a centre for sustainable living near Dorset's Jurassic Coast
Upcoming Workshops, Courses & Events
Click here for Regular Events Listings.
Apr 23rd - Apr 27th Low-Impact Dwelling Work Week I
with the MWC Community
April 23rd - 27th (Mon - Fri)
£150 - £50* residential, all-inclusive
What better way to learn about low-impact living than to take part in some building restoration? This week includes discussion, slideshow, games, activities, organic meals, good company, and of course, the work. All on a sliding scale of £150 - £50 per week.
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
* Rates for Work Weeks are determined on a sliding scale, according to what guests feel they can afford to pay
Apr 29th Spring Foraging Day
with Dave Hamilton of self sufficient 'ish'
April 29th (Sunday)
£50 tariff includes organic lunch
Ever thought foraging was just a load of old mushrooms? Well, join gardener and forager Dave Hamilton who sets out to prove otherwise.
Discover the edible uses of some of the plants you may have walked past every day and learn how to distinguish them from those that are somewhat less than edible!
This one day course caters for both first time and experienced foragers alike and promises you will never look at a hedgerow the same again!
The course will include identifying many local seasonal wild foods along with suggestions of what to look for in the rest of the year.
There will also be a chance to cook up what is found throughout the day in the farm style kitchen at Monkton Wyld Court.
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
Apr 30th - May 4th Low-Impact Dwelling Work Week II
with the MWC Community
April 30th - May 4th (Mon - Fri)
£150 - £50* residential, all-inclusive
What better way to learn about low-impact living than to take part in some building restoration? This week includes discussion, slideshow, games, activities, organic meals, good company, and of course, the work.
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
* Rates for Work Weeks are determined on a sliding scale, according to what guests feel they can afford to pay
May 4th - May 6th Dowsing: an Introduction and Overview
with Alan Neal
May 4th - 6th (Fri - Sun)
£215 residential, £145 non-residential
This course concentrates initially on the acquiring of basic skills using a variety of instruments to find simple targets such as underground water, drains and foundations of buildings, as well as learning something of the history and background of the subject.
Dowsing is a many-faceted art and encompasses a variety of different areas, each one a specialist subject in itself. In this "overall view", once the basics have been mastered, students will be given as wide a perspective as possible of the subject as a whole so that they are fully aware of its many applications. Areas touched on will include the detection of dowsable energies other than water, including leys, fault lines and lines of geopathic stress, map dowsing, archaeological dowsing, and dowsing in connection with healing. The course will include as much practical work as possible.
Alan Neal is a well-known practitioner, lecturer and writer on dowsing. A member of the British Society of Dowsers, as well as a founder member of Tamar Dowsers, he runs courses throughout the South West in which a diverse range of dowsing related subjects are covered, including water-finding, archaeological dowsing and dowsing and healing. Alan is also a practising member of Unity Healers, which is affiliated to the Healer Practitioner Association International.
He has written two books: Dowsing in Devon and Cornwall, an easy to follow “how to” book, and Ley Lines of the South West, in which he relates how he traced and followed several of these mysterious phenomena across Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.
Alan firmly believes that far from being a talent bestowed on the select few, dowsing is a natural ability common to many of us – if we only have the will, and the faith in ourselves, to try.
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
May 8th SfSR Environmental Masterclass: Energy Efficiency
Environmental Masterclass: Energy Efficiency
8th
May (Tuesday)
with Jane Raynor and the Skills for Self Reliance
consortium
Agenda
09.30
– Introductions – what do you want to get out of
the session
09.45 – Energy management
•
The Challenge
•
Greenhouse Gases
•
Legislation
10.00 – Practical measures – it’s not all about
great costs
•
Simple measures
•
Case studies
10.20 – Carbon Footprints
•
What they are
•
How to measure
•
Peoples’ perceptions
10.40 – Coffee break
11.00 – Developing a plan
•
Collating data
•
Identify where to make improvements
•
Measurement
•
Communicate
11.30 – New technologies
•
Feed In Tariffs
•
Renewable Heat Initiative
•
Green Deal
12.00 – RHI example – Monkton Wyld
12.30 – Discussion – where do you go next?
12.45 – End of Masterclass
These
Environmental Masterclasses
are being held for businesses who wish to:
•
Reduce the cost of utility bills
•
Develop robust environmental policies to work
with private and public sector organisations
•
Ensure compliance with environmental laws
The
Masterclasses will provide information on
Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
and how to improve your business efficiency,
including:
•
Energy use and improving energy efficiency
•
Improving recycling and reducing the waste
produced
•
Developing environmental action plans
•
Learning about renewable technologies
Businesses
that improve their efficiency can:
•
Save money
•
Expand their business
•
Ensure compliance with environmental regulations
Delegates
can gain practical environmental advice that can
be implemented in their own firms. The classes
will include interactive sessions and delegates
will be encouraged to set up and develop their
own environmental objectives.
