Ethan Thompson

We have a dozen or so vines around the yard but haven't dug any out yet to eat. Probably not going to run out based on your report but would be all ears if you come up with a tasty (or tolerable) recipe.

Hi Chad,
Sounds like the functions you're shooting for are like those of nurse plants/trees, which along with everything you mention also provide windbreaks and if they're a nitrogen fixer, soil enrichment. Seems like an artificial solution could take many forms, tree-like or otherwise.

The major downside I see is lack of feedback. Nurse trees are generally lower cost than fruit & nut varieties. If the nurse trees tank you'd know it's probably not wise to go in with the higher value trees.

the main benefit seems to be time savings; you don't have to wait for the nurse trees to take hold. No doubt there's going to be plenty of folks jumping on the permie train at the last second before (or immediately after) systemic collapse. That time savings could mean a lot to some of those folks.

If you're not wagering more than you can afford to lose on the experiment, go for it. And report back!

We're in the process of growing out an heirloom strain of dry pole bean that originated from northeastern VT. This is the second year of building up seed stock and more yield data should be ready in a month or two but results look promising early on. Started harvesting dry beans in August on plants that were still dense with green beans and blossoms.

From a processing and storage perspective dry beans have been a big win for us in simplicity. Wait til they dry to a papery shell on the plant, harvest, hull and store in a jar or bag where rodents can't get to them. To be seen if we're still singing the same happy tune on night 10 of baked beans this winter...

Brian, where are you located and how tall is that garage?

You can look up the sun angle coming over the garage during the growing months and calculate how far the mound should be from the garage. The top of the hugel mound will get a bit of a boost by being higher than ground level. might be the difference needed to make that space more productive.

Hi Simon,
Your project looks great and the pictures are awesome! They look just like the illustrations in Sepp Holzer's Permaculture. Kudos!

Hi Dakota,

Really great post. I just posted another opp that may be of interest to you. https://permies.com/t/38905/WWOOF-organic-farm-volunteers-interns/farmer-steward-permie-entrepreneur

Cheers & be well,
Ethan

cheers all!
I've been a permie visitor for a while but this is my first post.

A client of mine, a lovely permie-friendly couple in Northern VT are seeking to connect with some gentle, eco-sensitive folks who would relish the opportunity to use their 40-acre parcel to develop a farming / permaculture business.

The property is a residential parcel in Essex, VT, consisting of mixed deciduous forest, open marshland, coniferous forest, and riparian ecosystems. Existing land uses include vegetable gardens, a small orchard, rainwater collection, solar hot water on the existing home, and a proposed commercial scale solar PV array.

A significant portion of the site remains under-utilized and the owners would like to put it to productive use. They are both self-employed professionals in their 50s and do not feel they have the time to bring their property to fruition. They'd love to establish a relationship with an individual, or small group, wishing to establish a detailed plan and carry out the work of building a productive enterprise on their site. Potential enterprises may be agro-forestry, apiary, diversified vegetable, and/or mycological endeavors depending on skill-sets, background, and funding. In return the homeowner seeks a flexible rent arrangement consisting of a combination of work-trade, crop-share, and cash payments. They want to get a yield out of the property as well , but truly want to see someone develop a thriving, productive business from the land.

We have a completed site assessment, photos, and a more thorough description of the property. Message me directly and we can figure out how to get those docs to you.

Some of the property owner's desires are:

Hugelkultur = Yes!
Mushroom cultivation = Yes!
Bees = YES!!

thanks and be well all,
Ethan