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Courses and Events

Sound journey

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February 23, 2018

- Category : Courses and Events

- Tags : 30th Anniversary, advocacy, african fridge, Agrosyntropic

Join us on Saturday 17th of March for a lunch and an afternoon full of music and meditation, open to everyone 🙂 The friends of Sunseed and Los Molinos – Armelle, Etienne, Igor and Terese – are going to visit us and offer an immersive experience bringing their instruments (sitar, Tibetan bowls and tuning forks) and spiritual experience.

Have a look at a detailed schedule below:

  • 15:00 – 16:00 Sound journey (Igor and Terese – sitar, Tibetan bowls, tuning forks)
  • 16:30 – 17:30 Guided meditation (Armelle)
  • 17:30 – 18:30 Late lunch (5€)
  • 18:30 – 20:00 Sitar concert (Etienne)
  • 20:30 – 21:30 Mantra singing (Casa Azul – Participative / all instruments welcome)

We will open and close the door for each separate part, to hold the meditative space during the respective experiences, so please be punctual 🙂

The mantra singing will be very open letting participants also join later in the evening if there is the energy to sing and play together.

Entrance fee per session: donation based

Book your place:

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Organic Gardening, Volunteer Stories

Traditional watering techniques

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February 18, 2018

- Category : Organic Gardening, Volunteer Stories

- Tags : 30th Anniversary, advocacy, african fridge, Agrosyntropic

I had been here for little under a month when I was granted the great pleasure of having a small part of Paradise under my care. Diego III, is a small 12sqm vegetable plot in Sunseed; managed by the Organic Gardens team. It currently comprises of beds fruiting aubergines, potatoes, and buckwheat as well as the odd pumpkin, now glumly dying off for the winter.

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Sustainable Living

Why we make our own toothpaste (with recipe)

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February 15, 2018

- Category : Sustainable Living

- Tags : 30th Anniversary, advocacy, african fridge, Agrosyntropic

In Sunseed the water we use for cleaning goes directly back to nature, therefore we only use biodegradable hygiene products. But also for ourselves it’s better to take care what we are using to stay healthy and beautiful.

Most toothpaste, for example contains of a lot of harmful things, that we would not need at all. Such as fluorides, silica, triclosan an others.

This side describes very well what the problem with common toothpaste is, and what you should bare in mind: http://www.dentalbuzz.com/2014/12/30/toothpaste-can-do-more-harm-than-good/

Natural, healthy toothpaste exists but most of the time it’s very expensive. That’s why we make it on our own. It’s really easy and you only need a few ingredients.

When I came to Sunseed I was very interested in self-made toothpaste because my tries I had before went a little bit wrong. My teeth didn’t feel clean, I had a smelly breath and the worst thing was, when my usually white teeth got a yellowish color.

But the toothpaste I have used here for about 3 months now is perfect. It tastes great and cleans your teeth perfectly. It’s even a little foamy, which many of us like.

Here is the recipe we use for about 1kg:

450g Calcium Carbonate

500g White Clay

10g Stevia

15g Xylitol

20g Salt

15 pinches of Grated organic soap

15 drops Essential Oil Cinnamon

30 drops Essential Oil Mint

 

We mix everything together and that’s it. You have a lot of healthy, wonderful good tasting toothpaste with almost no work!

If people prefer cream instead of powder they can mix it with fresh aloe vera, which is also good against infections on your gum. But you have to bare in mind that it will only last for a short time so don’t mix too much at once.

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Communication and Education

A network for the transition to a sustainable and collaborative future

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January 25, 2018

- Category : Communication and Education

- Tags : 30th Anniversary, advocacy, african fridge, Agrosyntropic

Something inspiring and powerful is being born. We are building another world with our hands and we are transforming ourselves in the whole process. Education, communication, networking and solidarity are vital elements for our transition to a better state of living, in harmony with nature, ourselves and other fellow humans.

The Contact Making Seminar (CMS) for the setting up of the Sustainability Transition Network (SUSTRANET) was realized on 7-15 September 2017 at Vlachia, Evia, Greece. The networking event was organized at the premises of Stagones (stagones.org) by iliosporoi network (coordinator) and hosted in total 33 youth workers and trainers from seven different counties (Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Latvia, Belgium), representing at least 10 organizations.

