1

Kinloch Permaculture - a ScotLAND Centre - Design 10

Location map Looking across the loch to our town

Start date - September 2013. Finish date - April 2017

The idea for this design began when I attended an event at Coldstream about the ScotLAND scheme. The allotment and forest

garden are described in other designs, so this design is mainly about what is being communicated through the ScotLAND centre.

A link to the Permaculture Association LAND network information:

https://scotland.permaculture.org.uk/land

2

For this design I used SADIM.

BRIEF

As a ScotLAND Learner (since February 2014), I need to have a design to reach the point at which I will be ready for a site

visit to gain approval for accreditation as a ScotLAND centre

The question I want to answer is: How to be ready to arrange for an accreditation visit?

SURVEY

To aid a clear design process, I made a mindmap of the tools I could use for this design. Since this is my final design I

should by now have some idea of which tools I find to be the most useful for my purposes, and be more confident in applying

them. I think this is true, in accordance with the Mollison principle of Accelerating succession and evolution. This is one of

the designs that I hope to expand upon in my diploma presentation, and to guide my permaculture activities for the

foreseeable future.

3

Above - tools for this design

4

Zoning - a survey of the current usage of the sites - Holmgren principle Observe and Interact, looking at what areas are used in

which zones as a permaculture framework.

Zone 0, for the purpose of my permaculture project consists of (as well as my home) a workshop (an empty shop below our

flat), and bike shed.

Zone 1 is the small yard area with coal and wood store, and also my allotment, about 150 yards away. See Design 05 -

Allotment. There are pots in both these areas for salads, herbs and flowers.

Zone 2 is part of my garden, behind the house and backyard. It might seem, from the zoning principle, that this should really

be zone 1, for annual vegetables and containing the greenhouse, but there are problems with this. In our early years here, we

lost a lot of vegetables through trampling by children and dogs from over the wall, then when the allotments were made just

round the corner from us it made sense to grow vegetables there. A Forest Garden is not so bothered by invasion! See

Design 07 - Forest Garden

Zone 3 is the main part of the garden.

Zone 4 is the hedging that bounds the garden on one side, a refuge for insects and other wildlife, including nest sites for birds,

and to provide compost material, fuel and fibre.

Zone 5 is the wildlife corner at the top of the garden, and the tops of the trees.

5

Back yard between garden and house - zone 1, May 2017, J Martin

6

Aerial photo of area covered by sketch map below, north at the top

7

Plan showing relative locations and zones of site, J Martin, May 2017

8

After becoming a ScotLAND learner in April 2014 I applied the Holmgren principle Observe and Interact on some travels and

visited some ScotLAND centres - Garden Cottage, Urban Roots, Coig Cottage, Tombreck, and Kintyre Bioregion. These are

very different types of site, but all demonstrate permaculture principles in action. This was very useful for learning how each

site is unique, and how to make use of the individual elements to demonstrate permaculture. I didn’t make special trips to

these places - I was there for other Permaculture activities.

Features of the ScotLAND sites I visited that seem relevant to my plans for my own site

9

While surveying what I need to do, I reminded myself of the requirements for becoming a centre. These can be seen by following

the link at the beginning of this design.

I identified the criteria that I had not yet met, or only partly met.

Essential criteria

● Have appropriate insurance policies, health & safety procedures and risk assessments.

● Display membership of (and a weblink for) the LAND project on project websites and on the actual site.

● Be willing to explain to visitors and volunteers how permaculture is put into practice on their site, in person and

through interpretative signage.

● Be available to welcome and receive volunteers and visitors on at least 15 occasions a year (minimum

numbers and a charge can be set by the Centre).

Desirable criteria

● Have educational and training resources available for visitors.

● Have an ongoing programme of courses and events.

● Be willing to attend and host regional skill-sharing and training events.

● Have an active programme of research. This may include: ongoing record keeping of planting and yields;

records of inputs and outputs such as those affecting fertility and energy harvesting/usage; systematic

photographic recording of the site; other experimental activities.

