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Recently,
on a wet winter’s day, the Eco group at Colfox school went on a visit.
It was organised by Transition Town Bridport, as part of a link up with
the school’s lunchtime ecology club, run by member of staff Alison
Batchelor. The young pupils spent half a day with TTB supporters and
Pat Bowcock, on her low-impact smallholding in the Bride Valley. Central to the Transition movement is the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and to change the community’s attitude towards the land. Involving young people in using local food and seeing first-hand how someone can live comfortaby in this way is a good start.
Ourganics
is Pat’s business and she is a pioneer of a self-sufficient lifestyle,
run on permaculture principles. The farm has no mains electricity or
water but generates all its own energy. It grows enough food for all
the workers, as well as a surplus to make it a working business. It was
a motivating visit and created a great deal of interest among the young
and old alike. We were shown how the sluice gates opened to water the
plants, and the polytunnel which ensures a longer growing season. The young people were particularly interested in the solar shower and the earth
toilet. 
They all mucked in on weeding and mulching in the veg beds, before being given warming home grown soup in Pat’s cosy home. The pupils were fascinated that her computer worked on solar energy, and that she didn’t feel the need to watch Eastenders.
As we left, Pat took us aside and glanced at the rather aggressive gander , ‘That’ s my Christmas lunch’. Definitely an inspirational visit for both children and accompanying adults. They were very enthusiastic about returning in spring to plant some seeds, already connecting into growing their own.
Transition Town Bridport has other projects planned with Colfox in the near future.
Sarah Wilberforce
Photos by Sarah Wilberforce & Anne Rickard
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