Denis Wang

As one of the commenters said, "Part of it might be projection and imagination, but if it helps, no problem to do this."  So far, science hasn't been able to prove or disprove communication with plants, and I wonder why plant would commune with us if they could, with an invasive species that is rapidly destroying the biosphere's global ecosystem.  On the other hand, aware and open-minded humans can foster their own spiritual connection with all the amazing life on our small blue planet.  For we - every living thing, not only animals and plants, but also bacteria and fungi, all the prokaryotes and eukaryotes - are the same stuff, able to live through DNA (or for that matter RNA) by recycling the very same atoms and using the same energy sources.  Sure, we eat, kill, and compete with other life forms, as do most other organisms in the food web.  But if we can just accept that we're just another of nature's (DNA's) marvelous creations on this living planet - not the ruler, not the dominant life form, not even the stewards of the planet - then perhaps we could be living in the paradise of Earth that's certainly possible, yet soon to be impossible.

Chemicals?  Nature doesn't use lawn chemicals, but creates a balance of organisms depending on the environmental conditions.  Since at my property the rabbits, deer, and other herbivores are kept low in number by local predators, I'm the one needing to manage those plant species in my outfield and house field (=lawn) that would like to take over everything.  It would be nice to have geese, sheep, or goats, but I'm unable to keep them.  The problem plants are usually invasive species such as thistles and other disturbed ground generalists in the fields and blackberry among the shrubbery.  I get some of my exercise by deadheading or cutting back troublesome plants to exhaustion (theirs not mine).  Most of these in the PNW are plants that are deeply tap rooted, so exhausting them by using up their reproductive energy through continued deadheading or forced regrowth usually works over time until they're easy to yank out without leaving a viable tap root or they just fade away.  Alternating close and high mowing might also work for eliminating some invasive species, as long as the time of year allows favored species like grasses to regrow faster than the weeds and out compete them.  Spring and Fall are good times for fast growth of many grasses, which are then less productive during the hot summer when some undesirable plants flourish.  C4 grasses, for instance Zoysia, are adapted to hot dry conditions and can do better than undesirable C3 plants during the summer.  With increasing unknowns about climate-changed weather, especially with drought and water shortages, it's going to be interesting to see the future of 'lawns' in any case.

I remember from teaching chemistry that a water glass solution (of a compound of sodium oxide and silica) was once used in a similar way as lime solution to keep eggs, for at least several months.  It was fun for the kids to see that when an acid was added to water glass it would turn into a solid glass-like crystal.  Has lime solution been shown to be superior to this old method?

Be sure to check with the town or neighborhood for front yard ordinances, especially with a high deer fence.

Whoa on those candle heaters!  While they may trap a bit of heat in the local area of a clay pot, they will not magically add more heat than the heat of the candle flame itself.  The total heat of a candle in a room, no matter how it's burned, will be the flammable heat content of the wax and nothing more.  Please remember your high school physics and the law of conservation of energy.  You would need many candles to heat a cold room and need plenty of oxygen along with reducing carbon dioxide and other fumes in the room.  Just think of the amount of wood that would be needed to heat a room - you would need the same amount of heat from burning wax.

