The Ethics of Permaculture
The Ethics Of Permaculture - Written by Maddy Harland, Editor of Permaculture Magazine
Permaculture is not just a green way of living or a guiding system of ethics, it is a way of designing using nature’s principles as a model; ‘bending’ them as much as possible to create fertile, self-reliant, productive landscapes and communities. This is what defines permaculture and it is uniquely effective and powerful. Where permaculture stands out from the crowd as a design system is in its capacity to integrate the intellect with ethics. It can teach us to ‘think’ with the heart and respond with the head. By combining pragmatism with philosophy, we can create a greater synthesis.
The three ethics are: Earth Care, People Care and Fair Shares. They are not exclusive to permaculture and were derived from the commonalities of many worldviews and beliefs. They are therefore shared by many throughout the world. What permaculture does is it makes them explicit within a design process; removing them from the realms of philosophy and practically rooting them in everybody’s lives. This transforms thinking into doing. It is their combined presence within a design that has a radical capacity for ecological and social transformation.
Earth Care
Imagine the originators of permaculture, Bill Mollison and David Holmgren, in the 1970s, seeing the devastat-ing effects of a temperate European agriculture on the fragile soils of an ancient Antipodean landscape. Like the dust bowls of Oklahoma in the 1930s, an alien agriculture has the capacity to turn a delicately balanced ecology into desert. Their initial response was to design a permanent agriculture with tree crops and other perennials inhabiting all the niches, from the canopy to the ground cover and below. The soil is left untilled to establish its own robust micro-ecology. Key to this is that the land must be biodiverse and stable for future generations.
This ethic of Earth Care was the basis of permaculture design, but it was bound to grow and pervade all aspects of permaculture... How can we have an organic agriculture or horticulture and manage our landscapes to sustain themselves over gener-ations on one hand, then consume goods from industries managed in ecologically damaging ways on the other? It’s pointless designing an organic garden and then buying a gas guzzling car or building a house from concrete and steel, when we can use local materials with less embodied energy.
The original vision of care for all living and non living things has grown to embrace a deep and comprehensive understanding of Earth Care that involves many decisions; from the clothes we wear and the goods we buy to the materials we use for DIY projects. Though we can’t all build our own house or grow all our own food, we can make choices about what and how we consume and conserve. Key to this is the understanding that up to one third of our ecological footprint is taken up by the food we buy, so even growing a small amount in a city allotment or container gar-den can make a difference. Permaculture is all about making a difference.
People Care
Fundamental to permaculture is the concept of Permanent Culture. How can we develop a permaculture if our people are expendable, uncared for, excluded? People Care asks that our basic needs for food, shelter, education, employment and healthy social relationships are met. Genuine People Care can-not be exclusive in a tribal sense; there can be no elites here: no plutocracies or oligarchies, all members of the community must be taken into account. It is a global ethic of Fairtrade and intelligent support amongst all people, both at home and abroad.
At the core of People Care is an understanding of the power of community. If we can change our lives as individuals and make incremental differences: think what we can do as a community! The permaculture designers who helped initiate Cuba’s post oil urban agriculture are a good example. They mobilised a whole country to become self-reliant. Ecovillages and cohousing communities who can significantly reduce their ecological footprint by sharing resources are other good examples.
In smaller ways; in our cities, towns and villages, we can all benefit from deepening community links. I may not have all the skills to grow all my food or eco-renovate my house, for example, but by developing good networks I can expand my capacity to live more sustainably and become more self-reliant. This is a decentralised, democratic vision of social transformation where grass-roots initiatives like the Transition Towns movement can begin to plan for a low carbon ‘energy descent’ on a community level. There is no time to wait for central government to act, or eventually to react.
Fair Shares
The last ethic synthesises the first two. It acknowledges that we only have one earth and we have to share it with all living things and future generations. There is no point in designing a sustainable family unit, community, or nation whilst others languish without clean water, clean air, food, shelter, meaningful employment, and social contact. Since the industrialised North uses the resources of at least three earths, and much of the global South languishes in poverty, Fair Shares is an acknowledgement of this terrible imbalance and a call to limit consumption (especially of natural resources) in the North.
Who We Are
FOUNDER, GROWER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Catherine Middleditch
Cat is described by those who know her best as an energetic, inspirational, creative problem solver. A love for art, design, music and travelling has lead her to work all over the world including Western and Eastern Europe, South East Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, Nepal, Kashmir and all over India.
She gained a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Brighton University in 2000, trained as a web designer, then moved into documentary film making and post production whilst travelling extensively between jobs. She also spent 2 years working for Kingston Art & Design College teaching multi-media to 16-19 year olds. In 2006, Cat discovered Permaculture and enrolled in a 2 day Introduction Course with Naturewise in North London. This course was quickly followed by a 2 week Permaculture Design Course which lead to doing her Permaculture Teacher Training. In 2007 she took a leap of faith and moved to rural South Devon leaving a stressful multi-media career and London behind her.
She discovered Wayfield (a 5 acre small holding) in 2009 which enabled her to put the theory and her new found passion into practice. Cat and Doug Lane (her partner at the time) officially opened The High Nature Centre in June 2013 after 4 years of working hard on the land experimenting with various community initiatives and learning how to build yurts. In winter 2014 Doug and Cat went their separate ways and Cat took on the management and development of the business.
She continues to holistically manage the Centre using a social-ecological design approach, focusing on business development, administration, and human resources. During her time off she loves to grow food, promote people care, meet other inspirational people, climb mountains and dance until the sun comes up!
Over the last 15 years Cat has gained a huge amount of knowledge and experience developing High Nature. If you have a similar project and need help with the planning or design process, feel free to get in contact.
SITE MANAGER
Tobdan Loyopa
Tobdan is one of those types of people who will put their hands to anything. Born in a Buddhist village called ‘Hillu Twan’ nestled in the Pangi Valley in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas he has grown up in a culture where being resourceful and multi-skilled is essential to survival. Known as the ‘High Nature Fixer’ you can often find him in his workshop fixing or building something. Whether it’s mechanics, carpentry, plumbing or farming, Tobdan is the man to go to!
He joined the High Nature Team in 2016 and alongside Cat has played a key role in helping to develop the Centre. His experience in farming, trekking and tourism along with managing beach huts and a beach restaurant in Goa for 4 years has proven him to be an invaluable asset to the Centre.
Tobdan is also a dedicated parent and a fantastic cook! You will often find him in the field kitchen cooking up some of the best Indian food you’ll ever taste. If you don’t believe us then get yourselves along to one our of our organic dining events.
Tobdan can sometimes be mis-interpreted as a serious character being rather difficult to read at times. However, it doesn’t take long to get to know that just below the surface is a very cheeky light-hearted character ready to make you laugh at the drop of a hat.
In his spare time you will find him watching or playing cricket, preferably playing!
YOGA TEACHER & OUTDOOR EDUCATOR
Abi Jones
Abi, the founder of VINOYASA grew up in Devon surrounded by nature spending much of her childhood on the beach or Dartmoor. Nature connection is instilled in her and is something she hopes to share. It is no surprise then, that Abi has been involved with High Nature since Cat and her met over a decade ago. Abi not only delivers weekly yoga classes but is also very involved in our social outreach programs offering transformative outdoor education sessions on nature mentoring and connection. Abi has become an important member of the High Nature family and we are so proud to have such an amazing inspiring woman on our team!
When not pouring into VINOYASA, Abi will be found surfing, swimming, skating, slacklining – anything fun and outdoors.
TECHNICIAN
Andrew Ashford
Ash is known as ‘Super Ash’ (or Uncle Ash) here at High Nature. He’s the man we go to for anything technical or mechanical. Ash has spent many years as a travelling mechanic for various creative projects including Footspan Theater, Turbo Unit, Ninja Tune and Innerfield Sound System. He has also worked for Glastonbury Festival for more than 25 years doing the electrics for the famous Kidz Field.
Ash is an old friend of Cat’s from her Brighton days which means that he’s been on board the High Nature ship from the beginning. He has been instrumental in setting up all the off-grid solar power for the yurts, shower cabin and field kitchen. He’s also the man who’s kept all our vehicles on the road over the years. We are so fortunate and forever gratful to have Ash in our lives. We are also a huge fan of his multi-talented son Leo who we hope will also continue to be an important member of the crew here at High Nature.