● Be willing to contribute to LAND project monitoring and evaluation.

10

ANALYSE

I learnt a lot from seeing various ScotLAND sites. All were inspiring and beautiful places to be, demonstrating a commitment

to the ethics of Earthcare, Peoplecare and Fair Shares. I found Urban Roots particularly interesting because of the work that

it does in meeting the needs of a community that, without the project, might have little opportunity to engage with nature and

food-growing. It is doing, on a large scale, what I might like to do with my site in a small and informal way.

SWOC analysis:

Strengths -

● Allotment, back yard and forest garden all close together and none more than 150 metres from my house. (see

Designs 05 and 07) so easy to visit

● Car parking available.

● Adjacent allotments are of interest too.

● Back yard has a water butt, and space for parking of visitors’ bikes and prams.

● The space is big enough for tables and chairs to sit outside and have a drink in good weather.

● There’s also space for pots and containers.

● As a hoarder and a family camping enthusiast, I have portable (folding) chairs, tables, stoves and cooking equipment -

11

good to use this more often than just on camping trips!

● As a grandmother and great-grandmother, I have suitable toys and books to entertain child visitors - chosen with

permaculture ethics in mind

● Costings: This design will cost nothing to implement as I have all the elements already. There will be ongoing costs for

consumables - maybe I’ll have a donation box to cover this.

I don’t need to make an income from this, and want to enable everyone who’s interested, to visit.

Weaknesses -

● Allotment is quite small so more than maybe 5 or 6 folk at once would be a crowd.

● The small size also limits the number of crops that can be grown - it’s all annuals at the allotment.

● Forest garden has only been developed as such for about 3 years.

Opportunities -

● The small size of the allotment may make it more relevant for folk with only a small space of their own.

● The newness of the forest garden gives a sense of what can be done during establishment.

● Allotment and Garden have very different soil types to demonstrate variation and how to manage different types.

12

Challenges -

● Organising signage and explanatory information.

● Time constraints

Who would my potential visitors be?

● Permaculture Association members who would see Kinloch Permaculture in the listings

● People from the Transition Kintyre group

● Local people who pass by or have heard about it or seen a poster

● Holiday visitors (we are in a seaside town with a summer ferry) looking for places to visit

Needs analysis:

What do I, and my potential visitors, want from the Centre?

Thinking about the above will assist me in making the information relevant to the site and the visitors, leading me to consider

the type of information that people would find useful:

● Visitors with some knowledge of permaculture might be more interested in facts and figures on yields, inputs and outputs

and technical details.

13

● Other visitors might just want to know what permaculture is.

● Simple signage would convey something of value to everyone, while handouts could cover the further information.

SMART goal:

By the end of October 2017, Kinloch Permaculture will be ScotLAND demonstration site.

Question: What do I still need to do to become a Centre?

Answer: My approval visit form, prior to being registered as a ScotLAND learner (December 9th 2013 - see Appendix 5 in

Supplementary material) recorded that I had met 3 of the essential criteria and 4 of the desirable criteria, and that I had a

plan to meet the other essential criteria: ‘design, demonstrating permaculture on site, and working with visitors and

volunteers’. I also need to produce education and learning opportunities and materials to meet the desirable criteria.

Taking these remaining requirements as the functions, I decided which systems and elements would meet them.

Question: How can I meet the unmet essential and desirable criteria - design, demonstrating permaculture on site, working

with visitors and volunteers, and education and learning?

Answer:

● A functions /systems /elements table

● An implementation plan

14

DESIGN/DECISIONS

Mollison principle - Each function is supported by many elements

Functions

Systems

Elements

Demonstrate permaculture on site

Demonstrate cultivation of annual food crops

Allotment (see design 05) - showing crop rotation, companion planting, raised beds, greenhouse, pots on allotment patio, with signage.

Demonstrate features of a forest garden

Forest garden (see design 07) - including trees and shrubs, perennial food plants, dye plants, wildlife corner, composting, with signage.