Sorry about your fish loss.  I'm a fish keeper so understand what it might mean to you and your son.  I'm wondering what kinds and how much vegetation, if any, there was in the pond.  As you know, warm water holds less dissolved oxygen and if there are too many submerged plants (or algae), at night both fish and plants are respiring using up oxygen, which often is the cause of a pond fish kill.  Even if it wasn't a quick kill, oxygen deprivation stress may lead to lower immunity followed by disease.  For future reference, I would suggest having a very deep pond (less evaporative loss) with lots of emergent plants in shallow areas or floating plants and no submerged types to get around oxygen problems as well as to eliminate fish waste ammonia/nitrate build-up.  Of course, as has been mentioned, shade trees or even lots of flat overhanging rocks (a dock or a boardwalk?) along the shoreline can help keep water temps down and reduce evaporation a little.  Also as mentioned, a solar aerator would really help oxygen levels and water quality.  I like to use medium-sized clumping bamboo (not a water plant) around the south end of a small pond as they don't drop leaves as much during the fall.  A bubbling rocky stream (via a recirculating pump) into the pond is another way to get more oxygen in the water, and is helpful for birds and other critters.  Finally, I'm also wondering what kind of fish you had.  Food fish?  Pets?  Tilapia are quite tolerant of low oxygen levels, whereas any stream fish (e.g. trout) require high oxygen levels. Any fish in the carp family, including goldfish and koi, are able to gulp air at the surface.  I'd follow the guidelines for fish stock density per pond surface area or volume so there's no overcrowding, which under stressful conditions will lead to disease.  If you're keeping food fish, harvest as needed to keep ideal densities.  Under hot or low water conditions, also reduce the population size.  Lastly, just as in terrestrial permaculture we abhor monocultures the same is true for aquatic systems.  A biodiverse fish and plant community is better able to withstand or recover from stressful conditions.  Hope you can one day have another fish pond.

I suppose since your thread is here on the premies blog, you're interested in homesteading or farming with permaculture.  So far the thread seems like an excellent course in starting out.  I'd like to add three things. 1. Climate today gone tomorrow.  Be sure you've researched best scientific models of future climate and extreme weather (i.e. heat waves, fires of both forest and community, droughts, floods, tornados, hurricanes, etc.)  2. Location, location, location for all the previous reasons but also add soil type and quality, planting zone, and seasonal light durations and intensity. 3. Water, water, water - quantity and quality available as rain, streams, or well water; same for public utility water if available, and 4) I did say four things didn't I? yeah I think I did... It's always nice to know if you're going to get along with your neighbors, especially for working together during times of crises.  Good luck in your searches!  

Vented stove - with a chimney that doesn't leak, important for air quality in a small house. I also agree with using a living roof - really good, natural insulation for the 'hat'.

Hi, sounds like a nice project.  I live in a 15' x 20' small house I built 4 years ago.  I'm wondering if you have building codes where you're going to build.  If you do, that may influence what you can do.  My house has 8 inch walls, double studded without thermal conduction between them and have worked great.  Perhaps you could do the same with a stone wall, vapor barrier, insulated thermal space, then interior wood-framed wall with insulation and surfacing. As mentioned, the type of insulation that can 'breathe' and/or resist mold and bugs is important.  Do you have sheep wool available in your area for insulation?  In a small tight house, moisture is the #1 consideration from cooking, bathing/showering, breathing moisture, indoor plants, etc.  Be sure to have good interior air flow and exchange all year round (especially in the winter) through windows or vents placed to utilize seasonal wind directions.  The challenge is during the winter when you want best interior heat retention plus adequate air exchange.  Of course there are mechanical/electric heat recapture solutions, but that might not be what you want.  A perfectly vented, interior wood stove could solve that problem.  I'd also recommend that a good 'hat' on a small house is paramount, so have enough dry insulation up there.  Through good insulation, I'm able to keep my house warm in the winter (using a green energy 300W infrared heat panel) and cool in the summer here in the Pacific Northwest, a bit cooler but similar to a med climate with wet winters and dry hot summers.  Best of luck!

I'm also in the PNW, Port Hadlock.  Though we're in the Olympic rain shadow, our property also floods at the bottom of a 7% slope.  Having more perennial vegetation in the higher elevations might help to keep and use water to reduce some runoff.  But as described, swales and small ponds, etc. above may just prolong retention below.  Instead, I would dig out deeper but also smaller vernal ponds in your flooded areas with higher ground between them, in which you can plant bushes and trees that can tolerate wet feet but not be covered in water (e.g. bog cranberry, high bush cranberry, aronia berry,  keystone willows). Those plants can then use the subsoil water during our dry periods.  Having longer lasting vernal pools will also be a boon for amphibians - frogs and salamanders in our region who definitely need our help, as well as other wildlife - birds, insects, etc. The vernal ponds will need to last for a while until the tadpoles mature.  With GW, our wet/dry seasons in the Puget Sound area might become more extreme, so now's a good time to adapt our landscapes to possible changes.