A PERMACULTURE MASTER PLAN
SOUTH EDEN PLANTATION
THOMASVILLE, GEORGIA
MASTER PLAN NARRATIVE FOR SOUTH EDEN PLANTATION
A master plan is by no means a finished product. It is a scaffold for depicting the
vision and goals of the stakeholders involved in a land development project. We
might liken it to a painting wherein the painter works within a frame (think of the
property perimeter), and initiates the painting with broad, brush strokes before
the details emerge. The painter sets the table, so to speak, before the guests
arrive. One by one they are seated at the table, then all the meal’s courses are
served.
Another point to note is that the painter enters the canvas from the outside. Think
of this as the designer and stakeholders imprinting their ideas on the blank
canvas. We also might think of the canvas within a frame as the land within the
property lines, this land that is not isolated from the external forces that course
through it always. Change is inevitable. The natural world is constantly forcing its
hand on the plants, soils, stones, animals, structures, and human beings.
One of the critical dicta of Permaculture is to “make the least amount of change
for the greatest affect”. Why would we make any change to a landscape? By
making small (or at times momentous) changes we are attempting to augment
the general health and balance of the ecological functions of the land and make
the land viable for not only the present, but for future generations. So, as we
journey through the South Eden Plantation design, and examine why we place
each element where we place it, we will take a look at the significance of
placement and the interconnections produced thereof.
VISION
Create a site for cradle-to-grave, reskilling of all people for life; a wellness
marathon.
GOALS (we will address all of these goals in the body of this narrative and on
the site plan. Please refer to each section and the appendices for details)
Fit with the landscape
Keep it simple but high quality in design
Function is more important than size
Details are important, and really can make or break the look of the place
Be as sustainable as possible
Wedding Event Business
Personalized sets
Natural
Organic
Raw beauty
Child Development Center
Give children positive direction
Reskilling
Helping children after crisis
Food Production
Provide all food for events, the people living at South Eden Plantation and ten
draft horses
Place for farm equipment
Bees, chickens, goats, sheep, rabbits, alpacas, etc
Mushrooms
Plant flower nursery for weddings
Plant forage for animals
Games/Activities
Build an outdoor family room/pavillion
Place for archery
Basketball
Ping-pong
Billiards
Walking paths
Noise Reduction Plan from Main Road
Erosion Issues on Main Road (see engineer’s report)
Sustainable Construction Techniques and Materials
Include options for passive solar, wind, and/or other power sources where
possible (Provide solar power or power by modified generator: biogas)
Create model villages with ecological building modalities (container buildings,
cob, etc)
Cleaning System for Stalls
Reduce Bug Pressure (especially gnats: there is a nematode that just may
do this for us!)
Aquaponics, Pond/Lake/Surface Catchment
Electric Vehicles to Ferry People Around Property
Wedding carts
All events
Educational Venue for Permaculture, Crafting, Etc
Artisan areas and craft spaces (glass blowing, cooking classes, etc)
Blacksmith shop
Conferences, concerts, reskilling, nutrition, permaculture, gardening, etc
Maintain Historical Look
Gourmet Restaurant (organic and raw foods)
Health Recovery Program/Health Spa (taking advantage of everything that
is here)
KEY SERVICES
Educational Venue
Wedding Venue
Resort Spa
Restaurant
Child Development Center (livestock management)
Activities Areas
ESSENTIAL TECHNOLOGIES
Gardening and Farming
Pasture
Aquaponics/Aquaculture
Greenhouse Management
Food Preservation and Use
Value Added Production
Management and Maintenance (general)
Soil Building
Animal management
Tools and Materials
Energy Systems and Energy Production
Natural Building Design, Construction and Maintenance
Bio-Gas Systems
Flower Production
Plant Nursery Procedures
Pond Building (NRCS)
The Scale of Permanence
From authors Bill Mollison and David Holmgren, in the book entitled
Permaculture One:
“In any landscape planning, relative permanence is of great importance if the
planning itself is to be part of some ongoing evolution of the landscape. Time
scales for complex landscape evolution span many generations and cannot be
considered a finite task. For the purpose of putting planning and design work into
perspective, Yeoman’s Scale of Permanence is very useful. However we would
amend the scale to adapt it to planning for Permaculture systems.”
From author David Jacke:
“This Scale of Permanence can be used as a way of structuring one’s
observations and analysis of the landscape, as a means of prioritizing which
aspects of the design are most important to design first, and, in some cases,
which parts may be most important to implement first.”
One more note on the Scale of Permanence: originally set out by P.A. Yeomans
of Australia, best known for his work with the Keyline system (a method of
holding water and nutrients on the land where and when the rain falls), this
method of assessing the landscape has since been modified by Bill Mollison and
David Holmgren (the founders of Permaculture) and David Jacke. Of course,
without sound observation and rigorous design practice, the Scale of
Permanence becomes just another list amongst lists. We utilize this system in
order to help us organize our assessments, inventories, ideas, goals and visions
into a comprehensive whole. Permaculture is about functional relationship and
seeks to delineate the interconnections of the many functions of all elements in
the landscape. A comprehensive design is a “whole” design, a unified expression
of all stakeholders involved in the creation of a land-base.
In order to fuse together the many divers facets and details we created an
underlying matrix of concentric circles that cross at various intervals integrating
all elements in the landscape into a curvilinear, ecosystemic whole.
The Scale of Permanence and Master Planning
Based on the fact that we will be outlining this master plan we feel that it is
important to restate the materials explicated in the initial assessment and report.
(Please see attached assessment document)
This master plan will focus on short and long term goals for South Eden
Plantation and will be based on the Permaculture Scale of Permanence, a step
by step delineation of what are the most perennial of processes taking place in
the landscape, focused primarily on the particular latitude and longitude and
climatic factors endemic to the site.
