Summer 2003 Newsletter

Environment, Sustainable Lifestyles and Natural Health

Latest news from Ecoforest - the world’s first vegan raw food communal eco-education and sustainable living project …

Latest News: as ever it’s all latest news, so read on …

We have a team of 7 here over the summer: Alex and Martin (the editor of the very first Ecoforest newsletter has returned!) from the UK, Veronika from Canada, Teemu from Finland, and Harro from Holland and as we write yurt builders Lorenzo (France) and Raki (Spain) are joining us, putting up their 7 metre yurt and preparing to build more – they plan to be here for a year or so. Raki is also a yoga teacher.

The courses are going very well, with every permaculture course getting bigger and even better it seems (they’ve all been good!). Pedz and Raki are planning to run more raw yoga courses here. The refurbishment of the house is coming along steadily.

We’ve added a new 1 day/ week, 11 week permaculture course, integrated with the volunteer programme. We are excited at the extra depth of learning this will offer. Places are limited to six skilled volunteers (plus locals who can come one day / week for the 11 weeks) - so apply now to avoid being disappointed!

Steve will be at the Big Green Gathering (England) this year, as part of the Permaculture display with info on Ecoforest and doing several talks. An invite to speak at the big Portland International Raw Foods Festival (August), had to be declined due to lack of travel funds. But the positive response is that Steve is planning a US trip next year, to talk at the Festival as well as to run several raw permaculture courses, to visit Raw-Eco and others in the US to help more raw communities emerge there and around the world.

Ecoforest Education for Sustainability is also looking to run permaculture courses in the UK and elsewhere in Spain later in 2003 and 2004, and is hoping to make these a regular feature of its calendar working with friendly projects such as Plants for a Future, the Vegan Organic Network and permaculture networks in Spain.

Please contact Steve if you would like to help run a permaculture course in your area (in the UK, Spain or US). It’s not too difficult to do, though you’ll need to be prepared for a lot of fun and a very worthwhile experience!

Holidays: Warm To The Joys of Ecoforest

Naturally simple and health creating, inspiring and great value, with high quality food and company, and a very positive way of supporting an ethically driven project … what more could you want from a place to take a break, enjoy the sun on your skin and the cool river, relaxing, with a book, amongst friends? Or to just be?

A good flow of people come here just for a holiday throughout the year - some to get away from Christmas and the New Year ‘madness’, others coming in Spring, Summer or Autumn.

Holiday visitors are important in supporting the work of Ecoforest. The cost of just 10 Euros per day (about 6.50 sterling, or US$10) includes most food, as well as spring water and other daily needs, and a pitch to put your tent. At present you need to bring a tent, although in the future we will have a limited amount of ‘bunk house’ type accommodation in the house. The income goes towards eco-education, tree-planting and the environmental work of the project. So please think about where you are spending your hard earned holiday money, and come for a great holiday here at Ecoforest.

A Note From Gaura

I feel good about the way Ecoforest is evolving.

My vision is that Ecoforest may well evolve into a few pieces of land over time, and education centre as well as a charity, a variety of homes for the workers, at least one large property in a remote location and a few others nearer to airports, towns and so on for easy accessibility for visitors and courses.

My role as a trustee, and what I feel I can offer and receive by being involved in this way is to give people a vision of peace and spirituality, combined with sustainable living. Ecoforest has influenced my life by being a facility to experience my ideas about how we can live.

Steve’s Thoughts, Late May 2003

It’s just got hot …after a long and relatively wet Spring, which has been fantastic for all the plants and fruit trees we’ve planted in the last two winters. Things feel like they’re really maturing here, and that more residents (both permanent and temporary) are on the way.

The volunteer programme and our permaculture courses are working really well, and the raw yoga courses with Pedz and Raki have great potential for the future, as do other types of courses. So I am really looking forward to the rest of 2003 and to developments in 2004 …

Priorities and Objectives for 2003/04

§ More residents workers and long term returning visitors – building the team / community here;

§ Spanish Asociacion status for Ecoforest;

§ More people experiencing and benefiting our permaculture courses at Ecoforest;

§ Expanding our range of courses – yoga@Ecoforest courses, and EF teaching permaculture courses hosted elsewhere;

§ Developing the Ecoforest Permaculture Diploma programme & training academy;

§ More progress on the house & site infrastructure;

§ Fund-raising;

§ Tree planting and garden development.

