• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • Nancy Reading
  • John F Dean
  • paul wheaton
  • r ranson
  • Timothy Norton
  • Jay Angler
stewards:
  • AndrĂ©s Bernal
  • Pearl Sutton
  • Anne Miller
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
gardeners:
  • M Ljin
  • Jeremy VanGelder
  • thomas rubino

5 Acre - Ecorestoration/peraculture/food forest/homestead in Washington State

  • Likes 4
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hi Everyone
First post here - I've been looking for land and learning about permaculture for 1-2 years off and on. I recently found and close in the next couple weeks on a 5 acre plot near Eatonville Washington. Full disclosure, I have barely gardened more then a couple handfuls of herbs and strawberries for the last couple of years and all indoors, I work in technology, and outside of reading I have no clue what I'm doing. The land I bought was completely clear cut, all of the ground is covered with tree tops, stumps, and ruts.

The Land
The property is 5 square acres on a hill top area approx 40 feet above the surrounding ground, I've been looking for over 2 years and most property around here is full of wetlands, this property has no wetlands on it. It is about a 8% slope facing south-east. 2-3 acres of the land on top is fairly flat, with the remaining being the sloped areas. Its just sitting is such a perfect area (including the amazing mountain views). I've heard the permaculture quotes that no land is a blank slate but this has to be as close to one as you could get, even the dirt has all been turned over and extremely disturbed.

When the land was forested there was an agreement with the department of natural resources (DNR) to reforest the property, last week 1500 conifers were planted. They have to remain there for 1 growing season for the permit to be closed. Once this is closed out I can file for a single family dwelling exemption allowing me access to build a home and supporting infrastructure on 2 acres.

End Goal
First off I need to protect the trees from deer, I will be fencing in the 5 acres with a 6 foot tall deer fence and start growing a living fence just outside of it (I am currently thinking a mix of hathorn, hazel, willow, elderbery, and rugosa rose.)

I would like a path just on the inside of the fence so I could walk the parameter and make sure all the animals on the property are somewhat safe.
Zone 4/5
I would like 2 acres of the land to be a PNW restored natural forest area Im thinking of removing some conifers and replacing them with red cedar, bigleaf maple, red alder, and pacific madrone adding a mix of salmonberry, oregon grape, snowberry, western sword fern, yarrow, oceanspray, lupines, and serviceberry. I am noticing some native swords popping up and some seedlings start to show that I cant identify yet.
Zone 3/4
I would like an additional acre to be orchard guilds / food forest - I havent picked out to much here yet I figured Im pretty far away from this.
Zone 1/2
I essentially dont want a traditional garden at all, I would however love a giant greenhouse either attached or directly next to my home - like a kitchen garden where I can grow most of my normal day to day food veggies. Im not to keen on animals - maybe a couple chickens for the eggs

Learning
I've picked up Permaculture: A designers manual by bill mollison, The sustainable homestead by angela ferraro fanning, and Im taking the free permaculture course from OSU.

I have a million questions and will make additional posts for them but I am here to learn so if you have any critiques or things I should go read/study I would love the feedback!
South.png
Recently logged land that will become a permaculture wonderland
 
pioneer
Posts: 235
Location: Wisconsin Zone 5a
93
cat forest garden chicken building medical herbs wood heat
  • Likes 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Congratulations on your land purchase! I look forward to seeing a post or two of how you put this new land to use.  
 
Posts: 3
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Looks amazing. Keep us updated on what you do.
 
Michael Cantrall
Posts: 11
forest garden foraging bee
  • Likes 4
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Just a picture of one of my 1500 Douglas Firs, may the odds be ever in your favor little guys.
PXL_20250120_220134986.jpg
[Thumbnail for PXL_20250120_220134986.jpg]
 
Michael Cantrall
Posts: 11
forest garden foraging bee
  • Likes 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Did a soil nutrient test to see where it stands. I did take these outside on natural light but I only had two hands for the picture. Looks like I'm missing some nitrogen and phosphorus.

We did some digging and across the property in 5 holes it appears I'm pretty shallow ranging from 4-6 feet above bedrock, which appears to be broken granite.

I did the soil stratification test and it is definitely heavy in sands, looking like at least 85%.

From these results I'm thinking I might want to get the following going:
White Clover - broadly add nitrogen to the soil.
Yarrow - helps pull phosphorus from the granite.

Before planting anything I need to spend more time to identify what is popping up and what they contribute to the soil.
PXL_20250209_033920407.NIGHT.jpg
[Thumbnail for PXL_20250209_033920407.NIGHT.jpg]
 
Posts: 7
Location: PNW, Puget Sound / Skagit Valley
forest garden fungi homestead
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hello Michael,

I'm about 3 hours north of you but would welcome a visit if you are up my way.  I am doing habitat restoration and edible planting.  I am short on N but plenty of P&K; so I have been planting clover, fenugreek, faba & fava beans, Austrian winter peas, etc.  Sorghum/Sudan grass hybrids and rye have deep roots and are a good way to accumulate biomass; because they suck up N that encourages the N fixers to do more.  If available try to get wood chips from arborists or lumber mills and manure from horse or dairy people.
 
"I know this defies the law of gravity... but I never studied law." -B. Bunny Defiant tiny ad:
The new purple deck of permaculture playing cards
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/paulwheaton/garden-cards
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic