Tinker's Bubble
Tinker's Bubble is an intentional community located at Norton Covert in Little Norton near Yeovil in south Somerset, England. It was established in 1994 on 40 acres (160,000 m2) of land consisting of about 20 acres (81,000 m2) of woodland as well as orchards and pasture.[1][2][3]
The woods are mostly Douglas fir and larch but with patches of native species such as ash trees. Much of the pasture is maintained traditionally using scythes for hay making. Tinker's Bubble earns a small income by selling organically grown produce at local farmers' markets and selling sustainably produced timber which is felled by hand,[4] logged by horse and sawn by a wood-fired steam-engine driven sawmill.[5] The community has a ban on the use of fossil fuels on site (with the exception of lighting such as paraffin lamps) and use solar powered 12v electricity.[6]
The buildings are temporary structures built with a very low environmental impact when compared to conventional housing.[7] The community fought very hard for planning consent for dwellings on the site and now has permission for temporary dwellings with limitations such as to the number of vehicles owned by the community.[8]
The community are WWOOF hosts and accept working visits from WWOOF members as a chance to experience their way of life.
Nine‑year‑old Eve, from the community, features in a short documentary depicting her daily life, her school experiences, and a speech she made at an environmental rally in London.[9]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Tinker's Bubble" (PDF). Forestry Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 June 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ "Tinker's Bubble". Eco-Village Network UK. Archived from the original on 6 February 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ "The rise of woodland off-gridders: 'It makes more sense than a nine-to-five'". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
- ^ "Tinkers Bubble". Local Food Direct. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ "Tinker's Bubble". Economads. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ "Tinker's Bubble". Diggers and Dreamers. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ "Planning Precedents". The land is ours. Archived from the original on 28 July 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ Monbiot, George. "Living with the Age of Entropy". Guardian. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ Gallivant Film (June 2021). Eve: the off-grid life of a nine-year-old climate activist — Guardian documentary. The Guardian. London, United Kingdom. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 June 2021. Video 00:21:06. A production by Gallivant Film. Features the Tizard family, the Community of Tinkers Bubble, and Castle Primary School.