The scale of permanence lists the components of landscape in their general
order of permanence and ease of alteration by humans. As P.A. Yeomans said, it
makes more sense to fit the tie to the suit than the other way around. Designing
your access and circulation without understanding your water flows, landform
and climate factors is likely to lead to mistakes. On the other hand, knowing how
the more permanent landscape components operate on your site will give you
excellent guidance for how to design the less-permanent features. The scale of
permanence is also a useful “handle” to help organize one’s site analysis work,
ensuring that all bases are covered.
Originally defined by P.A. Yeomans, the creator of the Keyline system of
agriculture in Australia in the 1940’s, the scale of permanence has since been
revised to include more efficient responses to the particular needs of the
landscape in question. Yeoman’s scale is as such: 1) Climate; 2) Landform; 3)
Water supply; 4) Farm roads; 5) Trees; 6) Permanent buildings; 7) Subdivisional
fences; 8) Soil
Bill Mollison, the creator of the Permaculture system, took this a step further:
1) Climate; 2) Landform; 3) Water supply; 4) Farm roads; 5) Plant systems; 6)
Microclimate; 7) Permanent buildings; 8) Subdivisional fences; 9) Soil
The scale currently in use as developed by David Jacke:
1. Climate
2. Landform
3. Water (in general)
4. Access and circulation
5. Vegetation and wildlife
6. Microclimate
7. Buildings and infrastructure (the waste stream and energy systems)
8. Zones of use
9. Soil (fertility and management)
10. Aesthetics
11. Culture
In this master plan we will take a detailed look at South Eden Farm based on this
regime.
We have also taken the time to expand on the current understanding of the Scale
of Permanence with these changes and additions:
Wildlife also equals domestic animals in the system
We are adding these categories based on “permanent” human needs and
necessities:
Food
Clothing
Healthcare
Education
Safe Environment
Included in this report are research and information resources for further study
and application.
Climate
How does climate impact this design?
As we initially walk the land and observe we make an inventory of the affects and
movements of the local weather patterns that are written in the configurations
created by wind and water, cold and heat, geological processes and plants and
animals. Are the trees flagging in one direction (wind), is there any erosion
(water), dams created by animals (beaver), abundant organic matter laying on
the surface of the ground (plants)? All of these indicators, and more, belie the
importance of recognizing how and where the forces of nature leave an imprint
on the landscape, a curvilinear line here, a straight line there, a gully here, a
steep slope there.
Assessment of climate is first and foremost a determiner of what we can and
cannot do at a particular site. No matter where we go, there it is. The coastal
plain region of Southern Georgia demands that we pay special attention to the
mild winters and gradual warming trends in spring and summer. The limiting
factors here are: in more recent history, climate and drought extremes, the
possibility for massive, short-term rain events, hot summers and variable winter
temperature extremes.
In order to develop a planting regime for the site it is of utmost importance to
select plants that “fit” the terrain, the USDA planting zone (zone 8), weather
extremes and the soils that lie beneath our feet.
Any animals included in the landscape need attention in terms of acute cold and
hot weather, developing nutritious and mineral-rich feed resources, appropriate
shelter, and overall general health. Climate and weather dictate to us how we will
configure the best possible care for all our animals, both domestic and wild.
The built environment is, of course, all about the “weather”, both internal and
external to the building. Insulation and mass create the opportunity for delimiting
extremes and the creation of comfort for residents and guests. Insulation is
predicated on “dead air space”, pockets of asymmetrical hollows that stop the
flow of air, whether hot or cold, from entering a structure. Mass: rock, clay, etc., is
a heavy substance that absorbs solar radiation during periods of sunlight and
radiates the warmth generated by the sun into the building during the colder
periods of the day. Mass also acts to temper the extremes of heat and humidity
that circulate through a building during the summer months.
We seek opportunities to delimit the amount of gadgets that, in our modern
culture, are all encompassing: highly technical HVAC systems, energy intensive
air conditioning units, etc. Instead, by building structures appropriate to scale with
materials that will afford us the prospect of utilizing the sun and biological
intelligence to help attain a pre-determined level of comfort, we eliminate
excessive maintenance and management of systems for the future.
In general, climate informs this master plan, defining for us the possibilities and
the means. As Bill Mollison has stated: “We are surrounded by insurmountable
opportunities”, and, “Turn problems into solutions”. As Permaculture designers
and practitioners we take this to heart: in what may look like a problem, large
scale rain events, severe heat and drought, insect infestations, we seek to lift the
veil of the “issue” and understand what lies beneath the surface, who or what is
the driver behind the wheel and turn this “issue” into an opportunity to generate
and regenerate the landscape and to craft an abundant yield for all involved:
mineral, vegetable, animal, human.
Landform
The South Eden Plantation property slopes primarily in all directions, gently. The
top of the ridge at the main house and access road is the highest point in
elevation on the property.
The information from the initial report for South Eden is important in the
explication of landform and topographical retrofit in order to hold water and
topsoil where needed on the property.
“With the largest land area of any state east of the Mississippi River, the Georgia
landscape runs from the mountains in the north and northeast to the coastal plain
in the southeast. The most southerly of the Blue Ridge Mountains enter Georgia
in the north and northeast. The central piedmont extends south and southeast
from the mountains and levels to the coastal plain and coastal flatlands.
Georgia can be divided into six main land regions; the Appalachian Plateau, the
Appalachian Ridge and Valley Region, the Blue Ridge, the Piedmont, the Atlantic
Coastal Plain, and the East Gulf Coastal Plain. They are presented below,
beginning in the southeast along the Atlantic Ocean and moving northwest
towards the Appalachian Mountains
Atlantic Coastal Plain: The Atlantic Coastal Plain is part of the Atlantic Plain
that stretches from Massachusetts to the Florida peninsula and around the Gulf
of Mexico. The Atlantic Coastal Plain lies in southeast Georgia along the state's
Atlantic Ocean shoreline. Occupying about 1/4 of Georgia, the Atlantic Coastal
Plain is characterized by a flat landscape. The Okefenokee Swamp lies in the
southern part of the Atlantic Plain and in part of the East Gulf Coastal Plain. The
rivers in the Atlantic Coastal Plain drain into the Atlantic Ocean.
