Blacktail Permaculture

Meeting Minutes July 6th, 2008

2008-07-06T16:13:00.001-06:00

House Meeting Notes - Sunday July 6th, 2008

Hypes & Gripes:
J~ G: Heat.
H: Windmill, rabbits, less mice. Hiped about Capoeria. Went cherry
picking last week.
D~ G: It's hot, am chubby, ancestors are from the North lands, and
Teliason is meowing too much.
H: Windmill, catching rabbits, significant decrease in mouse
population in the house.
P~ G: All of the above, and lost sunglasses
H: All of the above, sold car. New sunglasses
B~ G: no gripes.
H: Job.
M~ G: Concrete never came. Back pain. It is hot.
H: Windmill, everyone worked on Thursday, less mice.

Last House Meeting Notes: approved.

Chores (rotation, etc): General Chore Discussion. J suggests more
attention to floor chores.
M: Kitchen
J: Bathroom, Common Laundry, Laundry Room
B: Commons Upstairs & Downstairs
D: Porch.
P: Trash & Recycling.

Stewardships:
J: Accounting. J needs to find the Farm photos on the CD-ROM for the
website. House needs a first aid kit.
M: Stove Adjustment. We need to contact a repairman.
B: Note taking, website. Sort barrels of recycling
east of barn.
D: House Meeting Enforcement. Sort the boxes upstairs commons. Make
spreadsheet for logging volunteer hours.
J & D: Food buying process and discussion report.

Completed Business:
1) Mouse-House Party! Tonight at 2a.m. (May get loud) b.y.o.c
(bring your own cheese) – Ongoing discussion. Cat discussion. M is
not a cat person. D has a cat. M is upset about the mice. Taliasin,
the cat, will move in for trial period.
2) Solar Chimney discussion. Keep doors and windows closed during the
day. Open windows 30-60 minutes after sunset. Keeps the bugs out,
the solar chimney will help to circulate the cool air through the
house during the day. WINDOW SCREEN DISCUSSION.
3) Toaster Oven – clean toaster oven after use.
4) M found his trimming scissors.
5) Monthly Potluck. Juneteenth Soul-Food Birthday Solstace
Extravaganza – Tentatively June 21rst, 2008
6) House license to trap animals on property? Ongoing Discussion. D
is looking in to small game license, guns & / or trapping.
7) Chickens are not allowed in the house or on the porch.
8) House Tupperware: Bring house tupperware back!
9) Extra Shoes from the house cleaning are being thrown out. Retrieve
personal shoes from the pile or they will be taken to donation.
10) New Chore: Cat Heckling.
11) P is leaving on Thursday until 21rst.

Ongoing Business:
1) Chin-up bar.
2) Stencil art in bathroom.
3) Concrete Mixer.
4) Cob Wall, Foundation, etc.
5) Gray water system. Electric 3-way valve needed.
6) Lights in Basement area
7) Blacktail Zine Discussion. Proposal to use commons for Zine
meetings. (approved)
8) Pan underneath Hot Water Heater to catch in case of spill.
9) Food buying discussion.
10) Workers for the summer. Camping workers tentatively approved.
11) Community Compost Dump. New sign needed concerning community compost.
12) Dripline Timing, 10p.m-4:10a.m / 5:30a.m-7:30p.m. Watering
discussion. Alternative source of water needed. Everything is
surviving.

New Business:
1) Food discussion:
Milk: house cow milk is approved.
Produce: try to buy organic produce.
Beef: try to buy ethically.
Local, Farmer's Markets, etc: when possible.
2) Rain Delay: Possibly shifting timing of dripline. Ongoing discussion.
3) July 12th - 16th Unconventional Action (Sat-Wed): Proposal to use
Blacktail Space for protest action training, Ongoing discussion.
4) Kitchen sink clutter. Superfilous scrubby things.
5) Cat outside. Yowling is because T has made it outside. Cat discussion.
6) Hose needs hardware to repair. More seeds needed for planters.

Next House Meeting:
July 13th, 2008

Meeting Minutes June 8th, 2008

2008-06-08T20:54:00.001-06:00

House Meeting Notes - Sunday June 8th, 2008

Hypes & Gripes:
J~ G: Cover crops are being eaten by the rabbits. They seem to like
the oats. Same as P & D.
H: Trip was amazing, went to incredible places.
D~ G: Torn eyebrow. Fish-hook in nose. Allergies. Attacked by ants.
Cold that won't go away. Ticks. The joys of camping.
H: Camping Trip; happy about that. Basalt Permaculture Institute was
great. Happy to be back.
P~ G: Ticks.
H: Same as D.
B~ G: Computer has crashed.
H: Job is going well.
M~ G: Chicken shit in the bathroom. Chickens are now outside.
H: Went to doctor, everything is well. Son is out of jail. Book is
coming along wonderfully. Daughter, Kate, is coming out to visit in
late July. Place is looking wonderful, gorgeous.

Last House Meeting Notes: approved.

Chores (rotation, etc.):
M: Bathroom, Common Laundry, Laundry Room
J: Commons Upstairs & Downstairs
B: Trash & Recycling
D: Kitchen
P: Porch

Stewardships:
J: Needs to look at accounting. All dues paid. J needs to find the
Farm photos on the CD-ROM for the website.
M: Stove Adjustment. M is looking in to details (Northern Energy).
Two more pieces of trim in commons.
B: Water Filter. Note taking, website. Sort barrels of recycling
east of barn.
D: House Meeting Enforcement. Sort the boxes upstairs commons. Make
spreadsheet for logging volunteer hours.
J & D: Food buying process and discussion report.

Completed Business:
1) Write name on personal food items.
2) HOUSE CLEANING – Sunday May 25th, 2008
3) All organic matter excluding vinegar and salt go to worms,
including non-glossy paper products and egg shells.
4) Recycling & Trash now one chore.
5) Worm Bin update. Worms going migrating to trench outside.
6) Missing walkie-talkie has been found

Old Business & Reminders:
1) Recycling. Recycling center is right down the street. Recycling
discussion. J will look in to trash delivery service. Motion to
consolidate trash and recycling chore. Recycling assessment.
2) Mouse-House Party! Tonight at 2a.m. (May get loud) b.y.o.c
(bring your own cheese) – Ongoing discussion. Cat discussion. M is
not a cat person. D has a cat. M is upset about the mice. Taliasin,
the cat, will move in for trial period.
3) Solar Chimney discussion. Keep doors and windows closed during the
day. Open windows 30-60 minutes after sunset. Keeps the bugs out,
the solar chimney will help to circulate the cool air through the
house during the day. WINDOW SCREEN DISCUSSION.
4) Toaster Oven – clean toaster oven after use.

Ongoing Business:
1) Chin-up bar.
2) Stencil art in bathroom
3) Concrete Mixer.
4) Cob Wall, Foundation, etc.
5) Gray water system. Electric 3-way valve needed.
6) Lights in Basement area
7) Blacktail Zine Discussion. Proposal to use commons for Zine
meetings. (approved)
8) Pan underneath Hot Water Heater to catch in case of spill.
9) M missing trimming scissors.
10) Food buying discussion.
11) '68 camping. DNC recreate '68 housing. J was asked if folks could
camp out on the land. ONGOING DISCUSSION.
12) Monthly Potluck. Juneteenth Soul-Food Birthday Solstace
Extravaganza – Tentatively June 21rst, 2008 (approved)
13) Workers for the summer. Camping workers tentatively approved.
14) House license to trap animals on property? Ongoing Discussion. D
is looking in to small game license, guns & / or trapping.

New Business:
1) Chickens are not allowed in the house or on the porch. (approved)
2) Community Compost Dump. New sign needed concerning community compost.
3) Dripline Timing, 10p.m-4:10a.m / 5:30a.m-7:30p.m. Watering
discussion. Alternative source of water needed. Everything is
surviving.
4) House Tupperware: Bring house tupperware back!
5) Extra Shoes from the house cleaning are being thrown out. Retrieve
personal shoes from the pile or they will be taken to donation.
6) Please keep the dish rack clear of clean dishes.
7) New Chore: Cat Heckling.
8) First Aid Kit. House needs a first aid kit. J will look in to this.
9) P is leaving on Thursday until 21rst.

Next House Meeting
June 22nd, 2008

Meeting Minutes May 18th, 2008

2008-05-18T12:31:00.001-06:00

House Meeting Notes – Sunday May 18th, 2008

Hypes & Gripes:
J~ G: Feels inertia with Capoera
H: Farm is going well: tree planting, spring. Content.
D~ G: One last paper. S has been unhappy & stressed.
H: School is coming to an end. One more paper. We have a
greenhouse. Able to work with living things instead of equations.
Mom did research concerning O, things look positive. Peter: cooking.
M~ G: Mentions in passing, when we have a house full of people, we
need to pick up our messes.
H: Things are going well – writing, pain. Mentions in passing, when
we have a house full of people, we need to pick up our messes. Hardy
welcome to Peter.
B~ G: The house is kind of messy lately. We need to do our chores.
H: Job is so wonderful. Car is running okay. Biodiesel project has
begun. Bradley Micheal Albus is now an ISA Certified Arborist!
P~ G: See chore discussion
H: Having a good time, likes being here.

Last House Meeting Notes: approved.

Chores (rotation, etc.):
- Chore Discussion: Chore Duty as it relates to folks who are gone regularly.
M: Porch
J: Kitchen
B: Bathroom, Common Laundry, Laundry Room
D: Trash
P: Commons Upstairs & Downstairs

Stewardships:
J: Accounting, everyone is paid except B. Make it easier for guests
to participate in trash sorting (i.e worm bins, etc.) - through signs,
guest awareness, etc. J offers stewardship of making signs.
M: Two more pieces of trim in commons.
B: Water Filter. Note taking, website. Sort barrels of recycling
east of barn.
D: House Meeting Enforcement. Sort the boxes upstairs commons.
J & D: Food buying process and discussion report.

Completed Business:
1) J's friend is coming back from Argentina in April. Possible
extended guest stay in J's room. (approved) [Welcome Peter!]
2) LCD clock found.
3) Potluck April 12th was a success.

Old Business & Reminders:
1) Write name on personal food items.
2) Toaster Oven – clean toaster oven after use.
3) HOUSE CLEANING – Sunday May 25th, 2008
4) J needs to find the Farm photos on the CD-ROM for the website.
5) All organic matter excluding vinegar and salt go to worms,
including non-glossy paper products and egg shells.

