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One Mason bee can pollinate 200 times more flowers than one honey bee. Unlike honey bees, Mason bees are native to North America.

WOFATI structures demonstrate remarkable effectiveness due to their unique design features and emphasis on passive systems. The "two-skin" system, characterized by a double layer of membrane, protects the structure from moisture, ensuring dryness and longevity. WOFATI designs prioritize the use of natural and locally sourced materials, primarily wood and earth, significantly reducing the building's environmental impact and embodying the "freaky-cheap" philosophy pioneered by Mike Oehler. The core principle of "Annualized Thermal Inertia" harnesses the earth's thermal mass to regulate temperature fluctuations, providing passive heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. Large windows strategically placed on the uphill side, along with a spacious gable roof on the downhill side, often incorporating glazing, maximize passive solar gain, further enhancing energy efficiency. By minimizing reliance on artificial heating and cooling systems, WOFATIs achieve substantial energy savings. Allerton Abbey, the first WOFATI built at Wheaton Labs, exemplifies the practicality and success of this building technique

WOFATI, an acronym for Woodland Oehler Freaky-cheap Annualized Thermal Inertia, represents an innovative approach to sustainable building, coined by permaculture expert Paul Wheaton. This building technique combines the affordability and simplicity of Mike Oehler’s earth-sheltered designs with Wheaton's focus on cost reduction and integration with the natural environment. WOFATI structures prioritize the use of readily available, natural materials, such as wood and earth, minimizing reliance on manufactured products and reducing the building's environmental footprint. Annualized Thermal Inertia, a key principle of WOFATI, utilizes the surrounding earth as a thermal mass, storing heat in the summer to warm the building during winter and retaining cool temperatures from winter to moderate summer heat, thereby minimizing energy consumption for heating and cooling. WOFATI designs typically feature large windows on the uphill side to maximize passive solar gain, further reducing energy needs. WOFATIs are intended to be situated on or near a woodland, embracing the concept of harmonious integration with nature. Notable examples of WOFATI structures, including Allerton Abbey and Wofati 0.8, can be found at Wheaton Labs in Montana.

SKIP, which stands for Skills to Inherit Property, is a permaculture-based program designed to connect aspiring homesteaders with aging landowners seeking successors for their properties. The program consists of over a thousand practical projects, referred to as "Badge Bits" (BBs), encompassing various aspects of sustainable living, such as gardening, natural building, animal care, and food preservation. Participants, known as "Skippers," complete these BBs, documenting their progress with pictures and videos to demonstrate their skills and dedication. As Skippers gain experience, they progress through levels of certification, starting with PEP1 (Permaculture Experience according to Paul) and culminating in PEP4, representing a significant level of expertise. "Otis," a fictional character in the SKIP program, represents the numerous landowners seeking worthy individuals to inherit their properties. The program aims to create a bridge between these Otises and Skippers, offering a pathway for Skippers to "skip the rat race" and acquire land while providing Otises with peace of mind knowing their homesteads will be in capable hands. SKIP emphasizes practical skills and real-world experience, fostering a sense of accomplishment and self-sufficiency among participants.

Hugelkultur, is an advanced permaculture technique for creating self-sustaining raised garden beds filled with decomposing wood. The technique involves burying a variety of wood materials, including logs, branches, twigs, and even whole trees, under layers of soil, creating a complex and dynamic environment for plant growth. As the wood decomposes, it acts as "a sponge to hold water," reducing the need for irrigation. This decomposition also generates heat, which can extend the growing season, particularly in cooler climates. The shrinking wood creates air pockets, making the beds "self-tilling" and promoting excellent aeration for plant roots. These "parking spaces for water and nutrients," as described by Paul Wheaton, enhance soil fertility, attract beneficial microorganisms, and release nutrients, reducing or eliminating the need for fertilizers. Hugelkultur beds are remarkably adaptable and can be built in various shapes and sizes, as exemplified by Sepp Holzer's large-scale project in Dayton, Montana, which features nearly a kilometer of hugelkultur beds.