Ragmans Skill Share day

Ragmans Skill Share day  26 May 2012

Following our successful skillshare day last year we open shop for another this year, kindly sponsored by the Permaculture Association.  We are one of their LAND demonstration sites and every year they organise these sites to hold open days to encourage people to come and learn and share skills.

The day started off in blazing sunshine (remember?) with people choosing from six different workshops and farm tours.

We tried to encourage people to write down what they were doing locally and what help they might needs - a rudimentary 'needs and wants' list.

We were conscious of the fact that although the Ragmans team was running the workshops, there were many skills held by people coming to visit.

Here is Pete with a bucket explaining how we use aerated compost teas as a spray on our 7 acre orchards. After an hour of theory and practical on compost teas one person said the day was worth it for this one workshop alone

We hope that next year we can shift from being providers of skills to facilitating the swapping of skills, and are suggesting that people register beforehand to offer workshops themselves. In this way we hope to get a local skill 'hub' going.

Carine's Willow workshop

Steve and Carine from the Willow Bank both offered great workshops, bringing their considerable skills to the table. We had a fantastic lunch provided by Anna, and then back to work.  Another farm tour, and Matt did a couple of workshop - one on heating your house with wood, and another on planning and planting an orchard, aimed at back gardens as well as larger acreages. By this time the thermometer was touching 80 and we were running around with sunscreen.  The orchard workshop retreated to the shade of a large Kingstone Black cider tree, resembling a scene out of a Thomas Hardy novel.

We ended the day with a chance for people to talk about what they are trying to set up and get going locally - we heard from Dede Liss, who is setting up a Community Bakery in the Forest of Dean, from the Yorkley Court Cooperative, trying to set up a CSA in the centre of the Forest, and from Michael Dunwell, who is compiling a map of activities within the Forest that contribute to a resilient local economy.

Thanks very much for the session on Compost Tea at the skill share
session on Saturday - it confirmed much of what I learned years ago as
an Environmental Health Officer, and I intend to apply it. I found what
you had to say easily understandable and the central message of
reinstating and strengthening the natural balance of the soil is crucial.




We have read a lot of books and
watched programmes/DVD's but the ability to talk to someone 1-2-1 and be
able to ask questions back whilst finding out more about these concepts is
invaluable. I thought the way the day was delivered was also very good as
the information was delivered in a very modest way which made expert and
novice alike feel welcomed and valued.