The Ultimate Goal

A permaculture homestead

by TIMBER PRESS on APRIL 28, 2015

in DESIGN, FOOD, GARDENING

One of the outdoor feel-good spaces where Jessi can spend time with family and friends.

An inside look at how (and why) Practical Permaculture co-author Jessi Bloom turned her property into a permaculture homestead.

MISSION, VISION, GOALS

Mission

To create a sustainable environment that is functional for a family, and the family’s landscape business, which builds resilience and stability in the lives of those involved.

Vision

The property will become a lush homestead full of functional elements such as perennial food systems, animals grazing naturally, and colorful demonstrations of sustainable living from which people can learn. The landscape will contain a mixture of delicious food plants and stunning ornamentals that also support wildlife. The air will be abuzz with beneficial winged creatures such as dragonflies flitting about the water features, hummingbirds sipping nectar, and honeybees from the hives pollinating crops. A veritable Noah’s Ark, this property will support a wide array of ecstatic pets and livestock, which will help maintain the landscape and support the inhabitants. The music of moving water will evoke a sense of peace and contemplation wherever one goes on the property. Verdant rain gardens will capture and clean excess stormwater that isn’t used for irrigation.

The tasks of everyday living will be fueled mainly by the sun, both directly and indirectly. A conservation-based approach to energy will showcase that living within our ecological means does not feel like a life of sacrifice. Exploring this landscape will awaken a sense of adventure with new outdoor rooms and sacred spaces to discover around each corner. Visitors will find a space to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and connect with nature directly. The spaces essential to a working farm and landscape company will be colorful and fun, while allowing for right livelihood. These will be balanced by nooks dedicated to luxuriant relaxation. Any time of year, one will be able to use the sense of taste to experience what a productive landscape can really provide.

Goals

• Animals: Lay out rotational grazing paddock system to accommodate livestock by 2001.
• Vibe: Construct at least one outdoor feel-good space for family and friends by 2001.
• Structures: Build house and all essential outbuildings, enabling us to live and work on-site by 2003.
• Stormwater: Eliminate all stormwater runoff through the use of infiltration strategies by 2005.
• Fertility: Produce all mulches and fertilizers necessary to support the landscape on the property by 2005.
• Food production: Grow all essential produce consumed by residents and guests by 2012.
• Energy: Achieve 80 percent energy independence for the house by 2015.

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Adjacent to Jessi’s kitchen, herbs and other edibles in containers are used daily. A color theme ties it all together and makes it a good place to relax. The flowers, mason bee house, and hummingbird feeder provide for wildlife close to home where the family can enjoy them.

The barn at Jessi’s is colorful and flanked by pots with edible plants. Photovoltaic panels and a rainwater catchment system meet the building’s needs for electricity and water.

The first annual garden Jessi created required protection from rabbits. She created a gabion-style fence with scrap materials that also absorbs extra heat to keep the area slightly warmer on cold nights.

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IMPLEMENTATION PLANTING

Phase 1
Soil fertility—build compost bins, plant biomass-producing plants
Build annual food garden area
Infrastructure—construct buildings (barn, home)
Build play area for children
Fence secondary pasture for grazing animal rotation

Soil fertility development is a priority for this project, so fast-growing plants will be planted immediately and animal manure composting systems will be developed. The barn and animal housing will be the first element to be designed in detail and implemented.

Phase 2
Plant southern property lines for perennial food production and privacy
Water catchment systems—attach cisterns to all buildings and dig pond
Build greenhouse with aquaponics system
Develop more annual food garden space
Develop pasture and forage systems

Water catchment systems are another priority to take advantage of the rainfall, so a collection tank will be placed with each rooftop as it is built. With this rainfall harvest, more plantings can be put in. The greenhouse supports more growing activity and helps to extend the season so seeds can be started earlier in the spring.

Phase 3
Install energy systems such as solar technology
Develop nursery
Remodel shed
Develop forage zones for poultry and wood production
Develop forage zones in pastures
Install natural swimming pool

All of these tasks are last in the phasing because the foundation needs to be ready for them. The construction of buildings comes before the installation of solar. The shed and additional forage zones are lower in priority due to their proximity to the home but also to allow time to figure out what types of animals are easiest to care for on the site.

Anytime
Perennial food plants will be incorporated every fall, while in the springtime annual plantings will be done with a consistent but minimal effort due to lack of time in the busy growing season.

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Jessi Bloom is an award-winning ecological landscape designer, professional horticulturalist, and certified arborist. She is lead designer and owner of N.W. Bloom—EcoLogical Landscapes, known for innovation in sustainable landscape design, construction, and maintenance. Her best-selling book Free-Range Chicken Gardens has been praised for being informative and inspiring, changing the way people integrate animals into their landscapes. Recognition for her work includes awards from the Washington State Department of Ecology, the American Horticultural Society, Pacific Horticulture magazine, Sunset magazine, the Washington State Nursery and Landscape Association, and the Washington Association of Landscape Professionals. You may also be interested in the author’s own Web site, nwbloom.com.

Dave Boehnlein serves as the education director at Bullock’s Permaculture Homestead on Orcas Island, Washington. He is also the principal and a founder of Terra Phoenix Design, where he helps clients around the globe achieve their sustainability goals through integrated master planning. His freelance teaching services are highly sought after by universities, nonprofits, and other organizations. In addition, Dave is passionate about plants, especially weird but useful ones. Ultimately, Dave just wants to make the world a better place and eat really good fruit while doing it. You may also be interested in the author’s own Web site,terraphoenixdesign.com.

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