South Eden Plantation lies in the Southern Atlantic coastal plain region of
Georgia.
East Gulf Coastal Plain: The East Gulf Coastal Plain covers almost 1/4 of
Georgia in the southwest. Similar to the flat landscape of the Atlantic Coastal
Plain, the flat East Gulf Coastal Plain's soil is less sandy. Part of the Okefenokee
Swamp lies in the East Gulf Coastal Plain. The great Suwannee River, like all
rivers in this land region, flows south into the Gulf of Mexico.
Piedmont: Northwest of the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the East Gulf Coastal
Plain, the Georgia Piedmont cuts across the state. The Piedmont is marked by a
hilly landscape in the north where it abuts the Appalachian regions at around
1,500 feet above sea level. The land loses elevation to the southeast, where the
hills become more gently rolling and the land is only about 400 feet above sea
level. The clear difference in landscape where the southeastern edge of the
Piedmont meets the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the Gulf Coastal Plain is called
the Fall Line. It is along this line that the rivers flowing from the higher elevations
of the Piedmont fall to the lower Coastal Plains forming waterfalls and rapids.
Blue Ridge: A small section of the Blue Ridge is found in northeastern Georgia
north of the Piedmont. The mountain peaks in the Blue Ridge area rise 2,000 to
almost 5,000 feet above sea level; more than 20 above 4,000 feet. These
mountains are forested with hardwoods and pine softwoods. The rushing rivers in
the Blue Ridge provide hydro-electric power to Georgia. Georgia's highest
mountains are found in the Blue Ridge area, including Brasstown Bald, or Mount
Etonah, which rises 4,784 feet above sea level.
Appalachian Ridge and Valley Region: The Appalachian Ridge and Valley
Region in northwestern Georgia consists of a series of broad, fertile valleys
separated by parallel ridges of sandstone.
Appalachian Plateau: Isolated to a small piece of Georgia in the extreme
northwestern corner of the state, the Appalachian Plateau stands about 1,800 to
2,000 feet above sea level and consists of narrow valleys and wooded ridges.
Lookout Mountain and Sand Mountain are found in this region. The bedrock of
sandstone, with sporadic outcroppings of limestone, comes close to the surface
of the property in specific areas. Otherwise, the soil matrix is predominately a silt
clay loam, rich in nutrients, with a clay base. Clay is the most highly nutrient rich
soil and it has the capacity to hold water well, thus, an opportunity for a good seal
on the bottom of a pond.”
All of these regions affect the soil, climate, watershed drainages and plant and
animal composition of the pine-oak coastal region. After centuries of erosion,
earth movement, minerals riding the wave toward the coast, we cannot avoid the
understanding that not only the immediate bioregion dictates how we will
approach our design work, but the surrounding bioregions incur as much affect
on the region we are working in as the immediate region itself.
The fact that the topography initially falls off gently in all directions from the crest
of the ridge at South Eden we look to take advantage of this mild gradient and
determine prospects for water collection at point of use by means of gravity,
proper storage and efficient distribution.
The general sloping nature of the plantation obviates the need for holding water
as high in the landscape as possible for plant, animal and human needs. By
slowing water down and holding water high in the landscape we also hold
nutrients on the land. We will also accomplish the objective of using the force of
gravity to move much needed water to lower elevations. After all, water is life,
and we need to pay particular attention to this basic necessity.
We accomplish this need by evaluating topography and contour lines (which sit
dead level) and creating opportunities for water management by:
Directing water where it is needed most and spreading it around the property so
that all areas are on equal footing based on need. We do this by manipulating the
lay of the land though earth moving and by creating containment. Water and
landform are married forever. Water will not only move by gravity, but also by
capillary action through the topsoil, and it shapes itself into any container that it
flows into.
By changing the landscape where needed, we will accomplish this task through:
Keylining the entire property where accessible (please refer to the
segment on water)
Creating cisterns for storage and distribution (please refer to the segment
on water)
Planting dense vegetation (please refer to plants and agriculture)
Using mulches to delimit evaporation (please refer to the segment on
agriculture)
Planting many trees in order to aid in the regeneration of a complete and
full hydrological cycle endemic to the area of southern Georgia (plants and
agriculture)
Water Systems
Water and landform are inseparable. Water knits the landscape together with its
power to give and support all life, and reveals its multifunctional ability to connect
all the dots in the design matrix.
As already stated above we direct water where needed through the
“manipulation” of landform, moving structural earth around to hold and shift water
to point of use. We will do this by developing these key earthmoving objectives:
Swales, keylines, roof catchment, cisterns, ponds, well.
Please refer to the master site plan for locations of all water structures and
earthworks related to water catchment and storage.
The fact that the main house at South Eden Plantation is located at the highest
point in the landscape, the ridge, means that there is great opportunity in water
available for capture that falls on the site, whereas parcels of land situated lower
in the landscape, will have water flowing down from higher elevations for
potential capture and use. Therefore, we must strike a careful balance between
placing our points of collection high in the landscape for use but low enough to
effectively collect surface groundwater.
The implications of beginning at the top of the ridge, and making our way down
from there, are that the potential for collecting a high volume of water for multiple
uses, when starting high in the landscape, is paramount to quenching the many
“thirsts” needed for all. We also diminish the possibility that a large percentage of
the water falling on the property will find its way to the creeks, small rivers, and
eventually to the bottom of the watershed too quickly, before we have the chance
to convert it to the landscape’s many needs.
