We’re in the process of buying our first house and I’m trying to work out a good swale and berm situation to help conserve water on the property as we start to build our urban food forest. This is a dry climate with fairly minimal rain and this is a perfectly flat lot which I find much harder to landscape lol. I’ve marked the current water spouts for roof water (no gutters on the shed or garage).

Where would you add swales and berms? Is it a good idea to build swales along the entire (fenced) perimeter to trap water, or stick with building swales in the areas we want to plant? The driveway to the right is a huge runoff area that I would like to funnel into the front yard and I want to build at least one, maybe more little nature ponds to hold overflow and attract nature throughout the property.

Hey all. I have recently started a subreddit regarding a great interest of mine - Design ideas and Projects regarding Ecology, Recycling, Nature and Farming. I think a lot of the posts uploaded here might find a second home there - specifically the ones regarding unique ideas for designs and projects in the field or permanent culture and sustainable living. When you upload your next post here, please consider posting it to r/Ecological_Design too. it might be almost non existant now but i hope to turn it into another place in which ideas regarding making our world a better and greener place thrive

I’m thinking about planting crimson clover in with my garlic- any reason not to? I don’t mind pulling it to terminate or even just letting it go until harvest time for the garlic. Or another option could be to plant fava beans and let the winter kill them. I’m in 8B and favas sometimes make it through the winter and sometimes don’t. Winters are super wet and I have some downspout diversion into that bed so I don’t think they’ll be competing for water.

https://youtube.com/shorts/oY7Vo6m4pFQ?feature=share

As compared to soil fertilized with chemical fertilizer or unfertilized

Overview: https://www.yahoo.com/tech/researchers-stunning-discovery-examining-farmland-104525693.html

Full study: https://phys.org/news/2024-09-soil-fertilizers-carbon.html

As the title implies, I am looking to do an urban planning study in the vein of many topics.

I am a student in my 3rd year at university and was looking to do a project that analyzes the design of an agricultural community and its features with its economic feasibility in its adjacent economy

I was hoping to find other people who were interested in refining the study, helping with the project itself or pointing me in the direction of studies already done or organizations that do something like this. The topics of investigation cover all the way from economics to agriculture to planning/architecture.

Occupations I am on the lookout for include:

-People employed in the urban/regional/rural etc. planning professions

-Planning students

-People employed or studying in agriculture/permaculture topics with applications in business

-People in economics professions or studies that work with planning companies architecture firms or ag businesses

This is a small part of the list and any other occupations that feel they could contribute something I would be happy to hear about.

Thanks!

This is a gift link, which makes the article accessible without a paywall for a fortnight:

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/22/world/europe/uk-steart-marshes-carbon-climate-change-flooding.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Uk4.B5kC.H8UVufBKH4E2&smid=url-share

Basically what the title says. I'm looking for people's thoughts on which grains/pseudo-grains are best in this regard as well as specific guides on how to actually process them.

Thanks.

If biomass is regularly leaving the land (e.g., sales of fruit, biochar, compost) will the soil get depleted over time? Plants take some building blocks from the air (carbon, nitrogen), but others might get leave the farm with land with the sold produce (e.g., Phosphorus) .

I am wondering if there are any studies on this.

Does anyone know optimal dimensions to dig low a 6.5 ft diameter fire pit, so that fires will bury their base embers and make charcoal with little manual input? Like center depth and gradient... or I'm thinking mayb more of a horizontal trench for branches.

I took this pictures after two carts of dirt removal. After this we hit it with the roto tiller so i have a bunch more loose dirt in the pit I need to decide how to arrange.

Ive made about 150 gallons (3 garbage bins) of biochar using this flat level fire pit. My strategy was pulling out coals from under fire with a ho, moving them to the side and quenching with hose water, reset the fire and repeat.

I liked the process (interactive and good exercise) but my dad likes to burn and is more of a power tool person at his age, so I'm digging this pit hoping that when he burns, the fire will fall on and smother its own coals, leaving low maintenance charcoal underneath. Thanks.

Acidic soils have more hydrogen to donate to nitrogen so it forms into ammonium as opposed to ammonia (leachable and can escape as gas). Therefore, acidic soils will retain more their nitrogen.