Ongoing Business:
1) Chin-up bar.
2) Stencil art in bathroom
3) Concrete Mixer.
4) Cob Wall, Foundation, etc.
5) Gray water system. Electric 3-way valve.
6) Lights in Basement area
7) Logging volunteer hours on website.
8) Blacktail Zine Discussion. Proposal to use commons for Zine
meetings. (approved)
9) Missing walkie-talkie
10) Pan underneath Hot Water Heater to catch in case of spill.
11) Chore Rotation Discussion. Chore detail assessment. New
recycling / trash chore?
12) M missing trimming scissors.

New Business:
1) Recycling. Recycling center is right down the street. Recycling
discussion. J will look in to trash delivery service. Motion to
consolidate trash and recycling chore. Recycling assessment.
2) Food buying discussion.
3) Stove Adjustment. M will look in to details.
4) '68 camping. DNC recreate '68 housing. J was asked if folks could
camp out on the land. ONGOING DISCUSSION.
5) B is looking into water filter.
6) Mouse-House Party! Tonight at 2a.m. (May get loud) b.y.o.c
(bring your own cheese) – Ongoing discussion. Cat discussion. M is
not a cat person. D has a cat. M is upset about the mice. Taliasin,
the cat, will move in for trial period.
7) Worm Bin update. Worms going migrating to trench outside.
8) Solar Chimney discussion. Keep doors and windows closed during the
day. Open windows 30-60 minutes after sunset. Keeps the bugs out,
the solar chimney will help to circulate the cool air through the
house during the day. WINDOW SCREEN DISCUSSION.
9) Monthly Potluck. Juneteenth Soul-Food Birthday Solstace
Extravaganza – Tentatively June 21rst, 2008 (approved)
10) Workers for the summer. Camping workers tentatively approved.
11) House license to trap animals on property? Ongoing Discussion.

Next House Meeting
May 25th, 2008

Meeting Minutes April 6th, 2008

2008-04-06T20:21:00.002-06:00

House Meeting Notes - Sunday April 6th, 2008

Hypes & Gripes:
J~ G: O & S are not here, very sad.
H: Trees. 40 trees planted in two days. More trees coming on Thursday. Weather is good. Batizado is coming up in less than 20 days. Reading a good book now. Potluck on the 12th. Peter is visiting.
D~ G: O & S are not here.
H: Starting a new "secret class" on Monday nights. Saturday morning "secret" event. School is close to being done. Trees are planted.
B~ G: No Gripes.
H: Trees are planted. Job is going well. Arborist exam on the 17th.
M~ G: No Gripes.
H: New ideas for short stories / books. New writers group starting soon. Trees have been planted. Life in general is cool, happy.

Last House Meeting Notes: approved

Chores (rotation, etc.):
M: Bathroom, Common Laundry, Laundry Room
J: Commons Upstairs & Downstairs
B: Trash & Porch
D: Kitchen

Stewardships:
J: Create signs to facilitate guest worm bin use and composting, etc. Everyone is paid for April.
M: Two more pieces of trim in commons to go.
B: Note taking, website. Preparing house for recycling. B can take recycling to work.
D: House Meeting Enforcement. Call A & P for house meeting. Spreadsheet for volunteer hours logged, email to Johnathon for printing.
J & D: Food buying process and discussion report.

Completed Business:
1) Fruit Flies. Keep basement door closed. J & B moved the bins outside.

Old Business & Reminders:
1) Leftover food from the refridgerator. Someone ate Michael's leftovers. Write your name on personal items. Food discussion topic.
2) Toaster Oven - clean out toaster oven otherwise it will catch fire. Easier to clean immediately after use.
3) O is missing her keys. 4 keys on a purple caribeener.

Ongoing Business:
1) Pan underneath Hot Water Heater to catch in case of spill.
2) J's friend is coming back from Argentina in April. Possible extended guest stay in J's room. (Everyone approves)
3) Chin up bar.
4) Stencil art in bathroom
5) Concrete Mixer.
6) Cob Wall, Foundation, etc.
7) Gray water system. Electric 3-way valve.
8) Lights in Basement area.
9) Logging volunteer hours on website.
10) Blacktail Zine discussion. Proposal to use commons for Zine meetings. (everyone approves) D proposes notifying everyone in the house prior to meetings so they have option to participate, etc.
11) Recycling. Barrels of recyclables must be cleared out before we can consider recycling. Recycling in the past has failed.
12) Make it easier for guests to participate in trash sorting (i.e worm bins, etc.) - through signs, guest awareness, etc. J offers stewardship of making signs.
13) Potluck April 12th: approved.
14) Pictures on CD-ROM from J.
15) Lot of boxes around the house. Upstairs common area full of clutter. D offers to sort the stuff.

New Business:
1) Food Discussion (see below)
2) Trash & Porch are now one chore.
3) House cleaning before House meeting. Spring cleaning - April 19th & 20th.
4) Where is the LCD clock? (B has been using.)
5) Missing Walkie-Talkie?

Food Discussion:
--------
Food Purchase Proposal:

Goals:
Optimal health for people in the house by optimizing nutrition
Optimal health by balancing the social ecology of workers who produce the food.
Optimal health of the Earth
Financial effectiveness

Human Health:
adequate supply of veggies and whole grains
vegetarian purchase
legume purchase
potential guidelines for shopping
% of veggies to grains
methods for purchase
1° Robbie, 2° United Natural Foods
organic & local
what is local? Bioregional -> Berry Patch Farms
Subsist as much as possible within the Bioregion. Go outside when warranted.

Bioregional Methodology:
Start in bioregion and move outside as warranted. Move to closest place outside for desired foods.
Food may not come off Turtle Island (North America)
- no cane sugar!: including products containing it.

Substitutes: beets, sorghum, malted grains, fruit

- Zapatista coffee
- Tea and mate?
- What are we willing to give up?
- minimize packaging

Financial Effectiveness:
we should make things as much as possible as opposed to purchasing them with money. Utilize raw ingredients.
----------
Comments for on-going discussion
J: This is a good process. J & D will go to committee about meat & snack food.
D: This is in line with our goal of sustainability. Maybe we can make our own ice-cream, for example.
B: Likes the discussion.
M: Good discussion.
----------
* meat? J & D to meet again to discuss meat & snack options.
* cane sugar discussion.
----------

Next House Meeting
April 13th, 2008

Meeting Minutes March 9th, 2008

2008-03-16T20:43:00.002-06:00

House Meeting Notes - Sunday March 16th, 2008

Hypes & Gripes:
S~ G: Sad about D.
H: Happy about Mommy.
O~ G: Tension in upper back.
H: Excited because the new house is coming together. Kind of becoming liveable. Shower curtain is installed.
J~ G: Feeling frustrated with job this week. Easy enough, but just not 'doing it'. Not being here. It is paying the bills though, get to meet the neighbors.
H: We have 95% of tree wholes dug, ready to receive trees. Likes the new lavendar plant.
D~ G: School.
H: 3500$ in scholarships received in the past week. Spring and spring break are coming.
B~ G: Not enough hours in the day.
H: New job is so wonderful. Very excited about working outside in Boulder town. Arborist exam on April 17th. Can't wait to see the greenhouse.
M~ G: Food in refridgerator. 2 containers of personal leftovers were eaten. Problem with food stamp paperwork. Car battery cost 93$, but it's up and running now. Damn stomach is just cramping, don't know why. Doctor was very rough.
H: Daughter is moving closer. Moved yesterday into L-town. Work done last week is great. Got some work-outs in.

Last House Meeting Notes: last two weeks approved

Chores (rotation, etc.):
M: Porch
J: Kitchen
O: Bathroom, Common Laundry, Laundry Room
B: Commons Upstairs & Downstairs
D: Trash

Stewardships:
J: Everyone is paid for March for food & housing. Bulk food order this week. Michael is still ahead for March. Food budget is "moving back to baseline". Create signs to facilitate guest worm bin use and composting, etc.
M: Two more pieces of trim in commons to go.
B: Note taking, website. Preparing house for recycling. B can take recycling to work.
D: House Meeting Enforcement. Call A & P for house meeting. Spreadsheet for volunteer hours logged, email to Johnathon for printing.
O: Show everyone how to concoct cleaning agents.
J & D: Food buying process and discussion report.

Completed Business:
1) Paving walkway with flagstone, recap cement porch steps. M would like help pulling up old concrete in walkway.
2) M's son might be staying for a few days on March 15th. (A approves)
3) Missing LockBox problem has been solved. New Doorknobs for side house must be purchased.
4) O had children over to see the farm. (approved)

Old Business & Reminders:
1) Toaster Oven - clean out toaster oven otherwise it will catch fire. Easier to clean immediately after use.
2) Clean up your toenails.
3) Fruit Flies. Keep basement door closed. J & B moved the bins outside.

Ongoing Business:
1) Pan underneath Hot Water Heater to catch in case of spill.
2) J's friend is coming back from Argentina in April. Possible extended guest stay in J's room. (Everyone approves)
3) Chin up bar.
4) Stencil art in bathroom
5) Concrete Mixer.
6) Cob Wall, Foundation, etc.
7) Gray water system. Electric 3-way valve.
8) Lights in Basement area.
9) Logging volunteer hours on website.
10) Blacktail Zine discussion. Proposal to use commons for Zine meetings. (everyone approves) D proposes notifying everyone in the house prior to meetings so they have option to participate, etc.
***11) J proposes food discussion, review for food buying process, etc. Try to get done by next house meeting (March 16th)
12) Recycling. Barrels of recyclables must be cleared out before we can consider recycling. Recycling in the past has failed.
13) Make it easier for guests to participate in trash sorting (i.e worm bins, etc.) - through signs, guest awareness, etc. J offers stewardship of making signs.
14) O is missing her keys. 4 keys on a purple caribeener.
15) Potluck April 12th: approved.
16) 10 2 10 house meeting. A proposes that 10 2 10 house folks use our commons for their house meeting while they are displaced. (everyone approves)

New Business:
1) Pictures on CD-ROM from J.
2) Leftover food from the refridgerator. Someone ate Michael's leftovers. Write your name on personal items. Food discussion topic.
3) Lot of boxes around the house. Upstairs common area full of clutter. D offers to sort the stuff.

Next House Meeting
March 23rd, 2008

Meeting Minutes March 9th, 2008

2008-03-09T20:14:00.001-06:00

House Meeting Notes - Sunday March 9th, 2008

Hypes & Gripes:
S~ G: not sad.
H: Happy cause she loves mommy.
O~ G: S is grumpy.
H: Beautiful day.
J~ G: Flies in the kitchen. Tired & groggy from Daylight Savings Time. Relationship issues.
H: Spring. Trees will be planted soon. Capoeria is going well. Extra hour of daylight in the evening.
D~ G: Dull stress headache.
H: Spring. Weather is nice. Diet has approved since O & S have moved in.
B~ G: Fruit flies.
H: New job.
M~ G: Guts feel like they've been yanked out by doctor.
H: Son is here for the week.