Our first step in slowing down and holding water at South Eden Plantation will be
to “Keyline” the entire farm in 2012. We accomplish this task by first observing
where the head of a valley (which is steepest) begins to flatten out and move
gradually downhill. This point, where concave and convex landforms meet in the
valleys, is known as the keypoint. Once identified, we use the contour line that
intersects the keypoint for our primary reference line. We will do this for all the
essential open areas on the plantation (the pasture and all open agricultural
areas). All subsequent lines that we need to know about will run parallel to the
original keylines. We then use a “Keyline Plow”, or subsoiler, which consists of
several 12” to 18” shanks on a toolbar pulled by a tractor through the soil. This
opens slits in the soil profile and allows for water and air to circulate freely
through the topsoil and vertically beneath. This action supports the biotic life in
the soil matrix to do the work of building topsoil anew. It also opens channels for
roots that not only support trees and plants, but it allows for free exchange of
nutrients and gases and for the network of mycelial threads to reach out easily
and transfer nutrients between perennial woody species. (Please refer to the
appendix for more detailed information about the keyline a system and
references for implementation).
Bioswales will filter and clean water that pours into the property from the roads.
Major swales will follow the contours of the drives.
As we travel down the slopes there will be smaller swales at the up slope of
major woody species plantings, with an accompanying berm to the down slope of
the swale (ditch on contour), where needed.
The roof systems of structures planned for the plantation are significant water
collecting surfaces. These surfaces will collect rainwater that will be directed to
large capacity cisterns. This water will be used for landscape needs and a
backup resource for human use.
An example of amounts of rainwater collection:
Annual Water Volume
sf
gal/sf/inch
inch/yr
gallons/yr
House
2100 0.65
32.9
44,909
Barn
1500 0.65
32.9
32,078
Greenhouse
935
0.65
32.9
19,995
Tower
705
0.65
32.9
15,076
Total water from the roofs:
112,057
gallons
Monthly Water Volume Per Growing Season (June through August)
sf
gal/sf/inch
inch/yr
gallons/mo
House
2100 0.65
4
5,460
Barn
1500 0.65
4
3,900
Greenhouse
935
0.65
4
2,431
Tower
705
0.65
4
1,833
Total water from the roofs:
13,624
gallons
It is anticipated that large cisterns will first be filled with roof collection water.
Cisterns are dedicated to gravity fed irrigation to the ag/garden areas. Other
cisterns are dedicated for pumped irrigation for the greenhouse and plantings
around the front of the buildings. Cisterns will have a back-up supply from the
well. During a rain storm, and after the cisterns have been filled, the water will be
directed through overflow lines to supplement surface groundwater that has also
been channeled to fill the ponds. This pond water will be able to be pumped and
used for irrigation of gardens and fields as might be needed, and to quench the
thirst of animals. As it is unknown yet how much water the South Eden Plantation
agricultural operations may use per day during the growing season, we cannot
yet calculate how full the ponds and other catchments are likely to remain. Future
calculations of anticipated use in the gardens (based on types of plants
selected); use in the greenhouse (based on types of plants selected); and
volume of surface groundwater channeled to the ponds and all other catchments
can more accurately estimate anticipated pond levels. For now, the volume of
water needed to keep the pond in the pasture, shown on the Master Plan, full is
calculated below.
Pond #1
average
area
depth
(sf)
(feet)
61,400 6
volume
(cu ft)
368,400
volume
gal/CF (gallons)
7.4810 428,400
Total water needed to fill pond:
428,400
gallons
There is much potential to construct small water gardens, ponds and biological
wetlands for phase two of this project as we implement the intensive garden
areas in the near future.
We will minimize what goes into the septic by minimizing the flow of water to it.
The first step here will be to install water saving toilets and fixtures. At a later
date we will configure a system of graywater distribution from showers, sinks and
laundry to gardens and all agricultural areas.
Graywater reuse will be delineated with a branch drain system. Diverter valves
accompany all plumbing that moves “wastewater” from the buildings so that,
when the need arises, water can be diverted easily to the septic.
Low flow showerheads, taps, and conscious use of water will also be
implemented.
We will utilize the pre-existing well that was drilled many years ago, for primary
human usage and potable purposes.
It is also important to note that plants are great collectors of water. Plants dig
their roots into the soil and drink when rainfall and snowmelt make water
available. Plant roots also mitigate erosion and absorb nutrients that are used for
growth, and are then given back to the soil at leaf fall and by shedding roots and
branches, and eventually, death. Without this constant cycle renewal of the
landscape would be impossible.
We have designed in two ponds that will collect surface flow: in the pasture and
behind the child development center. These ponds will be utilized as water for
horses and other animals and as possible backup for all farm plantation
operations in times of need.
Access and Circulation
General access and flow through a property helps to weave all the elements in
the landscape together, and directs people and animals to nodes of activity (or
quietude) where they need to be. There are vistas, gardens, homes, barns,
meeting areas, places of meditation and contemplation, storage areas, forests,
that are central to how and why we move through a site. These avenues of
access are fairly permanent once established in the general design. Therefore,
much contemplation is required for the appropriate direction, scale and frequency
of use of these pathways. When we think of access and circulation we can think
of the circulation of blood and nutrients in the human body. All of the veins and
arteries are connected as they move from larger trunks to smaller capillaries in a
network of flow. The paths and byways on a property do the same thing. We are
directed into a main entrance and, as we proceed, we move to smaller paths,
which point the way to significant nodes of life.
South Eden Plantation needs consideration for both public and private use. As a
place for domicile we have created private spaces and go-to nooks and crannies
for the residents, to walk to when needed, for meditation, contemplation and to
unwind. Because the people at South Eden Plantation are a close knit entity the
need for private family space is also an important factor. Paths and drives,
already present at the site, are well designed and easily accessed. Therefore, we
need retrofit very little change into this pre-existing system.
