Introduction
This article sets out to explain the coach scheme in plain terms. It explains why the scheme is needed, how it operates, what is expected of coaches, and how people can become involved. The intention is not to create a complex organisation, but a simple and effective system that helps spread practical knowledge about growing healthy food using wicking beds.
Anyone interested in becoming a coach, or in understanding how the scheme works, is invited to make contact. The coach scheme is about people helping people, using proven technology in a way that remains open, fair, and widely accessible.
The Pattern of Innovation
There is an old observation about innovation. At first, new ideas are dismissed and ridiculed. Then a small number of people try them and discover that they work. Next, the ideas are explained, refined, and shared. Finally, others claim the idea as their own and attempt to commercialise it.
This pattern fits the history of wicking beds almost perfectly. Understanding this pattern is important, because it explains both the success of the technology and the risks that come with that success.
The Origins of Wicking Beds
Around thirty-five years ago, Australia experienced severe dust storms that stripped millions of tonnes of topsoil from the land. These events raised a serious question: if soil can be lost so quickly, how do we create and protect it?
This led to a series of experiments focused on soil formation. What became clear was that soil creation depends on two essential conditions. First, something must be growing. Second, the soil must remain moist. Without moisture, biological processes stop, and soil structure collapses.
At the time, much less was known about soil biology. Today we understand that fungi, microbes, and other soil organisms are central to soil formation and nutrient cycling. Keeping soil moist is not just about watering plants; it is about sustaining life in the soil.
Irrigation and the Drought Problem
This focus on moisture naturally led to irrigation. I was invited to Ethiopia to look at ways of growing food during drought. What became clear was that hunger was not always caused by a total lack of rain. Often, rain fell at the wrong time.
Crops failed because there was no moisture when seed heads needed to fill. Any solution had to be simple, cheap, and reliable. It also had to work without pumps, electricity, or complex infrastructure.
The solution was straightforward. Dig a hole, line it with plastic to form an underground reservoir, and rely on capillary action to move water upward into the root zone. This simple idea became the foundation of the wicking bed.
A Technology Built on Need, Not Profit
This work was never about making money. It was driven by direct exposure to extreme hunger. When mothers have no milk and children are dying, commercial thinking disappears very quickly.
From the beginning, there was a clear line: wicking bed technology would never be used to profit from people suffering food shortages. This principle remains unchanged.
Wicking Beds Spread in Australia
Years later, Australia entered a prolonged drought. Articles were published, websites appeared, and people began building wicking beds in backyards, schools, and community gardens. Some systems failed. Water levels were incorrect. Some people tried to grow plants directly in the water reservoir. Others built reservoirs that were too deep, causing stagnant water that never reached plant roots. Despite these failures, many systems worked extremely well. Independent users repeatedly demonstrated large water savings. The idea spread rapidly. This was the acceptance phase of innovation.
Commercialisation and Its Risks
As interest grew, commercial systems appeared. Some were well designed. Others showed little understanding of the science behind wicking beds.
The concern was not that people were charging money. The concern was that poorly designed systems damaged the reputation of the technology. When a bad system fails, people blame the idea rather than the design.
Although patents existed, there was no intention to pursue litigation. Legal action is expensive, time-consuming, and distracts from the real goal. The purpose of patents and trademarks was protection, not control.
These early systems focused mainly on water saving. This can be seen as generation one of wicking beds. The next stage goes much further.
The Shift to Food and Health
A personal experience changed the direction of the work. After serious injury and surgery, I married a doctor who later developed severe diabetes after adopting a typical modern diet.
This led to deep study of nutrition and health. The evidence is clear: diet, particularly access to fresh vegetables, plays a major role in preventing chronic disease.
Diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and obesity are now widespread. These are not marginal issues. They affect millions of people and place enormous strain on health systems.
Wicking beds offer a simple and practical way for people to grow fresh food at home, even with limited space, limited water, or little gardening experience. This changes wicking beds from a gardening convenience into a technology with broad health implications.
A World of Unequal Power
We often like to believe society is fair, but it never has been. Globalisation and modern technology have shifted power toward large multinational corporations, particularly in food production.
The mixed family farm has largely disappeared. Food now travels long distances through complex supply chains. Competing directly with these systems is unrealistic.
The alternative is not confrontation, but independence. Giving people the ability to grow some of their own food changes the balance of power in small but meaningful ways.
The Role of the Coach Scheme
The coach scheme is based on the power of social networks. While corporations are large, networks of people sharing knowledge can be just as powerful. The scheme is designed to spread understanding, protect the integrity of the technology, and keep access open.
Open Source in Practice
Wicking bed technology is open for private use. Anyone can build and use a wicking bed. Patents and trademarks are maintained not to restrict use, but to prevent exploitation. They stop organisations from locking up the technology or using it in ways that harm the community.
Registered Coaches
Registered coaches have permission to use the patents and trademarks. This protects them from legal interference and ensures consistency. Registration also creates a shared identity and a basis for cooperation between coaches.
Independent and Decentralised
There is no central company. Coaches operate as independent individuals or businesses. Many will begin part-time, alongside other work. This decentralised structure keeps the system flexible and resilient.
Networking and Communication
Coaches are encouraged to use personal networks, websites, social media, and local media to share knowledge. Wicking beds are designed so even non-gardeners can succeed, which greatly expands their potential reach.
Services Coaches May Provide
Coaches choose which services they offer. These may include training, construction assistance, supply of beds or boxes, bio-packs, plants, or produce, and public education. Coaches charge customers directly. There are no royalties. Fee guidelines may be suggested, but participation remains voluntary.
Responsibilities of Coaches
Coaches are expected to demonstrate competence, acknowledge the wicking beds trademark, link to official information, share knowledge with other coaches, and supply bio-packs where required.
Support for Coaches
Support includes recognition, access to updates, umbrella promotion, shared contacts, and supply of bio-packs.
Conclusion
The coach scheme exists to protect and extend the benefits of wicking bed technology. It keeps the system open, prevents misuse, and builds a network of people helping others grow healthy food. Coaches remain independent, the technology remains accessible, and knowledge spreads through cooperation rather than control. Anyone interested in becoming a coach or learning more about the scheme is encouraged to make contact.
Download ‘The Coach Scheme for Wicking Bed Technology’ (full PDF)