Last House Meeting Notes: pending

Chores (rotation, etc.):
M: Trash
J: Porch
O: Kitchen
B: Bathroom, Common Laundry, Laundry Room
O: Commons Upstairs & Downstairs

Stewardships:
J: Everyone is paid for March for food & housing. Michael is still ahead. Food budget is "moving back to baseline"
M: Will Oil Base Paint this week. Trim work ongoing.
B: Note taking, website. Will prepare the house to accept recycling.
D: House Meeting Enforcement.
O: Move Toxic chemicals to higher ground. Show everyone how to concoct cleaning agents.

Completed Business:
1) Chores discussion. Note new divisions for 5 people.

Old Business & Reminders:
1) A & P are our neighbors. They are here for dinner, Hooray! We can invite them to house meetings. They would like to participate in regular house meetings.
2) Trash & worms. Reminder: anything organic can go to worms. J has noticed bannana peels and other organic matter in the general trash. FEED THE WORMS! Salty & vinegar only thing not fed to worms.
3) Toaster Oven - clean out toaster oven otherwise it will catch fire. Easier to clean immediately after use.
4) Trash in porch area. Be aware of trash left in the front of the house
5) Streamline house meetings - Ongoing business is considered acknowledged through previous house meeting approval.

Ongoing Business:
1) Pan underneath Hot Water Heater to catch in case of spill.
2) J's friend is coming back from Argentina in April. Possible extended guest stay in J's room. (Everyone approves)
3) Chin up bar.
4) Stencil art in bathroom
5) Concrete Mixer.
6) Cob Wall, Foundation, etc.
7) Gray water system. Electric 3-way valve.
8) Lights in Basement area.
9) Logging volunteer hours on website.
10) Paving walkway with flagstone, recap cement porch steps. M would like help pulling up old concrete in walkway.
***11) J proposes food discussion, review for food buying process, etc.
12) Recycling. Barrels of recyclables must be cleared out before we can consider recycling. Recycling in the past has failed.
13) Make it easier for guests to participate in trash sorting (i.e worm bins, etc.) - through signs, guest awareness, etc. J offers stewardship of making signs.
14) M's son might be staying for a few days on March 15th. (A approves)
15) Potluck April 12th: theoretically approved.
16) B for march. (tentative 25 hours/week for March) will not work with current job.
17) Keep a eye out for the Lock Box. It is missing. J's dad needs it. Important for grounds.
18) 10 2 10 house meeting. A proposes that 10 2 10 house folks use our commons for their house meeting while they are displaced. (everyone approves)
19) Blacktail Zine discussion. Proposal to use commons for Zine meetings. (everyone approves) D proposes notifying everyone in the house prior to meetings so they have option to participate, etc.
20) O is missing her keys. 4 keys on a purple caribeener.

New Business:
1) Clean up your toenails.
2) O will have children over to see the farm. (approved)
3) Fruit Flies. Keep basement door closed. J & B will move the bins outside.
4) All organic matter can be fed to the worms.

Next House Meeting
March 16th, 2008

Meeting Minutes March 2nd, 2008

2008-03-02T19:33:00.001-07:00

House Meeting Notes - Sunday March 2nd, 2008

M is Absent due to doctor's appointment.

Hypes & Gripes:
S~ G: Sad because she wants cheese.
H: Happy about mommy.
A~ G: Stressed about moving three times in one year with three year old.
H: Enjoys being here. S, who is so cute
J~ G: No Gripes.
H: Aa & Pa are our neighbors now. Feels like spring.
D~ G: Dealing with school paper. Challenging, yet fun.
H: A & S are here.
B~ G: no gripes.
H: New job @ CU. Very excited. Spring is approaching, & we're planting more than 100 trees.

Last House Meeting Notes: approved

Chores (rotation, etc.):
A & J propose new dividing of Chores (into 5 distinct chores) - (kitchen)(bathroom, common laundry, laundry room)(commons up & down)(trash)(porch)

M: Commons Upstairs & Downstairs
J: Trash
B: Kitchen
D: Bathroom, Common Laundry, Laundry Room
A: Porch

Stewardhips:
J: Everyone is paid for March for food & housing. Michael is still ahead. Food budget is "moving back to baseline" - see ongoing business #14
M: (reprinted from last week) Downstairs commons painted. Trim work ongoing. Will be back at it this week, after doctor appointment.
B: Note taking, website. Will attempt to prepare the house to accept recycling.
D: House Meeting Enforcement. Has license to use extreme and lethal force. Use of lethal, however, will prevent members from attending.

Completed Business:
1) J proposes new dividing of Chores (into 4 distinct chores) - (kitchen)(bathroom, common laundry, laundry room)(commons up & down)(trash, porch)
2) A & S has moved in.
3) 40 fruit installations are ready.
4) Review of personal house guest procedures.
5) A & S discussion. Food, etc.

Old Business & Reminders:
1) Trash & worms. Reminder: anything organic can go to worms. J has noticed bannana peels and other organic matter in the general trash. FEED THE WORMS! Salty & vinegar only thing not fed to worms.
2) Toaster Oven - clean out toaster oven otherwise it will catch fire. Easier to clean immediately after use.
3) Trash in porch area. Be aware of trash left in the front of the house.
4) Streamline house meetings - Ongoing business is considered acknowledged through previous house meeting approval.

Ongoing Business:
1) Pan underneath Hot Water Heater to catch in case of spill.
2) J's friend is coming back from Argentina in April. Possible extended guest stay in J's room. (Everyone approves)
3) Chin up bar.
4) Stencil art in bathroom
5) Concrete Mixer.
6) Cob Wall, Foundation, etc.
7) Gray water system. Electric 3-way valve.
8) Lights in Basement area.
9) Logging volunteer hours on website.
10) Paving walkway with flagstone, recap cement porch steps. M would like help pulling up old concrete in walkway.
***11) J proposes food discussion, review for food buying process, etc.
12) Recycling. Barrels of recyclables must be cleared out before we can consider recycling. Recycling in the past has failed.
13) Make it easier for guests to participate in trash sorting (i.e worm bins, etc.) - through signs, guest awareness, etc. J offers stewardship of making signs.
14) M's son might be staying for a few days on March 15th. (A approves)
15) Potluck April 12th: theoretically approved.
16) B for march. (tentative 25 hours/week for March) will not work with current job.
17) Keep a eye out for the Lock Box. It is missing. J's dad needs it. Important for grounds.

New Business:
1) 10 2 10 house meeting. A proposes that 10 2 10 house folks use our commons for their house meeting while they are displaced. (awaiting M's approval)
2) Blacktail Zine discussion. Proposal to use commons for Zine meetings. (awaiting M's approval) D proposes notifying everyone in the house prior to meetings so they have option to participate, etc.
3) A is missing her keys. 4 keys on a purple caribeener.
4) A is really O.
5) O proposes moving toxic chemicals to higher ground - CHILD SAFETY (approved)
6) D proposes non-toxic cleaning chemicals. O has worked for a "green" cleaning company.
7) A & P are our neighbors. They are here for dinner, Hooray! We can invite them to house meetings. They would like to participate in regular house meetings.

Next House Meeting
March 9th, 2008

Meeting Minutes February 25th, 2008

2008-02-25T13:56:00.001-07:00

House Meeting Notes - Monday February 25th, 2008

Hypes & Gripes:
J~ G: Feeling gloomy.
H: Loves D being here. Hyped about volunteer help that we're getting. Feels pretty healthy.
B~ G: No Gripes. Harmony & blessings.
H: Income tax. Excited about the trees & the greenhouse. Spring is near. Went on a bike ride yesterday to regional park with K. Learning a new computer language which is fun.
M~ G: Doctor. No gripes.
H: New D energy. Ongoing projects.
D~ G: School is busy. Denver early in the morning.
H: School money is good. Excited about being here and the involvement in the projects ongoing. A & S are moving in. Spring is coming. 10-2-10 new house project is great.

Last House Meeting Notes: approved

Chores (rotation, etc.):
J proposes new dividing of Chores - (kitchen)(bathroom, common laundry, laundry room)(commons up & down)(trash, porch)

M: Bathroom, Common Laundry, Laundry Room
J: Commons Upstairs & Downstairs
B: Porch & Trash
D: Kitchen

Stewardships:
J: Food budget is well. Michael is contributing more than needed.
M: Downstairs commons painted. Trim work ongoing. Will be back at it next week, after doctor appointment.
B: Note taking, Website.
D: House Meeting Enforcement. Has license to use physical force.

Completed Business:
1) D has moved in.
2) Potluck was a huge success.

Old Business & Reminders:
1) Put cast irons back when clean.
2) Trash & worms. Reminder: anything organic can go to worms. J has noticed bannana peels and other organic matter in the general trash. FEED THE WORMS! Salty & vinegar only thing not fed to worms.
3) Review of Consensus procedure. Differences between consensus and democracy.
4) Clean off Honey Spills from Honey Jar.

Ongoing Business:
1) Pan underneath Hot Water Heater to catch in case of spill.
2) J's friend is coming back from Argentina in April. Possible extended guest stay in J's room. (Everyone approves)
3) Chin up bar.
4) Stencil art in bathroom
5) Concret Mixer.
6) Cob Wall, Foundation, etc.
7) Gray water system. Electric 3-way valve.
8) Lights in Basement area.
9) Logging volunteer hours on website.
10) Paving walkway with flagstone, recap cement porch steps. M would like help pulling up old concrete in walkway.

