By Janta Wheelhouse
Greetings and a Happy New Year to All!
The Vision
Karuna Insight Design was first established in 2005. We invested all our savings into the purchase of the land, from the sale of our cottage, a renovation project we worked on for 7 years. Guided by our deepest inner voice we made the decision to attend the land auction, and surprisingly got the winning bid! The whole project thereafter has been developed on a wing and a prayer. The word 'Karuna' means compassion, 'insight design' describes our contemplative approach to working with the land.
Through applying ‘Insight Design’ we transformed what had previously been bare fields used into a diverse,well-managed, multi-purpose permaculture demonstration project. It is comprised of mixed woodlands and meadows and the largest forest garden in the country. As a small family of four we planted an extremely diverse mix of over 10,000 trees; including traditional fruit trees, nitrogen fixing trees, and many plants and herbs, thus laying the foundations for the 'living practice' of Forest Gardening using permaculture techniques and principles for the production of materials, fruits, nuts, vegetables and medicinal plants.
The Transformation
We started work on the Forest Garden design in 2006 with the aim to bring some harmony and balance, re-forest and rewild 18 acres of poor quality, abused, overgrazed land in the Shropshire hills and to prove our need to reside upon the land permanently, in order to manage our site design. We pioneered this reforestation project to set a precedent a return to the land and reconnection with natural living and to pave the way for more people to do the same. Some readers might be aware of our ‘5 year’ battle with planners, a traumatizing experience, that took us from local authority, public inquiries and appeals, all the way to London high court. A rigged game indeed, in which the outcome was already determined.
We were given 1 year to remove ourselves else face heavy fines and an eviction. Our determination and commitment eventually paid off, we found a loophole and planning consent was finally granted to build a beautiful, Low Impact, affordable, Strawbale roundhouse, self-build. Luckily, we managed to get funding, from some very kind, aware and generous donors, who enabled us to buy materials to build. The house has since been serving us, volunteers, visitors and course participants very nicely for many years now. Thus, the first two major phases of the project were complete!
The Nest
The Nest is the given name for the third phase of the project. This new centre will be a beautiful educational space, incorporating conference room, therapy room, large kitchen, organic café, open teaching space, office, store, wash and shower facilities, working to a vernacular barn type design and built using locally sourced eco-friendly materials, including Hempcrete walls. Later, comfortable, on-site accommodation will follow in the form of glamping pods, using the venue to enhance course experience and support inclusivity. It will also enhance and support further development of the ‘retreat’ aspect of project. We have gained full planning permission for the Nest, have started laying the paths and foundations and now we are asking for your support to help us to realise this vision.
What will be Offered at the Nest?
The Nest will be a multi- purpose space, designed to facilitate learning, connection, celebration and nourisment. These are our plans for what will be included in the project...
Community Organic Cafe
To provide inclusive learning opportunities for everyone
To provide a range of planned, structured courses, retreats & workshops that can be delivered ‘all year round’.
To progress more substantive positive action, through increased learning and training, making a significant contribution to improving truly sustainable living, natural health and wellbeing and to support wildlife conservation, and heal the environment
Supporting local live performance and music
To provide a ‘fit for purpose’ educational centre that will support increasing numbers of schools and colleges in the UK that are looking to incorporate Permaculture into their work; supporting vocational learning as part of this
To provide a nationally recognised centre of excellence in the teaching of creative, off grid living through ‘Insight Design’
To provide a venue to support delivery of a range of alternative events, therapies and seminars that promote health, wellbeing and, creative, truly sustainable living.
Get an in depth understanding of the Nest project by watching our new Crowdfunder video.
How Can You Help?
We now have 50 days to raise the £38,000 still needed to realise this dream.
The first way that you can help is to donate to our crowdfunder. We have a number of rewards available to people who donate to our campaign including Karuna t-shirts, camping in the forest garden, a stay in our stunning Sapphire hut and tours of our demonstration site and forest garden. All donations large or small are very gratefully received.
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-build-the-nest
The second way is to share our story, campaign and project video with your family, friends and wider community through word of mouth, social media and newsletters. The story of healing the land, birds, wildlife and people is very real and can be directly seen and experienced!
Why Support Us?
The flow of extreme change, in crazy world events, over the past two years is nothing less than evidence that we really do need to educate and support ourselves in the right way, in order to survive. As Forest Garden practitioners, with decades of experience in the field, we celebrate our offering, ‘Karuna insight design’, as an utterly unique example, of what is achievable through, compassion, positive action and insight. Clearly the land wants to be healed and will do so, given the right support.The NEST centre, will offer the opportunity for thousands more people to heal, grow, celebrate, learn, and thrive through land design and use.
Our best hope lies in our connection to the land! to nature, reawakening our bodies natural, instinctive capacity to heal itself, strengthening our minds connection to universal intelligence, and reconnecting our spirit with the divine essence of Love within us. We believe, that by supporting the building of the NEST, you will, in fact be supporting your children’s future, and yourselves, on many different levels, directly, as well as indirectly, and potentially. We know from experience, that we all possess tremendous collective power when we unite with kindred souls, to make a difference!
This is an opportunity for YOU to be the change you want to see in the world. Thank you for your support!
All photos (except the natural pool photo) are courtesy of Janta Wheelhouse.