The Death of an Old Friend

Okay, so our brother, the Chestnut was already dead for some time, but needed our assistance in laying him to rest:

Jessica and Freya stand next to our friend, the Chestnut.

Andy starting the axe work that would end up taking us the best part of an hour!

The reasonably neat axe work

A hug for our fallen brother...

A trip around our Chemin

First week in November, figured we needed to take a wander around the chemin that pretty much borders our land to see what nature is doing!

Villages

1. Describe the actual community to which you belong. In what areas is your community self-reliant (fuel, food, building materials, health, education, employment)? What functions and resources must be imported into your community? Suggest ways to make your community more self-reliant.
We live on a cul-de-sac on the Whitehawk Estate, situated on the eastern edge of the city of Brighton and Hove. The community consists of approximately 1400 houses and is built on Whitehawk Camp which is believed to be a Neolithic camp that was inhabited approximately 2700 B.C. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitehawk) The community is not really self-reliant in any way. The provision of healthcare, schooling is through local and national public sector bodies such as the Local Education Authority and the National Health Service. The provision of utilities is from one of a few large corporations (like SSE, Southern Water, NPower, EDF etc), no fuel or water supply is from the community. What the community does have a plethora of and explains why we chose our site for the permaculture project, are allotments. These are unfortunately not organised along collective lines (except The Food Project) and are simply managed as individual plots.

Sadly ALL functions and resources are imported into the community, which is not unlike pretty much every other community in Brighton and Hove, and a majority of communities in the wider UK.

We could wax-lyrical about the need for x resource or y resource in order to make the community more self-reliant, the single biggest factor affecting this is modern-man(woman) isolation from their neighbours. Of the 1400 abodes in Whitehawk it is questionable that any are run on a collective basis, sharing shopping trips, ride-sharing, home-schooling, or simply pooling the communities resources! But this is not untypical of UK communities. But this these reasons and a host more, this is why we have chosen to find alternative place to live. Our NEXT project is to turn a 15-acre plot of mixed land, in rural Basse Normandie into a self-reliant, sustainable, community-friendly, permaculture-sympathetic place.

Other Land Access and Urban Systems

1. Find any sort of alternative land use system operating in your area. Report on how the system functions, and the advantages and disadvantages of belonging to it. Assuming you are landless or in need of more land would this system work for you? What changes would you need to make in your routine to make the option realistic? Does joining the system make economic or ethical sense to you?

Our project site is located on Whitehawk allotments. One of the larger plots on site is run by Whitehawk Community Food Project – “The Whitehawk Community Food Project is located on Whitehawk Hill in East Brighton on an old allotment site which had become disused in the 1990's. The site covers nearly 1 acre and has beautiful views of both the sea and the South Downs. It is now an established and productive community garden including fruit, vegetable and herb beds, poly-tunnels, ponds and a forest garden/orchard area. The site has been developed for people to be able to enjoy and participate in organic, biodynamic and permaculture techniques and principles. We aim to be an inspiring and valuable demonstration site where people can learn through practical hands-on experience.

Fresh seasonal produce is always available as a thank you in return for helping out. Gardening days are Thursday and Sunday - 2pm until dusk and we welcome anyone looking to find out more about food and food growing. We are a well connected group with a passion for growing food. We run a cooperative urban garden promoting nutritional food growing all the year round. Our health and wellbeing is uppermost. Thence we help others.” - http://www.thefoodproject.org.uk/moreinfo.html

The advantages are quite obvious. They offer lots of FREE training on a whole gambit of gardening activities, allowing you to up skill in a number of areas easily. You get good planting ideas from a site so similar to our project site, as we are faced with the same weather challenges and relief challenges. The networking and seed sharing opportunities are good also. The only downside I can see is the small windows of time that can be spent on site, they only offer two afternoons a week, one being a “work” day for the conventional nine-to-fiver.

It’s a terrific system to help you grow, cultivate, harvest and eat locally grown and sourced produce. It’s close proximity to both our house and project site make it definitely a viable addition. This geographic closeness means that little, if any changes would need to be made to our routines in order to make this work for us. With the draw of a share of the food that you are aiding in growing/tending etc, it makes great economic sense to do this, and the lessons of seasonal produce growing and eating that is promoted by the scheme means ethically this is a sound project.

