Justin Traylor

Pass them out at festivals.

Hello All,

I'm not sure if electrical was the right place for this since it incorporates several different things, let me know if it belongs somewhere else. I had this idea for a permaculture kitchen design, but I wanted to get some other people's feedback on it. There are a few things in this design I don't know enough about, so it is just an overall conceptual idea. I attached a sketch, I hope it's clear.

I don't know much about biochar or charcoal production, specifically I don't know if it could be made on very small scale in a small kitchen stove to be used in a drinking water filter. I also don't know much about the efficiency of small electric ice makers supplying ice blocks to the food cooler. Would it be realistic or beneficial?

Please take a look at the sketch, the basic steps involved with this system are:

1. Harvesting small fuel wood
2. Cooking with this fire
3. Cutting oxygen to the fire, and allow charcoal to collect in drawer beneath.
4. Transferring the new charcoal drawer to the water filter location
5. Emptying the old charcoal drawer from the filter into garden soil, replacing the empty drawer under the stove
6. Water from gravity-fed rainwater collection tank flows to charcoal filter, then down into the sink faucet and electric ice maker
7. Ice falls into insulated ice box for food storage
8. Meltwater from ice flows down into cold drinking water vessel
9. Kitchen sink drains grey water out into garden

Please let me know your comments, thanks in advance.

Justin Traylor

I added some more detail to this design concept, let me know how it looks so far.

This is a concept sketch of a possible layout on an available farm in Alderson, WV. The map sketch shows 200 individual sites distributed along existing roads on the 956 acre property. The property is for sale at $2.2M, divided by 200 members is $11k. Each member essentially owns an individual site.

The second sketch shows a close up of the individual 100'x100' sites, which are surrounded by perennial edible and medicinal plants. Eventually, these pathways in between sites will grow into an established food forest.

Additional uses of existing clear areas can include water retention ponds, additional crops, community restrooms, etc. Forested areas will be left  wild with only hiking trails.

All feedback on this concept will be appreciated.

Hello,

Where are you located, or where would like to move?

I’m interested in a similar community, away from large cities and focused on wilderness conservation and clean living. Personally I eat a largely vegetarian diet with some occasional meat, but I don’t feel it is my place to tell someone else what to do in their own life. I believe that others should eat what they feel is right for them.

This is why I’m interested in forming a community that focuses on conservation, sustainability, and individual independence in the Appalachian mountains. Check out my thread here: https://permies.com/t/193493/Permaculture-community-Appalachian-Mountains

Here is an update on this idea. This is a concept sketch I made over a map of a large property in SW West Virginia that I don't believe is for sale any more. But it illustrates the general concept.

It's a 775 Acre old farm that was selling for $2M or so, but the sketch shows (200) 100'x100' Sites which each member would essentially own after buy-in to the LLC. Buy-in would be around $15k or so for each member, which includes a permanent site and overall design and construction costs (bathhouse, road clearing, crop planting, pond etc.)

The sites are primitive and up to the member to clear or build a cabin on (or park an RV). This concept could be applied to another property, which would need a detailed survey and design first.

Thank you very much, that is very helpful. That is interesting about Colonial Williamsburg, I didn’t know that’s how it works there. I went there a very long time ago and I can remember that I liked the small community feel. I’ll definitely look into it more. I also like the nonprofit aspect since I’m not interested in profiting from something like this.

Hello,

My name is Justin Traylor (I'm new here), and I finished my PDC from Oregon State University last year. I’m interested starting a land share permaculture community in the Appalachian Mountains between southern West Virginia and western North Carolina. I'm a bit biased towards southern WV however, since I spent much of my childhood there and I have a good deal of experience with the favorable climate and good soils there.

The community is focused more on independence rather than on social aspects. Many of the other ecovillages that I've looked into tend to be a bit heavy on the social aspects of a community. This is fine for some and I certainly value good, strong community, but I don’t believe it is the right approach for everyone. This should be a place that simply values taking care of the Earth and our own  living environment, while maintaining a member’s independence.

Members form an LLC, which purchases a large mountain/forest property. Members each own a share of the company and the cost is divided among members. Each member gets a permanent site (say around 1/4-1/2 acre or more depending on the size of the overall property) to build a cabin or small house on, keep an RV, or whatever they want. They would be free to sell their share at any time. The community would be simple with a small number of rules, such as “no using someone else's site" or "quiet night hours", and there would be little maintenance as most of the property is left wild and forested. The costs associated with purchasing large properties start to seem somewhat reasonable once divided by 50-200 members.

Would something like this be possible? I wonder what I am missing from this concept. Any input will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Justin