Permacultureglobal.org - the interactive map and database of the Worldwide Permaculture Network

Powers Family Farm

Details

Commenced:	01/07/2014
Submitted:	12/07/2014
Last updated:	07/10/2015
Location:	Coarsegold, CA, US
Website:	http://powerspermaculture123.blogspot.com/
Climate zone:	Mediterranean

Followers

View Updates

Powers Family Farm

Project Type

Rural

Project Summary

After taking Geoff Lawton's Online Permaculture Design Course, I'm trying to adopt as much of my design exercise as possible.

Project Description

I live on this block of land in a half a converted garage with my family. We do not own the land. Each permaculture element I add is on a permission basis. I am able to utilize several large areas on the land. I have plans for expansion as well, but that will be based upon how well I manage the land I currently have under my influence.
    The landowner’s have a small garden in and around the southern part of the house. The northern part is natural and thus desolate and dry. They would seasonally weedwhack & burn piles of annual growth on the rest of the land right before evaporation exceeded rainfall or at the start of the dry season. The land is mowed or weedwacked with the trees regularly cut back as well.
    At the moment the land is in flux. I’ve been teaching myself permaculture for nearly a year on my own. I read 80% of Bill Mollison’s epic manual which is somewhere between collegiate & graduate in its level in my humble opinion. I really needed a teacher to help interpret the text for me; Geoff Lawton did just that. I’ve been able to confidently move forward and fix my mistakes here on this land. As it stands, I have documentation of its development throughout.
    I started out gardening the land only in a fenced off slope facing N/E doing row crops. My first year was novel & fun. My 2nd year had gophers and realizations. Since then I’ve been trying to improve my skills. Nowadays I’m seeking high nutrient density foods for my family and food self reliance. I’ve expanded beyond the confines of the fenced garden. I’ve added animal elements: a shepherd dog, goats, guinea pigs & chickens (both layers & meat birds). We plan on adding ducks & pigs as soon as possible. I began “swaling” before the course “by eye”... big mistake. I’ve had to redo a lot of digging and earthmoving since then. I’m currently implementing a transitional plan where I’m improving the areas I have under my control in hopes of expansion. My design will include elements I’ve put in as I’ve been taking the course as well as what I plan to add to it. I will also add in an ideal situation design.
    Obviously this site has a large problem: the house is at the top. The current landowners are new to Permaculture. I cannot use excavators onsite. I have to seek permission for each element I add to the property. As it stands I’ve been able to do many interesting things.

Animal elements: goats (1 milking nubian doe, 2 angoran wethers), chickens (7 meat birds, 25 layers, each roosters), meat rabbits (m&f), ducks (m&f), 1 guinea pig & 1 LGD mutt who's wonderful.

Gardens:

I hope to have a way to cleverly connect the two sections, but it hasn't presented itself yet. Likely won't until I finish them both. This area is on the other side of the hill from us.

For more information you can see the full design exercise for my Geoff Lawton Online Permaculture Design Course here: http://powerspermaculture123.blogspot.com/

Thanks!!

Updates

Courses Taught Here!

Project Badges

Administrators

Team Members

(close)

Legend of Badges

Note: The various badges displayed in people profiles are largely honesty-based self-proclamations by the individuals themselves. There are reporting functions users can use if they know of blatant misrepresentation (for both people and projects). Legitimacy, competency and reputation for all people and projects can be evidenced and/or developed through their providing regular updates on permaculture work they’re involved in, before/after photographs, etc. A spirit of objective nurturing of both people and projects through knowledge/encouragement/inspiration/resource sharing is the aim of the Worldwide Permaculture Network.

	Member A member is a permaculturist who has never taken a PDC course. These cannot become PDC teachers. Members may be novice or highly experienced permaculturists or anywhere in between. Watch their updates for evaluation.
	Permaculture Matchmaker One of these badges will show if you select your gender and the "I'm single, looking for a permaculture partner" option in your profile.
	PDC People who claim to have taken a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course somewhere in the world.
	PDC Verified People who have entered an email address for the teacher of their PDC course, and have had their PDC status verified by that teacher. Watch their updates for evaluation.
	PRI PDC People who’ve taken a Permaculture Research Institute PDC somewhere in the world.
	PDC Teacher People who claim to teach some version of PDC somewhere in the world.
	PRI Teacher With the exception of the ‘Member’ who has never taken a PDC, all of the above can apply to become a PRI PDC Teacher. PRI PDC Teachers are those who the PRI recognise, through a vetting board, as determined and competent to teach the full 72-hour course as developed by Permaculture founder Bill Mollison – covering all the topics of The Designers’ Manual as well as possible (i.e. not cherry picking only aspects the teacher feels most interested or competent in). Such teachers also commit to focussing on the design science, and not including subjective spiritual/metaphysical elements. The reason these items are not included in the PDC curriculum is because they are “belief” based. Permaculture Design education concerns itself with teaching good design based on strategies and techniques which are scientifically provable. PRI PDC Teachers may be given teaching and/or consultancy offerings as they become available as the network grows.
	Aid Worker The individual with this badge is indicating they are, have, or would like to be involved in permaculture aid work. As such, the individual may or may not have permaculture aid worker experience. Watch their updates for evaluation.
	Consultant The individual with this badge is indicating they are, have, or would like to do paid permaculture design consultancy work. As such, the individual may or may not have permaculture consultancy experience. Watch their updates for evaluation.
	Community Project Community projects are projects that help develop sustainable community interaction and increase localised resiliency.