Yesterday, when out in our 7 acre field, feeding our Jacob Sheep, I stood on the highest point in the field and looked all about. What could I see?

Dozens of fields, miles of hedgerows, endless sheep, some cattle and dozens of buildings – the drone of traffic amongst it all – but not a single visible human being. I looked for several minutes, into the people less landscape, and felt worried and alone. I cupped my hands to my mouth - “Hello, is anybody out there?” I called. No reply.

I have this dream that one day people will return to the countryside in their droves – developing low impact quality life-styles and dwellings, using low-tec human powered technology, planting orchards, trees, copses, coppice woodland, hedgerows, developing wild-life habitat sites, local horticulture initiatives, ponds, wetlands and somehow, amongst all of this, escaping from using the countryside like a green factory. For it is tough, stressful and often depressing having to be commercially viable – all the time. A sort of trap.

Meanwhile, it is a great privilege being able to manage our small-holding with the key philosophy being promoting a quality way of life, albeit hard graft, where the pace of what we do is governed more by personal choice and freedom, rather than being regulated and contained by central market place dictate.

I say this as part of another personal dream of trying to engage in developing a dialogue that is part of helping humankind over the global warming crisis hump into a new long-term way of driving the planet. But again, despite the Gazette’s featuring of my return to blogging (Dec 7th) where their comment on the letter’s page states – “Edward is keen to gain some feedback – you can comment about his blog by pressing the comment button.” To date – silence! It’s like being back in our field again and looking about – no sign of a human being! I find myself saying, once more “ Hello, is anybody out there!?”

It may be that my efforts to encourage dialogue are ill founded and do not provide the stimulant that is required to trigger off a conversation. Meanwhile the silence is really weird, for I find with my recent involvement with the newly formed SLAAC group (South Lakeland Action Against Climate Change) that the dialogue within this setting is energetic, enthusiastic, urgent, inventive and inspirational. SLAAC comprise a small band of deeply committed local people who want to put into practice their talk as an example of ‘getting real about going green.’ In this context the group are looking for land within South Lakeland, which will act as a demonstration model plot of a futuristic approach to managing land, embracing a seriously low carbon footprint base line. We would, in principle, be prepared to take them on board within the Sprint Mill holding project. Discussion in Jan ’08 may well take this idea forward.

The SLAAC group has asked me to explore the current situation regarding the availability of urban council allotments in the South Lakeland area. My discussions and phone calls to date indicates that the demand for allotments is rising steadily and that consequently waiting lists rise too. I hope that the demand is brought about by a general desire for people to supply their own fruit and vegetable needs, because of the carbon footprint issue. Forecasts also indicate that food prices will rise steadily as the cost of production increases due to the fossil fuel exploitation era coming to an end. A serious forward plan will have to determine how the growing demand for allotments is to be met. Meeting such demand would provide a positive indication that local councils are not in global warming denial mode and are willing and even eager to ‘walk the talk’ I will watch this space in a mood of excited anticipation!