Setting up a local permaculture network was a design I started thinking about doing in late 2016.  Over the past five and a half years, I’ve started and stopped this design so many times it’s embarrassing. I’ll blame the frameworks I chose for this; I used a few different ones but found they were far too complicated for something that should be straightforward. This is what lead me to try out the CEAP framework. This one sounded simple to use and it must have worked out well in the end because I’ve got to the point in the design where I’m writing my reflections on the design process.

 

What went well?

Finally finding a framework that made sense to me for creating a people-based design, without having any other people directly involved with creating the people-based design. I’ll pick this back up in the next question but for now, I will celebrate using the CEAP framework.

Collect, Evaluate, Apply and Plan. Straightforward, no hidden agendas to catch you out, plain, and simple.

I didn’t want this design to be another large design, the problem was a simple one. Richmond does not have a local permaculture network, so go and set one up.

Having a little bit of structure was going to be necessary if I wanted this design to come to fruition, the past five and a half years has highlighted this fact due to each time I started working on it the design fell apart once more.

Once I started with the CEAP framework the design came together quite well. It was good to be able to put a small plan together for the things I needed to do. The addition of a timeline was most helpful, with the realization that I do not have to do everything right now. With the end of my diploma a few months away, I’m working towards writing up and finishing the last few designs. In all truthfulness, I do not have time right now be setting up a local permaculture network. Once the Diploma is complete, then I will have time. It’s a catch-22 situation, I want to have all my diploma designs complete to present in my portfolio but for that to happen I need to focus on getting people involved with this design, taking my focus away from the whole to focus on one part. This is why the timeline was the most valuable part of making this design happen, it permitted me to say, “it’s okay, it can wait until I have the time.”

Mind-blowing isn’t it, my eighth design and I finally understand the true meaning of a timeline. 

 

What has been challenging?

Most challenging was finding a framework that made sense to me for creating a people-based design, without having any other people directly involved in creating the people-based design.

What do I mean by this? As an example, I’ve had two attempts at using Looby Macnamara’s design web, first as a framework, then to try and incorporate it as a means of of questionnaire-type scenario to be used with willing people to help me build the network around.

The problem I have is that I do not have anybody local who is passionate about permaculture or willing to spend a fair bit of time using the design web to flesh out people's needs and wants for a local permaculture network.

Therefore, I opted for a set of six simple questions that would take somebody a few moments to answer and could be sent out over email.

At a future point when I have those passionate local permaculture people knocking on my door asking to learn more about permaculture, I could revisit Looby’s design web with them and create a far superior people design that has people involved with its creation, and not just something like this design that I’ve put together with a few people who have shown a little interest or who have taken pity upon me and my mad ideas.

If Looby’s design framework sounds complex, you should try using Patrick Whitefield's learning cycle framework. I have enjoyed using Patrick's framework for three of my land-based designs but struggled a bit with it when I used it with my House Buying Design. I then went straight in with using it for this design and ended up just going swimming in the river instead.

That was a few years ago, I have a much better understanding of how to bend the words of a framework to mean something other than what they say. As Looby clearly states in her book People and Permaculture, the words in a framework act as anchor points. I am a bit of a slow learner and had to complete three NLP courses to fully understand anchor points, but the river was lovely to swim in that year.   

To summarise, it’s been a challenge finding a framework and putting together a people design without the involvement of people who are passionate about permaculture.

 

What are my long-term vision and goals for this design?

At the moment I’m just following that voice in my head that keeps telling me to carry on with this design. The obvious long-term vision and goals are that I will “find the others” in the town and together we create a beautiful local permaculture network where we all live together in Hobbit homes and get merry together. The more cynical aspect of me is probably thinking more along the lines of, it’s not going to be beautiful, but permaculture will have a place in helping people with what's about to arrive in this country very soon with the immanent worldwide food shortages, the breakdown of supply chains, not to forget the next stage of lockdowns be they pandemic or climate change related. Having a network with local people may provide support for a few people, who knows, but something is certainly driving this design.

 

What are my next achievable steps?

Invite those who have shown interest along to the gardens for a small get-together over tea and cake. Give them a tour of the garden and talk about permaculture all the while trying not to come across as mad as a hatter.

Once I’ve completed the diploma then focus on getting people interested in permaculture design. I also want to keep posting updates to the Richmond permaculture website.

Most of all will be to listen to what people would like to get out of a local permaculture network.

 

Did you like using the CEAP framework for the first time, and how did it work for you? 

As I’ve mentioned, it’s been a good framework for this design probably due to the fact it’s very simple to use and very loose when it comes to putting many things together under one section heading. For this reason, I have enjoyed learning to use this framework.

I’d certainly use it again for a short design. I’m also starting to learn which frameworks fit best for what type of design scenario so I have found it useful on many levels.  

 

In what ways did the principles and ethics most significantly shift your decision-making?

This has always been my odd design with it being a people design from somebody who just loves to be pottering away on his own. In my Interim portfolio assessment summary, Wilf slipped in that “you have skills to offer” whilst encouraging me to do a community project or something involving external clients. This will be as close as I get with my diploma designs to what Wilf has asked, by setting up a community project without a community.

Perhaps I do have something to offer, I’ve spent enough time studying and researching permaculture over the years that this design might be important at some point to somebody.

In comparison, meditation is one of those things that you learn, then go out and teach other people meditation. This is a gift from one person to another. The permaculture principles and ethics also fit into this type of transaction; they should be given as a gift between people.

Through the principles and ethics, this design certainly made me question my role in this story. I don’t want to be a teacher, I’m far too dyslexic to do that. I’m still questioning why I’m even doing the diploma; I’ll cover this in my learning pathway. For now, I’m still letting the principles and ethics guide me.

 

Where did the principles and ethics have the most influence on your actions?

People care, just getting this far in the design has taken me five and a half years. This ethic is influencing me all the time. I probably do not know it yet because I’m so focused on my last few designs, but this seemingly disjointed small design could end up being my most important design. 

 

Any reflections on using the design tools, which was most useful?

The PMI tool, as always, is a good tool to focus your thoughts. I once again brought out the mind map, not used it for a while but helped me see I may have something to offer.

At the top of the list this time it would have to be the questionnaire that was the most useful, not because I compiled the best set of questions known to man. In truth, the questions I came up with were very basic. What was important were the answers I received back, they gave me hope at a time when I’m spending so much time writing up my designs and wondering why I’m even doing the diploma when there is a river waiting to swim in. 

 

Why did you choose the books you found helpful for this design?

In the appendix section, I have added the key permaculture books that feature throughout the whole diploma as guidebooks. The other books I’ve included all play their part in this design.

It’s important not to focus on one side of a story, as it is to not just listen to what other people tell you but to go and research a topic for yourself. I consume many books each month that cover a whole spectrum of topics. The “other” books I’ve included are varied, but when placed into a large pot and stirred together produce excellent food for thought.

“Build back better” is a slogan that has been constantly pushed at us these past couple of years. To recognize how and why this three-word slogan is been used we need to have the context surrounding it. Learning and making conclusions after researching empowers an individual to make conscious choices from the information gleaned. Speaking for myself from the many books I’ve read I conclude that local permaculture networks can have a key role to play in our future.