Final Design ProjectKasey Marshall

Goals• My goals throughout this class have remained the same: to

create a zero waste, high energy capture site that can support multiple species of plants and animals for both personal and commercial purposes.

• My goals also include to use recycled materials wherever possible versus commercial out of the box solutions, to find alternative construction methods and/or material and overall to think outside the box for the overall site implementation

• I want to achieve both personal satisfaction and profitability from my site

Site AnalysisChallenges:• Site is very flat making collecting as much rain water as possible

difficult. The existing ditches are all owned by the city and cannot be modified. The existing naturally occurring stream is also not allowed the be re routed.

• The site is also battered by wind from multiple directions in equal measure making site design of barn difficult. This is because avoiding wind tunnels is important in the barn design while allowing ventilation at the same time.

• A challenge I have not discussed is that the site is currently farmed. While it is great the soil is fertile and purposeful it also means that when we take possession only a final til will be done. There will be lots of land leveling and to be able to build and plant grass needed which equates to a lot of additional work in site prep.

Strengths• The site has enough acres to make any vision possible• The site is flat allowing for easier leveling and site prep even if

it is additional work• The site has ample rainfall to water all the land for irrigation

purposes of the pastures and trees• The site will also have ample buildings in order to collect more

rainwater for repurpose during dry spells• The soil on site is proven to be fertile and pliable making it

ideal to start our homestead especially from a crop point of view

• The zoning by laws allow for implementation of desired uses for the land

Permaculture PrinciplesCatch and store energy• This site design is drawing heavily on our ability to implement energy

capture.• We are considering implementing both wind and solar energy in order

to be able to power the property completely off the grid if necessary• Water capture is also vey high on our list of desirable implements. We

intend to capture he water from every roof spout possible and store for later use as well as economical water usage (Bane, pg 171). Grey water use (Bane, pg 83) is also included her and how we can reroute for use

Our ability to harness what is already naturally occurring will be a defining principle that guides us from site planning through implementation. Finding suppliers who are willing to go against tradition or ‘what is easy’ will be both challenging and rewarding at the same time.

Permaculture PrinciplesProduce No Waste• Waste shall be collected from every aspect of the sight and used to

revitalize or feed another aspect• The only area of waste we are not certain we can implement right

away is getting rid of the septic tank system in place of a septic pond/field system. This is something we are looking into

• I am still happy with the idea of re using all of the animal waste for soil enrichment and to use excess crop yield in order to supplement nutrition of the commercial goat enterprise

• One area were I really learned something in this course was using Mulberry Trees in order to provider fodder for the goats.

Having both functional and useful trees/shrubs was a main principle I wanted to abide by in my design. By designing using trees/shrubs that are able to have a dual purpose I believe I am helping to promote this principle even further.

Permaculture PrinciplesMultiple Functions• Drawing off what I learned with make no waste, it also draws on the use of multiple functions

Examples of multi functions• The arena can also function as indoor housing in the winter during bad storms• Certain root digging vegetables can help aerate the soil and provide nutrients as they decompose• Manure acts as fertilizer• Spent garden beds and eggs shells provide extra feed for the chickens• The house and all structures act as water capture vehicles• The crops that will be grown will not only feed the humans but also the animals on site• The dairy goat will provide milk that will be used for cooking, nutrient supplement for any

orphaned animals and can also make great soaps for people and animals alike.

Each aspect of our homestead having multiple purposes is important to me and will be exercised in each phase of our site planning and design as well as the business plan for profitability. Having these overlapping areas sometimes presents a challenge in allocating the accounting numbers to a particular area, but it is a challenge I happily accept to have a highly functioning, efficient and sustainable homestead.

Crop Planning• Nut trees – Walnut, Hazelnut and Pecan• Fruit Trees – Apple, Pear, Cherry Plum• Berry Bushes – Raspberry, Blueberry, Blackberry, Haskap• Vegetables – Bell Peppers, Onion, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots,

Green Beans, Chives, Leeks, Pumpkin, Squashes, Cucumber, Corn, Zucchini, Eggplant , Paprika and Chilies

• Fruits – Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Kiwi and Tomatoes• Herbs – Thyme, Oregano, Basel, Rosemary

I have chosen all of the above as there are varieties developed specifically to grow in the harsh climate and still bear a full harvest. Other complimentary crops might be added to supplement nutrition or aid in aeration of the soil if needed, but the above is what will be able to sustain our family and will be able to be sustained on our land.

Nutrient Cycling• As with the principles of ‘make no waste’ and ‘multiple functions’, nutrient

cycling is about connectedness to each element and using the by products from one in order to enrich the other.

• We intend on using the manure by products from the animals to enrich the soil of the pastures and encourage maximum grass growth during the next season.

• Another group of manure form the animals will also be mixed with the used straw and other various green throw aways to create a nutrient rich compost material that will sustain the garden beds

• Worms will be used to assist where needed and also provide nutrients to the chickens

• Leaf litter from trees will also be used and have a purposeWith keeping to the same principles everything will have multiple uses and where possible one byproduct will feed another. This is important for not only managing costs associated with any waste, but also for creating a sustainable environment.

Site Plan Design Evolution

1:2500 or 1cm = 25m

Site Plan Design EvolutionScale 1/1000 or 1cm = 10 meters blow up of Homestead Site

Site Plan Design EvolutionScale 1/1000 or 1cm = 10 meters blow up of Homestead Site

Integration and Connection• Whether we are talking about one principle or another the main theme is

my design has always been the need for connection. My goal has been for one element to feed another an vice versa. Managing these relationships in a sustainable way has been the challenge. How much of one element is too much for another or how much is just the right compliment?

• During the crop yield analysis design I found it very useful to estimate our consumption of various crops and to see if our estimates matched up in relation to other crops we listed for the given period. During that time we also had divided up our estimates by season since we try to eat seasonally available produce as much as possible. This enabled us to see the peaks and valleys in our consumption and better plan for storage and preservation needs.

• Social connections are also very important for us. From day 1 of our design I have said that gathering spaces definitely had a place on our homestead. This symbol of family and friends, of togetherness and community, helps shape our thoughts daily on the homestead. And, while the design to this point has focused heavily on the main structural elements needed this does not mean we are neglecting the social aspects of our site

Integration and Connection• For instance in our business plan we are detailing ways we can

help families save money by becoming involved with us. This may be as simple as offering free supervision of kids after horse riding lessons until their parents can pick them up or free social gathering once per a quarter

• Our homestead will be a place where everyone feels welcome and everyone will have a place. Should a client want to help out in the garden we will gladly exchange the work for free produce

• We want to focus heavily on the social aspect of our design during the next phase and hope to integrate the people aspect as seamlessly as we have been able to implement the functional and structural aspects

Conclusion• In conclusion, this course has been invaluable at starting the frank

examination of our needs, wants, capabilities (Bane, pg 37) and sustainability.• It will enable us to move forward with an overall draft design that uses

function, efficiency, practicality and aesthetics all rolled into one.• It has allowed us to examine each element in turn and how it can effect

another element• It has taught me how to compare the two elements to find the right balance

that will not only allow both to sustain each other, but to thrive• I am looking forward to the next steps which will involve; creation of a master

site plan, gathering bids for various structures and work and creating a business plan. These next steps will determine the phases of the project and road to profitability as well as sustainability.

• Should we be successful I know this course will have been one of the foundation blocks to its success!

Thank you, Kasey Marshall