Ediculture is a charitable trust whose main objectives are the promotion of health and well-being, and the alleviation of poverty by developing the capacity of the edible cultural network and providing educational information and resources designed to improve the provision and practice of foraging and food growing.
Ediculture is based at Coed Hills in South Wales, where as a charity it demonstrates and participates in edible-cultural practices and techniques which are sustainable, ecological, and biological.
We have as our resources:-
– A seed bank with over 120 varieties of heritage and heirloom seeds
– A fruit tree nursery propagating over 100 varieties of apples, some of which are heritage Welsh varieties
– 1.5 acres in cultivation, comprising of kitchen garden, 8 “allotments”, multiple polytunnels, a forest garden and flower beds
– Various orchards from 20 year old trees to newly planted trees
– Over 100 medicinal perennials
Ediculture has been developing opportunities for relevant training, through the ediculture course, an 8 part training based on the seasonal wheel of the year and the natural learning cycle. This training aims to equip students on the training to get a general overview of the whole subject of food culture from a permacultural, organic and ecological viewpoint.
In addition We offer:
– Public Seasonal events: Coed Ffest, apple day, wassail, + more…
– Advice on various aspects of local food
– Design consultancy for small to larger projects
– Volunteering opportunities
– Specific Courses in the practical and theoretical aspects Edible-culture
– Support towards social and therapeutic food growing projects
Courses in Ediculture: The Phases of Ediculture course
Ediculture is about the various ways we can empower ourselves through foraging, growing, redesigning, and educating ourselves about the sources of where our food and medicine come from. The word comes from the fusion of edible and horticulture.
Ediculture as a general concept sits as a trunk at the source of many key subjects which up until recently have been on the outskirts of mainstream education. With the growing multiplicity of complex issues arising in health and environment, these subjects have come to the fore to offer solutions. Rather than specialization, Ediculture chooses to focus on a general approach, taking from each subject what is required in order to gain understanding and so become empowered to take initiative.
Structure of the course
The whole course is frameworked around each of the 8 sessions relating to the 8 directions, and the wheel of the year. Using this framework helps participants to understand their position in relation to the subject at hand, and where their strengths and weaknesses lie.
- 1 – wild food and foraging skills (wilding/east)
- 2 – organic horticulture (growing/south east)
- 3 – Permaculture (place and placing/south)
- 4 – Seasonality (time and timing/south west)
- 5 – Nutrition (nourishing/west)
- 6 – Herbal medicine (medicating/north west)
- 7 – Working with others (communicating/north)
- 8 – Nature connection (dreaming/north east)
Click here to find out more about the 8 phases
Ediculture focuses on the relationships between the subjects, seeing them as a series of phases that all relate and can be grouped into one area of understanding. These phases are often experienced on most people’s personal journey, though not necessarily in this order. This is the order we have grouped them as we feel is most appropriate for learning, as they follow a natural progression through the wheel of the year.
Each session will begin with outlining the subject at hand, a practical application of that subject, followed by discussion work, collective group designs and a space for question and answers.
What does the full course offer?
There will be 8 sessions in total, and each session takes a full day. Each day there will be a focus on the theory and the practical application of that theory.. There will be:
- An overview creatively told on each subject
- slideshows of growing projects and work in practice
- course work for people to focus on in between sessions.
- Additional practical and volunteer sessions throughout the year
- Links to other food growing projects for people to join
- Links to further study the subjects.
- a seed bank, herbs and perennials for people to take home with them at the end of the course
- digital recordings to be emailed back to the participants for reference and homework revision.
Who can the course benefit?
Those seeking to:
- improve health and well-being
- greater nature connection
- help and advice on designing growing spaces (allotments, back-gardens, and small scale growing projects)
- working with community growing groups
- find greater direction and purpose in their life during or post academic studies.
Those with particular interests in:
- Self-sufficiency / growing your own
- Allotments
- Food growing in the community
- Nutrition
- Herbal medicine
- Team building
- Nature connection
Taster Sessions
One day Taster sessions are available from Ediculture. In the taster sessions we will run through the 8 aspects of ediculture, giving an outline of the general themes and areas of study that are required to develop an understanding of edible culture, as well as time for questions and answers. There will be handouts and slideshows.
When?
The practical sessions are seasonally dependent:
throughout the winter season (21st Dec – 21st March) only some aspects of the practical sessions are available.(cooking, tree planting and perennials, compost, ground work (infrastructure), team work, design and planning, seeds and early propagation, some tunnel work, and tool care)
In the Spring season (21st March – 21st June) All practical aspects are available: grafting, propagating, sowing, foraging, cultivation, planting, in addition to the winter aspects, though tree planting comes to an end.
In the Summer season (21st June – 21st – September) All practical aspects that were available in the spring are also available in the summer.
In the Autumn season (21st – September – 21st December) most practical aspects are available. Though some aspects of cultivation, seed saving and foraging are limited.
Theory sessions are available all year round.
Where?
Practical Ediculture courses can be adaptable to your location to a degree that there is access to kitchens, gardens and wild spaces to explore. The more infrastructure the easier it is to run practical courses. The aim of the practical courses can be adapted to help develop the infrastructure for more in-depth practicals to follow e.g building a polytunnel.
Theoretical courses can be taught in any location provided that there is suitable classroom space. Projectors help but are not necessary.
How much is the ediculture course?
Subject to discussion.
More information:
Facebook @ediculture
Instagram @ediculture
Contact:
Stephen on 07507578885