The CMS had as a primary focus to gather organizations involved in sustainability transition with the core objective to exchange experiences and best practices and set the basis for the establishment of a network of cooperation. In parallel, local trainers organized a thorough programme of learning activities to build the capacity of participants on project development and EU funding issues, as well as, on non-
formal education/ experiential learning methods.

During the course of 8 days, participants jointly carried out a programme of mixed activities (info sessions and presentations, debates, participatory seminars, practical workshops, simulation exercises, energizers, team building exercises, outdoor and social engagement activities) that enhanced their skills and competencies and allowed them to experience a multicultural simulation of living in an ecological
community. Project partners realized a mapping of their capacity and expertise and with the active involvement of their youth workers they will form a pool of trainers on sustainability transition that will transfer the acquired knowledge to other European regions and localities.

The CMS gave project partners the opportunity to engage participants in an intensive and participatory learning process that enabled them to get actively involved in a non-formal educational process for training of sustainability trainers and multipliers at local/ national levels. At the same time gave them necessary knowledge and tools to develop and manage projects, to develop networks of collaboration and undertake deliberative decision making.

Youth workers were able to develop skills and competencies on inter-cultural training for sustainability, including but not limited to: team work, leadership, self-awareness, analytical and creative thinking, visioning and participatory planning, project management and conflict resolution, monitoring and evaluation. In the long run these will contribute to their personal and socio-educational development and
will improve their employment prospects.

The project was carried out as a follow up to the successful implementation of SUSTRARES that was flagged as a best practice by the Greek National Agency.

SUSTRARES (Sustainability, Transition and Resilience) was a 10-day intensive training course for youth workers that focused on self-sufficiency, community building and sustainability transition issues through mostly practical workshops. SUSTRANET CMS focused more on team deliberation and building of concrete project ideas and proposals.

The main deliverables of the SUSTRANET CMS project include a dissemination poster for publicizing the network and attracting new members, a website (https://sustra.net), a short aftermath video (https://youtu.be/zRZpzLxbCxw), a networking reflection stories video (https://youtu.be/n0_I3LrqStQ), and a training report (soon to be published). The main outcome of the project was that participants
as a final exercise they split into two groups and developed two concrete proposals to be submitted in the Erasmus+ programme. One of them is a Youth Worker Mobility on Zero Waste and the second is a Strategic Partnership for the establishment of sustainability transition hubs and an international pool of trainers.

The future is now, the present is ours. We learn how to become self-sufficient and aware, skilled with all the necessary competencies to create our own frugal abundance by developing and implementing a new paradigm and a new imperative of an emancipatory transition to sustainability.

Project partners and SUSTRANET founding organizations:
Iliosporoi Network (Coordinator, Greece), La Fabbrica Del Sole Onlus (FDS) (Italy), Gaia (Portugal), Arci Chieti (Italy), SEYN (Belgium), Agronauten (Germany), Ecobytes (Germany), The Latvial Permaculture Association (Latvia), The School Of The Earth ‘Nea Guinea’ (Greece), Sunseed Desert Technology (Spain). Funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.

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Research

Introduction to ecovillage living – course report

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January 22, 2018

- Category : Research

- Tags : 30th Anniversary, advocacy, african fridge, Agrosyntropic

From the 8th to the 15th of October 2017 we experienced an intensive week full of seminars and workshops, based mostly on an experiential way of learning and non-formal education methods. The result exceeded our expectations! We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all those who decided to join our course and share with us this unforgettable time.

This report is a fruit of the first IEL course and a way of celebration. Moreover, the success of the course acts as a motivation for us to keep up the hard work towards our continuous goal: to plant the seed of change for the development and empowerment of individuals who want to become the agents for social change and the formation of future sustainable societies.

Thank you in advance for reading the following pages and we hope to see you in a future “Introduction to ecovillage living” course.

