Spring and summer 2010 highlights included:

in April - a well-attended seminar in Moffat: 'Carbon and the Uplands', with future management here of land cleared of trees for turbines in mind; meeting Ruth Tittensor, whose book 'From Peat Bog to Conifer Forest' was shortlisted for last year's Saltire prize; visits by Andrew and Veronica Whiteley, leading lights in the Soil Association, and artist in residence Lizzie Rose (see pic of driveway);

in May: to Ayrshire, to visit the windfarm at Whitelees followed by dinner at Dumfries House;

in June: a session on renewables at Friar's Carse near Dumfries; the publication of a review of activities at Crookedstane 1983-2010

in July: signing up for solar pv panels on the roof here, to be installed before winter sets in;

in August, a borehole was drilled here for water and a geological survey was commissioned .