Opening the Garden Gates at Foxfield LAND Centre
As Covid restrictions ease and the warmer weather beckons, our network of LAND demonstration sites are beginning to reopen their gates to welcome you to have an immersive experience of practical permaculture. If you run a project, hosting an open day is a great way to engage your local community, to raise much needed funds and to attract new volunteers. Sign up to the free projects membership offer to attend our Masterclass on How to Run a Successful Event on August 10.
Foxfield By Alison Ensor
"Foxfield LAND Centre is our family property just north of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, which we bought in 2004. It had a 1 acre grass paddock attached and was in need of some renovation, making it perfect as a basis for a diploma in Applied Permaculture Design which I finally completed in 2013.
In 2014, we accredited as a LAND centre, demonstrating many of the energy, food growing, community, and family projects I had implemented as part of the diploma. My vision is to be a place where people can see how permaculture can enrich your life, and that living more sustainably is fun, creative and emotionally rewarding too.

Creating wildlife ponds and habitat, making a solar shower and hot tub, developing a forest garden foraging space for poultry and a no-dig vegetable growing system means we’ve become a really productive, fun and wildlife enriched space. But the designer hasn’t quite become the decliner yet - I’m still designing, with a carp aquaculture and cob mushroom house currently underway. If you keep digging ponds, you need to use the clay that comes out!

The main benefit of being a LAND Centre is that sharing my enthusiasm acts as a positive feedback loop – it inspires others which in turn inspires me to keep offering more. I have a wealth of experience in food growing and self-building to offer, but to me, inspiring creative confidence and a deepening connection to nature is far more important than sharing practical know-how.

Book your place on the Foxfield Tour on Saturday 28th May:
by email- [email protected]
By phone- 01242 621152
Through our Facebook Page

Ideas for the kind of events that we would love to see include a project tour or open day, a community meal using home grown produce, an introduction to permaculture day, a skill share event, a bike repair or repair cafe day, a practical or creative workshop. We will provide you with lots of support in terms of organising, mapping and promoting your event. Some bursaries will be available for member projects. Please contact Kath if you are interested in hosting an event at your project or you would like your project to feature in our next blog.