Build a Hugelkultur - PEP BB gardening.sand.hugelkultur

I built a Hügelkultur at Allerton Abbey during SKIP camp, as part of a long line of attached Hügels. We used wood from around the site, entirely conifer, a mix of dry and green. There was a lot of loose bark as well. When it was done I mulched it with limbs from harvesting junkpoles (also conifer), plus other underbrush including serviceberry and those bushes that look like currant but aren't. I also used hay when I ran out of other mulch.

I planted it with Jerusalem Artichoke, comfrey, field mint, birdsfoot treefoil, red kuri squash, Sepp Holzer graiins, red clover, daikon radish, common vetch, rose clover, white clover, and field peas. Later, after making seed balls for the foraging BB, I came back and planted about 10 seed balls as well, containing field mint, white clover, lambs quarters, mustard seed mix, Shoshone Sainfoin, common vetch, hairy vetch, cherry and apple.

Taking pictures was challenging because the Hügel was right up against the Abbey fence, with other Hügels all around so there wasn't much space to move around. Still, hopefully it will be all clear. I'm attaching:

 - Two pics of the site before the work is started with the intended location marked out with three white rods sticking up out of the ground and one orange and white rod
 - Three pics of three different stages of construction: one of the first layer of wood, a second showing dirt being added with the excavator, and a third showing a later layer of wood
 - One pic when the hugelkultur is completely built but not planted or mulched proving it is 7 feet tall. I've also included a second one to demonstrate it's 6 feet long despite the fact that two markers got buried and one moved by the excavator. In that picture a friend and I show 12' on the measuring tape from the far side of my Hügel to the near side of the next Hügel down. The far, un-mulched six feet are mine.
 - A pic of all the stuff about to be planted
 - Two pics of the site after the work is complete from the same two locations as the beginning pictures.

Update/clarification: Per Paul the 75% nitrogen fixers only applies to the seeds, not the Jerusalem artichokes or sunchokes.

Mike Haasl wrote:This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEP curriculum.  Completing this BB is part of getting the sand badge in Gardening.

To document your completion of the BB, provide the following:
  - Two pics of the site before the work is started with the intended location marked out.
         - Probably marked with wood laid on the ground that will soon be buried!
  - Three pics of three different stages of construction - showing the contents of the hugelkultur
  - One pic when the hugelkultur is completely built but not planted or mulched proving it is 7 feet tall and 6 feet long
  - Pics of all the stuff about to be planted
  - A paragraph or two of what wood was used and where it came from, what was planted, what mulches were applied and anything else interesting
  - Two pics of the site after the work is complete from the same two locations as the beginning pictures.

Is there any time requirement between when the wood is stacked, and when the hugelkultur mound is planted?

For example, I would like stack the wood this summer/fall.  However, I would like to add the soil; then the seed & transplant the required plants on the mound next spring.  If all the requisite photos were taken, at the appropriate times, would I still be eligible to earn this BB?

There is no such time requirement so you would be eligible.

We didn't do it this way, but built raised beds the Hugelkultur way.

Mike Haasl wrote:This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEP curriculum.  Completing this BB is part of getting the sand badge in Gardening.

Jump into the full power of permaculture gardening.  Create a garden that will pump out food for decades with no further effort.  

Hugelkultur is laid out very well in this Richsoil Article.

To complete this BB, the minimum requirements are:
  - 7 feet tall, 7 feet wide, 6 feet long
  - mulch it with at least 4 different kinds of mulch
  - seed/plant at least a dozen different species
  - seeds are mostly nitrogen fixers (>75% by volume)
  - at least three comfrey plants
  - at least three sunchokes
  - at least a dozen sepp holzer grains (currently available as a prize for anyone who reaches BB20)

To document your completion of the BB, provide the following:
  - Two pics of the site before the work is started with the intended location marked out.
         - Probably marked with wood laid on the ground that will soon be buried!
  - Three pics of three different stages of construction - showing the contents of the hugelkultur
  - One pic when the hugelkultur is completely built but not planted or mulched proving it is 7 feet tall and 6 feet long
  - Pics of all the stuff about to be planted
  - A paragraph or two of what wood was used and where it came from, what was planted, what mulches were applied and anything else interesting
  - Two pics of the site after the work is complete from the same two locations as the beginning pictures.

Clarifications:
  - You may use an excavator or other heavy equipment if desired.  (opportunity for a two-fer with the earthworks badge)
  - If you dig 3 foot deep trenches on either side of the hugelkultur spot, you can use that soil, mixed with wood, to make a hugelkultur bed that is 4 feet above grade but 7 feet tall relative to the bottom of the trench. That is one way to satisfy this BB.  
  - if you are building on a slope, measure the height from both sides and the average needs to be 7' or higher

I'm going to do this within the next couple weekends.  I'm new to this forum, but I want to get involved.