Marta Cundari Valsania

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since Sep 25, 2024
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Biography
Italian living in southern Norway, soon to move on a homestead called Snekkerplassen.

Active in the board of the Norwegian Permaculture Association.

Interested in sociocracy.

Wants to pursue PEP
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Kongsberg, Norway
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Recent posts by Marta Cundari Valsania

I tried to buy the SKIP book bundle deal, but we live in Norway and there is an error when paying with PayPal, saying we have to choose international shipment if available.

Is it not available? 😢

I'd like so much to spread skip here.


I did laundry by hand and I learned that my baby's wool onesies get cleaner this way than in the washing machine with wool program.

At home we only use lin oil soap, here's the link of the one we actually use, which is produced in Sweden: https://atlaspreservation.com/products/linseed-oil-soap/. The word "biodegradable" appears in  lin oil soap with natural scents which is marketed as hand soap: https://atlaspreservation.com/products/linseed-soap-cedar-eucalyptus-500ml
Another link from another US reseller: https://www.earthandflax.com/product-page/ottosson-linseed-oil-soap-5-liter

There are two items "missing" from the folded piles because i wanted to dress both me and baby with some warm wool. Balancing this lack: even though I only washed one sock by hand, there are two lilac socks in the last picture! This is because the other sock had being waiting for months to find back its old companion which had been missed under couch. Now they found their place together again and thy can share their different washing adventures.
10 months ago
My partner and I have sketched different ideas to keep our chickens warm in the Norwegian winter. The problem is that we have lots of uncertainties about chickens needs which makes it hard to choose the design.

We are moving to a smallholding in three weeks, where there are 7 chickens (they're "older" 3 years old chickens gifted from a neighbor who didn't want them longer). This will be our first winter together. I gathered much inspiration from reading many posts on permies and Paul's article.

The chickens live in a room in the barn constructed with big logs and it's pretty spacious, too spacious for 7 chickens and a small heat lamp too heat. What we want to create is a smaller space inside this room so that the warm lamp will be effective in warming up the smaller area.

We want this space to be an inviting space for the chickens to roost and sleep and "chill" on the coldest days. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the following:
1) which size do you think is appropriate? Balancing between effective heating but enough space for them to exist in there if the bigger outside room is too cold
2) which height is appropriate? Giving that they have access to the bigger room (and also to the outside when appropriate)
3) should they have water also inside this smaller house (plan is for them to have free access to the outside room where there would be water available - given that it won't freeze)
4) do they need a sand bath space in the smaller room? Is it enough to have it in the bigger room?
5) what else is necessary for them to have a good winter?
6) is it okay - both for them and for energy efficiency - to have an open floor in this little house? We were maybe just thinking poles they can jump on as a "stairs"
7) would a design as simple as 4 walls made with bales work?
10 months ago
This was one of the longest and most mindful dish washing experience I had. So greatfull for what I learned from it!
1) I use a lot of water just rinsing my hands clean, something I can easily accomplish with a towel instead
2) I need just a tiny bit of water dripping to rinse the dishes

At home we only use lin oil soap, here's the link of the one we actually use, which is produced in Sweden: https://atlaspreservation.com/products/linseed-oil-soap/. The word "biodegradable" appears in  lin oil soap with natural scents which is marketed as hand soap: https://atlaspreservation.com/products/linseed-soap-cedar-eucalyptus-500ml
Another link from another US reseller: https://www.earthandflax.com/product-page/ottosson-linseed-oil-soap-5-liter

10 months ago
I choose some of our kitchen utensils very much in need for some oil.

The reasons why I chose flaxseed oil are: 1) I had a gallon at home 2) I don't have walnut oil at home and didn't want to purchase it now 3) I was reading through the previous submissions and found this article that I read: https://treeboard.com/blog/nine-myths-about-linseed-oil-and-flaxseed-oil/
10 months ago
Is this one of the longest threads here on premises? Here I'm adding my post to it.

I swept the floor and I appreciated the links suggesting the best posture to sweep.
10 months ago
Hi Megan, do you get snowy winter where you are?
10 months ago
I cut off a birch (betulla) brunch.

I started by flattening the backing while sitting out at the bonfire.

I proceeded by peeling the bark and rounding the edges. I decided to do this inside the house so tomorrow I may get a new badge: sweep the floor

I'll let the hooks dry and then they'll be used in our new place we're moving to soon. Perfect housewarming gift for myself.
I'm about to move to another town, before leaving I thought it would have been kind fixing one (or three) pothole on the road that I've been using for the past year.

I found the material on site:
- the dirt was "leftovers" from a big tractor that drove with no regards to the soil being wet
- the gravel was from a lower point of the road, where in a previous extreme rainfall flushed a good deal of gravel (road) on the side of the road.

I mixed the two materials in a wheelbarrow.

I already drove a vehicle on repaired pothole.

The neighbour (whose yellow fence you see in the attached pictures) approved.

Hope you do too.

10 months ago

I have been reading lots about chicken paddock systems. Started down the rabbit hole with this fantastic article posted by a permie member: https://richsoil.com/raising-chickens.jsp



I've been deep diving in the same hole in the last days too I have wondered what small and large paddock may refer to "Using electric fence on large portable paddocks works really well. You should never use electric fence for a small paddock. It's too stressful for the animals inside the paddock.", I think it's very subjective what small and large are to people. So I'm looking on some advice: we have been offered 7 "old" (they're 3 years old) chickens and I want to do them good. Would a 164 feet (50 meter) electrical fence be adequate for the number of chickens?

Answering your question, Becky Isabell:

Does anyone have any estimates on how many square feet per chicken per day for a paddock system?  


I cite what Patrick Whitefield writes on page 247 of The Earth Care Manual writing specifically on chickens in an established orchard: "120-180 chickens per hectare [107639.1 square feet] is the recommended density [...] though smaller numbers will still have beneficial effect. More can lead to excess nitrogen in soil. [...] Keeping them in the orchard year-around is probably not a good idea"

I'd love to see a picture of you paddocks, if you have any, Cécile Steizer Johnson:

I've had 2 paddocks for my girls, with fruit trees above, and flowers

10 months ago