Nature Features

In an oil scarce world the art of growing your own food will be an invaluable skill.

That's the opinion of Charlie McConnell from Dartington Hall Trust which has just launched a new course in sustainable horticulture.

It will involve a mix of theory and practical

Dartington has teamed up with Duchy College to launch the year-long course which will teach the skills necessary for 21st Century food production and gardening.

The course, which starts in September 2009, will be run over three training sites including the Dartington Gardens, the Landscope Project School Farm and the Schumacher College gardens.

Charlie - who is director of sustainability at Dartington - said, "Learning to grow food in an oil-scarce world is possibly one of the most useful skills any young person could be learning.

"Similarly, there is an increasing demand for ways to manage heritage gardens that are less dependent on fossil fuels and promote biodiversity. 

"Dartington is proud to be pioneering this new programme, equipping young people with skills and recognised qualifications for employment in the future job market."

The course will run over a year

The course will involve a mixture of theory sessions with practical application, as students gain real-life experience working alongside the three pioneering horticultural projects on the Dartington estate.

The certificate is a one-year course with the option of extending to a Level 3 (A-Level equivalent) in a second year.

Everyone interested in applying is invited to an information morning at Dartington on 20 July 2009.

Prospective applicants will be able to visit and experience the various gardening projects and meet some of the course staff.

Bill Herring from Duchy College said: "This new certificate marks the beginning of what we hope will be a series of educational collaborations between The Dartington Hall Trust and Duchy College.

"The strength of this partnership lies is combining Duchy's range of further education courses in practical rural skills fit for employment with Dartington's pioneering approach to sustainability and innovation."