Ecoforest Finances

The Ecoforest financial position is not an easy. We owe several thousand pounds/euros to past resident members who are no-longer here, who wish for or need the money back. Currently we do not have the money to do clear these loans.

The value of the Ecoforest land as an asset of the organisation has clearly risen – which means any investor in Ecoforest, whether resident or other wise can be sure that their money is definitely secure. So, in the very unlikely situation that Ecoforest came to an end no one would be left out of pocket. However, we are lacking the ‘liquid assets’ that would enable us to clear the initial residents’ loans, which were a vital part of getting the project going.

The project was established as a community project and it is up to the three Trustees to manage the financial situation. This can be time consuming and definitely stressful, especially when (still) good friends are asking for the repayment of loans. The quicker we clear these loans the more quickly and smoothly we will be able to grow, and the more people and the earth will benefit. The Trustees are working very hard to achieve this whilst also running the day to day activities of the project, hosting many visitors and courses - often with little support and in difficult working conditions, without all the technologies (phones, at-home computer access, etc.) that we all tend to be used to.

So … if any of you have any spare cash that you would like to turn into a long term loan, or even donation to Ecoforest … or if you know of any good sources of funding, please do let us know.

Resident Members and The Community

We have space for skilled people to join us here – and we do need more people here. There are real opportunities for people to establish and develop a highly sustainable low-cost livelihood for themselves here, living and working as part of the developing Ecoforest team and project.

You can also help us from where you are currently living, doing remote work on the website, fund-raising, aspects of admin and advertising, etc. All this will help Ecoforest to mature rapidly, bringing us to a continually developing state where we can set up other projects around the world.

If you are interested in becoming a resident at Ecoforest contact Gaura (or Steve) and take a good look at the Resident information on the revised Ecoforest website.

At the moment, as well as long-term residents and those that may wish to live here for a year or so, we are also looking for skilled volunteers to stay in blocks of at least 3 months.

Veronika (Canada), Alex (UK), Wim (Belgium), Yoav (Israel), Pedz (Channel Islands) and Henri (UK) are all seeing a long-term relationship with Ecoforest on their personal pathway in life during the next few months and years. Martin is also planning to stay near to Ecoforest, with plans for a creative and arts based eco-raw communal project.

Veronika and Alex have already been a great help getting us updated on admin, visitor information and the website.

Other members of the wider community include Devin - a founding member, who returns at least once a year to co-teach the Permaculture courses with Steve. Also Chris (Irving) and Chris (Kennet) are regular visitors, and Tracey and Karen have returned for at least two spells of volunteering. Phil Warsop may also be returning for the current winter we hear. In fact we expect to see a good number of our visitors returning over the coming years (volunteers, holidayers and permaculture graduates), and in this way a shared sense of community is growing and blossoming at Ecoforest. Nearby friends, such as Joe and Carme and their young baby Oreol are also a great part of the wider community.

Dao and Shoshana are still set to return to the area in 2005, with Chris Irving, to set up a Healing Retreat Centre along permaculture lines – just 4 km or so down the road.

What’s the deal if you want to live here

Costs of life out here … less than 5000 euros (or $) per year / 3000 pounds.

Dwellings … for resident members.

Work … with a team of 4, 5, 6 or more here it will be easy, with the work load shared, and most work being a lot of fun and very rewarding too.

Experiences & personal development: many/big.

Volunteer program

The volunteer programme has evolved and is improving all the time, providing a hands-on education in sustainable living. During 2003- 2004 we are only taking skilled / experienced people within an integrated programme including the 3 month permaculture course. This way we will make more rapid progress developing the gardens, house and facilities so that more people can enjoy and benefit from Ecoforest in the longer term – whilst at the same time providing a more profound learning experience.

Resident & Long Term Volunteer Posts

We have resident and long term (3-6 month) skilled volunteer posts available for about 6 experienced people:

1. One Builder or two to work on the house.

2. A Gardener: for the gardens, seeds sowing and research, tree planting and nursery, etc.

3. A Fund Raiser, grant finder, etc. (who could live here or elsewhere).

4. Visitor Co-ordinators - two people to look after visitors, etc and help with other jobs.

5. Secretarial / Admin Co-ordinator, (could live here or elsewhere) - if living here could potentially also help with the gardens, etc

E-mail ef@ecoforest.org if you would like to apply to be an Ecoforest resident or skilled volunteer – have a good look at the website first.

Thoughts and Feelings From Chris Irving

A Founding Resident and Chair of Ecoforest

As I have experienced it, Ecoforest is clearly an evolving and blossoming project. Like any young project its direction will be influenced as much by feedback from visitors, economics and project sustainability as it is by the original vision and aims. The project will continue to mean different things to all who benefit from and contribute to its evolution.

I believe much of its success is due to the responsive style of its co-ordination and management. This year in particular we have needed to respond to the need and requests of the two long-term trustees, Steve and Gaura, who are resident at Ecoforest. With the volume of work and responsibility involved it was in my eyes that we needed to create a different method for the daily running of the project. This is now reflected in the way EF is open to visitors. In effect we have designed a more streamlined and ultimately sustainable programme of hosting our courses and the much needed visitors and volunteers. And this is a becoming a realistic model for future projects to follow.

For me the project is about lifestyle, people and contact with nature. It also is increasingly about people far beyond Ecoforest’s land in Spain. It’s becoming a real extended community of friendships and kindred spirits. And ultimately, in terms of long-term vision, it’s evolving at the pace of nature now. Initially it was perhaps trying to go too fast. The openness with which the project is developing is really what will determine its future. The future vision for me is about building on what is happening here now - to continue to offer a powerful experience for all our visitors, and to deepen and extend that.

It’s already a functioning project so the future - for the land here in Spain at least - is a matter of continuing to refine the detail and beauty of the place. It will also be exciting to explore a potential tropical project, as a sister project.

Increasingly friends of the project are coming to live in the area, which is providing a stable local foundation and network, that will enhance this project and the lives of the others that come to live nearby. Ecoforest is acting as a magnet, and this is a model for other future eco-communities.

We do still need to find others to live here on a long-term basis – it’s essential – and it feels like this is on its way. The new calendar and the new structures for new residents to run courses here are making that much clearer.

For me being a Trustee of EF is a real privilege. I value it very much. Initially my role has been to provide support and friendship to Steve and Gaura. Now it’s also about cultivating the vision – this is the trustees’ role, to define the bigger picture rather than the detail. I am also a base in England for contact, information and even accommodation at times for people coming from or to the project. Also fund-raising is something I want to develop in the future – and that’s part of normal work as a senior social worker in east London. I feel small amounts of money can make a big difference to the project, and I think there are a lot of creative ways we can look at raising funds in the future. I’m looking forward to this, probably working with one other person on it, potentially both working from England.

Ecoforest has meant and continues to mean to me a relationship with nature – sharing, contributing to and enjoying nature. For me it’s my second home in this valley, in this beautiful part of Spain. And it’s also a community of friends who have a similar vision and aspirations. It’s also my raw food home – it’s where I come to remember why I am predominantly raw. Nature, friendship, health … and beauty. It’s a beautiful place here, and given the chaotic nature of my work it’s a real place for escape from that, and to gain deep relaxation.

And finally, I want to say an enormous ‘thank you’ and to express my appreciation to everyone over the years who’s contributed to this project, whether they be trustees, long or short term visitors and residents, or other benefactors. This is clearly a very unique and special project, and that has come from all the people involved. It will continue to gain from the commitment and motivation of every body that visits. And if people have ideas, suggestions or contributions towards the development of Ecoforest, then please don’t hesitate to contact me.

With love to all,

Chris (chris_irving@yahoo.co.uk)

The Quality Of Food At Ecoforest

One thing we haven’t talked about directly in earlier Newsletters is the quality of the food here.

It’s absolutely excellent! And potentially offers one of the best raw food balances available, particularly during our orange season which runs for six months. During this time (Christmas to June), you can be juicing or eating fantastic and delicious fully ripe organic oranges (and mandarins initially) every day. And throughout the year you can enjoy a superb diverse range of salad greens picked straight from the garden, and becoming one with you within a matter of minutes. This is vitally important, as salad greens lose their maximum vitality quickly after picking – so this is the very best, top quality organic salad you can get.

Apart from that we buy some organic produce from our local supplier, some from friends and neighbours, as well as non-organic from local fruit and veg warehouses. It’s important to us that it’s local as this means it’s fresh, and often even if its sold through the local warehouse, with many products because they are so cheap the farmers don’t bother with the cost of spraying – it’s not worth it. So we get a lot of ‘non-organic’ organic if you see what I mean.

This year we will have many new fruit in small quantities as well as a good quantity of our first grapes – and as these come between August and December they are the perfect follow on to our orange harvest.

Raw Communities – Any Developments?

Yep! We have found new contacts and I have nabbed the following website address – www.raw-communities.com.

So I’m looking for web-designers to voluntarily work on this with me. Just a simplish site, getting people to send us information on their own raw community projects or ones they know of, and it all being accessible from this one site with a world map and then maps of continents showing where the communities are.

We have recently discovered Raw-Eco near Eugene, Oregon (USA) – a group of people in the process of establishing a raw eco-community in 30 acres of beautiful Oregon forest… which is fantastic. (Rob and Anna Miller, PO Box 25424, Eugene, Oregon. Tel: 718 707 1405.)

Also we have made contact with Finca La Paz in Costa Rica – another raw permaculture community, aiming at an ecovillage on 45 acres of land in the tropical forests, near the coast of southern Pacific side of Costa Rica. Wow! (greg@thepeacefarm.org for Gregorio, and www.thepeacefarm.org)

In addition, Sibila is looking for more raw vegan simple living members of her partnership ecovillage project west of Madrid, with a lovely Buddhist group. Write to Sibila (in Spanish please, at: Finca Amor y Vida (Finca Love and Life) Apdo. 73, El Escorial, Madrid.)

And we already know a little of the Pangaia raw permaculture community in Hawaii (non-vegetarian).

So I am sure a long-term relationship will develop and blossom between us all … with the many other raw projects and communities that are sure to follow.

Another exciting development is that Paz (no connection to Finca la Paz!) is keen to start a raw vegan shared house in London – he is a raw vegan owner of several properties. He is supportive of what we are doing at Ecoforest and hopes to visit later in the year. He also has one or two flats to rent and would prefer to have raw or at least vegan tenants. In addition he owns a farm in Somerset which is raw where people are welcome to visit as campers. So if you would like to know more and to contact Paz then email Steve first at true_charter@yahoo.co.uk and he will pass on your details to Paz.

And if you know of any raw communities anywhere in the world, particularly vegan raw communities, and eco-raw communities, please do let me know.

Once the first-phase of the raw-communities.com site is developed, I want to publicise it widely in raw magazines and websites, and at the Portland raw festival, other big raw events in the US, the Die Wurzel summer congress in Germany and the FRESH summer party in the UK.

As it develops, the site will also offer blueprints and advice for starting all types of raw communities, from shared houses, to low impact communities, to co-housing projects or larger scale well designed, co-financed, mini-village development schemes (e.g. 10, 20 or 200 houses, including different types of tenure, size, etc. – see the excellent eco-development examples of Village Homes, Davis, CA and / or Crystal Waters, Australia for more of an idea and then image what a raw version would be like!)

Existing projects that we know about …

Project Fruitopia / The Happy Healing House

For information contact: Kosotie Osterling at tyling@algonet.se or write to Hallungevagen 14, 444 97 Svenshogen, Sweden, tel: 0 46 303 775199. See: http://www.raw-kids.org

We’ve heard of some kind of raw eco-community in Mexico … more details any one please?

Various raw shared houses in the US, UK and Canada … more details please if you know of any others.

Trees Fruiting for the First Time …

Things are growing really well here – on many levels. And this includes the following trees and bushes which are producing fruit for the first time this year - Kaki, Avocado, Asian Currant, Nectarine, Azerole and plenty of Grapes, as well as Chirimoyas, Peaches and Nectarines – with Mulberry, Physallis and Chinese Date Apple producing for the second year. This is in addition to the 115 orange trees (many being sweet oranges), 15 mandarins, lemon tree, olives, almonds and walnuts that are already productive and well established here. And in the next year or two we should see our first Nisperos (Loquats), Mangos, White Sapote, Apricots, Plums, Feijoas, Figs, Lucumas, and a few others.

Some very important drought tolerant, shade producing and soil improving trees are also getting established at the top of the land – Tagasaste, Albizia lopantha, Lucaena and Acacia dealbata. Also alfalfa – which is great soil regenerator – has also done extremely well ‘up top’ this year. At the same time we are establishing grapes and figs on the dry upper land (protecting them from the summer sun with small shade tipis), along with the Chinese date apple and some Chirimoyas, Mangoes and Mulberries which we hope will survive the long dry summer. Once these are all established we will really be making fantastic progress towards creating a food forest here.

Class of 2003: Spring Permaculture Course

The Spring permaculture course was a great success – the biggest and best yet, with 15 people from 6 countries, and wow! was it full of life, love, positivity and enthusiasm.

On the course were: Pedz and Sophie from the Channel Islands; Mark and Sharon from NZ (but living in London); Raahsirus from Scotland; Veronika from Canada; Alex, Mim and Bella from England; Assaf, Yoav and Keren from Israel; and Karen, Jake and Elana from the US - with Devin and Steve teaching, Gaura providing absolutely vital back-up, Donna (a graduate of last September’s course) doing her first bit of teaching support and Michaela opening the shop at the vital breaks in the intensive, but hugely enjoyable course.

Of the 15 people on the course 6 has been here before, and another 5 came on the course because of the great experience a previous course had been for a friend or relative.

Yoav, Jake, Pedz, Karen, Alex and Veronika have all stayed on after the course for at least a month, with Yoav being here a month before too, (as was Assaf), and with Alex planning to stay for at least 6 months and it looking like Veronika will stay even longer - which is great.

Here’s a batch of quotes from participants in the latest Ecoforest Permaculture courses …

“I love you and thank you very much. I couldn’t expect and didn’t such a powerful and mind shaking course.”

“The spiritual side was a big surprise for me, but a welcome one at this time in my life. It’s a pretty good combination of land / spiritual aspects, and bloody great people!”

“It was a great experience. Skills I will always keep with me. Thanks.”

“Fly the flag of peace with the knowing that what you are taking care of is important and destined the whole world over.”

For more information on our courses take a look at the Permaculture Course pack on the Ecoforest website and contact Steve (ef@ecoforest.org) to book your place.

Organic v’s Local: The Arguments For and Against

Organic is surely better than non-organic? Yes, basically that is absolutely true, and for the health of ourselves and the planet we should always be seeking to eat and grow organic.

However, it’s not always that simple. For example, if the food you are eating has been flown or driven hundreds or thousands of miles – which is actually pretty normal for a lot of organic food – then this involves a lot of pollution and chemical emissions (packaging, etc), as well as environmental and insect destruction etc. All these negative effects are produced in the transport, packaging and distribution of that food, which is much greater if its travelled many, many miles than if it is locally produced but non-organic. It’s also supporting the global food trade industry which is destroying the self-reliance of many farmers and communities, in both developing and developed nations. Probably at least 99% of the profits of the global food trade is also used to support illness creating foods.