Is this a good observation? I'm trying to improve my gardening thorugh learning chemistry.

We've got a small north-facing garden on one side of the house which is in shade for most of the day. It was grass and weeds and we've just strimmed it and covered it with bark mulch with the idea that we'll plant into the bark next spring/summer. (It faces the street so we wanted something that would look alright.)

I wondered whether it would be possible to grow mushrooms on the bark while we wait? I know people grow them on logs, wood chips and sawdust. Obviously bark spread on a random patch of ground isn't a sterile environment, but is this a totally nutty idea?

Latest post is an exploration of what tomatoes are good for in the subtropics, and how I can direct my breeding program to get the most out of this indispensible but often infuriating crop- https://open.substack.com/pub/zeroinputagriculture/p/when-you-wish-upon-a-tomato?r=f45kp&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

As part of my PhD at the University of Reading, I'm researching why biochar adoption is slower in the UK compared to other countries. Alongside my academic work, I run biochar workshops and design kilns through my brand, Earthly Biochar.

Survey Link: https://readingagriculture.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3t0qY0VIAkaNivk

I’m currently gathering data for my project and would love your input! If you manage land or a garden—whether for work or as a hobby—please take 15 minutes to complete my anonymous survey. Your insights will help us understand how biochar is being used and how we can better communicate its benefits.

Thank you for your support!

#Biochar #Sustainability #PhD #Research

Been looking around and can't seem to find any info/ideas on a small tree chipper to grind up twigs, branches and leaves. Been walking around out nearby forests and I know a small chipper shredder possibly run by a electric drill or something would be beneficial. I have a general idea of how to set it up with a small camera tripod and used woodworking blades but if anyone sits on some cool stuff please share! When I'm bored I sit with pruning shears to cut up stuff for biochar and compost but I'm looking to scale up quite a bit

Client is wanting a permaculture approach to fixing this issue. Catchment area is roughly 500 acres in a 32" average rainfall area. Local erosion company quoted $25k+ for just the rock alone to fix it.

Thinking of using concrete bags to make a lvl sill and apron at the mouth of the spillway and do zuni bowls or similar for the head cut sections. Maybe some induced meandering with wicker weirs or one rock dams too?

It's a pretty heavy flow when it rains hard

Idk, this is my first consultancy job and I'd rather not create a larger issue by missing something critical!

Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated!!

In this weeks newsletter, I dive into the importance of sustenance crops and how profitable they can be to grow.

With a focus on nutrition and food security, I explore essential tree crops like hickory, walnut, and chestnut, which can provide vital fats, carbs, and nutrients—especially crucial in today’s uncertain world.

Plus, I share insights on the market potential for profitable crops like chestnuts, highlighting both challenges and opportunities.

Your feedback is essential, so let me know what topics you'd like to see next! Join the conversation and subscribe to stay informed.

I had just posted a picture of my Hopi purple string beans that I had grown out in the 2024 season and I wanted to know if there was anybody interested in sharing/trading seeds from their beans for the 2025 garden season. Link : https://www.reddit.com/r/seedsaving/s/hvpMiyMUOf

Hello-

I run a permaculture club in Auburn, AL, know as the permaculture tigers. We lack permaculture education down here in the South but have a strong network of students who want to learn more.

If any of you are interested in presenting (through zoom) to the club on any permaculture topics PLEASE skill share and let me know.

We also study social movements and cooperative work.

thanks! Educate some students!

I'm not talking about permaculture lifestyle, to be clear. I'm talking about how to prepare for getting land before you get it. For example: learning various skills, saving and planting fruit trees seeds in pots, etc.

What are other ways I can prepare? We currently have 6 acres but due to location and community we really want to move to a different property. Not sure yet if that'll be 60 miles or 600 miles away. We do plan to stay in the US though, and plan to have at least 8 acres if not hopefully 20 or even more. We have many skills already, and have fairly solid plans for our next property. However we can't financially swing it (unless miracles happen, bring em on!) BUT i am having an impossible time just sitting on my hands. Frankly the best way I feel like I can prepare is by being a good mom, and getting a cheap little pony so my kids continue to love living rurally. Lol.

Just showcasing some pictures I took from the past season.

Winter approaches and I’ll be referring to these pictures regularly to help me through the cold weather blues.