Friends,

I am a relatively new convert to permaculture and natural farming. In March (2013), I bought 14 acres on Wye Mountain, which is in between Lake Maumelle and the Arkansas River. Coincidentally, it's also in between Little Rock and Conway. My wife and I (both in our late 20's) planted an annual garden, dug some swales, bought chickens, began construction on a cob root cellar, and we're currently working on a food forest. We don't really know what we're doing, ha.

Are there any permaculture folks in Central Arkansas? We'd love to meet you...even if you're amateurs, like us. My wife and I are very interested in community organizing, as well. Personally, I'd even be willing to help lead/organize a group in Central Arkansas. I'm very interested in developing food forests on public land...or maybe even some guerrilla gardening. Lots of big plans, but we know we can't do it by ourselves.

Look forward to meeting you!

Peace and love,
D & P

Welcome to permies Drew !

Hello, Drew...Welcome. Great to hear of more folks in Arkansas. We are farther north near Mountain View in the mountains. I know a lot of organic growers in this area with permaculture leanings...although I know we are scattered all over...just not always visible. We usually run into gardener/farmers at markets here that we would never have known about otherwise...some permies at heart without knowing the word...I think that is a great way to find out who is growing in your area. I haven't been to one but friends sell at the the river market in LR and I thought Conway had an active market. I have a plant and seed exchange here late march or early april...I can let you know when if you would like to travel this far. And there is a seed exchange at the Ozark folk center in February that is all open pollinated seeds.

Judith Browning wrote:Hello, Drew...Welcome. Great to hear of more folks in Arkansas. We are farther north near Mountain View in the mountains. I know a lot of organic growers in this area with permaculture leanings...although I know we are scattered all over...just not always visible. We usually run into gardener/farmers at markets here that we would never have known about otherwise...some permies at heart without knowing the word...I think that is a great way to find out who is growing in your area. I haven't been to one but friends sell at the the river market in LR and I thought Conway had an active market. I have a plant and seed exchange here late march or early april...I can let you know when if you would like to travel this far. And there is a seed exchange at the Ozark folk center in February that is all open pollinated seeds.

Judith,

Thanks for the response! I love Mountain View. I actually grew up in Mountain Home and I spent some time playing music with folks from around your area. I'd love to know when you're planning your seed swap. Yes, I frequent the local markets and I've met a lot of organic farmers/gardeners. However, a lot of them don't even realize what permaculture is all about. Ha. We'll show them the light, eventually.

Thanks again for the post!
Drew

Hello! I am living on 200 acres in Mena, AR, which is a fair piece from you, but in the same basic area. I have been reading Sepp's books and watching his videos, and I'm going to get started here very soon. Hope this note finds you all well and willing to interact!

Kevin

I just rented 8 acres in southwest Arkansas (Hope). It'd be fun to meet you guys sometime!

Kevin Byrne wrote:Hello! I am living on 200 acres in Mena, AR, which is a fair piece from you, but in the same basic area. I have been reading Sepp's books and watching his videos, and I'm going to get started here very soon. Hope this note finds you all well and willing to interact!

Kevin

Kevin,

Great to hear from you! Mena is a little ways away from us, but I've made the drive plenty of times. I love Sepp's work! Glad to know there are other folks in Arkansas!

Drew

Hello!

I'm from Batesville, Arkansas.. It's been about a year now since your post.. how is everything going?

Hi Kevin,
How is Mena? I have never been there, but my grandmother was born there.
How is the area on crime and what is the population size there?
I have been thinking of moving someday.

Drew I grew up in the area if wye my Bigelow perryville. My family and I are moving back, my children and I by June or sooner. It would be good to talk. I plan on homesteading on a few family acres. I have been living in the innercity in northern Illinois since 2002, and i just started tinkering in my yard. I would like to hear of your ideas and progress if you are still in the area. My email is Chrishartig@icloud.com.

Lynne and Drew, I am sorry but I didn't notice the posts until today. Mena is not the greatest place, but we are making do here. A lot of drugs out in them thar hills unfortunately. Very poor, low education, but they are trying. The local high school is one of the higher rated in this state.

