Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Tradingpost" <tradingpost@lobo.net>]

"How to grow food in an oil-scarce world is possibly one of the most useful 
set of skills any young person could be learning and a significant rise in 
demand is anticipated in the job market." (excerpt)


(I'll never get there but anything at Schumacher College is the best)

Dartington Certificate in Sustainable Horticulture
http://www.schumachercollege.org.uk/courses/dartington-certificate-in-sustainable-horticulture
(Level 2 National Certificate)

Location Dartington Estate, Totnes, South Devon (England)
Who is the course for?

This is a one year course (with the intention of extending to Level 3 in a 
second year) for those wishing to gain essential skills and knowledge in 
horticulture, linking into the a future when cheap fossil fuel products and 
energy will be scarce. It will involve a mixture of theory sessions with 
‘hands on’ practical application. It is recommended for school leavers and 
mature students.

Entry requirements

You need to be either 16 years of age and have a minimum Grade C GCSE in 
English and a keen interest in horticulture within a sustainable context, or 
be aged 17 and over and have at least a years experience within a 
horticultural setting and a good level of literacy.
What will you do on the course?

The course covers the following modules:

241 Horticultural science
242 Principles of horticultural machinery
243 Identification of weeds, pests and diseases
244 Health and safety in amenity horticulture
245 Working practice in horticulture
253 Identification and use of plants
255 Glasshouse practices in horticulture
256 Propagation techniques
258 Fruit and vegetable cultivation
270 Introduction to organic growing

You will gain experience working alongside three pioneering horticultural 
projects on the Dartington Estate: the nationally renowned 21st Century 
Dartington Hall gardens set in a splendid medieval landscape; School Farm, a 
community-focussed market garden developing low carbon growing technology and 
working to organic standards; and the forest garden around the 
internationally acclaimed Schumacher College, which is successfully 
demonstrating the potential for ecological land management practices 
including forest gardening techniques.

The nationally renowned 21st Century Dartington Hall gardens are set in a 
splendid medieval landscape. They have been the centre of an experiment in 
rural regeneration and horticulture since the 1930s and attract thousands of 
visitors a year. Wildflower meadows and regenerating orchid populations are 
among the many features of these gardens that make them an excellent place to 
learn the skills that will be required by heritage gardeners of the future as 
we build biodiversity back into our managed landscape and develop ways to 
grow with less dependence on fossil fuels.

School Farm is a community-focussed market garden that is developing low 
carbon growing technology according to a minimum tillage and 
low-mechanisation policy and working to bring land back into organic 
certified status. Growing food and flowers for a local market by engaging the 
local community as apprentice volunteers and customers is an essential part 
of the business model and is paving the way for many emerging market gardens 
across the country.

The gardens at the internationally acclaimed Schumacher College are 
successfully demonstrating the potential for ecological land management 
practices including forest gardening and permaculture in commercial and 
domestic horticulture. The importance of forest gardening has recently been 
the focus of national media attention as it has potential to significantly 
increase the productivity and biodiversity of our food production systems 
whilst massively reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.
How do you study the course?

Students attend three days a week which combine theoretical with practical 
education. You will spend at least three half-days a week in supervised 
practice, working alongside experienced horticulturalists who are leaders in 
their field. Residential options are available for two to three nights of the 
week in the Dartington and Totnes area.
What will you do afterwards?

It is intended that an Advanced Dartington Certificate in Sustainable 
Horticulture (Level 3 Advanced National Certificate, A Level equivalent) will 
be available to successful students for a second year study, or other 
relevant RHS courses will be available.

How to grow food in an oil-scarce world is possibly one of the most useful 
set of skills any young person could be learning and a significant rise in 
demand is anticipated in the job market. Similarly, there is an increasing 
demand for ways to manage heritage gardens that are less dependent on fossil 
fuels and promote biodiversity. Successful students of ‘The Dartington 
Certificate in Sustainable Horticulture’ will have employable skills and 
recognised qualifications fit for horticulture in the 21st Century.
Other information

This course is the first to be delivered at Duchy College’s new partnership 
campus, Dartington, providing an inspiring location for study with a rich 
heritage in experimentation and education. Dartington is one mile from 
Totnes, a vibrant, small market town, well known for its sustainability 
initiatives, such as the Transition Town movement, and lively social and 
cultural scene.

For more information from the Duchy College website, including regarding 
fees, click here.

To find out more please call 01209 721321 or email 
rosewarn.enquiries@duchy.ac.uk

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