shepherd with attitude
Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design
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.....birth, life and death....

18/3/2013

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Picture
...snow drops emerging between the snowy days...

Over the last couple of weeks I have been thinking about and dealing with a lot of issues relating to death....one of our farming neighbours died very peacefully at home after being poorly for some months, another of our friends and neighbour has just found out she has just a few weeks to live......and on different level, but still very, very sad, a good friend of mine is facing the fact that her faithful old dog is dying ....and two of our flock of sheep here in the hills have died in the last few days too, (one had a broken leg, the other we're not sure about she became very poorly and weak over a couple of days and didn't respond to any of the treatment we gave her).......Holly and I have also been reflecting a lot about the family members we have cared for at the end of their lives, over the duration of our relationship there seems to have been many, sometimes too many....
.Of course alongside this sadness and loss, we are approaching the Spring Equinox, and despite the deep snow and icy temperatures, the evidence of spring, new birth and growth is all around. Lambing and calving preperation is underway here, I've also planted some seeds for my annual veg/herbs, though not as many as usual for this time of year...many are on hold for the warmer weather to appear. In addition i've got more more energy too, not just physical energy with the longer days, but a thinking and planning buzz too....and as I am typing another friend has just gone into labour with her second child....

....reflecting on the the recent weeks has really demonstrated how the rhythm of the cycles and of life, birth and death are so intertwined...and for me this is such a balancing feeling of reassurance and hope.......our decision to make one of the functions of our young forest garden a pet burial ground is a good example of this too....


We need to talk and plan.....

Anyone who knows me well knows that one of my life passion's is around quality of life and quality of death for all beings...plants animals.... I've worked for many years as a palliative care nurse, supporting people and those they love and care about, facing the end of their life. One key thing I've learnt from the 100's, possibly 1000's of patients I've cared for, along with family members and friends I've also looked after is that talking openly and honestly about death and dying can really help everyone involved. Asking questions, accepting help, making plans about how and where you want to be cared for, doing things you've always wanted to do, can all contribute towards dispelling some of of the myths, fear, shame and depersonalisation people who are dying often experience.....
....In addition, along with good support from family, friends and community after someone has died, the peaceful death of a person who has felt in control, informed, heard and understood of the end of their life can make a huge difference to the way those close to that person experience grief and cope with life after the death 


My Design...


....I have called one of my diploma designs 'Designing Death', its only in the beginning design stages at present, but my initial ideas are about the provision of a resource that would help people to think and talk about death and dying and support planning related to dying and grief too. The resource will be from a non medical perspective and use permaculture principles and ethics as a guide, for example exploring ways that Earth Care can be a priority when we face death as well as care for people. I strongly believe that permaculture can make a massive difference to how face death and dying, and I guess at this point i'm talking about the UK in particular.


So, after a review of where I am with all my design work to date, and in relation to other stuff around my health and wellbeing I have been looking at,  I have decided that I will also have a redesign of my own 'end of life' plan.  I initially wrote the plan which included how I would like to be cared for as well as what I would like to happen after I die, about 20 years ago now when I was seriously unwell and thought life was going to be a much shorter one than its turning out to be...going through this process again with much more life experience and knowledge should be really interesting and quite exciting! 


....for more information and support relating to some of the things i've being writing about on here please see my books and links pages elsewhere on my website (I should really learn how to put in a direct link here!), or feel free to comment or ask me for more info or thoughts too, either on here, via the contact link or via Face Book or email where you can find me at craftychick1@fastmail.co.uk








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........raised bed edible garden design, planning the last cycle

6/3/2013

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Picture
beds all mulched with compost/straw/black plastic...garlic growing in the uncovered bed
.......spring is just emerging here, just starting to notice the extra time available during the day, compared to the daily challenge mid winter of getting everything that needs doing outside in day light hours. And with the added light time comes increased energy for all those plans made at Imbolc a few weeks ago.......


This year I would really like to finish my raised bed edible garden design, its been a work in progress for about 6 years now and I am just about to start the 3rd cycle of the design process in that time. I'm hoping that this cycle will be an accumulation of lots of the things I have learnt about my garden and how it grows....my intention is also to make detailed written and photographed observations about the different edible plants grown this year, and to include elements such as 

* Reasons for species/variety of plant chosen
* Dates seeds sown
* Dates seedlings planted out
* Dates of harvest times
* Quantities harvested (yields)
* Photos taken at each full moon (or the nearest fine day!)

In addition I am hoping to compare starting seedlings off in modules on top of a hot bed (chicken manure/straw mix in raised bed with glass lid), with sowing the same seeds in the polytunnel without the hot bed..

Am hoping that these records will give me a clear, measurable picture of the food growing capacity of the garden and also identify areas where things could be changed to Improve any aspect of the elements listed. My aim is to be able to transfer some of the knowledge and skills gained within this design to other land with similar food growing challenges....well thats my intention anyways!...I know I will need to be disciplined to devote time and routine to the recording, but really looking forward to it 



Picture
plan for 2013
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