Sunday, 16 October 2011

Permaculture AGM, Diploma update and Zopa loan

Went to the Permaculture Association (PA) AGM in Manchester yesterday and met up with some of my PDC fellow students.  It was a great day mostly because it was fab to see so many like-minded people in one place discussing interesting projects and sharing ideas.  Also great to hear that the PA is moving forwards and some exciting things happening - go and check is out here. Going to try and get over to the Leeds gatherings sometime (if I can fit it in) - see Leeds Permaculture Network website.  Whatever happens I am going to get more involved somehow just because I think it is a great organisation.

Doing well with some of the parts of my diploma.  Haven't stepped foot in Tesco since the 1st October!!  Extending our lembas bulk orders.  Lembas are like Suma but based in Sheffield so we are now going to get some of our frozen stuff from them.  Still getting a veg box from Able and Cole and that seems to be going well.  Dave came home with a huge box of onions from the allotment the other day which is always great and we are still eating our way through the fruit from our trees.  Planted some of our other fruit trees the other day to start off the forest garden transformation.

Done some clothes swapping with people recently which was great and planning on going to a swishing gathering on Saturday.  Haven't really missed clothes shopping to be honest as I always found it disheartening that I never quite fitted things well.  I dusted the sewing machine off the other day and did some linings for a few of my crochet bags but really need to venture into adjusting clothes.  Not a great sewer though so that could be fun!!!

I have just set up my first Zopa loan which is very exciting.  "At Zopa, people who have spare money lend it directly to people who want to borrow.  There are no banks in the middle, no huge overheads and no sneaky fees, meaning everyone gets better rates."  Cutting out the banks has to be a really, really good idea (see my previous post!!) so although this is a bit of a scary prospect it is also very exciting!!!  I reckon everyone should go and check this sort of thing out though.  It seems a great idea.  UPDATE - only an hour later and already £60 has been lent out to people - very exciting!!

1 comment:

  1. Anything to keep the banks out the the loop must be good, I will remember the zopa loan if ever needed, good to see your course is going well, I feel guilty now for doing a tesco order (note to self - will try better)Lembas sound good too so I will look into that, we have a group of people here in Hornsea trying to get a transition group off the ground and they keep doing suma orders but I always seem to have a cupboard full and never time things right. I have still to go through sons wardrobe so haven't forgotton - do you have a daughter by the way as my own 9 year old is growing so fast there will be girls clothes aswell. What fruit trees have you planted by the way? and is your garden quite a good size? would you post photos as I would love to see pictures of a forest family garden.

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