For the average American family meal the food that is eaten has travelled 2000 miles to get to the plates![1] And that’s just the food produced in the US. Many ingredients are imported of course, and this puts the number of miles up way higher. That’s not the figures for an organic meal, but the scale of ‘food miles’ is likely to be similar.

Another factor however is that there is an argument that says if its not organic its not vegan … because usually insecticides will have been used to kill insects in the production of non-organic food. However … is it that simple? Again, ‘Yes, it is’ IF the product is coming from the same place … BUT if it’s local non-organic v’s long distance organic then its not that simple. Again, all the extra-transport and other costs and pollution will kill a lot more than a locally sprayed crop. Imagine the number of insect, bird and animal road and plane kills that are caused by long distance trucking and food flying …

If you do buy local, it’s better to buy organic local than non-organic, and if you buy imported foods, then again its best to buy organic. But overall, environmentally its definitely better to buy local than not. And even better still …? Is to grow your own!!!!

Six Positive Ways To Buy Your Food

Having had a rant about supermarkets in a previous newsletter, this time we’ll just have a whole lot of very helpful and positive information on the many ways you can buy excellent quality local food that helps the environment, the local community and the local economy.

Local Organic Box Scheme: Can be collected from communal drop off points or the local health food shop, or can be delivered.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) / Subscription Farming: this involves paying an annual subscription in advance to a farmer to gain the benefit of local fresh organic produce and having a say in what the farmer grows. So you get a share of each years crop according to how much you invest each year. This helps to create diverse local farms and greater security for the farmer.

Local Farmers Markets: Local farmers bringing the food to market themselves, removing the middle man, and creating a direct producer-consumer relationship once again. Spreading rapidly in the US, UK and Australia and no doubt elsewhere too.

Organic Food Buying Co-ops: can save you a lot of money buying in bulk, and giving you flexibility with storable foods such as seeds, dried fruit and nuts. There’s a good one in Glastonbury (UK) for example, run by the ‘alternative’ community there.

Farm Shops: Particularly good if it’s an organic farm of course, but even if not so (as long the farm is selling its own produce, and you can check for this) then you are developing a direct relationship with the producer, getting the food fresh, and cutting out all those food miles. And you can always suggest the farmer goes organic, starting with just a part of the farm if its felt to be risky.

Owner-Run Independent Health Food Shops: most independent health food shops are very friendly and will happily try to cater for your needs. They also usually know a lot about what is going on on the local organic food supply scene.

To find out about the nearest schemes you can:

· Contact ISEC (International Society for Ecology and Culture) via www.isec.org.uk or info@isec.org.uk or isseca@igc.org for the USA;

· Contact Local Harvest in the USA at www.localharvest.org

· Ask the local Environment Officer (or Agenda 21 Officer) at your Council,

· Ask at the local health food shop - or a local environment centre if you have one.

Bringing The Food Economy Home by Helen Norberg-Hodge of ISEC (et al) is an excellent book on the subject of the social, economic and environmental importance of local food production. It is available in both the UK and north America. (ISBN 1-84277-233-3)

And remember, if it’s bought from a supermarket the reverse of all these positive effects happens. You are supporting the profits of those that largely sell sickness-creating foods, and a wide range of what quickly becomes consumer trash. If you spend your money locally or with organic producers then you are supporting the local economy and / or the positive, health-creating economy. So think about where and how you spend your money.

And best of all get into growing your own.

The Eco-Footprint of Ecoforest

Karen C Jones, who completed the April permaculture course this year, having previously been a volunteer in Autumn/Fall 2002 has been carrying out some exciting and cutting edge research at Ecoforest. Karen is completing a Masters degree in Sustainability at Edinburgh University (Scotland), and is focusing her research on establishing the ecological impact of the raw food eco-lifestyle at Ecoforest. This is unique research and is likely to show that Ecoforest already has a highly sustainable lifestyle in comparison with most other ways of life, with it’s sustainability becoming greater, and its ecological impact more and more positive, each year as more of our fruit trees and other food production systems develop and mature.

