September 2022 - February 2021
£864 incl VAT for 12 days over 6 weekends

Concessions may be available upon request

The Apricot Centre Permaculture Design Course is a part-time, non-residential course that takes place over 6 weekends between September 2021 - February 2022, making it perfect for those wishing to study whilst working or who have other commitments.

The course runs in bite-sized chunks so that you can digest the information and self-study between the sessions. The course is unique in that it is based at Huxhams Cross Farm which has biodynamic status. The farm is a demonstration permaculture site and a rare example of farm-scale permaculture in action; this enables us to show practical examples of permaculture on-site as well as visiting other permaculture designed sites in South Devon.

Our Permaculture Design Course uses creative and practical teaching methods to enable you to develop and experience the principles and practices of permaculture design, with emphasis on guiding you to design in groups and individually with support from your tutors. This structure equips you with the skills to go on to design and implement your own larger farms, smallholding, community gardens, or even your back garden.

The 12-day course covers:

• Permaculture principles & ethics

• Renewable energy & sustainable building

• Simple vegetable growing and fruit growing

• Soil management & fertility

• Forest gardening

• Simple livestock management

• Transition movement

• Design skills

• Visits to inspirational sites

The course is run by Marina O’Connell and Bob Mehew, the doctors of the Apricot Centre. Bob is a project manager and has managed the development of the Huxhams Cross Farm from its start, he is an expert in using permaculture design for projects and business development.

Marina O’Connell is a horticulturalist, permaculture designer, tutor, and biodynamic farmer. She has over 30-years of experience in training and growing in sustainable food systems.

Rachel Phillips is an Ethnobotanist and Nature Connection Practioner

This course is not residential

For more information please contact Rachel Phillips or book via

12 week schedule

The course is certified by the Permaculture Association of Britain. This is a qualification recognised by the permaculture community internationally.

Course Run By

£180 incl VAT including refreshments

Introduction to Agroforestry and Design returns in 2021 in memory of Martin Wolfe.  We created a course that combines Martin's  lectures as well as Marina’s experience of implementing Agroforestry and designing Agroforestry  systems for other Farms. 

“Agroforestry is both a traditional practice and a modern practice”. It has undergone a renewal and uptake for modern sustainable farming methods over the last 30-40 years. The name ‘Agroforestry’ was created in 1977 to describe the deliberate use of incorporating trees into farming practice.

The course will be run by Marina O’Connell who  is a horticulturalist, permaculture designer, tutor, and biodynamic farmer.  She has over 30-years worth of experience in training and growing in sustainable food systems including designing and implementing agroforestry systems on 3 farms. 

This 3-day course will equip you with an overview in how to;

• Types of Agroforestry systems and what they look like

• Design of Agroforestry systems, including tree choices

• Implementation of Agroforestry systems

• Manage  agroforestry systems. 

• Benefits and Challenges of Agroforestry. 

The course will lead you through designing and planning your own agroforestry system.

We will visit 4 agroforestry systems on the Dartington Hall Estate, incorporating Alley Cropping, the Forest Garden at Martin Crawford’s Agroforestry Research Centre, and the new Agroforestry plots at the Schumacher College at Huxhams Cross Farm.

This course is not residential.

For more information please contact Rachel Phillips or book via:

Course run by

£120 incl VAT and refreshments

An excellent way to find out more about permaculture is to attend our two-day introductory course. This ‘taster’ will provide an opportunity to actively learn about the principles and see examples of designs being implemented.

Come along and learn what Permaculture is and what it can do for you and your current lifestyle. This course is suitable for you if you have a smallholding, small garden, allotment, and even if you are not growing food. It’s a great opportunity to meet and connect with like-minded people

The course provides the opportunity to discuss vitally important issues in a positive, creative, and supportive space. The course is lively, participatory, and thought-provoking.

The session include:

• Ethics & principles

• Design

• Examples of Permaculture

• An observation exercise

• A practical exercise or walk

• An overview of the permaculture network and how to find out more.

Our introductory course doesn’t cover all the topics in-depth - it is a taster and an overview. Therefore if you already know you want to find out about permaculture in more detail, it may be better to opt for the full permaculture design course after the introduction course. However, others have found that attending the introduction to permaculture course was enough - with the enthusiasm generated from the course, plus books and their own knowledge, people have gone on to create some incredible projects and business development.

This course is not residential.

For more information please contact Rachel Phillips or book via

Course run by

September 2021 - February 2022
£720 incl VAT for 12 days over 6 weekends

Concessions may be available upon request

The Apricot Centre Permaculture Design Course is a part-time, non-residential course that takes place over 6 weekends between September 2021 - February 2022, making it perfect for those wishing to study whilst working or who have other commitments.