Demonstrate seed sowing and transplanting

Potting shed equipment - seed trays, dibbers, pots of various sizes

Demonstrate container growing

Pots and planters, plants

15

Design

Carry out research

Graphs, tables, spreadsheets showing records of crop yields, soil testing, costings. Scales and notebooks to record yields of all produce, in both the allotment shed and the workshop desk. As in Design 05 (Allotment) protein and calorific values of the produce will be recorded. Feedback forms will also aid research on permaculture outreach.

Display information publicly

Posters in window, Leaflet, websites, displaying seasonal photos of allotment and garden, inserts from Permaculture Works. Selection of plans and material from Designs for Allotment (05), Forest Garden (07) and this design (10)

16

Working with visitors and volunteers

Provide information to take away

Informative leaflet comprising four pages (1 A4 folded sheet, double-sided) to include:

● front page with map and photos of allotment

and forest garden

● page 2 - features of a permaculture

allotment

● page 3 - features of a forest garden

● back page about ScotLAND listing other

centres

List of all plants for both allotment and forest

garden.

Feedback forms

Volunteer policy and procedures forms.

Provide refreshment

Area to sit and have a drink and biscuit OR outside if good weather. Kettle, gas or Trangia stove, mugs, tea, coffee, juice, spoons, biscuit tin

Sit, relax and chat

Portable furniture for indoors or out, depending on weather - folding tables, folding chairs (adult and child-sized, stools)

17

Entertain small children

Box of play materials and mat for use outside or indoors, paper and crayons, wooden bricks, toy farm with plastic animals, wooden dolls’ house with furniture, children’s books

Maintain records for Centre monitoring and evaluation

Paperwork, including Visitors’ Book, feedback and evaluation forms, photographic recording, blog on website.

Education and learning

See above (within functions for design and working with visitors and volunteers) systems -

● Research ● Display information ● Provide information to take away ● Maintain records for monitoring and evaluation

IMPLEMENT

The Holmgren principle Design from Patterns to details seems useful here. If the patterns are to do with the functions and

systems in the table above, then the details are concerned with the provision of the necessary elements. These have to be

implemented for everything else to happen!

18

Implementation plan

● Plan made in May 2017. When task is completed, it can be identified as such by use of a highlighter pen.

19

Update to implementation plan (April 2018):

● some signage has been completed

● website created and updated

● new plan made for becoming a centre in spring/summer 2018

Above - plastic tag (recycled from milk bottle) attached to wooden peg in ground and inscribed with indelible ink

20

MAINTAIN

Maintenance plan for readiness for visitors (to be kept in ring-binder on desk beside visitors’ book)

Activity

Frequency Date done (place a

sticky note)

Tidy area

Before and after visit or weekly

toilet clean and supplied

Before and after visit or weekly

sufficient handouts ready

Day before visit

stocks of tea, coffee, juice, biscuits, fresh water

Day before visit

posters in window - in good condition and up-to-date

weekly

Plan for monitoring of visitor activity and information provided

There’s a need for this to be closely watched and for me to keep constantly up-to-date, as suggested by the Holmgren

principle Apply self-regulation and accept feedback. Evaluation forms and comments in the visitor book will form part of this,

as will my own reactions to the development of the centre. It’s better to have a formal system to ensure this is done:

21

Activity

Frequency

Date done (place a sticky note)

Record visitor numbers, by reference to visitors’ book

Monthly

Collate feedback forms

monthly

Collect yield records - from notebook beside scales used to record weight each time produce is harvested from allotment and garden.

weekly

Update the displayed information to include latest yields - calorific and protein value as well as quantity of produce

every 2 months

Update website/blog

fortnightly

22

None of the above is particularly onerous - it’s just a matter of establishing a routine, and evaluating it regularly to tweak it -

part of the active learning cycle. Holmgren principle Use small and slow solutions seems relevant to such a scenario.

