After a little over three years I’m very happy to say our tropical forest garden is finished. The hard work of raising the garden beds 12” with about 60 dump truck loads of amendments is done. The trees are well established and many are starting to produce fruit. Many smaller plants such as pineapple, taro, vegetables and herbs are thriving. The beds are mulched with straw. The soil is rapidly improving by evidence of worm mounds (worm castings) popping up everywhere. The greenhouse is finished. Extra planters and CEB beds have been added to fill in extra space and increase plant diversity. Our first large batch of homemade compost turned out great. Eight wire mesh cages are full of leaves to make leaf mold compost. And, a special ‘wild area’ has been created along the drainage ditch for bees, birds, butterflies and other wildlife to honor and show thanks to Nature.
homestead
How I Got My Off Grid Land With No Credit & No Banks
“I bought my land with no banks, no credit and no money down. Here is how I managed to buy my 56 acres of off grid homestead land in Upstate New York.
Farm Hand’s Companion
Farm Hand’s Companion is an online companion to self-sufficient farms and homesteads. It’s sort of like an old time Mother Earth News with loads of low cost, low tech, alternative/natural building, homesteading and simple living ideas.
Rocket Stove Barrel Canner
Dan R. Braucht of Licker-Tee-Split wood stoves sent me his latest rocket stove idea. Wood gas is combusted around the sides of the canner to evenly heat the canner. This wood fired barrel canner has a large cooking pot. This barrel canner seems large enough for homestead families and possibly even a small home business making gourmet jams, jellies, pickles, etc.
Brilliant Yurt Design! – Mixing Tradition with Super Modern Construction
“In this video, we’re meeting Pat from Yurta to get a behind the scenes look at how they make traditional yurts with natural materials while incorporating some very modern design ideas. These yurts can be set up in just a couple of hours and are built with 3 layers: – A collapsible wooden frame with … Read more
Living Simply in a Tiny Off Grid Cabin
Simple living is a topic that needs to be explored more in-depth on our Natural Building Blog. This lovely couple shares their experiences living a simple, sustainable, off grid life in a small home. Their advice applies to natural builders and homesteaders in general. Note the earthbag dome at 3:42.