COULD you make a sheep's wool rug, cultivate your own mushrooms or compost at work?

Sustainable food activism group Incredible Edible Oxford has just launched a series of community courses to help residents live off the land.

The volunteer-led group, which normally does guerilla gardening – planting edible plants in public spaces – wants to help other citizens become self-sustainable and make Oxford an even more edible city.

Co-founder Rachel Hammond said: "We are so excited to launch this new range of courses to support the community of Oxford in building skills and enthusiasm for urban gardening.

"The hope is that more and more of Oxford will become edible, and that Oxford's people can become more resilient and knowledgeable in their food supply."

The group is inspired by the statistic, from campaign group Good Food Oxford, that less than one per cent of the Oxford's food comes from local sources.

The new courses, which launched in September, include workshops on how to build a clay cob oven, an introduction to permaculture and a masterclass in growing medicinal and culinary herbs.

All the classes are held at Hogacre Common Eco Park, a hidden green space tucked behind the railway in South Oxford which is also home to OxGrow community allotment.

And as well as one-day courses in weaving willow structures and forest garden design, the group are also running half-day courses including making a sheep's wool rug, building a bee hotel and wooden spoon carving.

Ms Hammond added: "Incredible Edible wants to inspire and empower residents across Oxford to grow their own food and build resilience in communities, by improving knowledge and skills in gardening and other areas of self-sufficiency.

"People need to understand that the current food system is not sustainable and that reducing food miles to their own front-yard or neighbourhood park can benefit themselves, their communities and the whole system."

Ms Hammond said increased 'food-related skills' improve confidence and people's ability to eat healthily.

The Oxford group was set up three years ago, inspired by the original Incredible Edible group in Todmorden in West Yorkshire.

There are now hundreds of similar societies around the world.

Oxford branch now has three edible beds in Florence Park, East Oxford, and works with Oxford City Council to plant edibles and plants for bees, bugs and wildlife.

Last year it grafted 100 fruit trees which will be planted around the city – this year's target is at least double that.

The group is now offering edible landscaping design advice to Oxford residents to suit any space and budget from a balcony to a dozen-acre garden.

Find out more about upcoming courses at incredibleedibleoxford.wordpress.com