Details
of the Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
Masterclasses:
•
8 May: Energy Efficiency – Monkton Wyld
•
22 May: Recycling & Waste Reduction – Trill
Farm
•
12 June: Renewable Technologies – Matrix Centre
•
26 June: Communication and Engagement – Miles
Cross Farm
•
3 July: Environmental policies and action plans –
Miles Cross Farm (TBC)
All
sessions will run from 09.30 – 13.00
Costs:
We
are able to offer reduced rates for delegate
places through our funding programmes.
One delegate place = £25
Book
all five Masterclasses = £100
The
workshops are being held at The Old Rectory,
Miles Cross Farm Education & Enterprise
Centre, Matrix Centre, Monkton Wyld and Trill
Farm, part of the Skills for Self Reliance
project, part-funded by the European Agricultural
fund for European Development: Europe Investing
in rural areas.
See
www.luluconsulting.co.uk
for more information or email
janerayner@luluconsulting.co.uk.
*
The
Skills for
Self Reliance project is funded
in part by the European Agricultural fund for
European Development 2007-2013: Europe
Investing in Rural Areas.
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May 16th Local Lunch + Make New & Mend
May 16th (Wednesday)
Informal grounds tour from 12:30,
lunch served at 1pm
Only £6! PLEASE BOOK AHEAD.
Come share a taste of Monkton Wyld Court.
Join us for a delicious homemade meal made with fresh seasonal ingredients from our own walled garden and other local producers. Take a tour around the house and grounds.
We look forward to seeing you here.
Please contact us at least a day ahead to reserve your place. Make New & Mend, our friendly handicrafts club, meets from 1:30pm in the first floor Piano Room.
May 18th - May 20th Introduction to Beekeeping
with David Wiscombe
May 18th - 20th (Fri - Sun)
£215 residential, £145 non-residential
Some subsidized spaces available for South West Dorset residents.*
This immensely popular residential course covers all the basics of starting up with bees, and takes you to the hives to try them out. Celebrated instructor David Wiscombe combines decades of experience with a healthy recognition that there's always more to learn in the ancient art of the apiarist.
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
* The Skills for Self Reliance project is funded in part by the European Agricultural fund for European Development 2007-2013: Europe Investing in Rural Areas.
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May 25th - May 27th Marshwood Trails Walking Weekend II
with Martin Gershon of Marshwood Trails
May 25th - 27th (Fri - Sun)
£215 residential, £145 non-residential, £165 camping
Spring is a wonderful time of year to reconnect with nature. This weekend, Martin will lead you in an exploration of both well loved as well as less well known but equally glorious corners of West Dorset. The walks have been carefully chosen so that you will experience a taste of the wide variety of landscapes and habitats close to Monkton Wyld.
The emphasis on the walks will be on the journey
itself rather than the distance or the pace.
There will be tales of Iron Age hill forts,
pilgrims and smugglers and opportunities to
sample local food. With any luck you'll get
sightings of deer and badgers and there should be
birdsong and wildflowers aplenty.
Guests
may also book a massage during the weekend to
help ease away the tension of the day, prevent
stiffness and inflammation or simply as a
relaxing treat. Massage therapist Jayne Doyle,
having recently walked the Camino de Santiago, is
well versed in the needs of the walking pilgrim!
Sessions for back, leg or foot massage (or a
combination) start from £20 for 30 minutes. Email
Jayne directly <</span>info@jaynedoyle.com>
to pre-book an appointment.
Click
here
to download
our course booking form and
instructions.
Contact us
to check availability.
Jun 1st - 5th Vijnana Yoga Retreat
Vijnana Yoga Retreat
with Elizabeth Short
June 1st – 5th
(over the double bank holiday weekend,
Friday evening to Tuesday lunchtime)
£275
Vijnana is a quiet, flowing style of yoga.
See vijnanayoga.org for more details.
In the mornings we will practise sitting and pranayama, have breakfast and then practise asanas. After lunch and a long break to enjoy the Dorsetshire countryside or the sea, there will be another class looking at asana technique in more detail and practising head and shoulder stand.
For further information and booking email Liz Short.
Jun 5th - Jun 10th The Good Life Family Week
with Chloe, Anya & Jyoti
June 5th - 10th (Tuesday to Sunday of half term)
£275 first adult / £245 second adult /
£175 ages 5 through 16 / £80 under-5's
Some concessions available.
Go back to the land this week with traditional crafts, gardening, music, songs, games, barnyard friends and meals around the bonfire. We’ll also enjoy a nature walk to the seashore to relax from our efforts.
Some of the likely activities include...
* milking the cow
* working with our oxen Red and Zeke
* cheese making
* fruit picking
* jam making
* salve making
* growing pumpkins
* clay oven pizzas with homemade mozzerella cheese and veg
* maybe stool making with David (subject to approval!)
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
June 9th Shortcuts for Gardeners: Scything Small-Scale
with Jez Hastings & the MWC Community Garden Team
June 9th or July 7th (Saturday)
£50
This course is specifically aimed at gardeners and allotmenteers to introduce the use and practice of the scythe as a viable alternative to any noisy and costly strimmer or chemicals in managing garden/allotment grass paths and weeds.
The course will cover practical specifics like...
Scythe set-up,
Correct blade for your grass,
Keeping it sharp,
Practical sessions in cutting & managing,
Plenty of time for chatting and questions.
We use scythes to manage all of the grass, lawns and kitchen garden paths, so you can really witness and experience the work of this fantastic tool first hand!
Jez runs the gardens and grounds at Monkton Wyld Court.
10% discount available on B&B for course participants.
'Try before you buy' from the Scythe Shop onsite.
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
Jun 11th - Jun 15th Summer Garden Week
with the MWC Community Garden Team
June 11th - 15th (Mon - Fri)
£150 - £50* residential, all-inclusive
Work closely with the MWC gardeners in the Victorian walled garden, forest garden, other arable plots around the site and the management of the land. Experience a mix of traditional organic methods, biodynamics, permaculture and good common sense. Take part in specially designed projects and the work of the season. Suitable for all levels and styles of gardening enthusiast.
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
* Rates for Garden Weeks are determined on a sliding scale, according to what guests feel they can afford to pay
Jun 14th - 17th A Hands-On Introduction to Masonry Stoves
with James Curry
June 14th - 17th (Thurs - Sun)
£275 residential, £195 non-residential
Limited concessionary rates and subsidized spaces available for South West Dorset residents.*
Masonry stoves are high efficiency radiant space heating stoves, commonly found in many northern and Eastern European countries, and across North America. The stoves achieve very high levels of efficiency by burning wood in the most efficient way: hot and fast. This heat is stored in the thermal mass of the masonry stove, anything up to 3000 kilos, which is then slowly released at low temperatures for 8-12 hours afterwards. In this way, masonry stoves can achieve efficiencies of up to 90%, and are able to provide a much more pleasant heat than from conventional convective heating.
This four day course will give an introduction to masonry stoves. Over the four days, course participants will receive theory based sessions on masonry stoves and the science behind wood combustion. Participants will also be given an introduction to the practical elements of masonry stove construction- brick laying with refractory bricks, clay mortars and renders.
Course leader James Curry is a Renewable Energy Engineer specializing in solar photovoltaics and masonry stoves. He has a Masters in Advanced Environmental and Energy Studies from the Centre for Alternative Technology and is currently working with a German Master Stove Builder in Southern Spain.
For more on masonry stoves, see www.mha-net.org and www.vuurmeesters.com.
Click
here
to download
our course booking form and
instructions.
Contact us
to check availability.
*
The
Skills for
Self Reliance project is funded
in part by the European Agricultural fund for
European Development 2007-2013: Europe
Investing in Rural Areas.
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Jun 15th - Jun 17th Introduction to Beekeeping
with David Wiscombe
June 15th - 17th (Fri - Sun)
£215 residential, £145 non-residential
Some subsidized spaces available for South West Dorset residents.*
This immensely popular residential course covers all the basics of starting up with bees, and takes you to the hives to try them out. Celebrated instructor David Wiscombe combines decades of experience with a healthy recognition that there's always more to learn in the ancient art of the apiarist.
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
* The Skills for Self Reliance project is funded in part by the European Agricultural fund for European Development 2007-2013: Europe Investing in Rural Areas.
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June 21st Monkton Movies presents GASLAND
June 21st (Thursday)
Film starting at 7:30pm, informal discussion following
UK trailer link here.
Monkton Movies, an offering in our monthly events calendar, focuses on the profound connections between people and the natural world as depicted through films of various genres.
All participants are invited to propose films for future showings, and to lead the discussions afterward.
A £5 donation is requested but nobody's turned away.
And everyone's urged to bring healthy drinks and snacks to share on the night!
This event
was made possible through the generous support of
the Dorset Partnership for Older People
Project.
Jun 29th - Jul 1st Early Summer Cycling Weekend
Early Summer Bicycling Weekend
with Martin
Gershon of Marshwood
Trails
June 29th - July 1st (Fri - Sun)
£215
residential, £145 non-residential, £165 camping
There
are few better ways to discover the countryside
than on two wheels.
This weekend will allow you to explore the
delights on West Dorset, its changing landscapes,
vibrant history and delicious food. You will be
led by a knowledgeable, qualified guide who will
take you along traffic free routes to discover
this wonderful part of the country. The pace will
be gentle and although you will encounter some
hills along the way, your efforts will always be
rewarded with panoramic views. There will be an
option for reluctant cyclists to hire electric
bikes during your stay. An optional session on
bicycle maintenance will also be included in the
price of the weekend.
Click
here
to download
our course booking form and
instructions.
Contact us
to check availability.
Jul 7th Shortcuts for Gardeners: Scything Small-Scale
with Jez Hastings & the MWC Community Garden Team
July 7th (Saturday)
£50
This course is specifically aimed at gardeners and allotmenteers to introduce the use and practice of the scythe as a viable alternative to any noisy and costly strimmer or chemicals in managing garden/allotment grass paths and weeds.
The course will cover practical specifics like...
