You can make a difference

You can make a difference

In response to a post I wrote about coping with the effects of catastrophic climate change, someone commented to the effect that ‘the climate has always warmed and cooled so we should all stop complaining, and accept that this is the natural order of...
Solar Independence Day

Solar Independence Day

Today is apparently ‘Solar Independence Day’, and the good weather means that just about now an amazing 15% of the UK’s power needs are being met with solar. Of course, around here 100% of our power needs are being met with solar all the time, and...
Where did you learn to do that?

Where did you learn to do that?

Where did you learn to do that? Is a question I get asked about all sorts of things, and the answer is always the same. “I just sort of did it”, I reply. Of course, when the person asks the question they are usually looking at a successful end result of...
Are you ready?

Are you ready?

Despite vast amounts of evidence pointing to a very real change in our climate, and the increase of extreme weather events, it seems that people generally like not to think of any of it as being part of some sort of pattern, and instead to put these events down to...
Living with the Land

Living with the Land

Lauren and Phil visited us briefly last year, just at the right time to impart some knowledge about cob and clay plaster mixes, when we were working on the classroom. They have produced a series of short films for Permaculture Magazine, called Living with the Land,...
The website gets a facelift

The website gets a facelift

  Things change quickly on the farm, so we thought it time to reflect that in our website, which has had a makeover and an update to bring the content into line with what we actually have here now. The new site works on all manner of wierd and wonderful devices,...
Permaculture weekend workshop

Permaculture weekend workshop

Courses and Events Full details of what's happening here at Lackan [eventBox id=”4″] Terms & Conditions Payment Payment must be made prior to attending a course, if you wish to place a deposit of £20 to secure a place this is acceptable, although...
Gold standard Green Tourism

Gold standard Green Tourism

  We’re incredibly chuffed to have got a Gold level Green Tourism award, and were off to the awards dinner last week at the Sugar Supper Club in Newry (highly recommended, brilliant food). One of only 18 Golds in County Down, too.  Northern Ireland’s...
Midsummer has arrived

Midsummer has arrived

  Midsummer is upon us, and we were fortunate to be able to celebrate the solstice eve with friends from far and wide – visitors from no less than five nations were here on Saturday. I’m always in two minds about the summer solstice – given that...
The lone ranger returns

The lone ranger returns

  After a couple of weeks absence, Dotty has returned with a sizeable clutch of chicks – fourteen, we reckon. These plus the seven that Fluffers had last week, and the ten that we are raising for meat, means that not only will our laying flock grow...
A trip to the sawmill

A trip to the sawmill

A trip to the sawmill from Lackan Cottage Farm on Vimeo. Today I headed off to Ballytrim sawmill in search of some suitably lovely bits of timber to make seats in our classroom, and I wasn’t disappointed. Initially it seemed as though my trip would be in vain...