But beyond this, the public will play an important role here at South Eden
Plantation. The ponds, forest and savannah, agricultural areas, work areas,
gardens, tool sheds, barns and, in general, the entire property will be for public
use. Add in economic development and education, we must design for large (and
small) groups of people that will visit and reside on the plantation. As the world
goes through major changes this plantation becomes an important center for
people to learn about and practice the skills that are all important in the current
state of affairs, to learn self reliance in all daily endeavors.
Therefore, vehicle access must work, but the site should not be designed around
it as first priority. People and nature are more important. There will be limited
access for vehicles in order to eliminate the potential for soil compaction,
inundation by vehicular chemicals, and noise.
All walking paths are linked together in flowing fashion. These walking paths
direct people to the important activity or places of quietude on the property.
Planted along these paths will be fruits, foods and herbs for the picking and for
scent, interest and beauty.
There is access for work related activities and recreation.
The childhood development center is an important cog in the wheel of operations
for South Eden. We have designed access to playgrounds, animals, indoor
activities and the outdoor pavilion for ease of movement across the ground for
children.
We have connected the “drives” in order that horses may move freely through the
site without having to turn and circle back.
Paths and roads are built on contour as much as possible in order to eliminate
potential erosion.
It is our recommendation that considerable attention is paid to the possibility of
rerouting the primary access to the plantation for the public to the current service
entrance, and to developing parking in or near the designated campground.
There are turnouts already set in place and the drive is significantly wider than
the main gated entrance.
(Please refer to the site plan for further delineation of access and circulation)
Vegetation and Wildlife (Animals)
Plants are key to life in all ways. Without plants we simply do not exist. The food
chain is such that plants are the primary resource for the growth, ongoing health
and nutrition for all beings.
Agriculture and the production of healthy and nutrient dense food are tantamount
to the success of South Eden Plantation. We mimic the Southern Georgia coastal
plain biome and the ecological processes that drive it. Historically, the Pine-Oak
coastal plain was, and still is, the primary “native” habitat. The live oak acts as
the keystone species. Stands of woody vegetation, surrounded by open
savannah, are key to a healthy system.
There are already many edible species intact on the grounds of the plantation.
For example: a much-underutilized resource, acorns for food, is already
abundantly present. All the functions of all the plants in a landscape are unlimited
and infinite. The implementation of this design, once established, will almost be
overwhelming and the opportunity for learning how to make use of “uncommon”
species will be ongoing.
Let’s revisit the goals for food production, flowers and other forms of vegetation
and animal life:
Provide all food for events, the people living at South Eden Plantation and ten
draft horses
Place for farm equipment
Bees, chickens, goats, sheep, rabbits, alpacas, etc
Mushrooms
Plant flower nursery for weddings
Plant forage for animals
In order to make this happen in an efficient and abundant fashion we have
positioned the food production area central to the entire plantation. Think of this
as concentric circles that radiate out into many areas, as a stone dropped in the
water that radiates circularly in all directions. Along with the need for centralized
production we feel that it is imperative for agricultural work to be highly visible to
the people that live and visit South Eden Plantation for their schooling in raising
animals and plants. There is a salient need for personal food production in the
present culture, to relocalize our efforts to the back door, and to eliminate the
supply line issues of petroleum addiction and long distances from farm to table.
Please refer to the site plan and notice that the central annual and perennial crop
production, compost processing, vermicompost, compost tea composition,
aquaponics, flower growing, mushroom production, a nursery, a processing
building (seeds and produce) and, in general, vegetables, herbs, fruit and fish all
combine to form a powerful web of interactive relationships. These interactive
relationships form the essence of an ecologically sound and high yielding
systemic matrix that colors the entire plantation in all its operations.
We have positioned the animals near the child development center in order that
the children and adults may interact directly with the raising, feeding and general
care of animals. Children have a special bond with the animal world. If we are to
skill and reskill (see vision statement), animals must play a significant role in that
reskilling for not only emotional and spiritual health, but in understanding the
intracacies of the production of food, dairy products, wool, etc.
Plants will play a larger role than simply food production. Cut flowers for events
are located at the front of the main house. Bamboo (bambusa multiplex,
bambusa textilis, fargesia dracocephala) acts as a screen to muffle the constant
hum of the highway at the perimeter of the property and as a screen from the
neighbor.
The gourmet restaurant has the immediate benefit of fresh food at the doorstep
of the kitchen. Fruits (satsuma, meyer lemons, pomegranate, peach, pawpaw,
jujube, kumquat, apple, etc) picked directly from trees and shrubs (blueberry,
goumi, elderberry, aronia, serviceberry, cornelian cherry, etc), medicinal and
culinary herbs (black cohosh, asarum, petroselinum, ginger, melissa, curcuma,
etc) at the fingertips, mushrooms (shitake, etc), nuts (pecan, hazelnut, acorn,
etc), seeds, utility plants, root crops, groundcovers (crimson clover, perennial
peanut, strawberry), herbaceous species, shrubs, vines, understory, canopy, all
in all a “Garden of South Eden”.
Many native species are placed around the plantation for beauty and
reintegration into the bioregion (camellia, rhododendron, ferns, hydrangea, etc).
A selection of native grasses are utilized in the pasture for forage for the Gypsy
Vanner horses and other grazers (bluestem, switchgrass, side oats grama), and
the main crop area produces grains and large swathes of annual root crops and
beans for animals and the kitchen.
It is highly recommended that a full time farm manager be on site at all times and
that this manager be trained and skilled at both plant crop and animal production
and care. We cannot stress the absolute and immanent need for this.