My permaculture is going slowly but surely. We had a commercial greenhouse donated, have had good success with a single hugel bed using Paul Gautchi covering methodology (wood chip cover, had to amend the soil just a bit).

Hi, I am new to permaculture and located in central Arkansas as well. I have a bit of land in the country that I would like to create a food forest on but have not been very successful in finding types of plants from this area to use. Perhaps some of you could suggest some interesting types of nitrogen fixing trees to use. I have currently some red buds and access to get mimosas. Not sure if I want to use locusts trees or not. What would some other good choices be for Arkansas?

I am just southwest of Little Rock, but operating on an urban/home scale.

Drew Buff wrote:Friends,

I am a relatively new convert to permaculture and natural farming. In March (2013), I bought 14 acres on Wye Mountain, which is in between Lake Maumelle and the Arkansas River. Coincidentally, it's also in between Little Rock and Conway. My wife and I (both in our late 20's) planted an annual garden, dug some swales, bought chickens, began construction on a cob root cellar, and we're currently working on a food forest. We don't really know what we're doing, ha.

Are there any permaculture folks in Central Arkansas? We'd love to meet you...even if you're amateurs, like us. My wife and I are very interested in community organizing, as well. Personally, I'd even be willing to help lead/organize a group in Central Arkansas. I'm very interested in developing food forests on public land...or maybe even some guerrilla gardening. Lots of big plans, but we know we can't do it by ourselves.

Look forward to meeting you!

Peace and love,
D & P

Hey Drew (and everyone in Central Arkansas), I'm fairly close to you, just west of Pinnacle Mountain. I'd love to start building community with local permaculture enthusiasts. Already made a few friends in the Morrilton area, so I know we're out there!

hau Drew, glad to have you aboard. For us there is always much to do and little time. We have our Guinea Hogs and will be adding poultry this year if all goes well.

We are doing everything by hand at this point, just means we are fully in touch with earth mother.

Hello Friends,

I am also a new to permaculture (actually since about 2 yrs ago) when I stumbled upon the subject while watching random organic farming videos on Youtube. I have lived in the Ozark foothills near Heber Springs for about 15 years now and love being out of the rat race. I have almost 10 acres (zone 7) of semi rocky sandy loam soil with the top soil being only a few inches deep so gardening here has been a big challenge. Luckily I have an unlimited supply of highly composted mulch from two nearby towns. I have been adding that to my garden as well as constructing raised beds out of the compost that I plan to add manure and rock dust to. A food forest is also something that would love to design and start this year. I am really glad that I found this website and hope to get to know you all. I haven't really met anyone in my everyday life that has ever heard of permaculture but love to tell people about it as best as I can. I am very excited about all of this and I want to thank you all for you posts have been a great inspiration to me and some very interesting reading.

Brad

Blessings out to central Arkansas permaculture folks.  We're in year  2 of market farming on old family farm . First year  implementing permaculture.  Hoping to connect with y'all.

hau Bradley, glad to have you here.  I am sure you will be able to learn quite a lot of different methods to build soil and all other things permaculture.

Redhawk

hau T Komla, welcome to permies and permaculture. Glad you are keeping that family farm alive.

Redhawk

Functionally based in Little Rock, I've got my eye on every portion of the State. As this thread begins in the Wye Mountain area, I should mention that Tom Frothingham's nursery on HWY 10 is probably the closest full-service heritage varietals and information connection available to me and you.

As to Mena, Mountain View, Mountain Home, Hope and Villiona, I've got feelers throughout these areas because of my longstanding family and extended family connections. This month, I will be completing geoff lawton's online PDC certificate course. And, though I'm not yet ready to dawn the title of a true "green thumb," I have successfully entered into projects in Pine Bluff, Conway, Clinton, Mulberry and just yesterday a new one in Cabot. I'll be working with solar expert Jerry Landrum, of the NWA Permaculture Group, on the perfect back-up power system for a couple hiding out deep in the back woods.

Please do include me in y'alls regional mailing lists, and community meet-ups!
Tom-Scott Gordon chezkiva (at) att.net
(501) 225-1323