We can honestly say that High Nature wouldn’t have survived without him… we believe that every business needs an Ash!
WILD MEDICINE MAKER
Rosy Prowse
Rosy Cheeks, as she is known to many, is a wild medicine maker, an expert in plants, fungi and nutritional health. Rosy has been a friend and supporter of High Nature for many years and has more recently come on board to help deliver medicinal mushroom and foraging workshops to both the public and as part of our social outreach program. A keen forager and herbalist, her plant and fungi knowledge is very impressive which is one of the reasons we value her so highly here at High Nature. But her talents don’t end there! She is also an incredible musician and singer who can often be found sharing her musical creations around the fire at our weekly community dining events.
Rosy is without a doubt one of our key family members here at High Nature. She brings so much fun, knowledge and great conversation to the table… not to mention her healing tinctures and balms which are on sale here at reception.
HEALER
Moira Laidlaw
Moira Laidlaw is a fully trained Reflexologist and Resonance Sound Healer who has a passion for felt making and textiles. Moira has been involved with High Nature since the project was first ‘seeded’ back in 2009 when the land was known as Wayfield Nurseries. Moira and her family, husband Martin plus her 4 children Shornad, Finley, Dewrey and Nile (now adults) all contributed to setting up various community initiatives including food growing, a small poultry flock, and bee keeping. Fifteen years on, Moira’s involvement is now more focused on offering her healing services to both visitors and our social outreach program beneficaries.
As a mobile therapist, she practices in and around East Portlemouth, Kingsbridge and South Hams, delivering soothing restorative treatments both here at High Nature and in the comfort of people’s homes.
We are proud to have been working with Moira since the very beginning and hope to continue and develop this special relationship for many more years to come.
SOUND THERAPIST
Helen Phillips
Helen creates immersive Sound Journey’s and collaborations, with beautuful world instruments including Gongs, Handpans, Crystal & Tibetan Singing Bowl, Chimes and Native Flute with the intention to create mediative, deeply relaxing experiences.
We are so grateful to have been connecting with Helen for many years, since before she started her sound healing journey. Helen has been a great supporter of High Nature offering her delicious hand-made raw chocolates at our Creative Women’s lunches and Clothes swapping events back in 2018.
Helen delivers Sound Journey Meditations for community events, retreats, private bookings for those staying, and for our social outreach programs. Her offerings fit perfectly with the natural and the tranquil atmosphere here at High Nature, contributing to the overall wellbeing experience.
ARTIST
Naomi Vincent
Naomi Vincent is a South Devon based visual artist/sculptor, who as well as dedicating time to her own work appreciates the value of sharing her creative vision with the local community and visitors to the area in a hands on way. Her wonderful business ‘Natureamake’ was founded at the same time as High Nature so we’ve been following her development alongside our own, and what a journey we’ve both been on!
Naomi has been offering her magical Naturemake workshops to various visitors and groups here at High Nature since 2013. More recently her focus has been on delivering sessions to our social outreach groups. These sessions remain one of our most creative and impactful workshops, which is why we’re so grateful to have Naomi living so locally.
She has inspired and influenced many children with her fun and inspirational art workshops which she regularly brings into Devon schools.
GARDENER
Zach Young
Zach joined the High Nature team in May 2024 and only intended to stay for two weeks as a volunteer, but he was captured by the magic of High Nature and ended up staying for the whole season! He mainly helped out in the gardens, maintaining the kitchen gardens, mowing the meadows and doing tree care. He also played an integral role in designing and developing the High Nature herbal medicine garden. Zach found plenty of opportunities to help out in other ways too, like preparing meals for our weekly community gatherings and hanging out with Tanzen (Cat & Tobdan’s daughter).
Zach told us that High Nature holds a special place in his heart and we can honestly say that the feeling is mutual. We hope that Zach will be back to help out as much as he can whilst he juggles all his other commitments. He is keeping a close eye on developments here so we will be doing everything we can to keep him on board in some capacity!