Calendar of monthly checks for work to maintain the demonstration areas:

23

EVALUATE

The Kinloch Permaculture ScotLAND centre will bring together the Allotment (09) and Forest Garden (10) designs, so some

evaluation is to be found in these designs.

Although the design for the Centre is not yet fully implemented, having clear plans with timescales built in will keep me on

track for completion - subject to approval - in October 2017.

I think that this design is most likely to be one of the most interesting for people attending the Scottish Permaculture Gathering

where I hope to accredit. This is a deadline that will keep me clearly focussed on meeting the SMART goal that is guiding me

towards approval as a ScotLAND centre.

Evaluation of the design will be enabled by use of:

● maintenance plan

● careful recording of visitor numbers and feedback in paper records

● photographs

● Kinloch Permaculture website.

There are so many possibilities for this to develop, that I feel excited about its future! Knowing that the work that I have done

on the land at the allotment and in the garden, are demonstrating permaculture in action, is very motivating.

REFLECTION

● I learnt the importance of having a clear plan of how to proceed, at the outset, perhaps posting them in my kitchen or

bedroom as a constant reminder!

● Doing the above means that progress can be measured by recording it on a chart - possibly with photographs. Moving

24

the stickies on the implementation plan to the ‘completed’ section, then photographing that at monthly intervals, is

something I intend to adapt and apply to earlier designs in my portfolio such as the Home Energy 03, Food 04 and A

Future in Fleece (clothing) 06, designs. The implementation plan is now on my notice board in the kitchen where I can

look at it every time I do the dishes!

● With hindsight, and in line with advice, I should have started out by making a clear differentiation between what I

already had in place and what I still needed to do as part of this design. Eventually, with feedback from others, I got

this clearer in my head! I think I was confused by having a design that brought together 2 different earlier designs - the

fifth and seventh in my portfolio, and I had difficulty in separating them.

● Another piece of advice that I helped me to clarify this design came from Lusi who suggested I change my original title

of ‘ScotLAND learner’ to ‘ScotLAND centre’. This helped to shift my focus towards thinking of the immediate future of

becoming accredited as a Centre, receiving visitors (to a timescale with SMART goals), with one aspect of my original

idea becoming a vision for the future, rather than part of a design whose full implementation is clearly underway,

● Initially, I included in this design a lot of material about the workshop space that I envisaged as being part of the

ScotLAND design, even though I hadn’t had the time to really think through this area and what it was for. I don’t know

why I didn’t abandon this idea earlier in the process, since I had explored this during a tutorial with Kerry Lane at the

Diploma Gathering. Once the workshop space became a separate design, everything became clearer. I have learnt

from this that it’s better to plan things out using tools like PMI instead of following an ill-thought-out idea!

● The main thing I have learnt from this design is that designs should be kept as simple as possible. It’s much easier to

deal with one space at a time, in separate designs making up a project, than to try to design different spaces all at

once.

● From now on, I will record my progress in detail on charts and will keep a ring-binder for the purpose. This will give

clear information for monitoring and evaluation.

● Thinking about how I approached this design differently, I have learnt a lot about being realistic in my aims. I

25

understand much better, since clarifying the main aim of this design and simplifying it, how important it is to consider all

the factors - including the constraints. I understand much better the importance of watching out for wishful thinking and

being over-ambitious. I could probably have spotted this myself at an early stage if I had been doing this design for

someone else! That is itself a learning experience, helping me to appreciate the importance of seeking advice and

incorporating suggestions. (Holmgren principle Apply self-regulation and accept feedback once again asserts itself).

Overall, the process, with its ups and downs, has led to a huge amount of learning!

Update (April 2018): I’m still not a full ScotLAND centre. Finishing off my Diploma designs took time away from implementing

those designs! After I completed the Diploma I found more time had to be given to family members - the very old and very

young. I am more realistic now about how much I will be able to do, but am still hopeful that Kinloch Permaculture will be a

fully-fledged centre very soon. My next design will be on time-management!