New Business:
1) J proposes new dividing of Chores - (kitchen)(bathroom, common laundry, laundry room)(commons up & down)(trash, porch) - tentatively approved. S is responsible for all trash removal.
2) J proposes food discussion, review for food buying process, etc.
3) Recycling. Barrels of recyclables must be cleared out before we can consider recycling. Recycling in the past has failed.
4) Make it easier for guests to participate in trash sorting (i.e worm bins, etc.) - through signs, guest awareness, etc.
5) M's son might be staying for a few days on March 15th.
6) Review of personal house guest procedures.
7) Toaster Oven - clean out toaster oven otherwise it will catch fire. Easier to clean immediately after use.
8) Potluck April 12th: tentatively approved.
9) Trash in porch area. Be aware of trash left in the front of the house.
10) B for march. Tentative 25 hours for March.
11) A & S discussion. Food, etc.
12) Keep a eye out for the Lock Box. It is missing. J's dad needs it. Important for grounds.
13) Streamline house meetings - Ongoing business is considered acknowledged through previous house meeting approval

Next House Meeting
March 2nd, 2008

Mycorestorative Aquaculture for Wetland Habitat Creation, Biotic Augmentation and Groundwater Recharge

2008-02-11T21:18:00.000-07:00

A Proposal to the Natural Resource Trustees for the State of Colorado
in fulfillment of the desires to restore, rehabilitate, and replace
injured natural resources from the Rocky Mountain Arsenal

Submitted January 23, 2008

Presented by:

Johnathan Yelenick, Project Head Contact and Land Steward
Phone: 303.288.4190 Email: yelenick@riseup.net

John Yelenick, Reisbeck Subdivision, LLC
Phone: 303.332.6828 Email: yelenick@earthlink.net

Jessica Eubanks, Executive Director, Sherwood Project 501(c)3
Federal Tax ID and EIN: 20-3533527
Phone: 303.573.5250 Email: thesherwoodproject@mail.com
Abstract:

Restorative work is to be made to offset resource damage done to wetland habitat at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. We will utilize a novel arrangement of appropriate technology, including mycofilters and constructed pond wetlands, to create healthy biological space for short grass prairie biome aquatic life and their associated interdependent organisms. Water resources will restore to above baseline conditions and percolate back to the Upper Arapahoe Aquifer regenerated. Built wetland habitat will help create an ecological corridor between the Rocky Mountain Arsenal itself and the Platte River riparian biome.

Introduction:

It is uncommon to see landscape elements within the Great Plains’ ecosystems harbor as much functionality as the sparse, yet absolutely essential, mosaics of the wetland. Not only do the plains wetland habitats of the United States biologically function to support the ecosystem’s need to provide a prodigious amount of diverse food sources for top predators like raptors, bald eagles, and coyotes in the prairie food web, alongside massive support for the food needs of all functional animal, plant, and microbial life in a holistic and healthy prairie ecosystem (Ghabo), but wetlands have repeatedly been shown as a buffer and biological mechanism to neutralize and integrate excess nitrates and phosphates that left to their own devices would be toxins and pollutants (Brix; Ullah). It is fundamental to prairie health and stability to have available the vast diversity of organisms proffered by the wetland mosaics which dot the landscape of North America’s short grass prairie and requisite for the purity of our groundwaters. As such, it is exigent that restoration projects make sure first and foremost wetland resources are pristine and unadulterated.
Unfortunately, wetland habitats at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal (RMA) have been overloaded, and then compromised due to excessive contamination from on-post industrial use. There is a potential 434 acres of wetlands at the RMA that are not operating to their full capabilities in an ecological sense. It is our desire and intention to restore the services lost at the RMA’s wetlands by designing and constructing a series of off-post wetland ponds while simultaneously experimenting with and utilizing a novel low-cost mycorestorative1 technology to further draw-out and metabolize nitrates and phosphates present in pumped groundwater, before the groundwater is returned to its original aquifers by slow percolation.
The ecological restorative effects are expected to last into perpetuity and only advance in their robust support due to the nature of the project. We intend generally to set the stage for the ecosystem to operate autonomously and to “do its magic”, if you will, with a little successionary direction provided in the beginning stages of the biological networking. Maintenance will occur every now-and-again as the context demands throughout the decades. This maintenance will be described more fully in the succeeding Description of Proposed Work. We are fully confident in the success of the project partly due to the fact that the ponds’ setting will remain within the micro-community of a fully organic farm dedicated to an ethic of “healing the Earth” and absolutely committed to the non-use of inorganic biocides.
Additionally, siting could hardly be better for the development of these constructed wetlands. The proposed site is a little less than 3 miles away from the RMA itself and about 1 mile away from the tributary waters of the South Platte River and its rich riparian habitats (see figure 1). Wetlands built at our proposed site will be a connective ecological corridor between the RMA and the Platte River. The benefits of such an ecological asset may be untold as stress for migrating wetland and wetland dependant creatures could be drastically reduced, effectively increasing survival rates among these creatures.

Figure 1: Adapted from NRTSC page 3-25
“Figure 3.7. Extent of detectable DIMP in shallow groundwater in 1994, according to USGS (1997).”

Background:

Given the contamination at the RMA and its concomitant soil and water resources, generally high-tech solutions have been applied to ameliorate and contain resource damages to on and off-post sites. These solutions have ranged from the establishment of groundwater intercept and treatment facilities to the mixing of contaminated topsoils with uncontaminated soils to decrease concentrations of contaminants at the Arsenal. Despite the absolute importance that these mitigation efforts continue until clean-up is fully accomplished, the affected biotic habitats at the RMA need immediate attention for restoration and reestablishment.
Aquatic habitats at the RMA have shown concentrations of contaminants in their sediments, which have “exceeded benchmark levels that indicate the probability of adverse effects on aquatic biota” (NRTSC). It is quite likely these wetland habitats are not fulfilling their potential capacities as spaces for buttressing maximum biodiversity and biofiltration functions. The construction of new wetland habitats will provide a healthy space for aquatic biota to fully realize its ecological potential and such an effort will offset damage done to wetland habitat at the RMA.
It is fully expected (according with the current ecological theories of a shifting-mosaic steady state) once wetland habitats are built and established in the proposed site that the service flows to the biotic community will swiftly accumulate as ecological succession proceeds in its aggradation stage2. Maximum ecological function will be realized when the net primary productivity3 (NPP) of the constructed wetlands is at its highest and when the successionary stage of this mico-system interfaces aggregation phase to its transition phase4 (Jacke) (figure 2). The NPP of the system may be managed to continuously remain at this interface in order to maintain maximum biodiversity and biofiltrative function. This management may take the form of simply cutting back or collecting certain wetland species and algaes, which have a propensity to “take over”, thereby making room for other plant species in the wetlands micro-system. We are confident the maintenance will occur with little or no outside impetus due to the fact that these cuttings are considered a resource to the organic farm in the form of mulch. Farm Staff will be trained as the years pass to assure proper harvesting technique is practiced as not to diminish delicate, established biodiversity. This knowledge will be passed along as different human stewards engage the site.

“The four phases of secondary succession as defined by Bormann and Likens include reorganization, aggradation, transition, and steady state. Each is defined by the behavior of the system with respect to the levels of biomass in the ecosystem. Adapted from Bormann and Likens, 1979.” -Adapted from Jacke 2005-
We also expect groundwater quality to significantly restore to baseline conditions as it first passes through a mycorestorative channel and then as it processes in the wetlands proper. This process will give a two-fold framework to directly benefit groundwater that remains within the detectable DIMP plume of the shallow groundwater originating from the RMA (NRTSC, Page 3-25) (Figure 1).
Mycorestoration is a recently identified phenomenon, which is described as the use of fungi to repair or restore the weakened immune systems of environments (Stamets). The use of mushroom mycelia as tools for ecological restoration is a new concept that we borrow from age-old methods of nature. Certain mycelia have the unique property of being able to breakdown and metabolize the most pernicious substances of chemical warfare agents and biological warfare agents and they are able to neutralize and predate microbial pathogens found in water around large factory farms (Stamets). This discovered use will prove to be invaluable in our restoration efforts as we pump groundwater and run that water through a concrete channel mycofilter, able to snugly fit straw bales inoculated with Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) and Trametes versicolor (turkey tail mushroom); both being fungi that are effective in the metabolisis of persistent organophosphates.
The combination of mycofilters to constructed wetlands will significantly help restore groundwater resources to baseline conditions, and this precisely is the novel approach we hope to implement. Active groundwater resource improvement will accumulate as water is passed in this schema and returns by slow percolation back into the aquifers. Ecological improvement will be accomplished because the constructed wetlands will support a rich biodiversity and augmented intraspecial numbers.

Description of Proposed Work:

The implementation of the constructed wetlands will take on a four-phase program. The first phase is the actual design work that will incorporate the integration of several consultary sources, the coordination of excavators, well drillers and wind/solar pump builders, and the networking of farm volunteer and staff for on-site construction. This first phase may also stage acquisition of increased water rights and other legal framework parameters. Phase two will be on site construction of the wetlands. This phase will begin with the excavation, proceed with compacting and lining the pond wetlands with clay sealants, and finish with the well drilling. Construction of the wind-solar pump apparatus and the construction of the concrete mycofilter will swiftly succeed well drilling. The pond wetlands will then be ready to receive water. Phase three will be stocking the filled pond wetlands with the appropriate native aquatic species. And phase four will be the ongoing maintenance work to direct the ecological succession of the wetland to maximize biodiversity and net primary productivity.

Phase One: design and coordination

Fortunately, reliable literature is abundant in consulting for the specifics and nuances of wetland construction. Namely, the United States Department of Agriculture in conjunction with the Natural Resources Conservation Service has published a valuable book entitled “Ponds – Planning, Design, Construction”, which we plan to draw immense reference from as we develop the wetlands. Other literature with invaluable information for pond mechanics, biology, and ecology include “Permaculture: A Designers’ Manual”, “Water Storage: Tanks, Cisterns, Aquifers, and Ponds”, and “Ecological Aquaculture: A Sustainable Solution”. We also have close associates worldwide and nationally in the sustainability, permaculture, and ecological restoration movements who have provided and will again provide information, critique, and advice as to troubleshooting in the development process of the wetland construction.
For the construction and design of the mycofilter, we would like to allocate funds towards the vis-à-vis consultary services of Paul Stamets. Paul is the premier source for consulting in this new field of mycorestoration, and has had successful consultary relationships with the Battelle Corporation, the Washington State Department of Transportation and the US Department of Defense in matters regarding the mycoremediation of oil spills and chemical weapons clean up. He runs the company Fungi Perfecti and has been a dedicated mycologist for more than thirty years.
This beginning stage will be when we compile numerous company background checks, quality assessments, and quote fishing for completing the multiple tasks we require to successfully build wetlands. We will screen and interview competing companies under the rubric of quality work done and cost-effectiveness. The matching companies will be able to align themselves with the principles put forth for ecological restoration and will have good communication with us to complete the project correctly. The process may also entail a survey for appropriation of additional water rights. After a survey has been completed on the market we will purchase rights for the augmentation of water flow in the constructed wetlands.
The site residents at the farm intend to invest large amounts of sweat equity on the wetlands’ construction until the project is complete. We also have at hand an extensive network of interested volunteers who have expressed enthusiasm at the prospect of helping in the wetlands’ development; in whatever roles this help might be needed. We will need some money to cover labor of more arduous tasks such as clay tamping, shovel digging, concrete work or biotic placement.

