Earth Ways specialises in teaching you how and helping you to design and create your own vibrant, thriving, highly productive natural ecosystem and edible landscape. Any size of project is considered, from urban terraces and rooftops to large farms and estates. Permaculture design, forest gardening, ethical tree care, invasive species control and organic growing principles are all used to transform conventional landscapes into rich, self-regulating habitats – natural havens that nurture and sustain people and wildlife alike.
Once established, a natural ecosystem will be low in impact, maintenance and cost yet resilient, self-organising, and very adaptable. Best of all, once mature the greatest task will be gathering the abundant harvests!
Far from just an aesthetic indulgence, Earth Ways’ natural and edible landscapes are an important investment for a sustainable and self-reliant future. To be able to produce significant amounts of both one’s own food and bio-fuel is an invaluable form of insurance against the uncertain environmental, economic and social times we live in.
We have recently taken ownership of a piece of paradise on the Isle of Skye. We’re working hard turning this place into a top quality teaching venue. More info will follow.
About Ludwig
I have been passionate about protecting and caring for the environment since I was a child. When I was 8, I started thinking the permaculture way when I learned that trees produce the oxygen that we breathe and I persuaded my parents to plant an oak tree in the garden. My passion for permaculture was born, even though I didn’t know the word!
From as far back as I can remember, I have felt a desire to be deeply connected with nature. Over the years my connection with nature has included playing in the rain as a child, being a scout master in my late teens, organizing survival expeditions for young offenders in my twenties and living entirely off grid in a Scottish woodland for 4 years in a self-made shelter with a wood burning stove.
About 25 years ago, the kind of challenges we would face as a species, became obvious to me. I changed the direction of my life to train myself to be ready to be part of the solution. I have always known that the solution would need to be grassroots level. I have trained and learned for 25 years in all aspects of permaculture. Permaculture growing and forest gardening, Hydroponics, simple technology life hacks, culture and community, land management, survival skills, nature connection, …. My on-going exploration of sustainable food production systems and ways of reconnecting people to their natural environment has led me to create Earth Ways in 2007 and I established myself as a forest garden/permaculture designer and teacher, and nature connection mentor.
I can provide solutions to the rapidly increasing demand for sustainable ways of living that work in collaboration with nature rather than continually fighting against it. I have many years experience of restoring natural habitats, re-introducing biodiversity, pioneering sustainable ways of growing food and harvesting bio fuels, designing permaculture projects of various sizes as well as mentoring in bushcraft and survival skills.
My permaculture journey has led me to want to become part of a sustainable community or establish one. I have a cunning plan! 😉
Relevant Papers:
I have studied as a graduate in Ortho-pedagogy and worked professionally in that field with people of all ages for 10+ years.
I obtained my Permaculture Designer Certificate in 2009 from Patrick Whitefield, the famous author of many permaculture books and foremost permaculture expert in Britain.
In 2010 I successfully completed a course in Permaculture Training of Teachers organized by ‘Designed Visions‘. I also had my first encounter with the Art of Mentoring, where discovered ingenious indigenous ways of passing on knowledge and assisting nature connection.
Since 2011 I organize Permaculture Design and Nature Awareness Courses that reflects my own permaculture learning curve. They are a great success!
In September 2011, I completed a Natural Health Coach training with the fantastic teachers Bill Tara and Marlene Watson-Tara.
In 2012 have set up a permaculture farm near Forres, with pigs, sheep, ducks, chickens, bees and lots of delicious vegetables.
In 2013 I started a Community Interest Company to help people crowdfund the funds they need for their ethically sound projects: www.earth-ways.com
Since 2016, I’m a director of the Openfoodnetwork. Since 2017 I am a trustee of Smallholding Scotland (website coming soon)
I’m teaching courses, and am taking clients for permaculture design and consultation.
I bought and took over custodianship of Rubha Phoil. A 15 acre peninsula on the Isle of Skye. It is slowly turning into an excellent permaculture demonstration site.
About Suzanne de Waard
Ever since I was a child, I loved nature and cared deeply for the natural surroundings and animals. I was also passionate about art, drawing and painting ever since I could hold a pencil.
I studied Landscape Architecture in university, and travelled around as a wwoofer in Australia. It was here that I discovered my love for gardening and working with my hands in the soil. During and after my studies, I took on volunteer work in organic farms and gardens in Holland as well.
I have been looking for a more sustainable and enjoyable way of life ever since leaving university and have found the answer to this in permaculture. In early 2016, after spending a growing season at Earth Ways, I loved it so much that I decided to move over from the Netherlands. Together with Ludwig, I work as a permaculture designer and illustrator while developing my practical skills in the field. I also continue to observe and spend as much time in nature as possible. And of course I will not stop drawing and painting, especially now the beautiful landscape here brings inspiration every day.
Ludwig and Earth Ways in the media:
Het Belang van Limburg is a Flemish mainstream newspaper.
Ludwig and Suzanne wrote an article on how to make your own permaculture polytunnel. It is published here”
This article on how to live with slugs in your permaculture garden shows nicely how Earth Ways puts nature connection and ecosystem management central in the courses and workshops.
In Permaculture magazine
and in The Guardian
and on the Lowimpact.org website here
Ludwig used the crowdfunding website to raise money for the local refugee network that was set up.