Community Economic Sturctures

1. Find at least two organised non-cash systems operating in your region and describe how they function, what sorts of people are involved in them and who benefits from the operation. Who initiated the system?

I’ve managed to find two systems in the local area, to be frank I expected to find more in Sussex. They are Bright Exchange (http://www.brightexchange.org.uk/index.htm) based in Brighton and Common Cause Cooperative (http://www.commoncause.org.uk) based in Lewes.

Brighton Exchange acts the same as any LETS system, “It is a localised network of people who trade skills, services and goods on a cashless basis. People’s time is valued at an equal rate, be it walking someone’s dog, giving a head massage or stripping wallpaper. The health of the system depends on the frequency of trade and exchange amongst members. The more people trade, the more vibrant the system is. The scheme also allows for the loan of useful items.” – The Bright Exchange website. “What makes a LETS system work is peoples’ willingness to trade. Only offer things you really want to share with the community, and please say yes to telephone enquiries whenever possible. Let people know what else

you offer and be open to suggestions. You can offer any amount of things not entered in the directory, as long as it’s legal. It is space that is limited in the directory, not your imagination and creativity! Trading is the responsibility of each member. We do not vet anyone and it is up to you to check people out yourself. Before trading with a new person it is recommended that you ask them for names of other members they have traded

with. This is advisable before handing over children or having a massage.” - http://www.brightexchange.org.uk/brightsguide.pdf the simple answer of who benefits is, its members! I couldn’t ascertain from the lovely admin people who initiated the system, it was started in 1991 but they advised that the systems strength is in its decentralism.

Common Cause, like Bright Exchange was started in 1991 as a LETS trading scheme, but they have expanded into a number of different areas over the years, including, a housing cooperative, delivering permaculture courses, organic food trading scheme and a local allotment project too.

I found some information on who benefits from such a system, “Individuals can benefit through greater access to goods and services; through more affordable training and education; additional employment; starting a business - there are many possibilities. In addition there are more intangible benefits which also improve the quality of life, such as the widening of social networks. A business would use a LETSystem for a number of reasons and in a number of ways:

to attract customers - by accepting part cash and part LETS money, the goods and services are more affordable and the fact that the customer may be short of cash is less of an obstacle.

• to increase cash income - although the cash portion of the sale is now lower than the full price, total sales go up and cash income is the same or higher than before. In addition, local money has been earned which can be spent or, if desired, given to charity.

• to encourage customer loyalty - customers with LETS accounts like the deal and they come back again.

• to ease cash flow - if suppliers of goods and services (book-keeping or advertising, for example) accept part payment in LETSystem money, then the harder-to-earn cash is available to help with other bills.

• to gain a higher profile within the community - making donations to local projects in LETSystem money is a more affordable way of gaining good PR within the local community. Because the LETSystem money cannot leave the system, it tends to come back, even when it is given away.

Because LETSystem money is easier to earn, it's also easier to give away. Voluntary associations which accept donations in local (LETSystem) money can use it to reward volunteers and to pay for essential services without using up their cash budget.

Donations to charities in local money can be offset against tax in the usual way. This provides further opportunities for fund-raising. Voluntary associations may also use LETS directories to obtain more services and to gain a higher public profile.

LETSystems provide a framework for people to value activities which are not normally valued in the conventional economy. Many people who have difficulty gaining paid employment can nevertheless participate in a LETSystem.

Those who are so seriously incapacitated that they are unable to offer anything can benefit from gifts made through the LETSystem. For those of us who are active, it is a lot easier to give LETSystem money than it is to donate hard cash.

Benefit claimants should obtain specific advice from their nearest LETSystem development group before trading. This is to ensure that they do not jeopardise their entitlement to benefit.

LETSystems work for everyone who uses money and could use some more.

The state of a person's bank balance is not as relevant as the ability to trade. Does (s)he have time available? Is (s)he willing to devote skills and energy to trade with others?

Of course, there are often costs that cannot be met on the system and will have to be paid for with cash in the normal way. Replacement parts for repairs, for example. Even then, you should find it possible to make your cash go further.

LETSystems cannot easily address economic problems caused by a total shortage of cash. We have now reached the position where virtually the whole economy of the UK has become monetised. The Welfare State is the last resort of many people before the onset of total destitution and disempowerment.