Phase Two: wetland construction

As soon as the design details are reconciled, the construction contractors are hired, and the materials needed are appropriated, we will begin the construction of the wetlands. The first activity will be the design map extrapolation, survey set and excavation of the wetland ponds. We plan on a total sum of wetland habitat taking a space of about two acres and going as deep as twelve feet. We foresee the pond wetlands consisting in two differentiated spaces at the proposed site. In other words, we want to make two separate pond wetland spaces each requiring their own separate water well sources. This method may provide experimental control for separate habitat development between the two wetland ponds and may also provide a degree of experimental control for the mycofiltrative element. For practical purposes, the two separate wetland ponds would be of such distance from one another that it would be easiest to provide them both with their own water sources. The benefits of having separate wetlands will also benefit the surrounding prairie ecosystem as a micro-corridor would be created, providing the prairie fauna with a food source in the form of migrating insects. When the land is excavated we will move into compacting and lining the pond wetlands with clay to diminish extravagant water loss due to seepage. Simultaneously, we will add large boulders in strategic places of the wetlands to gather thermal energy, which will buffer annual temperature extremes and provide friendlier water for spawning aquatic life.
Once the topographic excavation and finishing of the pond-wetlands is complete we will begin well drilling to the subsurface Arapahoe aquifer for one pond-wetland, followed by hired construction of the solar-wind water pumps for both pond-wetlands. The solar-wind pump combination is chosen as opposed to a conventional on-grid electric pump because the overall life of this pump will have less of a net ecological footprint, translating into more overall cost-efficiency. We request two separate solar-wind pumps to use in drawing water. One pump will be used in the newly dug well and another pump will be used to draw water from a pre-existing on-site well.
Mycofilters will be placed at each pond-wetland, connecting the pump to the pond proper. As water is pumped it will first flow through the mycofilter before it pours into the pond. This is done to compartmentalize the fungal mode of water quality restoration, easily monitored by chemical analysis before and after entrance to the mycofilter. Essentially the mycofilter we will build is a concrete corridor made to snugly fit one or more straw bales inoculated and colonized by specifically chosen mycelia. These mycelia are selected for their capacities to metabolize certain molecular constituents. We will use Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) and Trametes versicolor (turkey tail mushroom) whose additive metabolism has been shown to sequester and break down into inert compounds anthracenes, benzopyrenes, chromated copper arsenate, dimethyl methyl phosphonate (VX, Soman, Sarin), dioxin, persistent organophosphates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pentachlorophenols (PENTAs), and trinitrotoluene (TNT) (Stamets, P.).
The straw bales are easily inoculated and have tolerable maintenance whose human agents are fully capable of replacing and renewing as years pass. The sterile technique used to inoculate the strawbales will proceed with a 55-gallon metal barrel able to fit a straw bale with a propane burner under the barrel. The barrel will be filled with water, the water will be brought to a boil and the strawbale to be inoculated will then be added to the barrel. After a few minutes of sitting in the boiling water within the barrel, the bale will be pulled out and allowed to cool to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Grain spawn of Trametes or Pleurotus will then be added to the interstice of the bale and the bale will be set-aside for two weeks covered with shade cloth and watered daily to induce mycelial colonization of the straw. After the two-week period the colonized bale will be added to the concrete channel of the mycofilter. Sterilizing the bale is important to give the desired fungi a head start over unwanted competing fungi from colonizing the bale. Each bale will only be inoculated with one species of fungi so as to encourage Trametes and Pleurotus not to compete with one another in niche establishment.
An interesting experimental field for State control and monitoring might be to see if groundwater pumped has less DIMP concentration in exiting water as opposed to water entering the mycofilter. A very attractive aspect of the mycofilter’s character is how relatively inexpensive and accessible it is compared to the highly technical mechanical filters employed in various groundwater pumping sites today, making this appropriate technology available to wide skill-set of the populous. Also, since Pleurotus and Trametes both metabolize otherwise toxic substances into inert compounds, they may be used to beneficially feed other organisms in the wetland ecosystem without otherwise attritive effects of the un-metabolized groundwater toxins.
As soon as the pond-wetland structures are made, the pumps built and active, and the mycofilters in place and ready to operate, we will begin pumping water to fill the ponds. Currently Reisbeck Subdivision has state water rights whose waters may be used to fill these ponds. However, there currently is also a demand by the farm to use the water pumped in irrigating its vegetables and orchard crops. Since some of this water has to be used to irrigate farm products, there may potentially be a retraction of possible wetland habitat acreage. We are very much interested in working with the State to augment the annual amount of water Reisbeck Subdivision would be permitted to pump in order to maintain maximum water volume in the constructed wetlands. This may take the form of acquisition of additional water rights. Maybe allocation release from the RMA’s institutionally controlled water quantity may be used to fill these wetlands too. Nonetheless, any augmented water pumping would be left altogether in the pond to support the wetlands’ habitat. It would only be released via infiltration to once again return, albeit purified and restored, to the Arapahoe aquifer from which it came.

Phase Three: wetland stocking

As soon as the constructed wetlands are filled with water, we will begin the procedure of stocking the wetland-ponds with native flora and fauna. Much of the plant starts will come from seed we acquire from the Western Native Seed Company (http://www.westernnativeseed.com/) who provide dozens of wetland species seed for the short-grass prairie biome. Much of the stocking of fauna for the wetland will be left to natural migratory niche acquisition of various organisms. We will communicate with the fellows of the Wetland Program Services of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources on how to acquire or attract non-plant keystone species. We expect these habitats to dynamically move and succeed such that we will need to consistently observe what organisms are left out of particular niches. We expect our conversations with local wetland biologist to enlighten us on what habitat guilds function symbiotically with one another to maximize compositional, functional and bio diversity.

Phase Four: ongoing maintenance

It is fully expected that after the construction and initial stocking of the mycorestorative wetland ponds that the system will require very little outside maintenance. Healthy ecosystems have the phenomenal characteristic of being self-supportive and regenerative, and we intend precisely to create such an autonomous habitat. However there are a few facilities in the habitat we identify we would need to help maintain. These primarily are relegated to technological mechanical issues.
We will need to perform routine annual check-ups of the wind-solar pumps to make sure they are pumping an acceptable volume of water each season. This may require outside specialist attention for the first couple of years, but the burden will happily impart to the farm’s staff as that staff becomes acquainted with the equipment. There may be years when pump equipment fails and needs to be replaced, so we would like to allocate funds keeping this in mind. Additional forums of routine maintenance will include annual or bi-annual changeout of inoculated straw bales in the mycofilter. The straw being the substrate to which the mycelia adheres to eventually breaks down due to the eating activity of the mycelia. This maintenance is completed easily enough and will need no outside help starting from day one.

There are several areas we have identified which would benefit from active State monitoring and partnership. First, it would be desirable to coordinate with State authorities knowledgeable with wetland ecosystem dynamics that could provide advice in needed habitat management for maximizing biodiversity and guild arrangements. Secondly, it would be very valuable to work with State authorities in assaying water quality in both pre and post-wetland restoration. This would include water quality assessment between the elements of the mycofilter-aquaculture arrangement itself. Lastly, it would be useful to work with State authorities in accessing relative ecosystem health and biodiversity compared to other wetland ecosystems in the bioregion.

Personnel Requirement:

Phase 1:

Johnathan Yelenick – Project Head Coordinator and Farm Steward

Paul Stamets – Mycofilter Advisor: Paul has been a dedicated mycologist for over thirty years. Over this time, he has discovered and coauthored four new species of mushrooms, and pioneered countless techniques in the field of edible and medicinal mushroom cultivation. He received the 1998 "Bioneers Award" from The Collective Heritage Institute, and the 1999 "Founder of a New Northwest Award" from the Pacific Rim Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils.
Paul has written six books on mushroom cultivation, use and identification; his books Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms and The Mushroom Cultivator (coauthor) have long been hailed as the definitive texts of mushroom cultivation. His newest book is Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save The World. Other pertinent publications: Stamets, P., 2004. “Mycofiltration of silts and sediments within delivery systems for mycotechnologies, mycofiltration and mycoremediation.” U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 10/852,948
Phase 2:
Johnathan Yelenick - Project Head Coordinator and Farm Steward
Contracted Excavation Team – to be determined
Contracted Clay and Boulder Delivery Crew - to be determined
Contracted Well Drilling Team - to be determined
Contracted Wind-Solar Pump Construction Crew - to be determined
Hired Concrete Building Crew for Mycofilter - to be determined
Volunteer Base for Extraneous Work – i.e. shovel digging and tamping
Phase 3:
Johnathan Yelenick - Project Head Coordinator and Farm Steward
Volunteer Base for Extraneous Work – i.e. plant stocking
Phase 4:
Johnathan Yelenick - Project Head Coordinator and Farm Steward
Hired Technicians for Pump Maintenance and Repairs – to be determined, five years only
Farm Staff for General Upkeep, Eventual Pump Technical Expertise and Successional Directive
Volunteer Base for Extraneous Work – i.e. biota replacement, NPP upkeep
State Authorities for Habitat Monitoring and Water Testing

Biographical Data for Project Head Contact and Land Steward:
Johnathan Yelenick Blacktail Permaculture Farm Manager and Applied Ecologist
Education: B.S. (Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology), University of Colorado at Boulder, 2005 Permaculture Designer, Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute at Basalt, CO, 2006 Advanced Permaculture Designer, Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute at Basalt, CO, 2006
Relevant Experience: Blacktail Permaculture Director, 2005 – present Research Assistant, Department of EPO Biology, 2002-2004
Professional Membership: International Permaculture Conference and Convergence (fellow)
Biography and Mission Statement for Sponsoring 501(c)3:

The Sherwood Project is a community based educational foundation that exists to foster knowledge of the foundational skills that have been instrumental to human development, and are crucial to the survival of all societies. We believe by cultivating understanding in the areas of sustainable agriculture, literacy, healing by touch, and basic craftsmanship that social groups can achieve an increase of cohesion, trust, and fellowship. These natural ways of provision that benefit societies at times of balance and are forgotten at times of confusion, we insist, are foundational to stable communities and healthy societies.
Sustainability is the fulcrum of our vision. If a practice, a custom, a tradition, or social structure is certain, or likely, to lead to the death of the society then it is only prudent that it be excised. We seek to investigate, and experiment with the myriad theoretical, and ancestral methods of perpetual sustenance. We have hopes that our efforts will benefit ourselves, and more so, our progeny in the search for the most effective, and artful methods of healthy living for the individual, as well as the collective.
It is our observation that a community must be capable of maintaining and providing for its own basic needs, from within. A collective that is dependent on import for survival is neither stable, nor healthy. We believe that, whether or not a group of people trades with foreign entities, it must provide for its own sustenance in order to be stable.
For health to be maintained properly medicine must be proactive rather than reactive. Proactive health care based on noninvasive techniques must be available to everyone within a community in order that the community be healthy and productive. We believe that the methods of healing, and increasing health that utilize the human body as the entire medical apparatus are the most suited to sustainable community. These include, but are not limited to Shiatsu, Chiropractics, Rolfing, Massage, Reiki, QiQong, etc.. We believe that herbal remedies are superior to industrial pharmaceuticals because they place the community in control of their own needs, and tend to be less damaging to the body.
It is our belief that those social groups most in need, and fertile for the knowledge of self-sufficiency, and sustainability are the dispossessed. The Sherwood Project will never take profit for the distribution of knowledge. The workshops offered by the Sherwood Project will always be free of charge.
The Sherwood Project is not a school. The Sherwood Project is a step in a process to meld studious experimentation, spirited playfulness, and inspired creativity into an art whose medium is the means to live.