Many respected organisations are already showing an interest in Karen’s research. And this is a wonderful example of how Ecoforest hopes to aid practical research in the field, by hosting master’s research students using the uniqueness of Ecoforest as a focus for their research.

For more information about her research contact Karen at: zori_kcj@yahoo.com

And for more information about undertaking research at Ecoforest contact Gaura or Steve.

Permaculture Diploma’s

The Permaculture Diploma is perhaps the most useful life development tool and action-learning path that you can follow, if you are looking to make more life more sustainable, more fulfilling and productive, more naturally healthy, and more fun. It is a two-year self-managed process that involves very little more than doing exactly what you want to do in life, but making it easier for you to do that, and to achieve what you want to achieve.

It can also be a wonderful 2 year teacher training programme for those that want to make teaching permaculture all or part of the way their make their livelihood.

Various past Ecoforest visitors are now working towards their permaculture Diploma’s with Ecoforest supporting that process through Steve’s Diploma tutoring. This includes people from Britain, Spain, Belgium and Israel, with others in Canada, the US, and several other countries looking very likely to follow.

Pedz: “I really feel I know where I am going now. The Diploma is giving me a real sense of direction. It’s great”

The Diploma follows on naturally from the two-week Permaculture Certificate courses held at Ecoforest, and all over the world. Once you have achieved your Diploma you are fully qualified to teach 2-week courses yourself, so it is a wonderful way to make a transition to an ethical way of earning a living.

Contact Steve at Ecoforest for more information about the permaculture courses and diplomas.

Permaculture In Spain

We are making more contacts with permaculture projects in Spain, and Steve is building links with a network in Barcelona / Catalunya. Also he will be part of a group of active Spanish permaculturists who take part in a European permaculture academy gathering in England in June/July, which will significantly aid in the planning and development of the growth of permaculture in Spain and Europe.

Gaura has excellent links with the Hare Krsna world, and is setting up courses with the main temple in Spain. This will provide an excellent resource for running courses and training up an large scale, established community in the Madrid region, which will have ripple effects far beyond. Very exciting stuff …

Contact Steve if you want a booklet on permaculture projects in Spain - 6 euros for a copy, including post.

The Ecoforest Website

There’s been more changes and developments so take another look at http://www.ecoforest.org Many thanks to Alex for his work on this.

Yoga @ Ecoforest

Contact Raki or Pedz for more details of courses planned for later in 2003 or 2004 at al_yurta@hotmail.com for Raki or Pedz at yogipedz75@hotmail.com. Raki will be running courses here over the summer, and Pedz will be back after more teaching training and helping to run courses at the Shivananda yoga world headquarters in Canada - so we now have two yoga teachers that are planning to work with us.

Do You Need A Yurt? Or two?

Devin’s yurt that has been an important part of Ecoforest for over two years – thank you Devin - is heading back to England. Devin wants to sell the yurt, so if you are interested or know someone who might be then you can contact him for more information at devin@envirolink.org.

And if you are interested in having a new yurt made for you in Spain, or know a friend who wants one then contact Lorenzo and Raki, friends that we have known for a while who are our latest arrivals at Ecoforest. You can email them at al_yurta@hotmail.com. They are re-locating their own beautiful 7m diameter yurt to Ecoforest this week (early June).

13 Month Moon Calendar and Why We’re So Out of Synch With Nature

Over time we hope to develop and adopt a 13 month moon calendar to work with. The 12 month Gregorian calendar is unharmonic and completely out of synch with nature and its moon and sun cycles, the cycles of the seasons and the cycles of day and night.

Raahsirus is a great contact for lots of details about the work that is going on around the world to replace the 12 month Gregorian calendar with a 13 moon month calendar that is completely in harmony with nature’s cycles and cosmological cycles.

For more information contact Raahsirus at raahsirus@yahoo.com, tel: +44 (0) 131 221 1395, or write to him at 15 Polwarth Cresent, Edinburgh EH11 1HP.

