THE EVOLVING MENTORSHIP PROCESS AND PLAN

Posted byadmin

Mission Statement

Promote healthy living, stewardship of resources, and avenues of sustainable abundance. Facilitate connections between like-minded individuals to strengthen community and foster mutual sharing of resources, experiences, tools, and innovative ideas. Create a home base as an exemplary resource for beginning permaculturists and as a haven of rest for our family. Work toward providing permaculture aid work for international orphans and war-torn countries.

November 2013

Research:

  • how to gut and carve a deer
  • when our nuts are in season, how to prepare and preserve for best flavor
  • why the pawpaw by the stream isn’t producing and how to remedy that

Observe/Assess: explore the knobs

Implement:

  • sheet mulch future garden
  • install/insulate water lines, leaving options for solar water heating and re-routing greywater
  • winterize worms
  • bring bees to Forkland from Pike Valley Farm
  • grow winter veg inside
  • hunt and dress a deer
  • implement humanure vermicomposting to provide planting medium for saplings in the spring

Design: 

  • send Daniel his copy of the Pike Valley Farm design
  • continue working out a design for the Forkland Road property

Community:

December 2013

Research:

Observe/Assess:

  • learn the tree/shrub species of the knob
  • if the ground isn’t frozen, take soil samples from different locations

Implement:

  • order supplies for mushroom log inoculation
  • gather appropriate logs for inoculation

Design:

  • continue to develop Master Plan for Forkland Road
  • plan swale plantings, size, spacing

Community: Download Geoff Lawton’s course Q & A videos for future PDC use

January 2014

Research:

  • learn more about seasonal streams (Can they be manipulated for pools, etc?)
  • research fish breeds, ponds, etc. (Which kinds of fish can we grow in our situation? Is there a place where a hand-dug fish pond or aquaponics system would be appropriate?)

Observe/Assess:

Implement:

  • repair/replace gutters
  • lay out swales
  • build brush weirs from downed branches
  • dig a French drain behind the garage to handle knob run-off
  • take root cuttings, take suckers to plant, take cuttings to graft

Design:

  • plan fencing
  • plan outdoor summer kitchen
  • plan seed start and greenhouse areas

Community:

February 2014

Research:

Observe/Assess:

Implement:

  • start seedlings
  • purchase saplings and berry bushes
  • build chicken tractor
  • create small gabions for the runoff stream
  • purchase swale cover crop and inoculant

Design:

Community: Visit local plant nursery

March 2014

Research:

Observe/Assess:

  • which plants emerge first and which trees break dormancy first
  • what is the time difference between the different sides of the knobs for plant emergence
  • how does this affect where fruit trees should be planted

Implement:

  • dig/plant small swale
  • buy chickens
  • buy milk cow
  • clean, patch, and implement cistern

Design:

Community:

April 2014

Research:

Observe/Assess:

Implement:

  • prep/protect garden bed
  • set vine trellises
  • purchase or make awning for Western window

Design:

Community:

May 2014

Research:

Observe/Assess:

Implement:

  • plant garden
  • build outdoor stove
  • purchase fermenting valves

Design:

Community: attend Spring Planting Festival at Baker Creek

June 2014

Research:

Observe/Assess:

Implement:

Design:

Community:

To Read