Comments on: A Transition Training Day with Somerset County Council http://transitionculture.org/2009/04/24/a-transition-training-day-with-somerset-county-council/ An Evolving Exploration into the Head, Heart and Hands of Energy Descent Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:35:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Nick Osborne http://transitionculture.org/2009/04/24/a-transition-training-day-with-somerset-county-council/comment-page-1/#comment-62778 Nick Osborne Tue, 19 May 2009 10:59:32 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=2556#comment-62778 Hi Cara & Neville, To add to your conversation about farmers and food, I've just received this: Bookings are now being taken for SWRural Update’s next event: Transition Farms Wednesday 17th June, Royal Agricultural College, Cost: Preferential Member’s rate: £40.00; Non-members rate £80.00. 50% subsidy for farmers with a Holding number in the SW, total cost £20.00 Price includes all refreshments and lunch. “Agriculture 2050 – a day considering the options for local agricultural & food production after fossil fuels have run out and climate change is really here.” Contact Beverly for a copy of the programme and a booking form. We would be very grateful if you could pass on the information to anyone that you feel maybe interested in attending. Kind regards Beverley Allen SWRU/Royal Agricultural College 01285 889872 Hi Cara & Neville,
To add to your conversation about farmers and food, I’ve just received this:

Bookings are now being taken for SWRural Update’s next event:

Transition Farms

Wednesday 17th June, Royal Agricultural College,

Cost: Preferential Member’s rate: £40.00; Non-members rate £80.00.

50% subsidy for farmers with a Holding number in the SW, total cost £20.00

Price includes all refreshments and lunch.

“Agriculture 2050 – a day considering the options for local agricultural & food production after fossil fuels have run out and climate change is really here.”

Contact Beverly for a copy of the programme and a booking form.

We would be very grateful if you could pass on the information to anyone that you feel maybe interested in attending.

Kind regards

Beverley Allen
SWRU/Royal Agricultural College
01285 889872

]]> By: Neville Stork http://transitionculture.org/2009/04/24/a-transition-training-day-with-somerset-county-council/comment-page-1/#comment-62597 Neville Stork Sun, 03 May 2009 14:40:40 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=2556#comment-62597 Ah Cara, if only we could. The real problem I have to overcome is getting Councillors from the current position in agriculture to your position. On the way I need to offer them a translation between the current practice and the Transition practice. If I can show them the nightmare scenario of depleting oil availability and a sea of hungry mouths, then the cry will go up 'What can I do?', the concept of a half way house for agriculture will mean that (like Cuba) all will get less, but everyone will get something. Obviously those addicted to those ghastly hamburgers and plastic chicken 'meals' will struggle. I need to tell Councillors in Leicestershire just how much food will be available from agriculture in their own County; there will be no food coming from great distances when we hit severe oil depletion. There is a denial that oil will run out not just in general, but in the decision makers. The comment of ' let them eat cake' is one that I have heard so many times that I fear for the future. Josef many thanks for the link. Neville Ah Cara, if only we could. The real problem I have to overcome is getting Councillors from the current position in agriculture to your position. On the way I need to offer them a translation between the current practice and the Transition practice.
If I can show them the nightmare scenario of depleting oil availability and a sea of hungry mouths, then the cry will go up ‘What can I do?’, the concept of a half way house for agriculture will mean that (like Cuba) all will get less, but everyone will get something. Obviously those addicted to those ghastly hamburgers and plastic chicken ‘meals’ will struggle.
I need to tell Councillors in Leicestershire just how much food will be available from agriculture in their own County; there will be no food coming from great distances when we hit severe oil depletion. There is a denial that oil will run out not just in general, but in the decision makers. The comment of ‘ let them eat cake’ is one that I have heard so many times that I fear for the future.
Josef many thanks for the link.
Neville

]]> By: Josef Davies-Coates http://transitionculture.org/2009/04/24/a-transition-training-day-with-somerset-county-council/comment-page-1/#comment-62572 Josef Davies-Coates Thu, 30 Apr 2009 02:13:24 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=2556#comment-62572 http://energyfarms.wordpress.com/ are doing in depth research into the pros/ cons of growing your own fuel to power equipment on site. http://energyfarms.wordpress.com/ are doing in depth research into the pros/ cons of growing your own fuel to power equipment on site.

]]> By: Caroline Rigby http://transitionculture.org/2009/04/24/a-transition-training-day-with-somerset-county-council/comment-page-1/#comment-62558 Caroline Rigby Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:29:59 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=2556#comment-62558 Thanks for putting up this excellent account of our training day in Somerset! I will be forwarding the link to all who attended or were invited along with notes from the workshops. Thanks for putting up this excellent account of our training day in Somerset! I will be forwarding the link to all who attended or were invited along with notes from the workshops.

]]> By: Jan Cole http://transitionculture.org/2009/04/24/a-transition-training-day-with-somerset-county-council/comment-page-1/#comment-62550 Jan Cole Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:07:37 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=2556#comment-62550 Delighted that local authorities are seeing the value of transition initiatives and wanting to support them. That was certainly one of our aims when RCCE held the Transition Essex conference on October 2007 (hope you remember us folks in the East!). I agree that a challenge for local authorities is to seed and support new groups without it becoming a local authority initiative. I would suggest part funding a voluntary sector post based at a Rural Community Council within the RCAN network. I am funded by Braintree District Council (employed by RCCE)to do exactly this role in the promotion and support of Community led planning and I see support for transition groups as a natural extension to this. Delighted that local authorities are seeing the value of transition initiatives and wanting to support them. That was certainly one of our aims when RCCE held the Transition Essex conference on October 2007 (hope you remember us folks in the East!).

