Birch Cottage has a new website of its own
Visit the Birch Cottage website to bookWelcome to Lackan Cottage Farm
We’re Steve and Claire Golemboski-Byrne, we live here off grid with our daughter, our dog, cats and horses. We make all our own energy using wind and solar, grow as much of our own food as we can (it varies widely) and have used permaculture design principles to help us create a great place to live.
Here on the website you’ll find stories about the projects we’ve undertaken – what works, what doesn’t. You can come stay in our guest cottage – Birch Cottage and we will show you round, or maybe you just want to find out how to do some of this stuff. Either way, welcome.
Energy freedom
So the end of a sunny spring day, and although it is only April, we are finding that our 4kw solar pv (which is the most common pv installation size in Northern Ireland) has supplied our needs all day, including a couple of loads of washing, running a regular fridge,...
Access all areas
Ahead of our series of green woodworking courses with Steve Ryan, we've been busily making it easier to access the woodland clearing that we'll be using, starting with some steps into our native tree plantation. Eventually we'll create a circular walk taking in the...
How to build a simple all purpose shelter
One of the most loved spots on the farm is our fire pit, but given our Northern Irish climate, there aren't a huge number of days when people can sit around the fire. We really needed a space where visitors could sit out of the rain. The solution came in the form of...
Permaculture Gathering 2015
This year's All Ireland Permaculture Gathering is coming to Northern Ireland for the first time. 2 days of workshops and talks, and the chance to share ideas with like minded folk. Camping from friday. We'll be meeting at Tubby's Farm in Hillsborough on 7-9 August,...
Time to shout
What an extraordinary week. We quickly forget that some of the things we get up to are perhaps seen as unusual, and that our view of the world is likewise not always terribly mainstream (whatever that is). So it is always interesting when people want to come and take...
A new neighbour
Well we have a new neighbour - 3 fields away is this 250kw turbine, and it has been fascinating to watch the progress as it has grown over the last few days. As you can see, it is a fair size, and certainly makes an impact on the skyline. Interestingly I find the...