DOWNLOAD REPORT IN PDF HERE: IEL report

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Organic Gardening

Permaculture, working with Mother Nature…

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June 20, 2017

- Category : Organic Gardening

- Tags : 30th Anniversary, advocacy, african fridge, Agrosyntropic

From the 1st to the 14th of May Sunseed hosted a Permaculture Design Course (PDC) with George and Wallace from Circle Permaculture, and we’re preparing a new one in September. If you want to know how it was, here Margriet and Lesha share their stories:

“George’s song could be heard at least 10 times a day during the Permaculture Design Course (PDC). Day one was one of introduction: we got to know the group and our lovely teachers George and Wallace of Circle Permaculture. After a slow start, we really got up to full speed from the second day on and got an enormous amount of information about soil and social structures, from compost to rain harvesting systems, etc. In combination with the old school classes on the chalkboard, we had the opportunity to approach and process the information that was given in an active way. The group went out to play ‘permaculture charades’ in a cave. We had workshops with the Sunseed staff: hot compost and mapping with Jon, sociocracy with Armelle, we made preserves and had an edible plant walk with Lizzy and last but not least we had a great fun cob building/mud wrestling with Lucas. Even in the evenings, seminars were held by Sunseeders and there were some outdoor screenings of documentaries.


During the second week of the PDC, we started working in teams to make a design for ‘the Mediterranean garden’, a patch of land where the dome, our classroom, is constructed. With all our new permaculture tools that George and Wally handed us, client interviews to fully understand what was expected from our design and a lot of enthusiasm, my team, the spice garden girls, started designing a:

‘Beautiful multi-functional space tucked away from the heart of Sunseed, with an emphasis on education, providing a study/working/relaxation space for Sunseeders’.

On Saturday, the final day all the design work that was done through permaculture principles were presented to the overexcited Sunseed family, who wanted to implement everything, asap! To conclude an inspiring, motivating course, that put us all on edge, there was the best show in the world: The No Talent Show!
Looking back on these two packed weeks of PDC at Sunseed, I am very tired and foremost happy with all the information we got and I feel the thirst to learn more about Permaculture!”

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A project, a memory, a trace

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June 16, 2017

- Category : Volunteer Stories

- Tags : 30th Anniversary, advocacy, african fridge, Agrosyntropic

Once upon a time, a young Belgian girl left her country in search of adventures in an eco-village in Spain. Sunseed Desert Technology was now her new shelter.

This little girl’s dream was to learn about sewing. It started to become true when she met an Ecuadorian woman with whom she restored life to damaged cloth transforming them into new things such as sweet handkerchiefs or tablecloths.

The story has been spread and a new project was suggested to her: to continue and finish the encouraging work that previous sunseeders had started of building a new dome. The girl knew the importance of seizing challenges and opportunities when they appear to her. So she soared and jumped deeply into this wonderful new adventure.

A couple who build yurts helped her to bring her project to fruition. Their combined knowledge and sense of humour made this experience unforgettable.

Each day the tiredness built up and made its way through the arithmetics and the different attempts to achieve the end result. However, the more days that passed, the more their team became a real family and the dome started to take shape. The girl could stay hours contemplating the shadow of the trees reflecting inside the spherical structure. Once the fabric was ready, other volunteers came to help. That is how on a beautiful day of the end of April, the dome was completed.

Each day the tiredness built up and made its way through the arithmetics and the different attempts to achieve the end result. However, the more days that passed, the more their team became a real family and the dome started to take shape. The girl could stay hours contemplating the shadow of the trees reflecting inside the spherical structure. Once the fabric was ready, other volunteers came to help. That is how on a beautiful day of the end of April, the dome was completed.

Right after being accomplished, the sphere became filled with a new air. An air with the softness of a loving gaze, with the perfume of laughs, with the lightness of liberty. It was the ideal timing to welcome the permaculture course on our land. The participants elaborated distinctive designs to spread the dome’s soul around its surrounding area. Their remarkable work touched the girl.

Everyone did their part towards it. Together we go further. Together we grow up. Together we build. We build a better world where we can share knowledge.

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Courses and Events, Sustainable Living

Open Day in Los Molinos

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May 3, 2017

- Category : Courses and Events, Sustainable Living

- Tags : 30th Anniversary, advocacy, african fridge, Agrosyntropic

On the 23th of April, an open doors day was held in Los Molinos del Rio Aguas, with a varied and rich market on the main street of the village. This Open Day was held on the main street of the village to emphasis the vibrancy life of the rural village. Our aim was to give people from the outside the opportunity to better know this beautiful place and to strengthen the connection between its inhabitants and neighbors who live in the surrounding area. The village also wanted to offer a showcase to artisanal and local products, as many people living here are involved in a way of living and producing that is more sustainable and empowering, both for the environment and for the people.

