A few weekends ago myself and about 9 others went down to the Hockerton Housing project near Nottingham to help out with planting a new hedge, making a living willow hedge and some thatching. If you’re driving past the site it would be almost impossible to even know it was there, like a hidden haven HHP is built into the ground so it can’t be seen from he road. Not being seen from the road was one of many conditions for the build. This is a brief over view about the place and my time there.
A friend Luke who grew up at HHP and still often returns to help out and visit his parents. Luke gave a talk about a lot of the sustainable elements to the project which have been going since the late 90’s. Here’s a nice short video on there site giving an overview of what there about.
http://www.hockertonhousingproject.org.uk/about-us/
It is such an exciting place to be, we were lucky enough to have beautiful weather for the weekend which was helping to warm the house because its so well insulated all heating comes from sun,body heat and cooking heat so had to make sure all the doors were shut asap after entering or leaving rooms but once all 10 of us were in the house it soon got very toasty and warm. Any other energy come from solar or wind and all the water is taken care of on-site as well. To better understand exactly how I recommend a visit as they run tours for people interested.
growing up here seems to have given Luke a natural drive to explore his surroundings by playing with things in his environment like building a thatched round house. If only more children and adults had the time and space to play and explore like the people living in Hockerton Housing Project. I’m so glad I’ve had the opportunity to see and help out with what there doing.
I’m now hoping to stock some HHP spoons for the project, made from trees going on the site then sold in the visitors centre which I’m very excited about as it’s such a pleasure to make spoons from a specific place esp one as beautiful and environmentally educational as this one. Then to sell them there just seems to complete the cycle from Tree to spoon,bowl or anything else.
AND THIS IS THE FIRST HHP SPOON! made from a discarded bit of Hazel.
P.s there is a wonderful house for sale atm. check out there site for details.
2carvedspoons 