An
ongoing transformation of a typical suburban house into a Sustainable
Homestead.
Click
the links above to see step-by-step photos of how we do what we
do. This documents a constantly evolving work in progress where
each season we learn from what didn't work and try new ideas.
We can learn
valuable lessons from the study of ecosystems: intricate communities
of plants, animals and microorganisms. All life depends on the cooperation
and interaction of ALL species. As beneficial insects are necessary
for pollination of crops, worms and microorganisms are necessary
for fertile soil.
One of the principles
of Permaculture is that of Multiple Functions: each element in your
design performs multiple functions. e.g., A tree provides summer
shade, fruit for food, and habitat for birds. It also builds the
soil by fixing nitrogen, and provides microclimate in the form of
acting as a windbreak, thus enabling plants around it to grow.
The Ars
Terra Journal is also a great source for details on our current
projects, both for the Sustainable Homestead as well as our progress
with the Planned Eco-Sanctuary.
This
was done with Permaculture:
Click
HERE to see how we did it! |