Scythe set-up,
Correct blade for your grass,
Keeping it sharp,
Practical sessions in cutting & managing,
Plenty of time for chatting and questions.
We use scythes to manage all of the grass, lawns and kitchen garden paths, so you can really witness and experience the work of this fantastic tool first hand!
Jez runs the gardens and grounds at Monkton Wyld Court.
10% discount available on B&B for course participants.
'Try before you buy' from the Scythe Shop onsite.
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
Jul 13th - Jul 15th Scything & Grassland Management
with Simon Fairlie
July 13th - 15th (Fri - Sun)
£215 residential, £145 non-residential, £165 camping
Some subsidized spaces available for South West Dorset residents.*
From the course leader:
Beginners often imagine that a two day scything course is a bit excessive, just to learn how to use a garden tool; and that is true if all you want to do is knock down weeds. But anyone who wants to mow grass on any scale will benefit from a two day course, and people who do them come away saying: "I don't know how you could cram all that into one day".
Two days gives you enough time to prepare your own blade (rather than use the Blue Peter blades that I prepare in advance for the one-day course); you get more time to practice different peening methods; and I also demonstrate how to make and stack a hay rack, which enables you to make hay even in changeable weather.
The course covers
• history and sociology of the scythe, in the UK and abroad
• selecting the right blade and snath for the job (or making best use of what you've got):
• setting up a scythe and snath;
• peening with a jig, and and introduction to freehand peening with hammer and anvil;
• sharpening;
• mowing technique;
• how to avoid damaging the blade, and how to repair chips and cracks;
• managing grass with scything in mind;
• hay-making by hand;
• making and loading a hayrack.
Scythe importer and grass management enthusiast Simon Fairlie heads Chapter 7 of The Land is Ours and The Land magazine (among other things) from his stable block offices here at Monkton Wyld Court. Jyoti Fernandes of nearby Fivepenny Farm has worked with Simon for years on all of the above and recently set up the Peasant Evolution Producers' Co-op for area smallholders and supporters.
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
* The Skills for Self Reliance project is funded in part by the European Agricultural fund for European Development 2007-2013: Europe Investing in Rural Areas.
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Aug 2nd - Aug 12th Spanish-English Teen Experience
with the MWC Community in association with Aveda
August 2nd - 12th (Thursday - Sunday)
£365 for ten days and nights with all on-site costs included
SPACES LIMITED! BOOK NOW TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT!
A sympathetic peer group and a shared goal are two powerful motivators in language learning. In next August's language exchange programme for teenagers, Monkton Wyld Court adds to these a stimulating environment, balanced meals and meaningful tasks. The result, a unique summer learning opportunity for teens from the UK and Spain. An experience to learn from and a time to remember.
The concept itself is simple; a sort of melding of Monkton's popular Family Week, Work Week and Internship Programmes. Five to ten Spanish teenagers join an equal number of their UK counterparts in a whole range of activities and projects suited to their age and to the setting.
Days will start with a few hours of age-appropriate projects on site: working together in the garden and farm, tending the grounds, helping out in the kitchen and house. Taking on tasks in pairs or small groups brings out vocabulary and expressive skills in a way that might not always happen in the classroom. Afternoons and evenings will feature a mix of activities like country walks, visits to local beaches and other popular and historical sites, arts and crafts, group games, pottery, camping and performance, with a bonfire or two for good measure. Journal writing and discussion sessions in both languages on films or green issues will also be on offer, and native speakers with teaching experience will be on hand for more classroom-style tutorials as needed. The learning experience for the Madrid teens begins in Spain with their journey over land and sea (ferry, not plane!) and land again to reach us...
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
Aug 13th - 18th Theatre Family Week
with Jacqui Kirkland
August 13th - 18th (Mon - Sat)
£275 first adult / £245 second adult /
£175 ages 5 through 16 / £80 under-5's
Some concessions available.
Develop your family's natural flair. This week of games, crafts, activities, improv and fun culminates in a once-in-a-lifetime performance: your own!
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
Aug 19th - Aug 24th Bushcraft Family Week
with Jonathon Huet of Walk With Trees
August 19th - 24th (Sun - Fri)
£275 first adult / £245 second adult /
£175 ages 5 through 16 / £80 under-5's
Some concessions available.
Jonathon is an accredited and experienced Bushcraft Instructor and has worked with all ages and types of groups. He loves to share his passion of the British countryside, and he delivers all his activities in a relaxed and accessible way.
Freedom, Fun and learning new skills for all the family
On this ideal site in the heart of Dorset’s countryside learn how to live and survive outdoors. Learn to carve, light your own fire (without matches), build your own shelter, collect your own water, cook over an open fire and learn about plants and trees through storytelling and guided walks.
All skills can be adapted to suit all ages and levels of experience and although most of the course will be outside there are the superb facilities of Monkton Wyld Court a stone’s throw away!
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The
kids loved the freedom, my husband loved the
carving, I loved the shelter building. Jonathon’s
facilitation was creative, flexible and sensitive
to people’s needs and abilities. The storytelling
added a bit of magic, and sleeping in our shelter
was the highlight. Thank you for our best
holidays with the kids yet.
Participant's
comment from previous bushcraft course
Click
here
to download our course booking form and
instructions.
Contact us
to check availability.
Sep 10th - Sep 14th Autumn Garden Week
with the MWC Community Garden Team
September 10th - 14th (Mon - Fri)
£150 - £50* residential, all-inclusive
Work closely with the MWC gardeners in the Victorian walled garden, forest garden, other arable plots around the site and the management of the land. Experience a mix of traditional organic methods, biodynamics, permaculture and good common sense. Take part in specially designed projects and the work of the season.
Suitable for all levels and styles of gardening enthusiast.
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
* Rates for Garden Weeks are determined on a sliding scale, according to what guests feel they can afford to pay
Aug 26th - Aug 31st Wyld Science Family Week
with the MWC Community
August 26th - 31st (Sun - Fri)
£275 first adult / £245 second adult /
£175 ages 5 through 16 / £80 under-5's
Some concessions available.
Outdoor science, Garden science, Fire science, Woodland science, Animal science, Night Sky science, Seashore science... So much to explore!
Join us in an exploration of the wonders of the natural world employing all five senses and of course a sense of fun. With songs, crafts, games and tasty food included.
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
Sep 7th - Sep 9th Responsible Photographic Practice & Beginners DSLR
& Beginners' DSLR
with Vicki Churchill
September 7th - 9th (Fri - Sun)
£215 residential, £145 non-residential, £165 camping
Some subsidized spaces available for South West Dorset residents.*
From the course leader:
Aimed at the beginner photographer and those who have owned a DLSR (or Bridge Camera) for years but have yet to make the switch from Auto to Manual Mode; this course offers the opportunity to gain full control of the camera’s settings, unlocking your creative potential through a conscious use of ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed.
This course is also suited to more confident photographers who would like to gain a deeper technical understanding of their work, alongside tutorial help and advice from a professional photographer and visiting lecturer.
Useful techniques will be demonstrated for both Portrait and Landscape photography. Complicated technical jargon will be demystified encouraging confidence in the happy accident, underpinned by the understanding of how to recreate that perfect shot time and again.
A mix of classroom and location based learning with practical explorations taking place both indoors and outdoors; utilizing the beautiful local surroundings.
Alongside the technical and practical aspects of this course will run a unique module investigating ‘Responsible Photographic Practices’.
The course will open with a Friday evening presentation followed by participatory question and answers; exploring methods to encourage and enable a mindful photographic practice that is conscious of both the ethical and environmental impact of the industry and individual photographer. Advice will be offered on ethical consumer choices; such as which leading manufacturer is the greenest, which storage solution has the least carbon foot print, digital vs film, alongside simple tips one can use at home to monitor the use of electricity and help lower the impact of our activities.
Saturday evening entertainment will comprise of a photography related documentary or film.
A full course handbook with technical notes and useful links is included.
This two-day course will cover:-
- Camera Modes, Menus Functions and Settings explored
- Manual Mode and Semi - Automatic Modes
- Auto and Manual Focus techniques
- The Light Meter and The Correct Exposure
- White Balance the basics
- The relationship between Available Light, ISO, Aperture and Shutter speed
- File Formats, the difference between Jpg and Raw
- Aperture and Depth of Field demystified
- Shutter Speed – Recognising Camera Shake and the Creative use of long exposures
- Composition Considered
- Practical exercises exploring the creative potential of Aperture and Shutter Speed
- Portrait and Landscape techniques demonstrated
- Utilizing natural light
- Sample Images demonstrating the techniques discussed
- Students work reviewed daily
- Basic introduction to the power of post production with a brief outline of Raw Converter software
- Sharing photos – Printing, PhotoBooks, Facebook, Flickr, Tumblr
Below are some examples of recent student feedback from classes I have taught for Photography Courses London.
Intensive Foundation Day - Beginners DSLR
Rosemary - Most enjoyable part? The time outside using what we had learnt during the day.
Michael - It was FANTASTIC...
I learned exactly what I expected, needed and wanted from the one-day course. At the beginning of the day I had no idea what my camera could do but by the end of it I really wanted to get out and practice what I'd learned.
What was the most enjoyable part of the course? Vicki was a great teacher. She obviously knows her stuff and was able to impart her knowledge in a great way. She was also a master at helping people at differing levels in the group.
Camera Language Course
Sharooz - Most enjoyable part? Evaluation of the photos at the end of show.
One to One Lightroom
Andrea - Overall opinion of the one to one tuition? Excellent.
Favorite part? Understanding the logic behind the software.
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
* The Skills for Self Reliance project is funded in part by the European Agricultural fund for European Development 2007-2013: Europe Investing in Rural Areas.
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Sep 7th - Sep 9th Scything and Grassland Management
with Simon Fairlie
£215 residential, £145 non-residential, £165 camping
Some subsidized spaces available for South West Dorset residents.*
From the course leader:
Beginners often imagine that a two day scything course is a bit excessive, just to learn how to use a garden tool; and that is true if all you want to do is knock down weeds. But anyone who wants to mow grass on any scale will benefit from a two day course, and people who do them come away saying: "I don't know how you could cram all that into one day".
Two days gives you enough time to prepare your own blade (rather than use the Blue Peter blades that I prepare in advance for the one-day course); you get more time to practice different peening methods; and I also demonstrate how to make and stack a hay rack, which enables you to make hay even in changeable weather.
The course covers
• history and sociology of the scythe, in the UK and abroad
• selecting the right blade and snath for the job (or making best use of what you've got):
• setting up a scythe and snath;
• peening with a jig, and and introduction to freehand peening with hammer and anvil;
• sharpening;
• mowing technique;
• how to avoid damaging the blade, and how to repair chips and cracks;
• managing grass with scything in mind;
• hay-making by hand;
• making and loading a hayrack.
Scythe importer and grass management enthusiast Simon Fairlie heads Chapter 7 of The Land is Ours and The Land magazine (among other things) from his stable block offices here at Monkton Wyld Court. Jyoti Fernandes of nearby Fivepenny Farm has worked with Simon for years on all of the above and recently set up the Peasant Evolution Producers' Co-op for area smallholders and supporters.
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
* The Skills for Self Reliance project is funded in part by the European Agricultural fund for European Development 2007-2013: Europe Investing in Rural Areas.
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Sep 14th - Sep 16th Ancient Sites Around Dorset
with Alan Neal
£215 residential, £145 non-residential, £165 camping
Some subsidized spaces available for South West Dorset residents.*
Explore Dorset’s ancient past using dowsing skills.
Dorset has a rich historical heritage, and marks left by its former inhabitants are everywhere to be seen. Ancient churches, holy wells and burial mounds dot the landscape, and crowning the hilltops are mighty fortresses left by the fearsome warriors of the Iron Age. But visually awe-inspiring though they may be, the awe they evoke is equally matched by a multitude of questions: Why were they constructed where they are? When were they built, and when were they finally abandoned? What rituals were enacted in or around them? How many people inhabited them? Where were their water supplies? Where did they bury their dead? These are just some of the questions to which the historian and the archaeologist are able to provide answers; but another method of investigation is there for us to use – dowsing.
Throughout this course we shall be visiting a series of selected sites encompassing a wide time scale, and exploring ways in which, with the use of this ancient art, we can increase our knowledge of the past and its peoples.
Alan Neal is a well-known practitioner, lecturer and writer on dowsing. A member of the British Society of Dowsers, as well as a founder member of Tamar Dowsers, he runs courses throughout the South West in which a diverse range of dowsing related subjects are covered, including water-finding, archaeological dowsing and dowsing and healing. Alan is also a practising member of Unity Healers, which is affiliated to the Healer Practitioner Association International.
He has written two books: Dowsing in Devon and Cornwall, an easy to follow “how to” book, and Ley Lines of the South West, in which he relates how he traced and followed several of these mysterious phenomena across Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.
Alan firmly believes that far from being a talent bestowed on the select few, dowsing is a natural ability common to many of us – if we only have the will, and the faith in ourselves, to try.
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
* The Skills for Self Reliance project is funded in part by the European Agricultural fund for European Development 2007-2013: Europe Investing in Rural Areas.
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Sep 30th Thirtieth Anniversary Open Day
with the MWC Community
Help us celebrate 30 years since the start of Monkton Wyld Court's intentional community with with pearlish humour.
More details to come!
Oct 8th - 21st Timber Framed Barn Building: a two-week course
with Henry Russel
Oct 8th - 21st (Mon - Sun)
More details to come!
Henry Russel bio to come!
Contact us to be added to the waiting list for this course!
Oct 12th - Oct 14th Heat Your House with an Axe
with Jez Hastings & the MWC Community
Oct 12th - 14th (Fri - Sun)
£215 residential, £145 non-residential
Some subsidized spaces available for South West Dorset residents.*
Have a fireplace and you're not afraid to use it?
Come and redevelop the most essential human connection with the hearth. We'll look at everything from wood collecting and storage to the basics of open fire cooking, with stops for hatchet safety, chimney flue regulations and perhaps a cautionary tale or two from our own experience of re-opening the Court's own fireplaces this year. We'll debate the best way of scrumpling newspaper and compete for best laid fire. And we'll give you a bedroom fire to practice on during your stay.
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
* The Skills for Self Reliance project is funded in part by the European Agricultural fund for European Development 2007-2013: Europe Investing in Rural Areas.
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Oct 21st - 25th Wyldwood Ways Week: a Home Educators' Family Week
with the Hastings Family & the rest of the MWC Community
October 21st - 25th (Sunday - Thursday)
All-inclusive rates for the week:
Adult £150, Children 5 - 16 £85, Under-5s £45 *
This autumn, a chance to spend time with other home educating families: to learn new skills, to share knowledge and experiences; time to talk, time to play, time to do, time to be.
With such a fantastic home-ed family joining our community this year, we can't help but feel it's time to revitalise that network and develop our resources for education otherwise. The Wyldwood Ways Week is a real step toward that goal: a unique family holiday tailour made for participating families with discussions, activities and family fun chosen by YOU.
* In recognition of the unique challenges and expenses faced by home educating families, we have tried to make this week more accessible by slightly shortening its length and considerably dropping its price.
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
Oct 29th - Nov 3rd Halloween Family Week
with Dorothy and Anita
October 29th - November 3rd (Mon - Sat)
£275 first adult / £245 second adult /
£175 ages 5 through 16 / £80 under-5's
Some concessions available.
Another happy week of singing and crafts and family adventures with Dorothy and Anita. Only this time, the ghosties come too!
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
Nov 17th Holiday Willow Weaving
with Norah Kennedy
November 17th (Saturday)
10:00am - 3:30pm
More details to come!
Start off the festive season with a treat for yourself and some friends, and fashion some lovely gifts into the bargain! Start a new hobby or refresh your skills with wreaths, angels and other winter holiday designs. All materials provided. You just bring your good self (and perhaps an apron).
See Norah's work here.
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
Dec 3rd - Dec 7th Winter Garden Week
with the MWC Community Garden Team
December 3rd - 7th (Mon - Fri)
£150 - £50* residential, all-inclusive
Work closely with the MWC gardeners in the Victorian walled garden, forest garden, other arable plots around the site and the management of the land. Experience a mix of traditional organic methods, biodynamics, permaculture and good common sense. Take part in specially designed projects and the work of the season.
Suitable for all levels and styles of gardening enthusiast.
Click here to download our course booking form and instructions.
Contact us to check availability.
* Rates for Garden Weeks are determined on a sliding scale, according to what guests feel they can afford to pay
Dec 23rd - 27th Christmas at the Court
with the MWC Community
December 23rd - 27th (Sun - Thurs)
Tariffs: £175 adult / £130 ages 5 - 16 / £35 under 5
Don't
let the holiday season leave you cold. Pack up
your loved ones, your happiest winter memories,
your mandolin and djembe and your granny's own
recipe for hot buttered rum and come and join us
around the fire for a quiet, no-fuss holiday at
the old rectory (and a no-holds-barred,
boat-pushed-out Christmas dinner feast, sure).
Mince pies, mistletoe and jigsaw puzzles
provided. Woolly jumpers warmly recommended.
Contributions to the gift exchange a must!
Please
note that this holiday is not a Family Week per
se. Details will be provided on request regarding
numbers of other families with young children
booked. Some single rooms available for a
supplementary tariff.
Click here
to download
our course booking form and
instructions.
Contact us
to check availability.
Jan 27th - Feb 9th, 2013 Permaculture Design
with Aranya and the Designed Visions team
January 27th - February 9th
two weeks, 90 course hours
From the course leader:
This practical course will bring the possibility of significant and positive life changes. Although permaculture is most commonly thought about in connection with gardening & farming, its principles, ethics and design methods can be adapted and used in each individual's own work, interests and home to bring about a more harmonious & sustainable lifestyle. Permaculture offers a perspective on all aspects of building a sustainable future. Permaculture encourages us to use our individual skills, knowledge and interests, whilst drawing on traditional wisdom, science and our innate ability to observe and learn from the world around us.
Course participants will be awarded the Permaculture Association (Britain)'s internationally recognised Certificate in Permaculture Design.
Visit the Designed Visions website for more details and to book on this long-running and much-lauded comprehensive course.
STILL TO COME! How to Set Up a Low-Impact Smallholding
with Simon Fairlie and Jyoti Fernandes
A three-night course- dates to be decided!
Everything you wanted to know about starting a smallholding as well as a tour of some of the area's finest,
this course combines the planning and administrative considerations with the practical concerns and somehow manages to keep the dream alive.
Scythe importer and grass management enthusiast Simon Fairlie heads Chapter 7 of The Land is Ours and The Land magazine (among other things) from his stable block offices here at Monkton Wyld Court. Jyoti Fernandes of nearby Fivepenny Farm has worked with Simon for years on all of the above and recently set up the Peasant Evolution Producers' Co-op for area smallholders and supporters.
Thanks so much to everyone involved (especially Simon and Jyoti) for really great, informative and inspiring weekend... We managed to cram in so much information in 3 days and it really helped going to see local smallholders (to see the theory becoming reality!).
a 2010
Course Participant
Contact
us to be added
to the waiting list for this
course!
STILL TO COME! Biodiversity Evening Event: Bats in the Belfry
with Jan Freeborn
from 6:30pm
£1 per person requested for craft activity participants
A family friendly bat evening including a batty crafts activity, a chance to learn about Monkton Wyld's special bats and how to discover more about them and, for those who want to stay out really late, the opportunity to put newly acquired bat detective skills into action. This event is run in partnership with the Dorset Bat Group's Bats in the Belfry project.