The course runs in bite-sized chunks so that you can digest the information and self-study between the sessions. The course is unique in that it is based at Huxhams Cross Farm which has biodynamic status. The farm is a demonstration permaculture site and a rare example of farm-scale permaculture in action; this enables us to show practical examples of permaculture on-site as well as visiting other permaculture designed sites in South Devon.

Our Permaculture Design Course uses creative and practical teaching methods to enable you to develop and experience the principles and practices of permaculture design, with emphasis on guiding you to design in groups and individually with support from your tutors. This structure equips you with the skills to go on to design and implement your own larger farms, smallholding, community gardens, or even your back garden.

The 12-day course covers:

• Permaculture principles & ethics

• Renewable energy & sustainable building

• Simple vegetable growing and fruit growing

• Soil management & fertility

• Forest gardening

• Simple livestock management

• Transition movement

• Design skills

• Visits to inspirational sites

The course is run by Marina O’Connell and Bob Mehew, the doctors of the Apricot Centre. Bob is a project manager and has managed the development of the Huxhams Cross Farm from its start, he is an expert in using permaculture design for projects and business development. Marina O’Connell is a horticulturalist, permaculture designer, tutor, and biodynamic farmer. She has over 30-years of experience in training and growing in sustainable food systems.

This course is not residential

For more information please contact Rachel Phillips or book via

12 week schedule

Dates of the Course

• 11th & 12th September 2021

• 9th & 10th October 2021

• 13th & 14th November 2021

• 11th & 12th December 2021

• 8th & 9th January 2022

• 12th & 13th February 2022

The course is certified by the Permaculture Association of Britain. This is a qualification recognised by the permaculture community internationally.

Course Run By

£145 inc VAT including refreshments.

A two day course Facilitated by Marina O'Connell 

“Agroforestry is both a traditional practice, and a modern practice. It has undergone a renewal and uptake for modern sustainable farming methods over the last 30-40 years The name of "agroforestry" was created in the 1977 to describe the deliberate use of incorporating trees into farming practice”

Agroforestry integrates trees into farming practice.  It creates farming landscapes that are; productive, resilient to climate change, sequester carbon, and support biodiversity. Wakelyns Farm is one of the most mature agroforestry systems in the UK created by the late Martin and Ann Wolfe. Come and learn and be inspired by the Agroforestry systems at Wakelyns farm in a practical and experiential context. 

This two day course will equip you with an overview in how to design, implement and manage an agroforestry system. Starting with an introduction to Agroforestry and its benefits the course will lead you through designing and planning your own agroforestry system. Marina O'Connell created  this course in partnership with the late Martin Wolfe in 2018. This course will combine some of his adapted  lectures and  presentations, as well as Marina's experience of working alongside Martin and setting up her own farms with Agroforestry methodologies. Half of the course will be theoretical  and the other half will be spent exploring the practicalities of Agroforestry.

Marina O’Connell is a horticulturist, permaculture designer, tutor, and has been a commercial organic and biodynamic farmer for 25 years. She has over 30 years of experience of training and growing in sustainable food systems including designing and implementing agroforestry systems on three farms. She is the director of the Apricot Centre at Huxhams Cross Farm in Dartington Devon. 

Venue

Wakelyns Farm, Fressingfield, Suffolk. IP21 5SD see  www.wakelyns.co.uk

Optional Extras

Meals

Breakfast £8.50
Tea and coffee, YQ and Q sourdough bread, Wakelyns harvest loaf cake OR Wakelyns porridge OR YQ and plum granola, Fruit and jams from the farm, Fen Farm Dairy yoghurt and butter

Lunch £18 per day
YQ and Q sourdough bread, Fen Farm Dairy butter, Seasonal salads, Seasonal deep quiches with local cheese, Farm pickles and chutneys. Legumes from the farm and Hodmedods. Fruit from the farm and YQ biscuits 

Dinner  £25 for Saturday Vegetarian Dinner
Including a main course and pudding.

Accommodation at Wakelyns Farm

Is  available on the farm in a self contained pod - Each pod comes with electricity, heating, sink with hot and cold running water, electric hob with kettle etc for coffee/tea making, fridge, en-suite toilet and full bedding. Full showers and further toilets are available on site.

Double bed £60 per night per pod 
(i.e. for a single person or a couple)

Two double beds £90 per night per pod
(i.e. two singles or two couples)

Course run by