Past Workshops
Some of these will run again in 2023. Do sign up to mailing list to be notified when dates are announced.
Natural Farming at Home
with Joshua Sparkes
Joshua Sparkes was introduced to the concept of natural farming during his fellowship studies in Japan and has since been experimenting with different ways to nurture the soil and the life within it using low cost, natural methods.
In this workshop we will explore this approach of regenerating soil by creating our own fertilisers and plant medicine using materials we can grow ourselves. You will brew your own concoctions such as fermented plant juice to boost your soil biology and your plants’ natural defence systems and learn how to apply these at the optimum stage of your plants’ development.
For more details click here.
Regenerative Gardening
with Jo McKerr and Alison Jenkins
An approach to gardening and landscape management that takes it’s cues from the natural world may be described by a number of terms, ecological, sustainable, biodynamic, organic, re-wilding, permaculture and nature led are just a few. We will spend the day unpicking what these terms really mean and how you might apply them in your own garden.
We’ll look at Alison’s garden at Damson Farm and visit Jo’s garden in Wellow to explore how different site conditions inspire different management styles.
For more details click here
Seed Saving
with Vital Seeds
An introduction to the widely forgotten ancient skill of seed-saving. You will learn which seeds are really worth saving and how to produce top quality seed with very basic equipment. The workshop covers principles and simple techniques of growing vegetables and flowers to the end of their life cycle with tips for growing, harvesting, processing and storing seed.
By saving your own seed you’ll be playing your part in helping to build a more resilient and diverse food system.
For more details click here
Natural Controls for Pests and Diseases
with Christopher Smith of Pennard Plants
Learn to identify different pests and diseases and consider different ways of taking a natural approach to their presence. Chris will cover companion planting, how to encourage strong, healthy growth so that plants are less susceptible to damage and how to create your own pesticides and fungicides from natural ingredients if you do need to resort to control.
For more details click here
Cyanotype Printing
with Ruth Barnes Richards
The cyanotype process was used by pioneering Victorian botanist Anna Atkins in her field study work to record the plant specimens she collected. After gathering material from different plant communities at Damson Farm, Ruth will teach you how to produce cyanotypes using specially prepared paper in natural sunlight.
For more details click here.
Edimentals
Ornamental Edibles with Chris Smith of Pennard Plants
The art of growing a beautiful garden that also happens to be edible. We will explore unusual varieties you may not have come across before as well as more common plants which you may not have realised are edible. Tastings included!
For more details click here.
Natural Plant Dyes
with Ffion Taverner
Spend the day immersed in the power of natural colour with artist, dyer and grower Ffion Taverner. We will forage material growing in the edible garden, fields and hedgerows at Damson Farm such as dahlias, hawthorn, nettles, willow, calendula, dock and wode before going on to explore the exciting spectrum of colours these different plants have to offer through their leaves, petals or roots.
For more details click here.