Globally 2010 became the warmest year on record, however this wasn’t quite the impression in Bouzov Podoli, where the very wet spring caused us to loose all fruit harvest due to lack of flowers and pollination; similarily any garden effort was virtually washed away...

Volunteerism has been a cornerstone of PermaLot for 10 years now, and while it can be a blessing, it is also our biggest challenge; 5 years ago we initiated ‘Travelling School of Life’, an EU funded youth program, to train in awareness for volunteers. Unfortunately the program was based on the youth managing it in the future; they tried but the effort dried up like water in sand…

Our 2010 internships included an American guest facilitator, and had a very ambitious schedule, including a full permaculture design course, elements of a EU curriculum for ‘modern earth builder’, as well as a SPHERE course for humanitarian aid, hands on natural building, vegetarian cooking, group dynamics etc.   The end result was that it didn’t work.

During the first 12 week internship it was clear that 200% more rainfall than normal took a heavy toll on the atmosphere on the group, though a fundamental flaw was that the group never ‘clicked’ internally, no-one really making deep friendships. We cancelled the 2^nd internship after one week.

A side effect to the internships very little got accomplished physically, resulting in further delay of the Natural House, though much of the cause of this is due to the companies responsible of installing the integrated solar collectors; more than 6 months delay in order to deliver a half finished job, with serious damage to the straw insulation included.

We left the worse rain and along with the interns we facilitated a successful natural building workshop in Germany; it’s the second such big external event we have done and look forward to do more.

After the rain came the sun, and much more positive news. Thanks to Cejvik, another 'old' volunteer and Martin Kolarik, all electricity for PermaLot's administration is now covered by renewable energy. Cejvik gave us 14 Japanese made PV panels which he had found in a waste container by an Olomouc factory; they were likely too old considering energy output/m2. Martin designed a low-tech system and did all of the electrical work + lend us a regulator+inverter, so we now cover 25% of our electricity bill this way for an investment of 2000 kc. What's more important to us; in case of a black-out, we always have enough energy on 2 deep-cell batteries to run the pumps on our well and furnace, preventing us from being cold and thirsty; the heating system is based on solar collectors and a furnace donated by Dakon, and with reserve wood stoves/oven in case of need.

In return of their help we hereby reward Cejvik and Martin with a life-time PermaLot membership!

Gomez and Kezira, a horse and pony belonging to Hanka, moved here in November.  Hanka, a local girl takes care of them everyday together with 12 year old Ala. We view it as a win-win situation, as it's a great addition to the forest kindergarten, brings us lots of manure, saves grass cutting and Johanka learns to ride, while we're supporting Hanka who also will start to use our commecial kitchen to produce baked goods (In addition to Radka’s sour dough bread production).

In September named “Rarasci”, (an initiative by Radka and Radka) developed from a weekly mother’s club and a summer camp, into one of very few forest kindergartens in C.R. It is still a growing enterprise for around 12 different kids 2 days a week. The activities of Rarasci was a significant reason why PermaLot in December received an award by xxxxxx , a recognition for our work of supporting families with children in the region.

During the last months of 2010 we put a big effort into an application including funding for methodology and strategic development, wages and a completely new upstairs of the 130 year old farm building, creating good facilities for education and occasional over-night stays by groups. We view this as a solution for the shortcoming described in this annual report, and a good start for the next decade or PermaLot’s development

This annual report started out by mentioning “Travelling School of Life”. That project was very inspired by our experiences with a young German volunteer, and he joined the course where he met

Zuzka in our camp in Svojanov. Their joint efforts in Svojanov(!) caused Marushka to be born 9 months later in Zajezova. Their relationship didn't last, and in 2008 Robert also became father of Frieda.

Roberts German partner, Antje, wrote us short before Christmas that Robert died on 13/12 due to an accident resulting in a head injury.

Robert spent about 4 months with us and the news saddened us. It's somehow symbolic how the first one to create human life in the PermaLot land trust is the first one to loose it.

As we're eager to transform sorrow to joy, we decided to create and dedicate an annual parent-children camp to his memory; At same time the camp will provide a way for Roberts 2 children to keep in touch at a place where Robert (according to Antje) learned most from his journey.

Realizované projekty v roce 2010  (Draft)

Kromě Dnů otevřených dveří v Přírodním domě, pravidelných setkání maminek s dětmi a tvořivých odpolední jsme pořádali následující:

Please add the Rarasci presentations in various towns…

Pro zajímavost: statistiky z roku 2009:

Výdaje za účetní služby a za telekomunikace:  Kč

V roce 2010 jsme obdrželi a čerpali následující dotační tituly: