“Mark Shepard, manager of New Forest Farms and author of the book Restoration Agriculture, will offer a critique of annual crop-based staple food production, while laying the ecological framework and reasons for designing a perennial staple food crops farm.
homestead
Lenient Building Codes in Upstate NY
Great news for natural builders and homesteaders in New York — from Bill, one of our readers. Is it just me or does there seem to be a growing number of areas with more reasonable building requirements?
Minimal “Owner-Built Code” in Cochise County, Arizona
Hi Owen, I plan to build in Cochise County, Arizona and they have what they call an “Owner Built” building permit program (for rural residential dwellings) that does not require regular inspections, etc. Owners can build pretty much anything they want as long as they apply, and pay for, a permit. After that there are no inspections or approvals.
50+ Year Old Couple Build Off Grid Cob/Strawbale Tiny House for $30k
Nice couple. Good video that explains how they built their 20’x30’ (600 sq. ft.) home with cash without debt by recycling and repurposing almost all materials. The $30,000 cost included a septic tank and well. They combined cob, strawbale and light straw/clay, and kept the design as simple as possible. All of the plumbing is in one short interior wall between the kitchen and bath. They have a simple shed roof, etc. The homeowners say their choice “was the best thing they ever did”. Now they have no bills.
Thriving 23-Year-Old Permaculture Food Forest – An Invitation for Wildness
“In the small town of Riverton at the bottom of New Zealand’s South Island is Robert and Robyn Guyton’s amazing 23-year-old food forest. The two-acre property has been transformed from a neglected piece of land into a thriving ecosystem.”
Map: Where You Don’t Want to Be When It Hits the Fan
Due to the current sabre rattling between the U.S., Russia and China, now might be a good time to consider survival scenarios. The following article explains why large cities are the most dangerous places to be if the country devolves into chaos.