Moreover, it was a beautiful day for spending quality time, stories and food. We enjoyed a nice lunch together with our visitors, a big, vegan and tasty meal for everyone who wanted to join, very satisfying especially for the people who went to the Nacimiento walk led by Andrés Perez, from the local association Amigos de Sorbas. Like always the walk is an interesting moment of connection with nature and the threatening of our ecosystem. As we know an ecocide is happening and is increasingly endangering for the river, the animals and all the people who live in the area. It was also a very productive day as we had a nice chat with some activists from Almeria that proposed to us to organize together an informational talk about the ecocide. We are already working on this event that will be held on the 24th of May in La Oficina. We are very glad new ideas and new connections grew on this sharing day! We hope we can all keep up this productive and beautiful energy!

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Eco Construction, Newsletters

Getting ready for the PDC…

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April 25, 2017

- Category : Eco Construction, Newsletters

- Tags : 30th Anniversary, advocacy, african fridge, Agrosyntropic

There is big excitement in Sunseed about a brand new space that we will inaugurate for the start of the Permaculture Design Certificate Course on May, 1st. With the collaboration of Jef and Kirsty from Cultura de la Tierra and the fundamental help of many volunteers, there will be a new geodesic dome out there to host many of the indoor activities of the course. The participants will also get the opportunity the re-design the area where the dome is located, the Mediterranean Garden, and to give it a new life.

After the PDC, the new dome will be a core space for Sunseed, as it will host many of our communal activities, workshops and meetings. Don’t miss this opportunity to be present in an historical moment for our project, while attending an inspiring permaculture course in the beautiful oasis of Los Molinos del Río Aguas. There are still a few spaces to participate, book it on the Circle Permaculture page!

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Courses and Events

What we learned about sociocracy and peacemaking

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April 21, 2017

- Category : Courses and Events

- Tags : 30th Anniversary, advocacy, african fridge, Agrosyntropic

Last week we had the amazing opportunity to receive a very interesting and practical training on sociocracy and peacemaking, two great tools for running non-hierarchical organizations as well as for good communication and consent decision-making within communities. Deborah and Root, former managing director and education manager of the Newbold Trust, hosted the workshop and shared their valuable experience of community living with us.

Even though Sunseed had already been benefiting from the implementation of sociocratic principles, learning more about them and receiving some practical training is a way of making our community even more socially sustainable. Since it gives a structural base for ever-changing groups, sociocracy fits particularly well at Sunseed, which frequently sees people coming and going. By introducing new policies on interpersonal communication, decision-making, roles, feedbacks, peace and conflict resolution, we want to ensure an enjoyable as well as effective functioning of the project.

On this 2-day course, we were able to bring up recurrent issues and concerns, to show our appreciation for each other and to start thinking about what we could be doing even better in terms of communication. We can now practice and put into place the ideas and tools we were given, especially regarding trust building, peace designing and role modeling and reviewing.

Taking the course together, practicing gratitude and sharing ideas – as well as ending the weekend on a lighter, partying note – seem to have developed more empathy and social cohesion among us. A beautiful experience in the moment, which will hopefully be perpetuated.

Some impressions from the participants:

“Root and Deborah form an amazing duo, who complete each other’s information. Their openness and the examples given from their own life experience helped break the ice and encourage us to speak up.”

Margrit, Organic Gardens Assistant

“These two days allowed us to sharp our tools, which should result in putting less effort in work and get better results thanks to the use of non-violent communication components.”

Atreyu, Long Term Volunteer

“This course set a stepping stone in our process of growing as a community. Deborah and Root facilitated the sessions in a way that made the decision-making both effective and fun, while the peace-making tools they offered boosted our self-trust as individuals and as a group.”

Dario, Communication Coordinator

“I believe Sociocracy can lead to more peace within communities, especially when many different cultures and nationalities are represented. It can offer us a ‘being a family’ feeling.”

François, Long Term Volunteer

“Thanks to this course and the teachers sharing their own experience, we are able to separate a bit from our work constraints and be with each other in a more personal way. We learnt how to communicate calmly and with respect, as well as improving our personal well-being. I can see how this can also be beneficial for future participants in our project.”

Jenny, Office Assistant

“What an inspiring, empowering, and energizing hands-on course! A true gift to our community, carefully adjusted to our specific needs, and bringing smiles to everyone’s faces. Both a sense of individual empowerment and of common purpose were fostered, generating a joyful
motivation to apply these tools in our community life here.”

Armelle, Facilitation Coordinator

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