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Welcome – there are many new folk visiting the site this last couple of days so we thought we would say hello, and explain briefly what we are doing here at Lackan Cottage Farm.  In essence, we’re attempting to use the best of new and old technology and knowledge to reduce our environmental impact, our living costs, and to share what we learn with others, through media such as this blog, and also through giving people the opportunity to come and get some practical experience in everything from growing veg, green woodworking to solar power and earth plastering.

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We welcome volunteers from all over the world via the WWOOF (worldwide workers on organic farms) scheme, as well as people who live much closer to home.

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and we do our best to practise what we preach – powering the farm entirely using solar and wind; growing our own biomass for heating; experimenting with building techniques and materials that are accessible to anyone who wants to try for themselves. The buildings you see here use local, natural materials – timber, straw, clay, and recycled elements such as windows and doors, and provide healthy living environments that require minimal energy inputs.

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Not all of what we do here is considered mainstream, but we hope that people can take elements of what they see here and empower themselves by having a go and perhaps incorporating some of the ideas here into their own lives. We aren’t aiming to be self sufficient – merely less reliant on increasingly expensive energy and water companies, herbicide covered food brought from the other side of the world; buildings that are built for profit not health and comfort, and commodoties that come at a terrible environmental price.

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