Budget:

Personnel:
Project Head (3%) $1,875
Manual Labor (5%) $3,125
Pump Repairperson, once/year/5years $4,000
Excavation crew $50,000
Well Drilling crew $5,000
Wind-solar Pump crew $3,000
Concrete Mycofilter crew $500

Consultants:
Paul Stamets, $200/day, 2 days $400

Materials, Equipment and Supplies:
Wind-Solar Pump, $25k/unit, 2 units $50,000
Pump Replacement Parts $5,000
Wetlands Plant Seed $400
Clay Pond Sealant $1,000
Pond Boulders $750
Trametes and Pleurotus grain spawn $500
Wheelbarrows, Shovels and Compactors $200
Concrete Mixer $250
Concrete, Rebar, and Forms $300
Strawbales $75
Propane Burner and Shadecloth $50

Legal Leverage:
Water rights purchase, 10 acre feet $170,000

Travel:
Project head consultation with Paul Stamets,
Denver, CO to Olympia, WA and return.
1 person, 2 days
Air Fare $700
Per Diem @ $100/day $200
Local Transportation $25
Subtotal $925

TOTAL DIRECT COSTS: $298,275

TOTAL INDIRECT COSTS (10% DC) $29,828

TOTAL COSTS: $328,103
References:

Ghabo, A. A. (2007) Wetlands Characterization; Use by Local Communities and Role in Supporting Biodiversity in the Semiarid Ijara District, Kenya. Terra Nuova East Africa.

Brix, Hans. (1994) Use of constructed wetlands in water pollution control: Historical development, present status, and future perspectives. Wat. Sci. Tech. Vol. 30 No. 8. pp. 209 - 223.

Ullah, S; Faulkner, SP. (2006) Denitrification potential of different land-use types in an agricultural watershed, lower Mississippi valley. ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING 28 (2): 131-140.

Natural Resource Trustees for the State of Colorado. (2007) Natural Resource Damage Assessment Plan for the Rocky Mountain Arsena, Commerce City, Colorado.

Jacke, D; Toensmeier, E. (2005) Edible Forest Gardens: Ecological Vision and Theory for Temperate Climate Permaculture. Chelsea Green Publishing Co., White River Junction. pg.239-290.

Stamets, Paul (2005) Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World. Ten Speed Press, Berkeley. pg. 50-64, 82-109.

United States Department of Agriculture. (2000) Ponds – Planning, Design, Construction. Natural Resources Conservation Service. Agriculture Handbook Number 590.

Mollison, B. (1988) Permaculture: A Designers’ Manual. Tagari Publications. Tyalgum Australia. pg. 458-505.

Ludwig, A. (2005) Water Storage: Tanks, Cisterns, Aquifers, and Ponds. Oasis Design. Santa Barbara.

Hutchinson, L. (2005) Ecological Aquaculture: A Sustainable Solution. Permanent Publications. Hampshire, England.

An Extended Definition of Wetlands and the Impact of the Loss of Wetlands http://www.articlemyriad.com/37.htm

Hong-yu, L. (2000). Landscape planning and ecology construction of wetland comprehensive protected area system in the Sanjiang Plain. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 12(3), 361.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (1995b) America's wetlands: Our vital link between land and water. Office of Water, Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds. EPA843-K-95-001.

Meeting Minutes January 23rd, 2008

2008-01-23T11:52:00.000-07:00

House Meeting Notes - Wednesday January 23rd, 2008

Happy New Year!

M~ G: Life is beautiful. Life is great. District attorney from Paoli. She lied to M's son about shipping to Iraq. The offer, however, is in writing. Financial problems with friend.
H: L had 25th birthday. Youngest two kids started college. M and his children have birthdays in the 20's of the month. Back is well. Made it to the final round of the Mindfulness Belle critique. Article will most likely be published.

J~ G: Anxious to see how Columbus Day comes out. Throat problem last few days is healed.
H: Awaiting grant decision. Trees for spring are ordered. Capoeira is going well. Dez is moving in. Happy to have everyone here.

B~ G: My car broke down, caused me to have a late start this week.
H: I was worried that the car wouldn't start because of the cold. Waiting for the interview with CU. Possible job this spring.

Last House Meeting Notes: approved

Chores (rotation, etc.):

M: Kitchen.
B: Commons, trash, & porch.
J: Bathroom, common laundry & laundry room.

Stewardships:
B: Note taking, Website.
J: House Accounting: hasn't been done in two weeks. Food is paid. House is in red for food. We are catching up, though.
M: Patching, Painting.

Completed Business:
1) Shelves in Laundry Room for Food Grade Buckets.
2) We need to fill the big room. (D is moving in.)
3) Organize tool shed
4) Phone Line has been fixed for both internet and voice.

Old Business & Reminders:
1) Be careful to avoid plastic in ice-maker.

Ongoing Business:
1) Chin up bar
2) Stencil art in bathroom
3) Concrete Mixer.
4) Cob Wall, foundation, etc.
5) Gray water system. Electric 3-way valve.

New Business:
1) Put cast irons back when clean.
2) Trash & worms. Reminder: anything organic can go to worms.
3) Lights in Basement area.
4) Clean off Honey Spills from Honey jar.
5) Pan underneath Hot Water Heater to catch in case of spill.
6) J's friend is coming back from Argentina in April. Possible extended guest stay in J's room. Awaiting D's approval.
7) Review of Consensus procedure.
8) Begin logging volunteer hours on website. (i.e volunteer of the month) - approved.
9) B for february. Back up to 20 hours a week. (with blizzard awareness.)
10) Potluck on February 9th, 2008
11) Paving walkway with flagstone, recap cement porch steps

Next House Meeting
February 3rd, 2008

Meeting Minutes December 9th, 2007

2007-12-19T13:27:00.000-07:00

House Meeting Notes - Sunday December 9, 2007

M~ G: arthritis.
H: sees a doctor this week. grandaughter's birthday

J~ G: Loius Vuttion wasn't as fun
H: knee feeling better. snow is beautiful. finances doing better

B~ G: lost $40 the other night
H: Winter is here.

Last House Meets Notes: approved

Chores (rotation, etc.):

M: Commons, trash, & porch
B: Bathroom, common laundry & laundry room.
J: Kitchen.

Stewardships:
B: Note taking, Website
J: House Accounting: Everyong is caught up.
M: Patching

Last House Meets Notes: approved, ammendments approved.

Old Business & Reminders:
1) Worm bin workshop. Organic trash only in worm bin.
2) Egg count sheet on fridge. Write date and number of eggs gathered.
3)

Ongoing Business:
1) Chin up bar
2) Stencil art in bathroom
3) Shelves in Laundry Room for Food Grade Buckets.
4) Concret Mixer price estimates? J found one for $200.
5) We need to fill the big room. J still posting to craigslist. One response to the craigslist add, J will respond.
6) Organize tool shed
7) Cob Wall, foundation, etc.
8) Grey water system. Electric 3-way valve.

New Business:
1) food fund augmentation: approved.
2) Bradley for December. Test run for reduced winter hours.
3) Plastic in Icemaker.
4) Phone Line. Possible solution to DSL modem problems. Test to see if problem is Wireless Router or DSL modem.

Next House Meeting
December 16, 2007 7:00p.m

Meeting Minutes November 29th, 2007

2007-11-29T11:46:00.000-07:00

House Meeting Notes - Wednesday November 29, 2007

M~ G: Question: Where is John going to fit in, how, or if?
H: Back feeling better, insulation holes patched and painted, wheelbarrow
painted. Braces need to be installed on barn. Possibly Monday,
Tuesday as weather permits.

J~ G: Whole surgery ordeal. Money situation. Bounced check from Nick & Melissa.
Mainly money gripes.
H: Surgery is over. Chickens are in the chicken moat. We finished double
digging. Baby chick is doing well. The barn is coming together.
Ralph is coming over to fix the boiler. Found a boiler for 450$.
The floor board heaters will be working.

B~ G: We haven't been doing our chores as much as we could be. When ladies come over
it's kind of embarrassing. Money flow is definitely in the red.
H: I got a job with Global Culture of Women transcribing stories from around the world.
My Mercedes is working. Band practice every Tuesday!

Chores (rotation, etc.):

M: Bathroom, common laundry & laundry room.
J: Commons, trash, & porch.
B: Kitchen

Stewardships:
B: Note taking, Website. Mushroom Inoculation video is almost finished.
J: House accounting: We're doing well. J owed money for insulation, etc. Accounting is up to
date. M needs to put in his receipts, by next week. For water, have self written receipt with
date and cost, deducted from next months dues. Check bounced from Nick, Melissa, and Travis
$336.00.
M: Action theatre pictures. Harmony & blessings avenue on garden path. Spackling needed in upstairs commons, also bedrooms. Barn coming along. Braces at rafters will be installed weather permitting. Shelves in laundry room. Talk with daughter to find potential roommate

Last House Meeting Notes: approved.

Old Business & Reminders:
1) Shelves have been installed on front porch.

Ongoing Business:
1) Chin-up bar. Postponed until spring? Ideas still welcome.
2) Stencil art in bathroom. J & B
3) Shelves in Laundry Room for Food Grade Buckets.
4) Concrete Mixer price estimates?
5) We need to fill the big room. J still posting to craigslist.
6) We need to ORGANIZE THE TOOL SHED!
7) Cob Wall, foundation, etc.

