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.
Last minute place on green woodworking course – now booked
Now booked, but more courses coming over the summer.
Down in the woods
Last week our woods came alive to the sound of drawknives and froes as our first group of greenwoodworkers came to make stools with Steve Ryan. It has been wonderful creating a space in which people can come to create, in surely one of the most peaceful settings you...
Living off grid – Calamity Jill
Calamity Jill: Living off the Grid with Jill Redwood from ABC Open Gippsland on Vimeo. I saw this and couldn't resist sharing - this lady is walking the walk, and I see so much of what we are trying to do here in the place she has, and her lifestyle. Reminds me why...
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...