Ispirazione

Location: Austria
Project Start Date: January 2008
Expected Completion Date: Ongoing

Project Concept:

Our main purpose is to help expand Permaculture concepts so that people are prepared to survive. It is not only the developing countries that will suffer when resources run out. We hope to provide a training site as well as be an inspiring example in a culture that has much at stake.

The actual project involves converting a successful, conventional pig farm into a self-sufficient island farm based in permaculture. We hope to reduce the impact of this farm on the earth, simplifying, introducing diversity and increasing productivity. We also hope to inspire people as we ourselves are inspired by the project.

Detailed Project Description:

We moved to this farm in mid-November, 2007. It is 36 acre (13 hectare) farm with fields of barley, rye, oats and triticale surrounded by forest. To date it has been operating as a conventional pig farm that uses the grain harvested to feed the pigs. Included are a slaughterhouse, a smokehouse, large refrigeration and freezer systems, commercial production area with sausage making equipment and machinery for the manufacture of additional pork products which are taken to the market in Salzburg. Sales at the market currently support this operation in a pristine, expensive arrangement. When we were offered the opportunity to take over this farm, we negotiated that we convert it into a self-sufficient island based in permaculture. We are inspired by the challenge.

Our first focus was introducing diversity. We set to work by preparing the soil nearest the house with compost that we acquired in a work trade from a nearby organic farm; creating our own compost pile, which has grown to 500 feet in length; salvaging a 25 x 102 foot (8 x 34 meter) greenhouse from another farm which we dismantled and rebuilt on our property; establishing simple rainwater harvesting systems; building our own beehives; fencing pasture and building small rabbit tractors. We then obtained bees, goats, sheep and rabbits; planted old variety fruit and nut trees (there are some well established fruit trees already here), berries, vegetables both inside and outside the greenhouse and have used the rainwater exclusively to supply the greenhouse as our food grows. We supply our own vegetables, fruit, milk, cheese and honey, and that all within the past few months!

Project Duration & Schedule:

We have approximately two+ years to complete the phase of converting this farm to permaculture before we are entirely responsible for sole maintenance. After that, we see this as an ongoing project that will continue indefinitely, permanently, eternally!

Our short range projects include building a chicken yard with a coop and a fenced forage system; obtaining chickens; building a compost toilet; extending rainwater catchment and storage systems; adding gardens and trellises; building larger rabbit tractors; and setting up a seed saving bank.

Medium and long range projects include finishing in rough a large attic space above our living space, so that people can join us for workshops and projects. (We currently have 3 rooms available in our house for people to join us.) We are researching alternatives to electrical power with either a windmill or solar panels, but remain undecided due to cost.

Other Info:

One of our biggest challenges has been convincing the farmers who have been running this farm that Permaculture is a viable alternative. There was original skepticism, and it has been a delight to work with old-fashioned farmers who know that, although their ways bring them success, peak oil is a reality, and water is not eternally unlimited. It has been amazing to see minds open up and become excited, even contributing new ideas of their own! We enjoy watching them develop into willing workers who have actually provided a lot of energy towards our project, often with great comedy and enthusiasm.

We welcome ideas, visitors and workers!