New Business:
1) Worm bin workshop. No trash (i.e plastic, industrial) Paper okay. Don't pack in or compress, etc.
2) High utility bill. Excel raised their rates. Our utility bill is actually exceptionally low.
3) Egg count: Let's start an egg count to asses cost effectiveness of eggs. Posted chart on fridge.
4) B intern extension. Double digging, garden paths, composting North & South Zone II. Clay should be delivered soon for Cob Wall. Before that, foundation needs to be set for wall.
5) JK. A little hesitant about him staying much longer. Worried about food payment.
Especially with Nick, Travis, & Melissa situation makes J more skeptical about guests.
You have to pay to stay here as extended guest. J and JK have conflict. JK is not an
approved member of the co-op. J puts proposal for JK to leave. M agrees totally. Has
to pay before he's invited back. He's not better than anyone else. J does not feel overall house
compatibility with JK. Money, space, personality match. Proposal for JK to be gone in
36 hours, by Friday evening. B does not block consensus.

Next House Meeting:
December 2, 2007 7:00p.m

Meeting Minutes October 14, 2007

2007-10-14T20:09:00.000-06:00

House Meeting Notes - Sunday October 14, 2007

J~ G: summer is gone; miss summer alot.
H: knee is feeling much better. support brace is working. Thanks his
brother, J. Feel comfortable materially.

M~ G: none.
H: stoked about his back. Slowly healing. Enjoyed having L over. House
is looking good.

B~ G: rainy weather. Boo! fell off my bicycle. doing alright though.
H: saw the Rockapellas. car will be functioning this week.

Chores (rotation, etc.):
* general: J needs to clean refrigerator. M requests help with back intensive chores.

J: Bathroom laundry & laundry room.
M: Kitchen
B: Commons, trash, & porch

Stewardships:
B: Note taking, Website
J: House accounting: Everyone is generally paid in full, but still lagging in accounting.
M: Needs warm weather for spackling & patching. expects warm weather Wednesday. Barn assessment / walk through Monday.

Last House Meeting Notes: approved.

Old Business & Reminders:
1) The paper bag in the bathroom is for paper only. It is for the
worm bin.
2) Lights reminder: please turn off lights when not in use.
3) Recycling: Has been tried in the past. No facility near-by. No one
has taken it in the past when it is full. Recycling center is very
far away. To be considered. Someone can take a recycling stewardship.

Ongoing Business:
1) Shelves on front porch. B will collect recycled wood for the shelves
for M to fit. Shelves are approved for installation.
2) Chin-up bar project: Ideas welcome.
3) Stencil art in bathroom: stencils tell a story. also paint the \
bathroom. (b & j potential deadline October 21rst.
[before j has court])

New Business:
1) Possible Shelves in Laundry Room to hold food grade
buckets / bulk food.
2) Concrete Mixer price estimates?
3) We need to fill the last room. J has been posting to craigslist. \
Talk with friends, etc.
4) We need to organize the tool shed!

Next House Meeting:
October 21, 2007 7:00p.m

Meeting Minutes October 8, 2007

2007-10-08T12:13:00.000-06:00

House Meeting Notes - Monday October 8, 2007

J~ G: got arrested at the Columbus Day protest
H: feels that this action is important. Is grabbing the
alienation of society by the horns. Louis Vuitton was awesome
this week. Lots of fun.

M~ G: back pain.
H: Blactail is perfect for healing, spiritual physical, etc.
Feels J handled arrest with grace. New piece will be published.

B: G: My car needs a bleeder screw.
H: Mission Statement, meeting notes now online. Trailer is fixed, we can get hay, etc.

Chores (rotation, etc.):
J: Kitchen
M: Commons, trash, & porch
B: Bathroom laundry, and laundry room

Stewardships:
B: Note taking
J: House Accounting, everyone is current & paid. Still lagging on updating the accounting for food and member dues for September.
M: Patching up the House. We need a "runner" for painting, etc: Also paint brush, bucket of vinyl spackling putty ~1/2 gallon. Will give J list of needed items to repair barn structure.

Last House Meeting Notes: approved.

Old Business:
1) Aaron is not moving in for two weeks.
2) Don't run washer and dryer at the same time. Don't leave sink full of dirty dish water because it will stain the sink.

New Business:
1) Let's consider building a shelf or shelves in the front porch area. J will get needed materials to fix table for porch. M knows how to build a shelf with recycled materials.
2) Now that trailer is fixed, we can get hay for various projects. Hay is in the budget.
3) The paper bag in the bathroom is for paper only. It is for the worm bin.
4) M suggests a chin up bar. Possibly between two trees in the front yard.
5) Lights reminder: please turn off lights when not in use.
6) Stencil art in bathroom: stencils tell a story. also paint the bathroom. (b & j potential deadline October 21rst.[before j has court])
7) Recycling: Has been tried in the past. No facility near-by. No one has taken it in the past when it is full. Recycling center is very far away. To be considered. Someone can take a recycling stewardship.

Next House Meeting:
October 14, 2007 7:00p.m

Mission Statement

2007-10-06T12:20:00.000-06:00

Mission Statement:

Our forest garden is a living ark supporting and supported by hundreds of useful and functional, native and non-native plants, whose ecological niches run the gamut of ecological succession and make up a healthy and diverse landscape mosaic within a larger permaculture context. We gather our sustenance in every way from our garden, organizing ourselves in a non-centralized, autonomous, and directly democratic way to provide ourselves and our community spiritual, cultural, and physical living from this land and water.

Desired foods and other useful products (types and season) and specific “must-have” species.
- We eat fresh food from our garden May through November with a large surplus to sell, process and to put into storage for winter provisions.

The forest garden and greenhouses provide a variety of edible fruits, nuts, berries, shoots, leaves, roots, culinary herbs, medicinals, edible flowers, and mushrooms.

We cultivate honeybees, fish, crustaceans, poultry, eggs, pig and goat products from our aquaculture and forage arrangements.

Other essential needs you want the garden to fulfill, whether spiritual, emotional, aesthetic, practical, or otherwise;
- We create our living completely from our forest garden which provides us leisured repose, income, spiritual and physical sustenance, and knowledge.
- We are a bioregional archetype for effective, sustainable, decentralized permaculture design.
- We are an ecological haven for augmenting the Earth’s and societal health.

Other (present and future) uses of the site with which the forest garden must be compatible.
- Homes, microcommunities and their surrounding forest gardens within our ecovillage are nuclei that merge, compounding the ecological benefits of a social mutualism.
- Our community is an effective space of resisting and eliminating oppression in all its human manifestations.
- Our ecological community is a space for other local communities to gain support in their struggles against heteronomous power and oppressions.

Desired successional stages and vegetation architecture or patterns.
- Our forest garden is a mosaic of dynamic successionary stages, composing patches of forest and gap ecologies in the outer zones, and windbreaks and savannaesque oldfield mosaics in the closer zones, with the majority of the garden in midsuccession aggradation.

We consciously direct the ecological succession of our environment, through intelligent rotating agroforestry, coppice rotation and polyculture guild development.

Our forest garden has a diversity of “feels” – some wilder, some managed and manicured, some sunny and open, some shady, and some private.

How your garden relates to the larger ecosystem and neighborhood context, e.g., are there functions you want the garden to perform to make the environment healthier or to improve your privacy, connection to neighbors, views, or other issues?
- Our forest garden functions as a communitarian hub of activity, supporting community gatherings of all types and uses.
- Our forest garden is an oasis in a currently degraded ecosystem, which positively influences our neighbors to want to create similar ecological manifestations.
- Our garden is supportive of a vast biodiversity of beneficial wildlife.
- We bring the soil and water back to life after protracted observation and intelligent labor, thereby maintaining a self-regenerating fertility and transformation of polluted ground waters into clean water.

Your sense of your basic approach to key issues such as
- use of native, exotic, and opportunist species;
  - We choose the species in our garden based on their ability to fit a specific niche regardless of region of origin, although we go out of our way to incorporate underutilized western prairie natives.

how much you want to adapt to or modify problematic site conditions;

To quickly maximize productivity, we modify the site to the design’s requirements in zones 1 and 2.
In zones 3 outwards, we select species and develop a design that works with the existing conditions of the site.

your willingness to work for desired high-maintenance crops or to eat whatever you can grow with minimal effort;

We put in the required work our CSA requires and do not do not use any herbicides, fungicides or non-organic pesticides (organic pesticides are used as only a last resort method).
Being adaptable to the necessities of our patrons, we grow all socially lucrative vegetable, grain, fruit, nut, medicinal, vining, root, and meat crops and foods we consume as a living cooperative, provided they are hardy to our climate zone and greenhouses.
We emphasize palatable, resilient, “pest-proof” species where appropriate.
- in what ways, if any, you want to experiment, and what you are not willing to risk.
We experiment with various polycultures and guild arrangements, acorn grain milling and palatability, grafting, propagation, mushroom cultivation, and habitat creation for endangered species, with a caveat that our food supply is reliable and our financial needs are met through a successful CSA (until the capitalist epoch is superceded or until our situation is less precarious upon the vagaries of state land entitlement).
We experiment with sustainable green building techniques such as greenhouse design, moldering compost toilets, and other building methods to expand and suit the human community and its daily needs.

Your maintenance and establishment efforts and approximate total budget.
- Forest garden maintenance is done by members of the worker’s cooperative, ranging between 1-6 people who put in anywhere between 30-50 hours of work a week depending on “rush” or “non-rush” garden requirements.
- Zone 1 and windbreaks are planted as instant successions while zones 2 and beyond are relay planted, as nuclei that merge, to improve soil quality until higher value crops may be assured success when they are planted.
- We rely on labor time of members in the worker’s cooperative, out of pocket and living cooperative financing for early garden establishment, and grants, CSA, market garden, and nursery revenue for forest garden development.

2007-10-06T12:18:00.000-06:00

Is this house your permanent, year-round residence? Do you expect to move in the future? If so, how soon?
- This site is expectedly our permanent residence, contingent only on the decision making of Reisbeck Subdivision.

Are the existing driveways and paved paths on-site adequate? Do they need expansion now or in the future? Can they be reduced in size? Will or do you need more area for parking, or for storage, of large equipment or recreational vehicles (tractors, boats, trailers, and such)?
- For our current use, the existing driveways are adequate.
- We expand access roads just as much as is needed to provide resource drop-off and pickup to and from the land.
- We decentralize social life from the automobile by operating with a “no superfluous roads” precept.
- Walking, mule trails, and some main vein bicycle paths are created for movement around the land.
- Vehicle storage is done in the main extant parking lot, near the barn and along 112^th Ave. for overflow “party” traffic.

