Permaculture Design

We dream of the day that phase one of our permaculture design is complete, Kip is able to be home again (home based business), and we can share our experience with others from a place of abundance!  We dream of farm tours, permaculture design classes, and being able to give away plants and food because we have too much.

For now, we are thankful to have come this far, slow and steady, with no debt.  And though the challenges we face every day from not yet having everything “set up” are real, we take heart in knowing that we are sharing a journey that anyone can glean from, whether lacking finances, energy, time, resources, or skills.  Slow and steady . . . if we can do it, you can do it!  And whatever you do, do it with all your heart.

This is our updated (as of April, 2016), phase one permaculture design.  We call this our “front yard”, about five acres, mostly in pasture.  Phase two and three are still in the works and will be for our approximately seven acre back pasture and surrounding woods and then the woods north of our creek.  Below is a close up of our zone one from the above design.

Phase one includes:

– Zone one kitchen garden, rainwater catchment, grey water recycling system, composting, and small orchard.

– Three large swale and pond systems with multiple species of fruit trees, nut trees, berries, ground covers, and support plants.  One pond will be for geese, one for ducks and fish, and one for swimming.

– Several permanent paddocks with lane-way access for four flocks of chickens, ducks, cows, and sheep to move through during the growing seasons.

– Approximately one half acre for a U-pick berry patch, main crops, and combination chick nursery, compost center, and hoop house plant nursery.

– Several mini swales tucked in here and there for berry plants.

– A small pine tree planting.

– A small maple tree planting.

– Approximately two acres left for hay, stockpiling, and geese, with a pond on the outer edge where water naturally pools already.

– New barn to be centrally located on the edge of the pasture paddocks and close to the house for ease of access.

Our Progress

First two years on our property (March 2014 – March 2016):

– Built our home with half the patio on and two 1500 gallon rainwater catchment systems.

– Completed our small orchard area, most of the kitchen garden, and started on our root cellar.

– Hand dug three mini swales and planted two so far.

– Had our first swale and pond dug (located on the left side of the pasture).

– Purchased our first two chicken flocks, ducks, and two breeding pairs of Pilgrim geese.

Example Of A Design We Did For Friends

Thank you to the Komareks for letting us “play” in your yard from afar and share this design sample.