In the longer term, LETSystems will help to build community economies in which everyone will be able to buy and sell goods and services. This will lead to less dependency on state benefits. Until then, any reductions in state benefits for people who use LETSystems would be damaging and counter-productive. For those who claim benefit, the fear of losing that money is a key factor when considering whether or not to trade on a LETSystem.” - http://www.gmlets.u-net.com/faq.html#individuals


2. Information provided by the LETSystem (English website) states that the only serious threat to an established LETSystem is loss of confidence by the participants (a threat common to all monetary system). The main contributing factors to confidence in a LETSystem are:

a. Balance of offers and requests – can I spend what I earn?

b. Trust in the efficiency and accuracy of the account recording process

What will happen to the positive and negative accounts in a LETSystem that ceases to function?

“Nothing, provided that the rest of us carry on trading with each other. Absconders can't take the LETSystem money with them, because it always stays in the system. This is one of the most frequently asked questions and it reflects a justifiable concern about cheating within a co-operative activity. If someone leaves like this, they are basically a dead loss. They have taken more goods and services from the trading community than they have given. But they have turned their backs on a useful support system and will have difficulty if they want to return.

People can, and do, play these games, but it's a bit like cutting your nose off because you want to cheat your face. Once account holders know that the risk is there, but it is not catastrophic, they play their part in looking out for cynical behaviour and act to nip it in the bud before it becomes a big problem. This is one reason why we agree to our balance and turnover details being available to all the other people who hold an account in that system (disclosure). Then you can say that you'd like to trade with a particular person, but you'd prefer to wait until they have put their account into better shape.” - http://www.gmlets.u-net.com/faq.html#leaving

What happens when an individual incurs a LETS debit balance and subsequently leaves the region?

“LETSystem money can only circulate within the system. It cannot be taken out.

No one can force anyone else to transfer or exchange LETSystem money. (In technical language, the units are not redeemable). However, individuals are free to transfer LETSystem money from their account in exchange for cash from another account-holder. And if they have an account in another LETSystem, they can transfer units between systems with the assistance of another account-holder. But the integrity of each system is still maintained. (In technical terms, all transactions must be recorded as double-entry).” - http://www.gmlets.u-net.com/faq.html#transferable

Mycorrhiza Monday

A little help please from both my followers :~)  Me and Shands spent a couple of hours Monday bimbling about the land documenting the fungi we found.  Most of it was in the mixed, beech, chestnut and some birch woodland, to give you all a little help.  Apologies for the quality of the photography, the motor on my canon's lens is buggered so all done manually.

Here you go:
Updated 26/10/12 - Our guesses so far, hat-tip to Kath et al!

Possibly a Honey Fungus (Armillaria Mellea) or a Scaly Webcap (Cortinarius Pholideus)

Nitrous Bonnet (Mycena Leptocephala)

Liberty Cap (Psilocybe Semilanceata)

Curtain Crust (Stereum SP) or Hairy Stereum (Stereum Hirsutum)

Amethyst Deceiver (Laccaria Amethystina)

Hygrocybe Miniata?

Amethyst Deceiver (Laccaria Amethystina)

Piggyback Shanklet (Collybia Cirrhata)

Beech Milkcap (Lactarius Blennius)

A Hygrocybe

A Hygrocybe

Candlesnuff Fungus (Xylaria Hypoxylon)

Building a Yurt, The Palmer Way!

Let me state for the record that i have zero experience of ground work, carpentry or Yurt construction.  Having said that in a lower energy environment, where money and resources are scarce, we have to simply give things a go.  So this week, me and the brother, Shands, gave it a go!

Stage 1 - Ground Works

Stage 2 - Posts and Joists (look at the perfectly flat ground we've chosen, genius!)

Stage Three - Making something flat to build on.  Oh and turn the heat up, the weather turned really nice this week!

Stage Four - (and here's where you see if your shady back-of-an-envelope-maths works out) Yurt Frame construction.

Look carefully and you'll notice that you actually build around your big stuff as the "hobbit-sized" door can't accommodate anything bigger then, well, a Hobbit!

Stage Five - The 4 coverings, Linen, then felt, then canvas, then something pretty to finish it off...

The final look - it really is a beautifully crafted Yurt.

There you go, me, Shands and Jess prepared, erected and completed a yurt in five days... could've been done quicker no doubt by the competent, but it looks great and we did it!