Another Island, Another Shelter Belt

I have been visiting a friend on Kerrera and helping in the garden she has crafted there. There are different sections to the garden including vegetables and a small apple orchard. It is based at the north end of the island facing the Firth of Lorn where a shelter belt is a necessity!

Permaculture Weekend

Last weekend I helped facilitate the latest Design Course to run from Kilmartin House Museum. On the Saturday we visited Tarbert on the Kintyre Peninsula and searched for the newly arrived sheep at the Castle. The sheep have been bought in to keep the grass short rather than strimming. On Sunday we took the ferry to Portavadie to visit David Blair and his inspiring project at Dunbeag, Tighnabruaich www.dunbeag.org.uk

Drimlabarra Herb Farm

Drimlabarra Herb Farm

I recently visited and volunteered at Drimlabarra Herb Farm on the isle of Arran. Here Maureen and Keith Robertson grown organic herbs along with their own fruit and veg.
Whilst visiting I helped weed a bed of calendula which had been previously harvested for infusions, and when wet assisted with the cleaning and stock take in the herbal dispensary. It was interesting to see all the different herbs used and have a guess at what their Latin names translated to.

When the rain took a break I was back outside to weed the recently planted (approx 2 years ago) shelter belt. Another of my diploma projects, where I am acting as an apprentice, is the design and planting of a fruit garden along with shelter belt. The farm here is situated at the southern end of Arran, about 800 metres from the sea, facing south and getting the full brunt of the south westerly gales, very similar to where I'll be planting . So I was able to ask lots of questions and weed around the little trees!

Maureen and Keith are the co-founders of the Scottish School of Herbal Medicine in Glasgow http://www.herbalmedicine.org.uk/k/