A permaculture design for a 5 acre homestead.
Permaculture design is a method that uses ecological principles and patterns to create sustainable systems that work with nature. The goal is to create systems that are economically viable, ecologically sound, and provide for their own needs without exploiting or polluting.
In order to design with nature and the land, you need to thoroughly understand it. We combed the property several times making observations about the flora and fauna, the contours of the land, sources of water, patterns of disturbance and human made structures and activities. We sampled the soil, conducted perk tests and noted strengths and weaknesses.
It starts with a detailed survey.
From the survey we created a base map and site analysis.
The base map shows the property borders, existing structures, roads, trees, water bodies and contours. The site analysis includes identifying climate factors such as prevailing winds and seasonal temperatures, specific vegetation, water and energy sources and soil analyses. It also includes identifying “zones” - areas with varying levels of human activity and focus. Zone one is the most active, while zone five is the most wild and undisturbed.
Finally, we created the design.
The final design balances feedback from the client, their goals and desires with the constraints of designing in harmony with nature. It attempts to address the five basic needs that are typically the focus of permaculture: food, water, shelter, energy and waste. This design includes elements desired by the client such as a vineyard, a space for animals and a place to grow food, and attempts to integrate them in a way that will reinforce and regenerate natural systems, for example, bringing grazing animals into the vineyard to prune and fertilize the soil.
Want a permaculture design for your property? Click below to get started.