Management and maintenance is an involved and variable process that needs
constant attention. The ideal goal of Permaculture is to develop self-managed
systems that rely on the biological intelligence already present in life. The reality
is, that in order to arrive at this ideal, it takes years of hard and thoughtful work
where design and redesign, and the willingness to have successes and make
“mistakes”, to take the feedback that the system is offering and learn and move
on to the next success and the next mistake, so to speak, is “ok”.
Microclimate
By developing microclimate, opportunities for outdoor and indoor crop season
extension, building temperature regulation, outdoor recreation and gathering,
present themselves. As we move into phase two of this project, and design
buildings and intensive gardens, these opportunities will show themselves many
fold. White walls reflect heat. Black walls absorb heat. Plant against these walls
and we extend our growing season.
Shelterbelts, screens, and walls will slow down incoming winter wind, intense
prevailing winds and rainfall squalls and such.
By observing the path of the sun we utilize sunlight to create pockets of warmth.
After making an assessment of the movement of the sun and wind through South
Eden Plantation we agree that the placement, as noted above in the plant and
animal segment, acts to optimize the goal of yearlong food production. There are
many sheltered niches and nooks and crannies that afford us the opportunity to
have abundant crop yields and animal goods throughout all the seasons. The
greenhouse is optimal for year-round food production. Food preservation, in its
own way, is microclimatic. It adds, substantially, to a fresh food supply 365 days
a year. Fermentation, freezing, canning, drying and other processes anchor us in
abundance and keep us fed indefinitely.
An example of microclimate opportunity is the walled in area behind the pool
house. Sheltered and receiving abundant sunlight, bananas, considered primarily
a tropical species, will be planted to take advantage of the warmer temperatures
and humidity from the pool.
The Built Environment (Energy and the Waste Stream)
The key to the built environment is to pay attention to natural climatic comfort,
maximize solar gain, protect from weather extremes, supply easy access, and for
integration into the greater land base so that buildings are both beautiful and part
and parcel of the natural flow and texture of site ecology.
Structures are multi-functional entities that not only require inputs, but also can
be a major source of supply for all that surrounds them in the landscape. Organic
materials seem to pour from buildings. If we pay close attention to these
“outpourings” we have ready resources to build soil, water plants, construct
buildings and other site features, and utilize “waste” heat. The house is as much
part of the “food chain” at a site as an animal that crosses the land every day or a
tree that has fallen in the forest nearby. We therefore recommend that all
outgoing materials from buildings be monitored and utilized for compost, soil
building, and reuse in the landscape, whether for building or crop production. In
the future it would be wise to reconfigure plumbing systems for graywater
utilization for crops and animals.
The central structures of South Eden Plantation are the main house, a personal
home for Kim and daughters, housing for workers and guests, child development
center, stables, food processing building, yoga building and store, offices, barns,
etc. We have also placed a craft and shop building and an open game pavilion in
the site plant (please see). An ecovillage with educational opportunities and
examples of diverse natural building techniques and modalities is planned for the
site.
All of these structures are located in areas that have maximum solar access
(photovoltaic, solar hot water production, passive), so that passive solar
techniques and implements can be used to help regulate temperature and
comfort levels in the buildings and produce electricity without the exclusive use of
the grid for power.
Attention to the size of the building footprint and construction site disturbance is
tantamount to achieving ecological integrity. How often do we pass by building
sites where the land has been completely bulldozed of all vegetation, and when
construction is complete, a small mono-crop of sapling trees is planted, without
regard for what was there and could have been saved and included in the
original site plan?
Local sourcing of materials is key in order to eliminate the footprint based on fuel
costs, minimizing the ability for local businesses to supply needed materials, and
making use of local stone, wood and other materials that “fit” local climate and
bioregion.
Energy systems, such as wind, solar (and geothermal?) are a big part of the
discussion on how to power and heat the buildings. Solar hot water is the most
efficient renewable resource on the market, upwards of 80-90% efficient, as
compared to photovoltaic systems that are 15-20% efficient. Retrofitting for solar
hot water is relatively simple and cost effective. (Please refer to the attached
proposal for photovoltaic retrofit of the pool and pool house)
Electric vehicles will transport visitors, guests and workers to nodes on the
plantation. It is recommended that we explore the possibility of constructing solar
recharge stations for electric vehicles.
Other major construction pieces that need a closer look as to materials,
construction methods and style and aesthetics, are all the preexisting structures,
parking areas, paths, driveways, cisterns, a wind turbine tower?, gathering
places, central activity areas, and ground for animals to be inserted into the
landscape that will require shelter, fencing and other needs.
Once the master plan is complete, phase two of the work for South Eden
Plantation will be to revisit detailed designs and drawings for all structures on the
property. Materials, energy systems, style and structure, the waste stream,
footings, foundation, roofing materials, and much more go in to planning for any
building that will withstand the affects of time and weather, and if planned
consciously, will be completely compostable and recyclable at the termination of
its habitation.
Biogas has been mentioned as an energy resource. With the abundant animal
manure being produced and the amount of biomass created during the growing
season, the possibility for biogas production is immense. This system will need to
be designed and implemented in phase two of the South Eden project.
Zones of Use
The Permaculture Zone System
Zones of use are how each area in a design is made use of. In general terms,
Zone 0 is the house itself and Zone 1 is used for herbs, annual vegetable
gardens, and intensive plantings.
Zone 2 is still heavily cultivated and requires maintenance of orchards and small
animals (chickens, ducks, pigeon, quail). This zone includes most outbuildings
and incorporates perennials.
Zone 3 is the first zone that probably requires less than daily
maintenance/visitation and can be somewhat wild. It incorporates shelter-belts,
nut forests, waterfowl habitat and potentially bees. Larger animals (goats, sheep,
pigs and cattle) can be located as is appropriate in either Zone 3 or Zone 4.
