Owners:Justin has been actively learning and practicing permaculture since he founded a guerilla community garden in Vancouver BC between 2006 and 2010. He completed a PDC at OUR Ecovillage in 2008 and followed that up with teacher training courses at the Bullock Brothers’ Homestead and with Jude Hobbs. His interests include earthworks, ponds, food forests, integrating animals into the landscape, renewable energy, biochar, mushrooms, electric transportation, compost, black soldier flies, teaching, working with interns, soil fertility, large-scale earth restoration, all-season greenhouses, carbon sequestration, regenerative economics and just about everything permaculture. Justin has an MBA in Sustainable Development from Pinchot University.History:We are in our 8th year of opperation. The soil of our land was very intertile in the beginning, consisting of mainly sand. We've used permaculture principles and practices to build the fertility of our land of these last six years and now we are able to grow our own produce for private consumption and occasionally offer surplus at local farmer's markets. We are aiming to grow into a full fledged market garden as the fertility of our soil increases.We raise pastured chicken and eggs for our own consumption always keeping the comfort and wellbeing of our animals. We collect food waste from the local municipality and supplement this as feed for our chickens, closing up energy loops and reducing waste in the process.We have invested heavily in beautiful sustainable infrastructure for our homestead. We have a solar heated outdoor shower and laundry for wwoofers and interns. This water is sourced from Lake Huron and a grey water system is in place to return moisture to the soil while filtering the water. We've also constructed a timberframe compost toilet building. We use humanure composted over multiple years to fertilize trees and perrenial gardens. (Don't worry, not the annual vegetable gardens!)We are an ideal place for self-motivated individuals seeking to increase their hands on experience of permaculture. We have a large library of books on sustainable topics as well as a wealth of experience to share for those interested in delving indepth into particular topics. We love to support individual's specific interests and empower our helpers to plan and create a project on our land.
Organic methods: Compost tea, biochar, integrated pest management, permaculture, lasagna gardening, humanure/composting toilets, black soldier flies
Current projects: Building, Energy, and Systems constructing an upcycled styrocrete, aluminum and polycarbonate all-season greenhouse finishing the sleeping nook (small natural building) assisting with finishing a timber frame and light clay compost toilet constructing a ferro-cement water storage cistern continue working on biochar kiln designs assisting with solar panel installation building tent platforms improving irrigation systems excavator work and pond constructionOrganic Annual Gardens planning, planting, and maintaining the organic gardens building more hugelkultur beds building new gardens brewing and applying LOTS of compost tea building soil fertility implementing integrated pest management systems using crop rotations & green manures seed saving assisting with kale production and making dehydrated kale chipsPerennials, Food Forest, Edible Food Nursery planning future food forest nurturing existing perennials completing construction of the nursery space starting and tending nursery stock plant propagation growing medicinal herbsAnimal Husbandry ensure the chicken homes are clean, birds are fed, and water is always available diligently ensure all birds are locked up at night and out during the day monitoring the flocks for health issues participating in end of season bird harvest collecting food waste from near by restaurants and grocery stores to minimize the amount of commercial feed required assisting with occasional bee keeping tasksKitchen, Cooking, and Nutrition planning and preparing communal dinners with local ingredients comfortable cooking meat and vegetarian meals keeping the pantry organized and stocked shopping for communal food stuffs passionate about nutrition, food artistry, and sharing knowledge harvest storage: fermenting, canning, dehydrating, freezing and root cellaringRadical Mycology Searching for, identifying and taking samples of local, wild fungi Practicing aseptic lab skills by culturing and training new and unique strains Expanding select mycellium to incorporate into garden beds to support plant growth and health Experiment with different substrates, strains and techniques to produce food and medicine and to remediate damaged landscapes
Internet access available
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Forestry
Beekeeping
Wild foraging
Flower farming
Aromatic or medicinal plants, teas
Bakery
Renewable energy production
Food justice / sovereignty
Methods or systems
Biological pest control
Holistic management
Permaculture
Host type
Self-sufficiency property
2
Hectares
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5
Acres
