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  • From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost@lobo.net>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] Dartington Certificate in Sustainable Horticulture
  • Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2009 21:09:29 -0600


"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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