Permaculture Projects for Under $20?

elle sagenev wrote:I'd say a lot of my projects are like that. The strawberry pyramid I made on my blog cost me nothing. I got the tires used and hauled in fresh horse manure. The strawberries were a gift. I have quite a few toys for the kids in the yard that cost nothing. My garden beds pretty much cost nothing but seeds. I start my seeds in recycled materials. Yeah, I do a lot on the cheap.

Charles Kleff wrote:

elle sagenev wrote:I'd say a lot of my projects are like that. The strawberry pyramid I made on my blog cost me nothing. I got the tires used and hauled in fresh horse manure. The strawberries were a gift. I have quite a few toys for the kids in the yard that cost nothing. My garden beds pretty much cost nothing but seeds. I start my seeds in recycled materials. Yeah, I do a lot on the cheap.

Well not quite, see not everyone can get fresh horse manure (or any usable manure) for free and get it transported to their property for free. They also can't necessarily get strawberries for free. For these ideas I would want it to be things that I can say "You should be able to get this for free at anytime of your choosing regardless of where you are" and that to be true (within reason). So while I would concede that free tires are not too hard to come by or transport to a property, the other ones for this $20.00 limit would have to have price tags associated with them. This article or video I would want to make wouldn't be about what I could do with stuff that I had gotten for free, but stuff that anyone could do with materials that cost under $20.00 that are pretty much universally available. I could for example do one that had dirt that was free since it came from their yard, but not one that used "free" wood chips since in some areas you can get wood chips for free sometimes or barter for them.

I suppose I phrased the initial problem poorly, I should say does anyone know any projects that highlight permaculture concepts where the combined materials would be valued at $20.00 or less.

Charles Kleff wrote:Let us try to shift it in a different direction then since there will always be a fundamental difference of opinion on what should count as free materials.

Does anyone have any ideas for projects that would allow people to learn about permaculture concepts where all the materials had to be purchased but could be purchased for under $20.00?

Charles Kleff wrote:Does anyone have any ideas for projects that would allow people to learn about permaculture concepts where all the materials had to be purchased but could be purchased for under $20.00?

Charles Kleff wrote:So it seems the general consensus is that what I am imagining happening is not something that realistically can happen. I am saddened by this because I thought it would be a neat idea, a way to make some of the concepts more approachable.

I also do not believe in hosting classes in person, but that is another story .

Charles Kleff wrote:I apologize Pia, I didn't mean to suggest that your ideas were not excellent contributions. I thought they were quite good and in keeping with my proposed issue and added a lot to the conversation.

It just seems that the popular consensus is that what I am asking cannot be done and to avoid disharmony I will not disagree with them .

Danielle Diver wrote:i like your concept. i like the idea of exposing people to small hands-on diy activites (people LOVE that stuff) at the same time slipping in some permaculture propaganda. cant hurt anyway. and it invites new community conversation and creates partnerships. win win win situation.

im with Pia, keep going with this idea~

Charles Kleff wrote:I am loving the ideas and loving the desire to keep this train of thought going!
Chip: So perhaps a video that shows a store bought leek (something from Walmart or any other big box store) having the very bottom cut off, soak until roots show in old plastic bottle, placed in a self watering planter made from a two liter bottle, a rag, and random fill dirt (found anywhere there is dirt). Maybe a list of sproutable produce that can be purchased from the store and reused can be found in a link on the video's comments?

chip sanft wrote:
I think that sounds great and very doable for pretty much anyone interested. My only thought would be, I might include one longer example (leeks, or maybe scallions just because they're familiar to everyone in North America), and perhaps some short clips showing other examples, too, to show what those could look like. I might also include at least mention of compost, though I can see why showing plain dirt would be important for keeping this accessible to a broad audience.

Zach Muller wrote:You said you have a shovel and bucket. So here's a two part project idea for basically no money, just time and the shovel and bucket.

So part one of the project is seed saving and foraging. You take the bucket around and collect seeds. In my area right now is dandelions, and I could collect some redbud and maple seeds still clinging on as the new buds are coming in. I know of a place where there are standing sunflowers, dock, and Mullein from last season within walking distance of my house. This is a free activity, I'm not encouraging trespassing, I am speaking of public property.

Then part two is where you dig a small swale Where your downspout empties or where runoff enters your yard. Or anywhere there will be water really. Then plant your seeds.

Part three could be finding mulch to cover the top of the berm.

This project would show forage skill, plant Id, seed saving, seed processing, seed planting, swale basics, water storage, and mulch basics. The size of it could range from using a trowel and making a 1 foot demonstration swale, or a regular shovel and a 20 foot swale.



You mentioned doing these projects on a homestead so I assume you meant the cost of land would not be included in the budget constraint.

Charles Kleff wrote:

Not because I am anti-tree, but because for the target audience that would require a great deal of patience. I would demonstrate them on my homestead if I could or on a relative's property with their permission if my homestead would not be ideal for the example. For a swale since my house has no downspout and we have yet to observe any water flowing (this could be an area where me being a novice is stifling my imagination) on the property I would likely have to use a relative's property for the demonstration. This is not a problem per se. Basic tools such as a shovel (could be replaced with a trowel for a few dollars) and a bucket would be included in the cost so we do need to keep an eye on those costs.

I like the idea of gathering a handful of common seeds that grow pretty much everywhere in the US and combining that with a easy to make swale to demonstrate both uses of swales and natural species. Unfortunately I know next to nothing about swales myself so I would have to research it quite a bit to get to the point where I was comfortable doing a video on it.

Zach Muller wrote:

Charles Kleff wrote: Pia wrote, " Is conflict avoidance a permaculture thing? " and I laughed out loud for some reason. But then thinking again, conflict avoidance is a permaculture thing, you want to avoid conflict with nature and find a way to work in concert with it(low energy expenditure) not against it(high energy expenditure).

yeah... I am so on that... it was a social interaction query... I am all for conflict avoidance among me and plants, they know way more than me... maybe because my brain got washed in political activities I come through a different door here... I have no issue with conflict among people... as long as the truth is found. So, I tend to keep plodding along, waiting for the truth to sprout, asking, prodding... not letting conflict get in the way of my quest.... I hope this makes sense.