Location
The High Nature Centre, East Portlemouth, Salcombe, TQ8 8PN
The History of High Nature
'From Seed to Fruition' - Written By Catherine Middleditch
In 2009, myself and my partner (at the time) Douglas Lane began working on a 2 hectare (5 acre) smallholding called Wayfield Nurseries located on a coastal plateau in East Portlemouth, South Devon. Doug and I met through the UK Permaculture Network and were keen to put our skills and knowledge into practice. At the time, the site was owned by forward thinkers Alan and Jonquil Stapleton, who supported both commercial and community initiatives on the land.
Initially we engaged the local community by offering the opportunity to grow food on the land. A group of us then set up a community egg initiative by introducing chickens and ducks. We also decided to hold a little festival with live music, local food, apple pressing, coastal walks and skill swapping. We grew lots of food and also opened workshop spaces for arts and crafts. Various locals got involved with doing felt making, greenwood working, restoring furniture, upholstery and pottery.
In 2011 I found myself in the position to be able to purchase the land. The next step was going through the planning process to set up the Centre which was not easy! The concept of setting up The High Nature Centre came about by us wanting to set up a multi-functional diverse business, but with a central focus. We wanted to incorporate our shared interests in permaculture, food growing, arts and crafts, ecology and conservation, so we decided a nature centre would encompass all of this and much more.
We explored the different ways we could potentially generate an income from the land using permaculture design tools and techniques, and it was clear that our site and location provided us with the perfect platform to set up an educational eco-tourism business. Being in a tourist hot spot enabled us to tap into the popular glamping market, which provided an immediate return on our investment. The provision and promotion of rural arts and crafts activities such as green-wood working, willow weaving, felt making, scything and hedge laying were an integral part of our whole plan to kick start an alternative rural industry in an area dominated by the service industry and conventional farming.
Another part of the business plan was to encourage people to reconnect with nature by exploring the surrounding landscape. We are located just above the National Trust Heritage Coast, with some jaw dropping beaches and walks, including a beautiful woodland walk containing some ancient small leaved lime trees. The idea was to offer guided nature, marine and foraging trails to visiting groups and tourists.
A year later, good design, local support, perseverance and a passionate three minute talk to the District Planning Committee gained us our 10 year temporary permission. We were granted temporary permission to change the use of the land from agricultural to a mixed use of tourism, education and light industry including 5 yurts and an 18m diameter roundhouse to be used as a central operational building. Obtaining this permission was an amazing achievement.
We hit the ground running in Spring 2013 having taken the risk to build 2 of the yurts ourselves, then employed a friend Matt Boysons from 'Yurtopia' to produce the other 3 yurts. The next major job was to implement the landscape design for the yurt camp. The overall aim is to preserve and enhance the biodiversity of the land. This has been achieved by planting over 2,000 native hedgerow trees, sowing over 30 different species of wild flowers, planting perennial crops and herbs both in and outside of the polytunnels, and allowing certain areas of the land to grow wild. There are plans to implement a wetland system to manage all the grey water and surface runoff water on the site. This will introduce an important freshwater ecosystem aimed at attracting amphibians, dragonflies and aquatic life.
The yurt camp launched on the 17th of June 2013 and it was a very successful and fruitful first season. We continued diversifying and developing the smallholding offering additional low cost business start-up space, arts and crafts activities, community events and tourist information about the local area. In winter 2014, after a challenging year, Doug and I went our separate ways. A few months later I took on managing the business on my own with help from lots of wonderful family, friends, local employees and volunteers.
Tobdan (my husband) has been working alongside me helping to develop the Centre since Spring 2016 (with help from our daughter Tanzen). The business has been growing steadily with exciting new developments including social outreach programmes for disadvantaged and vulnerable people, yoga and wild running retreats, and more recently we launched our field kitchen and offering alfresco dining events. We have also started an agroforestry project in an attempt to implement a coastal food forest throughout the site. The next major development will be constructing our main permanent building, the roundhouse which is very exciting!
Over the years lots of people have commented that I'm 'living the dream'. People often ask for advice on how they can set up something similar. I usually re-direct them to an article I wrote in 2014 for Permaculture Magazine. Hopefully those of you who are keen to set up something will find it useful and interesting 'How To Set Up A Nature Centre'.
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Written by Catherine Middleditch