I agree that a challenge for local authorities is to seed and support new groups without it becoming a local authority initiative. I would suggest part funding a voluntary sector post based at a Rural Community Council within the RCAN network. I am funded by Braintree District Council (employed by RCCE)to do exactly this role in the promotion and support of Community led planning and I see support for transition groups as a natural extension to this.

]]> By: Paula Kovacs http://transitionculture.org/2009/04/24/a-transition-training-day-with-somerset-county-council/comment-page-1/#comment-62544 Paula Kovacs Tue, 28 Apr 2009 06:59:38 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=2556#comment-62544 I would be grateful for some enlightement on this as well, on behalf of a local Mid Devon farmer, who is considering community assisted (organic)farming as a way forward I would be grateful for some enlightement on this as well, on behalf of a local Mid Devon farmer, who is considering community assisted (organic)farming as a way forward

]]> By: Cara Naden http://transitionculture.org/2009/04/24/a-transition-training-day-with-somerset-county-council/comment-page-1/#comment-62528 Cara Naden Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:06:01 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=2556#comment-62528 Hmmm now here comes the debate - which is more valuable and important: the need to grow fuel or food? Why not use all the 100 acres to grow food for the local community, employ the local community to help work the land, produce and distribute the food and use the unusable products (stalks, skins, spoiled food, animal waste etc) to create bio methane generated power which can provide energy for the farm, local homes, businesses and transport! That way everyone benefits! Hmmm now here comes the debate – which is more valuable and important: the need to grow fuel or food? Why not use all the 100 acres to grow food for the local community, employ the local community to help work the land, produce and distribute the food and use the unusable products (stalks, skins, spoiled food, animal waste etc) to create bio methane generated power which can provide energy for the farm, local homes, businesses and transport! That way everyone benefits!

]]> By: Neville Stork http://transitionculture.org/2009/04/24/a-transition-training-day-with-somerset-county-council/comment-page-1/#comment-62527 Neville Stork Mon, 27 Apr 2009 07:42:59 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=2556#comment-62527 I don't know if this has been done, but it would help me to get home the message in a largely rural county, so this is a plea for assistance. The question is "If I had a 100 acre farm using current petrochemical based techniques using diesel to power my machinery what would the typical yield from my farm. If I couldn't get my hands on petrochemical fertilisers or diesel to power my tractor and decided to go organic and turn part of my land to producing bio-diesel; how much of my farm would I need to use to produce enough bio-diesel to service the rest and what would my yield be from the farm? You can see that I need to drive home to my fellow Councillors (some of whom are farmers) the impact of not having petrochemicals. Neville Stork County Councillor Loughborough South I don’t know if this has been done, but it would help me to get home the message in a largely rural county, so this is a plea for assistance. The question is “If I had a 100 acre farm using current petrochemical based techniques using diesel to power my machinery what would the typical yield from my farm. If I couldn’t get my hands on petrochemical fertilisers or diesel to power my tractor and decided to go organic and turn part of my land to producing bio-diesel; how much of my farm would I need to use to produce enough bio-diesel to service the rest and what would my yield be from the farm?

You can see that I need to drive home to my fellow Councillors (some of whom are farmers) the impact of not having petrochemicals.
Neville Stork
County Councillor
Loughborough South

]]> By: Darren Woodiwiss http://transitionculture.org/2009/04/24/a-transition-training-day-with-somerset-county-council/comment-page-1/#comment-62525 Darren Woodiwiss Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:33:28 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=2556#comment-62525 Hi there, Just to Clarify, the Lecestershire County Council resolution was simply to agree with the principles of the Transition Network. Well done to our Leicester cousins and Councillor Nevil Stork for putting the motion forwards. Darren Hi there,

Just to Clarify, the Lecestershire County Council resolution was simply to agree with the principles of the Transition Network.

Well done to our Leicester cousins and Councillor Nevil Stork for putting the motion forwards.

Darren

]]> By: Annie Leymarie http://transitionculture.org/2009/04/24/a-transition-training-day-with-somerset-county-council/comment-page-1/#comment-62523 Annie Leymarie Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:40:45 +0000 http://transitionculture.org/?p=2556#comment-62523 Great to read this but I am still digesting yesterday's posting. Humour is key but Tesco's howler highlights the dire need for better information to reach all the parts of our communities. Yesterday I found that one TV news channel had been added to my Freeview package - CNN, an American commercial station. Why CNN and not Euronews, to which, presumably, our taxes contribute? Euronews would be more likely to reflect a broader range of views and broadcast messages from MEPs such as Caroline Lucas, elected by proportional representation. But if CNN can get in, is it unrealistic to envision a TV channel managed and funded by a network of transition-minded people? ...I had a dream!... Great to read this but I am still digesting yesterday’s posting. Humour is key but Tesco’s howler highlights the dire need for better information to reach all the parts of our communities.
Yesterday I found that one TV news channel had been added to my Freeview package – CNN, an American commercial station. Why CNN and not Euronews, to which, presumably, our taxes contribute? Euronews would be more likely to reflect a broader range of views and broadcast messages from MEPs such as Caroline Lucas, elected by proportional representation.
But if CNN can get in, is it unrealistic to envision a TV channel managed and funded by a network of transition-minded people?
…I had a dream!…

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