work in the kitchen, house and gardens, optional morning meditation, and socialising and discussion over meals and in the snack area and bar. There will be ample time for people to:
In addition, a range of talks will be on offer by resident staff or sustainability experts from the local area, as outlined below.
Sunday, July 12
Arrival in time for supper. Introductions to each other and the College.
Monday, July 13
Spend the morning up at Dartington Hall at the Ways With Words literature festival, finding out about the Transition movement from its founder Rob Hopkins and other speakers.
Option to either attend afternoon sessions with Holistic Science professor Brian Goodwin talking to James Le Fanu and E.F. Schumacher’s daughters discussing why Small is (Still) Beautiful or tour the neighbouring Forest Garden with Martin Crawford. The Agroforesty Research Trust site adjoins Schumacher College grounds and is one of the leading examples in the world of forest gardening techniques. Martin, its founder and developer, has over 20 years’ experience of organic horticulture, agriculture and agroforestry. He was featured recently on BBC2’s Natural World programme A Farm for the Future.
Tuesday, July 14
Focus on food and cooking. Spend the morning baking bread with Julia Ponsonby, author of the prize-winning Gaia’s Kitchen (currently being reprinted for the second time). In the afternoon, there’s a session with Catering Manager Wayne Schroeder: Tuning into food – seasonal food awareness and preparation.
Wednesday, July 15
Find out about Gaia theory and deep ecology from Stephan Harding, MSc in Holistic Science coordinator and author of Animate Earth, then travel out to Dartmoor to experience the wild beauty of the moors.
Thursday, July 16
Back to the land: hear from Julie Richardson about the innovative Landscope Project, and spend time with Jon Rae, Dartington’s sustainability coordinator, discussing ways the Estate is reducing its carbon footprint and planning for a more sustainable future. Option to work in the College garden.
Friday, July 17
Visit the beautiful Dartington Hall Gardens in the company of Mary Bartlett, who has spent decades on the Estate, starting off as the first female gardener at the time when the founders, Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst, were re-creating the gardens.
Departure after lunch
All participants One week £550
All course fees include accommodation, food, field trips and all teaching sessions.
Book your place now! – click here to access our on-line booking system
Book by fax or mail! – click here to find out how
Discounts
10% for residents of South West England
20% with five or more people coming from the same organisation on the same course
(only one discount applicable per booking)
For further information about Schumacher College please see About the College
To provisionally reserve a place for 5 days, email us your contact details and the name of the course admin@schumachercollege.org.uk
We will hold the place for five working days for reservations – three weeks before a course or earlier. After five days we will automatically offer your place to someone else if we have not received your application.
