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Commenced:
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01/11/2010 |
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Submitted:
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10/06/2011 |
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Last updated:
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07/10/2015 |
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Location:
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Winston Salem, North Carolina, US |
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Website:
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finchj9b.tumblr.com |
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Climate zone:
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Warm Temperate |
One home's transition from a lawn to a perennial forest garden system using as many permaculture principles as we can or are ready to adopt.
We are just beginning our permaculture journey. We are fortunate to have enough property, ~1/4 acre, to really make an impact on our lives. That was important to me- to begin making changes that would positively influence my family's life. This garden is by no means complete, nor even truly started. We are easing into listening to the landscape and not making too many irreversable decisions. That said, there are trees already planted on the propety which will eventually dominate majority of our overstory and we have double dug over 2,000 sq ft (185m^2) of our yard and turned it into an annual organic garden.
2011- The plan is to "stress test" ourselves and the garden this year. Our goal is to see clearly how a variety of plants react to the different microclimates on the property, while at the same time, finding out just how much we can change. After this year's annual beds are finished, we will plant a variety of native short lived perennials to fix nitrogen and accumulate other nutrients for around 3 years while we finalize plans.
September 2011 update: I was in Finland for five weeks (August-early September) and the garden was let go. I'll be trying to reclaim some of it for fall/winter vege use, but it remains to be seen whether this project will continue.
2012- Our garden is now in full cover crop mode. After a very mild winter (temperatures well above normal with few freezes) our garden is in full swing already. Comfrey in its second year are already full size and flowering. Melons are emerging from the seed bank created last year. Tomatoes all over, tarahumara chia... you name it and its sprouting.
September 2012: The garden continues to show resiliency in face of the dry summer our area of NC is suffering from- albeit we are better off than much of the United States. As the garden ends its second year, we have increased the number of native species by about three times (still low) and have been enjoying the increased activity of local flora.
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MemberA 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. |
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Permaculture MatchmakerOne of these badges will show if you select your gender and the "I'm single, looking for a permaculture partner" option in your profile. |
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PDCPeople who claim to have taken a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course somewhere in the world. |
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PDC TeacherPeople who claim to teach some version of PDC somewhere in the world. |
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Community ProjectCommunity projects are projects that help develop sustainable community interaction and increase localised resiliency. |
Nottinghill Forest Garden Overview 2010-2014
After almost 10 months of off and on work, a project overview has finally been completed that follows the project from initiation all the way through my visit this summer 2014 when we planted fruit trees for the first time!
A Victory Garden's Second Year in Seven Slide Shows
January-June 2012 was much more relaxed than the previous year since cover cropping basically takes care of itself.
A Victory Garden's First Year in Six Slide Shows
November 2010-November 2011 went by quickly with a lot of hard labor double digging our compacted clay to see us produce a fair amount of vege in a short period of time. After the summer months, we begin cover cropping.
Narrated slideshow November 2010-Januarary 2011
Beginning of narrated slideshows covering the entire property's transformation from November 2010-June 2012!
Spring 2012 Update
We've just been in awe as the garden marks its first full cycle from spring to spring.
Finland
Visiting my fiancee in Finland, so no new updates until January when I return.
First Killing Frosts
The first couple of nights at 31 F start to take their toll
Back from Finland
Doubts emerge over whether the garden will continue once I leave...
Slideshow up!
Previously unpublished photographs from November 2010-20 June 2011
Slideshow in the works
Mostly unpublished photographs of the garden from November 2010- June 2011