Zone 4 is utilized for both larger animals and for timber production. And finally,
Zone 5 is uncultivated and “wild”. These zones are depicted for The Beck Farm
in the diagram below.
Essential Zones of Use at South Eden Plantation
These zones are broken up into four quadrants: NE, NW, SE, SW:
-Main House Area (food production; herbs; three event spaces: in front of the
main house, behind the main house, in front of the pool house; restaurant; etc)
SE
-Pasture (livestock and horses) NE
-Commerce Village (yoga studio, store, etc) NW
-Agricultural Area (greenhouse, raised beds, nursery, etc) NW
-Lodging NW
-Child Development Center NW
-Stables NW
-Theater Area NW
-Storage/Operations NW
-Staff Area (support. Lodging, etc) SW
-Eco-Building Training Area SW
-Camping and Tenting/Naturally Built Cottages SW (housing for interns, etc?)
-Forest Edge NW-NE
Because of the nature of the layout of the preexisting landscape and buildings at
South Eden Plantation it is difficult to designate any one specific zone zero and
zone one.
Therefore, in order to move forward in the design process, as already mentioned,
we developed an underlying matrix of concentric circles that radiate out from
activity nodes (a stone dropped in the water) and crisscross at various locations.
This circular matrix helped us immensely in finding relationships in the landscape
and tying elements together in the most perspicacious manner. Of course, it is
obvious that most of the activity will be happening in and around the main house
and restaurant, but we also feel that all activity nodes on the property need to be
integrated with one another in order that neither this one or that one receives
more attention or focus. The entire plantation is “important” in function, and at
any given time could become the center of activity.
Soils
One often wonders why, in the Scale of Permanence, soils sit so low in the list. In
reality, none of the points in the Scale of Permanence is any more or less
important that any other. But, if there is a hierarchy here, then the one that sits
almost last takes on even more importance. We are in an age of peak water and
peak soil. So little of the water on this earth is potable and we have polluted it to
no end. And most of the topsoil on our continent now lies in the depths of the
Mississippi Delta. 2/3 of all drainages in the US end up in the Mississippi which
happily makes its way past New Orleans and dumps what little is left of our
topsoil in the gulf.
The key to all of our endeavors with soil is organic matter. We have this strange
tendency to clear our land of anything that covers the lawn or creates what we
perceive as a nuisance of rotting branches, leaves, cardboard, paper, and
whatever organic materials get in our way. These materials are a source of gold
to the Permaculture practitioner. Whether we are on sand or clay it is the organic
materials that matter. This is what builds soil for our crops and supplies food and
nourishment for the soil food web. And, as was previously stated, without these
crops we simply do not exist.
Everything else that we have looked at in this master plan produces “waste’. All
of this is recycled into our soil matrix where the micro and macro organisms go to
work on it, turning it into accessible nutrients for our plants, and then of course,
for animals and us.
At South Eden Plantation we utilize numerous strategies to keep the soil in good
tilth and good health. We hold nutrients with keylines, swales, mulches, plant
density and diversity, and eventually, animals integrated into the system to help
build soil.
All “waste” from the entire site is recycled into compost bins, vermicompost
operations, used for sheet mulch, in hugelkultur mounds and as part and parcel
of the cycle of nutrients in the food chain and the great web of life and death.
All in all, the essential key for soil development is the reincorporation of organic
matter back in to the soil matrix. We also monitor for the abundance or lack of
mineral density available to crops and animals. This is an ongoing process that
the farm manager must become familiar with. An initial soil test is helpful in
determining just what the mineral, organic matter and energy concentrations are
at the site. We will also need to check for ratios of sand, silt and clay.
Aesthetics
South Eden Plantation, already beautiful in its topography, views and vegetation,
has the potential to be even more exquisite. It is, all in all, about a feeling of
“place”. Proper placement of flowers, trees, and all types of plants, along with the
circular, spiral motif set out and the flow of the design will turn all visitors into
“budding” artists and adventurers in the natural world. Attention to scale, the
native pine-oak landscape, building design, year round color in vegetation, the
use of natural materials, the winding pathways, all of this, creates more than
simply an aesthetic. Aesthetics go much deeper than surfaces even though these
are shimmering and seductive.
As we knit together this landscape in all its possible and impossible connections
and convolutions the delight that we obtain from immersing ourselves in it will
reach into our personal depths. The opportunity for the “look” of the place,
merged with the functional relationships that we design into it and that grow on
their own, is an opportunity not lost to anyone with a heart for deeper
communication and connection and an eye for beauty. Beauty, certainly, is not
only skin-deep. A Permaculture landscape is a unique landscape, one that takes
everything under the sun, literally, into consideration. South Eden Plantation is a
shining example of what can be done for anyone with the heart, soul and mind to
put it on the ground. This shining is the true aesthetic. After all, what shines
most? The sun, of course. The sun.
Culture
The culture of South Eden Plantation is all of the above. It is a culture of health,
balance and beauty, and the opportunity for those that visit and attend to reap
the healthful benefits and the possibility to learn new skills to enhance their lives.
It is no mistake that the word culture is also used in the agri-“culutural” world.
When Bill Mollison and David Holmgren first coined the word Permaculture it was
originally conceived of as a combination of “permanent+agriculture”. Later on,
Mollison reconfigured it this way: “permanent+culture”.
The ideal is for permanent culture that will suffuse all the coming generations
with an ethical basis for land and people health and the merging of the two in
scintillating balance, where all are fed and yet, there is conscious understanding
of making do with limited consumption, a conscious and thoughtful consumption
that supports and nurtures and gives back.