Organic evening meal and discounted accommodation available by prior arrangement with Monkton Wyld Court.
STILL TO COME! Biodynamic Gardening
an introduction to the practice
and philosophy
with Marina O'Connell
The course will introduce participants to the thinking and philosphy behind Biodynamc gardening in a simple and experiential way. We will make and use some of the preparations and study the Biodynamic calendar in preparation to start the next growing season using these techniques.
Marina O'Connell has 20 years experience of Biodynamic growing and has taught these methods at Otley Agricultural College in Suffolk and at The Apricot Centre in Essex. She runs a small organic fruit farm in the Stour Valley and the Apricot Centre on the farm, working in schools and running a wide range of courses on Sustainable living.
Contact us to be added to the waiting list for this course!
STILL TO COME Wassailing Event
during a January near you!
This ancient tradition of giving thanks and asking for continued abundance is visited anew with facilitator and singer Danu Fox. The weekend will incorporate old traditions and bring in new ones to celebrate the lands and beings of Monkton.
If you would like to join in, use your voice, sing the land, use your weaving, fire and cooking skills, build outdoor offerings, reflect and meditate on the old and the coming year, then this is for you.
Contact us to be added to the waiting list for this course!
STILL TO COME! Family Reiki Day
with Lizzie Hornby
Book for a day of fun and relaxation.
Come and learn the basics of Reiki Level 1 with emphasis on how to make the most of Reiki as a family. All the family can join in and children can come in and learn for as long as they wish while also being looked after and kept entertained if they choose to leave the main learning area for a time.
This one-day reiki workshop has been planned with childcare, open space and family rates available to make it as inclusive as possible. Come and share the benefits of reiki with family members of all ages.
Contact us to be added to the waiting list for this course! Email Lizzie directly or phone her on 01308 424084 for more details.
STILL TO COME! Coastal Walk for Foragers
with Tasha & Patch
£35 including a homemade packed lunch
10% discount available on B&B for course participants
This one-day workshop is aimed at enthusiastic walkers to follow a route along the local coastline, as your charming guides introduce the local flora: the good, the bad, and the tasty.
Some concessions available for South West Dorset residents.
Contact us to be added to the waiting list for this course!
STILL TO COME! Firebird Trance-Dance
with Leo Rutherford
From the Course Leader:
Firebird Trance is Afro-Brazilian Dance Medicine Magic. It is a unique path into healing and alternate reality. Through the glorious wild abandon and seeming chaos of the Trance-Dance, a new sense of Self and connection with the Universal Order can be realised. Trance-Dance is an ancient healing tradition, as old as humanity.
The Dance takes us naturally and effortlessly from thinking to being, melting into oneness with existence. The Rhythm of the Drum - the heartbeat of Mother Earth - guides the dancer to the magic healing place of deep trance. By inviting Spirit to dance through us, we come to a place of ease with our true nature and can experience the world through the lens of ecstasy, perceiving ourself as part of the Universal Playful Being enjoying The Cosmic Dance.
This form of Trance-Dance is derived from the traditions of West Africa and the Afro-Brazilian cultures, specifically the Candomble and Umbanda, and also the Gnawa Moroccan tradition, all of which have their roots in West Africa. In the background is the unique dancing way of Gabrielle Roth.
This workshop will move you profoundly towards the truth of yourself and your life. The Trance-Dance is a magical catalyst for all sorts to happen and patterns to shift. It enables you to sweep away confusion and delusion and to penetrate to the heart of yourself and to connect with your soul’s divine purpose.
Contact us to be added to the waiting list for this course!
For more information on Leo and his work, visit the Eagle's Wing website.
STILL TO COME! Homemade Wines & Hedgerow Treats
with Tasha & Patch
£35 including organic homemade lunch
10% discount available on B&B for course participants
Experienced and enthusiastic wild foodies Tasha and Patch join us from Tinkers Bubble to introduce the tastiest treats of the English summertime: perfect timing for hedgerow salads, wines and cordials! With lots of outdoor learning and plenty of samples to share.
Some concessions available for South West Dorset residents.
Contact us to be added to the waiting list for this course!
STILL TO COME! Sacred Drumming
with Doug Blacksmith
For millennia the drum has accompanied humans through daily life and our most sacred moments, carrying us into states of ecstasy, trance and healing. Creating a ceremonial and ritual space, inviting the helping spirits, experiencing the power of the drum, letting go, healing, exploring, feeling the pulse. Drumming is a spiritual experience, being with the rhythm of nature. Celebrate the sacred drummer in all of us. I will teach traditional rhythms of Guinea and Mali, along with the history and the cultural context for each piece and the ethnic grouping the music comes from. All levels welcome. Please bring a drum if you have one.
Doug has drummed for ritual, ceremonial and shamanic events for many years.
Contact us to be added to the waiting list for this course!
The Court feels so much nicer than a more formal venue, lived in and comfortable with artistic and original touches. The bed was comfortable, food fantastic.
Thanks very much - I hope to come again.
Guest's feedback, 2011