8 March

Yesterday a pretty powder of snow laced the branches and lit the air, then faded into a sugared-almond sunset. Last attempts of winter to show face, as the green fuse of spring continues forcing through. Cornus mas in flower, one of the first fruits to blossom, one of the last to harvest, towards September/October. Each year begins again with promise and adventure, never knowing what will come to fruition…..

CORNUS MAS

Last week I gave a talk on Permaculture to the Societé Pomologique at Neuvy St Sepulchre. There were about a hundred people in the audience, the most they’d ever had for a talk in their 30 years existence…and by far the largest group I’ve spoken to in 15 years of permaculture presentations!

Great to see that permaculture has arrived at village level locally, and the angle of my talk was about the importance of context in permaculture. Perhaps through gaps and misunderstandings in translation, I hear too often that people understand permaculture just as a gardening method, using raised beds. It is an ethic and philosophy, all about caring for our planet and its inhabitants, creating abundance and sharing resources….whether through gardening, or any other human activity…..its manifestations are endless, limited only by our imaginations!

And the seasonal cycle of sowing seeds begins again, trays in front of the kitchen window sill to avoid frosts and mice, until transfer to greenhouse and open ground…symbol and reality of hope and practicality, Eden is in our hands…