The Basic Necessities of Life
Food
Clothing
Healthcare
Education
Safe Environment
All of the above have been detailed in this master plan. The one that needs a bit
of clarification is a “safe environment”. What does this mean exactly? We feel
that, when all of this design is set in motion and implemented, and as these
systems develop and grow and blend and merge, there will be safety for all that
live here and visit. Safety in food and medicine and play and education and all
else that goes into a sound ecology and the building of healthy relationships as
reflected in the health of the landscape.
2012 is an important year to continue all building retrofits, and to begin to
delineate and implement, first and foremost, the agricultural areas central to the
plantation’s many operations. This is the penultimate first step: FOOD
PRODUCTION in all its many guises, plant and animal. Another major
consideration is the search for and hiring of a farm manager to oversee all
production. The designers feel that it is important for them to stay involved with
the project and to help manage a significant portion of the agricultural
implementation.
APPENDIX
LOCAL PLANT NURSERIES AND RESOURCE LISTS
Thigpen Trail Bamboo Farm
http://www.thigpentrailbamboo.com/our-plants/non-invasive-clumping-bamboos/
6273 Thigpen Trail Doerun, Georgia 31744 • Telephone: 706-255-4901
The Nursery at TyTy
http://www.tytyga.com/Nut-Trees-s/1826.htm
TyTy Nursery
4723 US Hwy. 82 West
TyTy, GA 31795
1-888-811-9132
Just Fruits and Exotics
http://www.justfruitsandexotics.com/FruitHome.htm
PHONE: 1-850-926-5644
FAX: 1-850-926-9885
EMAIL: Justfruits@hotmail.com
Just Fruits and Exotics
30 St. Frances Street
Crawfordville, Florida 32327
McKenzie Farms
http://mckenzie-farms.com/photo.htm
(843)-389-4831
Mckenzie Farms 2115 Olanta Hwy Scranton, SC29591
EMAIL: citrusman99@hotmail.com
Regional Plant list for Georgia
http://www.plantnative.org/rpl-algams.htm
The University of Texas at Austin Ladybird Johnson Plant
Database
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/combo.php?fromsearch=true&distribution=GA&h
abit=habit_grass&duration=duration_perennial
Getting Started in the Nursery: Virginia Cooperative Extension
http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-050/430-050.html
SOILS AND THE SOIL FOOD WEB
http://www.soilfoodweb.com/sfi_approach1.html
Building Healthy Soil
http://www.gardeners.com/Building-Healthy-Soil/5060,default,pg.html
Basics of Organic Soil Fertility
http://www.mofga.org/Default.aspx?tabid=518
HOLISTIC FARM MANAGMENT (keylining, soil, animals)
http://ecologiadesign.com/2012/02/29/holistic-farm-management/
Pasture, Rangeland and Grazing Management
https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/livestock/pasture.html
Polyface Farm
http://www.polyfacefarms.com/team/farm-managers/
BIOGAS
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/biogas/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biogas
FARMING AND GARDENING
Biointensive and Ecology Action
http://www.growbiointensive.org/grow_main.html
NATURAL BUILDING AND ENERGY SYSTEMS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_building
Local Renewable Energy Suppliers
Sunworks Solar: http://www.sunworkssolar.com/solar-power-tallahassee/
Simple Solar Systems: http://www.simplersolar.com/
ARCHERY
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archery
AQUAPONICS
http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/
http://www.growingpower.org/growing.htm
http://home.howstuffworks.com/lawn-garden/professionallandscaping/alternative-methods/aquaponics2.htm
KEYLINE DESIGN AND WATER
http://treeyopermaculture.com/previous-treeyo-courses/escola-da-terrapermaculture-course-sintra-portugal-iii/courses-attended/carbon-farming-coursethe-farm-tennessee-usa/keyline-design-with-darren-daugherty/
THE KEYLINE COWBOY
http://keylinecowboy.com/
From their bio:
Brian G. Bankston, a.k.a “The Cowboy” and I started a holistic land management
and soil regeneration business in autumn of 2009. We use Keyline Design
subsoil plowing and the Berkeley method of thermophilic composting to make
compost tea for various applications (foliar spray, direct injection into subsoil, and
surface seeding applications) which are capable of taking the place of
conventional pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers all while making
the plants more disease resistant and drought tolerant. The methods we are
using have been shown to deepen topsoil by up to 18″ in three years by breaking
anaerobic soil compaction layers, increasing the organic matter in the soil, and
increasing the land’s ability to hold greater amounts of water for longer periods of
time (thus simultaneously guarding against flood and drought). We have taken
several courses (studying under leaders in their fields such as Dr. Elaine Ingham
of Soil Food Web Institute, Paul Taylor a certified SFI advisor, Darren Dougherty
an Australian Keyline Design expert, and Geoff Lawton an Australian expert in
Permaculture) to learn about this information and have been applying it at Top of
the World Farm in Westpoint, TN, The Farm in Summertown, TN, and Post
Familie Vineyards in Altus, AR to name a few.
Water
Ponds: Focusing on water management issues will allow some agricultural
producers to be eligible for cost-share assistance. Find more information at
NRCS Agricultural Management Assistance: www.nrcs.usda.gov/Programs/AMA/
The NRCS Conservation Technical Assistance program offers guidance with
water quality, fish hatcheries and developing sustainable practices. Information
about the program is available at www.nrcs.usda.gov/Programs/cta.
Qualifying as a limited resource farmer/rancher, beginning farmer/rancher or
socially disadvantaged producer may result in eligibility for payments up to 90
percent of the estimated incurred costs and income foregone. Look for more
information about Environmental Quality Incentives Program at
www.nrcs.usda.gov/PROGRAMS/EQIP.
Check out the pamphlet Optimize and Protect Your Natural Resources at
ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/WA/news/pubs/EQIP_WA_brochure3-06.pdf.
Read more: How to Get Assistance to Build Farm Ponds | eHow.com
http://www.ehow.com/how_5887550_assistance-build-farmponds.html#ixzz1rM1BqbI7