Do you expect to increase the size of the house septic system at any time in the future? If you have a septic system and decide to add bedrooms, you will need to increase the size of the septic system to accommodate the extra bedrooms.
- Our human waste disposal program uses the humanure moldering toilet system.
- We integrate an attached moldering toilet to every new building we create.
- Where appropriate numbers and use will allow, we use a digester to harvest usable biogas methane.
- Our human waste recycling effectively makes a problem into a solution by creating a usable product out of otherwise pollution.

Are the patios, decks, and so on adequately sized? Do you see any expansion of these?
- Our permaculture design has earmarked for an attached shade house and outdoor kitchen with a wood fired hot tub attached to the North side of the main farmhouse.

What activities occur outside around your house? Where do they occur, and what size, shape, and location of an area do these need? Are there any needs for lawn-sports areas, children’s play areas, outdoor cooking, group gatherings, and so on? How many people, what size area, and how frequently?
- Large parties happen here at most twice a year of 200+/- people (Summer equinox and harvest) and use the barn space, vehicle lot and outdoor kitchen space.
- There is an outdoor kitchen on the North side of the main farmhouse.
- There is a small intimate and quiet space for small meetings (15 people max.) in the mandala of the forest garden.

Do you plan or want to leave room for major landscape elements such as a pool, pond, tennis or other game court, shed, greenhouse, and the like?
- We set aside land according to our desire to implement a large-scale, keyline aquaculture operation.
- All houses, commercial buildings, and barns have attached greenhouses a la CRMPI.

What other gardens might you have or like to have in the future?
- All residential buildings have forest gardens around them, providing sustenance to their inhabitants.
- All outer zones (2 and beyond) are the commons shared between residence buildings.

What service area requirements are there now or might there be in the future, e.g., dog runs, clotheslines, compost and trash areas, septic tank pump-truck access, or gas and oil tanks?
- Our static compost areas are relegated generally to zone 2’s.
- Trash produced from our almost zero waste community is either taken to the dump, it is set on either 112th Ave., or Belle Creek Rd. to wait for pick up.
- There is a clothesline that runs between the two telephone poles just 20 feet North of the barn.
- We leave at least 90’ of pump-tank to septic tank and clean out line access.

2007-10-06T12:17:00.000-06:00

Overarching and Specific Goals:

Why do you want a forest garden? What are you yearning for that you believe a forest garden will give you? What value does it offer you, or what values does it embody?
- The forest garden provides us with 85% of all our extant food needs
- Our economic well being is taken care of by selling products that originate from our garden
- Our spiritual and physical health is supported by our garden.
- Our forest garden provides us an environment for repose and for the satisfaction of our curiosities.
- Our awareness and ecological consciousness is sharpened and increased when we spend time in our garden.
- Our garden is a place we are proud and excited to show to friends.
- Our garden is romantic, mystical, and evokes a sense of yugen.
- We are happy our forest garden is an ecologically biodiverse oasis, supporting the healing of the Earth after centuries of devastation from colonialism to modern industrialism.
- Our garden supports the gathering of two hundred people for parties, group meals, dancing, classes and meditation in its outer zones.

What are you looking for in a forest garden? What specific and tangible benefits do you hope to gain? How will you know you have achieved your overarching goals?
- Our forest garden doesn’t even look like a farm.
- The stream rushes down swiftly and we feel still. The flowers fall incessantly, yet we feel quiet.
- Our forest garden supports its workers completely economically.
- The bioregional archetype notoriety our forest garden has attracts others who want to create similar and connective ecosystems.
- The self renewing fertility, sustainable water demand, minimal herbivory, minimal competition, healthy plants, and diverse succession stages all attribute to overyielding polycultures we use everyday and in business, signifying completeness.

Your Approach to Key Issues

Natives, exotics and opportunists
- We use whatever species best fit our niches, desired functions and uses without regard to place of origin.
- We use natives copiously to fulfill our desired functions and uses.

Adapt or modify
- In zone 1 and somewhat in zone 2, we modify the site to the design’s requirements.
- In zones 3 outwards we select species and develop a design that works with the existing conditions of the site.

Work for valued crops or eat what grows:
- Our market garden and possibly the CSA require us to work for crops whose general maintenance is relatively high.
- We do not use any herbicides, fungicides or non-organic pesticides. We use dormant oils as they’re needed.
- We experiment with tree pruning strategies a la Fukuoka.
- All organic use of pesticides is a last resort measure.
- We grow all socially lucrative vegetable, grain, fruit, nut, medicinal, vining, root, and meat crops.
- We are adaptable to the necessities of our patrons.
- We emphasize palatable, resilient, “pest-proof” species where appropriate.

Experimentation:
- We experiment with various polycultures and guilds as much as it doesn’t dramatically fool with the market garden’s and CSA’s smooth running.
- We experiment with various polycultures and guild arrangements, acorn grain milling and palatability, grafting, propagation, mushroom cultivation, and habitat creation for endangered species.
- Our experimentation doesn’t gamble a steady crop for the CSA.
- We draw skills and knowledge from acclaimed masters in greenhouse design, moldering compost toilets, and building to create attached houses and toilets that work for our needs and special requirements.

Desired Crops and Uses

What kinds of foods do you like to eat? Are certain kinds of foods a priority?
- Our diet is diverse and encompasses any and all edible fruits, nuts, berries, shoots, leaves, roots, culinary herbs, edible flowers, mushrooms, fish, crustaceans, poultry, eggs, pig and goat products that are USDA hardy to our zone and growable in our greenhouses.
- We prioritize fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, poultry products, culinary herbs and salad greens in our growing strategy.

What specific crops do you want to grow?
- (see attached niche analysis form)

Approximately how much fruit do you eat in a year? How many nuts? Would you eat more of these if you were growing them and had them available?

What medicinal herbs do you regularly use, or might you use? Condiment herbs?
- We use horseradish, catsup, honey, hot pepper Chalupa like sauce, and tamari, umeboshi plum vinegar, and miso as condiment herbs.
- We use, grow, tincture, stock, replace, give, and sell numerous different herbs fitting to heal or relieve symptoms and sickness of all different kinds. We strive to thoroughly relieve our want of health insurance and do not need to ever purchase any pharmaceuticals outside of extreme, life-threatening situations.

Do you want to process foods and herbs for storage (e.g., canning, drying, preserves, tinctures) or just use them fresh?
- Food and herb processing is in alignment with our activity of almost complete food self-sustenance. We process foods and herbs in value-added activities and for cold season sustenance.

Do you want your fruits and other produce to be spread throughout the season or lumped in batches of harvest? Specify timing if you can for different crop types, specific crop species, or crops for storage versus crops for fresh eating.
- We produce fruit and nuts of all different types that ripen at different times due to inter- and intra-species variety, thus providing fresh eating and reduced processing workload, which is spread throughout the growing season.
- Many crops, including root foods, grains, and some vegetables, are harvested in bunches at the end of the growing season to prepare winter provisions.

What other uses and functions are important to you?
- Our garden additionally functions to provide food for our chickens, pigs, turkeys and goats, and provides cut flowers for zone 0 use, forage for hummingbirds and butterflies, ornamental aesthetics, and scented plants in high traffic and foul smelling areas.
- Our aquaculture setup not only provides us with a high protein food source, but also helps us bioremediate polluted waters that come from our underground aquifer.

Desired Landscape Patterns

What kind of environment do you hope to create? A shady forest, an open savanna, a wild oldfield mosaic, a tidy orchard? More than one? A sequence?
- Our forest garden is a mosaic of dynamic successionary stages in patches including forest ecologies in the outer zones, and windbreaks and savannaesque oldfield mosaics in the closer zones.
- We help direct the ecological succession of our environment, through intelligent rotating agroforestry.

Are there specific wild areas or gardens that you want to mimic? What is it about these places you want to bring to your garden?
- Our garden is somewhat ecologically similar to Jerome’s garden at the CRMPI.
- We mimic CRMPI’s taste for aesthetics, business, functionality and ethic in earth care.

Review the patterns in chapter 2. What site patterns (#s 3 through 8) and patterns of the garden (#s 9 through 22) might you want to use? Do other patterns in the pattern language particularly speak to you? If so, list them.
- We utilize and integrate the site pattern of habitat diversity throughout and in accordance to the different zones and sectors of the forest garden.
- Site repair and water use in our forest garden decreases in activity and intensity as we move outwards in the garden’s zones.
- Every zone of our forest garden has some place for casual living, whether conspicuous or inconspicuous.
- Some conspicuous living rooms of our garden integrate the mandala design pattern (#10).
- Our garden comprises an accumulation of various ecological patches more or less separated by garden paths.
- Many of our pre-successionary forest patches are temporary shrublands before the forest matures.
- Star and flower shaped minithickets of thorny, thicket-like plants, particularly of the Rubus genus, abound in zone 2 of the forest garden.
- An oldfield mosaic is the dominating successionary feature in zone 1 of our forest garden.
- Woodland gardening is prevalent in zone 3 and somewhat (40%) in zone 2 of our forest garden.
- A mature-forest forest garden motif is prevalent in our windbreaks, windfunnels, woodlot, and in zone 4.
- Sporadic gaps and clearings permeate the zone 4 mature-forest forest garden.
- The overall landscape of our forest garden is a shifting mosaic at different ecological successionary stages.
- We consciously plan the successions of the forest garden to match plant lifespan and coppice rotations.

Logistical and Budget Issues

How many people will be maintaining the forest garden? Who? How much time per week on a consistent basis per person? How much time per week during “rush” work periods, such as planting and harvesting?
- Maintenance, guidance, and creation of the forest garden will be done by workers in the worker’s cooperative and by volunteers.
- Numbers of total workers may range from 1-6 people.
- Each person puts a total of 30-35 hours a week into the forest garden.
- Each person puts a total of 40-50 hours a week into the forest garden during “rush” work periods of planting and harvesting.

What kind of budget do you have for system establishment (time and money)? Do you intend all-at-once or piecemeal establishment (See pattern #s 30 through 34)?
- Our primary succession stages call us to relay-plant biomass producing plants, dynamic accumulators, and nitrogen fixers until the soil is healthy enough to support more useful and desirable plants.
- The windbreaks and zone 1 forest garden are planted as instant successions.
- The zones 2, 3 and 4 forest garden is planted as nuclei that merge in order to save money on plant expenditure and to observe the polyculture’s combination interactions.
- Money for the development of the forest garden comes from market garden, CSA, nursery and other farm product sales revenue and from gifts and grants, including the government’s Conservation Reserve Program.
- Labor time comes from members of the worker’s cooperative.
- Early stage forest garden financing comes out of pocket, from gifts, and from whatever money the living cooperative consensuses to provide.