Friends of Ecoforest

Holidays at Marianne’s: Marianne, a friend of Ecoforest, lives 150km east of Ecoforest, near Almunecar. Her finca has avocado and chirimoya trees, grapes and several other fruits. She takes a few raw food holidayers who prefer staying in a house, with the normal comforts that involves. Tel: (00 34) 620 478 778 – email: marianneaube@hotmail.com.

Carlo and Hara’s place, Tenerife, the Canaries: Carlo and Hara Davis have sold their 1-and-a-bit Hectare finca with its ‘paradisical’ raw-permaculture, forest garden ideal for the raw fooder. More news on their plans in due course.

Actions For and Campaigns Against …

Ecoforest works to create positive alternatives.

I suggest that to create the world we want and deserve you need to focus the majority of your energy, actions and resources on creating a naturally healthy and sustainable world.

Both logically and ethically, this means that two-thirds or more, 90% or even all of your daily activity (including work) should be working, living, acting to create these positive alternatives.

This leaves up to one-third of our energies to support campaigns against things that create ill-health, inequality and injustice in the world. So, if you wish to support campaigns, consider the following:

ISEC (International Society for Ecology and Culture) who promote local food production around the world and raise awareness about the dangers of the global agri-business and food trading systems – see www.isec.org.uk or contact info@isec.org.uk or isseca@igc.org for the USA;

Corporate Watch – www.corporatewatch.org.uk with many links to other campaigns around the world - keeping an eye on the world’s most powerful companies, and the unethical practices of some of them – particularly agro-chemical, Genetic engineering, food and energy companies.

Please support Baby Milk Action – www.babymilkaction.org, (or Baby Milk Action , Freepost, Cambridge. CB2 3AR. UK) who campaign for breast feeding and against artificial baby milk substitutes, with strong campaigns against Nestle, the world’s largest food company. Many babies’ lives have been saved by the action of Baby Milk Action.

“Freedom of will is the ability to do that which I must do.” Carl Jung.

“If you would learn the secrets of nature, you must practice more humanity than others.” Thoreau.

Ecoforest … can help you to make decisions, take actions and make changes in your life that are healthier for the planet, for your own health, and for the health of those around you.

Ecoforest Calendar for 2003/2004:

All year: open for potential new resident members (long or short term) and eco-education courses and vegan raw food eco-holidays in a simple natural setting, some long walks in the area, a river to bathe in, salad food included, bring your own tent, for 10 euros per day (about 40 pounds/wk) which helps support this eco-vegan education project.

Ongoing Yoga@Ecoforest with Raki or Pedz – come for a few days, a week or fortnight, or a whole month; See website or contact: Raki at al_yurta@hotmail.com, or Pedz at yogipedz75@hotmail.com

June, July, August 2003: Overseers and, Holidays. We need one more person to look after things during the summer, whilst there’s a break from the main volunteer programme. We need mature person (with a vehicle). We will be open for residents and holidayers only. Yoga teaching by Raki is available by arrangement - or via ef@ecoforest.org

August 2003: possible visit German Die Wurzel / Lightship raw food team – check for details.

Sept, Oct, November 2003: a 10-11 week permaculture design certificate course, with 1 days teaching per week integrated with volunteering work-exchange at Ecoforest – only for skilled / experienced people and only 6 to ten places available;

September 15^th-28^th2003: 2 week accredited Permaculture Design Certificate course;

October 2003: possible additional 2 week accredited Permaculture Design Certificate course if demand exceeds supply for the September course;

October 2003: Possible Yoga@Ecoforest month with – check website or contact: Raki at al_yurta@hotmail.com, or Pedz at yogipedz75@hotmail.com

December to January, February 2004: break from volunteer programme, open for a number of temporary residents and holidayers.

March, April, May 2004: a 10-11 week permaculture design certificate course, with 1 days teaching per week integrated with volunteering work-exchange at Ecoforest – only for skilled / experienced people and only 6 to ten places available;

Late April 2004: 2 week accredited Permaculture Design Certificate course.

“Find your place on the planet, dig in, and take responsibility from there” Gary Snyder.

Do You Need A Yurt? Or two?

For further details of any of our courses or activities contact us.