There are organisations and individuals all over the world working to promote a more sustainable way of life. Below are links that might help you. Please note that neither we nor our members have personal experience of every one of these sites (the training courses, for example), so these links are suggestions, not necessarily recommendations.
Our sister site
Smallholders Online is a free network sponsored by the WFA. It’s aimed at existing smallholders, those who want to find out more, and those who are simply interested in a different way of life. You’ll find lots of discussion groups here dedicated to topics such as livestock, climate change, alternative energy and permaculture. You can browse the topics as much as you like, but to join in the discussions you’ll have to sign up.
Courses
The Husbandry School - a range of courses in different aspects of husbandry from Devon from these WFA members
Low Impact Living Initiative (all kinds of courses around the country)
The River Cottage Cookery School
Smallholding Courses Directory
Gardening
Kitchen Gardeners International
Smallholders’ associations and resources
Biodynamic Agricultural Association
British Traditional Molecatchers Register
Dyfed Smallholders’ Association
Gofarmer online market place for buying and selling livestock, farm machinery, animal feed, farm land and more.
Molecatcher: West Yorkshire
Norfolk Organic Group: monthly lectures and visits with opportunities to meet with like-minded people in Norfolk.
Norfolk Smallholders Training Group
Some other resources and organisations
Biopac - supplies 100% biodegradable & compostable packaging of all kinds.
Boot Racks - no matter how many pairs of wellies and other boots you have, you can store them on these racks!
Diggers and Dreamers - the guide to communal living in the UK.
Freecycle - a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It’s all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills.
Friends of the Bees - a charity founded to conserve and protect bees, to educate people about bees and to research and promote more natural beekeeping methods.
Green Providers’ Directory - find green, organic and fair trade goods and services.
Greenspirit - a network of people bringing together the rigour of science, the creativity of artistic expression, the passion of social action and the wisdom of spiritual traditions of all ages.
LETSLink UK - local exchange trading schemes in the UK: exchange goods and services without the need for money.
Life Coach Directory - UK coaches dealing with health issues.
Little Local Food - promoting local brewers, bakers and farmers.
Magic Breakfast - a charity delivering health breakfasts to primary school children from poor families who arrive at school too hungry to learn.
Organic Places to Stay - destinations worldwide.
Sally Lever - coach, writer and educator, helps people wanting to change to simpler lifestyles and run sustainable businesses.
Saving Rare Breeds - working to preserve rare breed livestock
Slow Food - “unites the pleasure of food with responsibility, sustainability and harmony with nature”. For Slow Food UK click here.
Sustain - the alliance for better food and farming.
Sustainable Development Commission - independent advisory body to the government on sustainable development.
Transition Network - dive in here to find out about transition towns, timelines, peak oil and whether we really can save the world.
Tucker Seeds - suppliers of seeds to farmers, smallholders and gardeners. Members of the WFA get a special discount.
Wild Mushrooms Online - for fungi foragers.
WWOOF - Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms is an exchange programme: volunteer help for food, accommodation and opportunities to learn about organic lifestyles.
If you have or can recommend a good service in the spirit of what we do, please contact us.