A PERMACULTURE MASTER PLAN

SOUTH EDEN PLANTATION

THOMASVILLE, GEORGIA

MASTER PLAN NARRATIVE FOR SOUTH EDEN PLANTATIONA master plan is by no means a finished product. It is a scaffold for depicting the vision and goals of the stakeholders involved in a land development project. We might liken it to a painting wherein the painter works within a frame (think of the property perimeter), and initiates the painting with broad, brush strokes before the details emerge. The painter sets the table, so to speak, before the guests arrive. One by one they are seated at the table, then all the meal’s courses are served.

Another point to note is that the painter enters the canvas from the outside. Think of this as the designer and stakeholders imprinting their ideas on the blank canvas. We also might think of the canvas within a frame as the land within the property lines, this land that is not isolated from the external forces that course through it always. Change is inevitable. The natural world is constantly forcing its hand on the plants, soils, stones, animals, structures, and human beings.

One of the critical dicta of Permaculture is to “make the least amount of change for the greatest affect”. Why would we make any change to a landscape? By making small (or at times momentous) changes we are attempting to augment the general health and balance of the ecological functions of the land and make the land viable for not only the present, but for future generations. So, as we journey through the South Eden Plantation design, and examine why we place each element where we place it, we will take a look at the significance of placement and the interconnections produced thereof.

VISION

Create a site for cradle-to-grave, reskilling of all people for life; a wellness marathon.

GOALS (we will address all of these goals in the body of this narrative and on the site plan. Please refer to each section and the appendices for details)

Fit with the landscape

Keep it simple but high quality in design

Function is more important than size

Details are important, and really can make or break the look of the place

Be as sustainable as possible

Wedding Event Business

Personalized sets

Natural

Organic

Raw beauty

Child Development Center

Give children positive direction

Reskilling

Helping children after crisis

Food Production

Provide all food for events, the people living at South Eden Plantation and ten draft horses

Place for farm equipment

Bees, chickens, goats, sheep, rabbits, alpacas, etc

Mushrooms

Plant flower nursery for weddings

Plant forage for animals

Games/Activities

Build an outdoor family room/pavillion

Place for archery

Basketball

Ping-pong

Billiards

Walking paths

Noise Reduction Plan from Main Road

Erosion Issues on Main Road (see engineer’s report)

Sustainable Construction Techniques and Materials

Include options for passive solar, wind, and/or other power sources where possible (Provide solar power or power by modified generator: biogas)

Create model villages with ecological building modalities (container buildings, cob, etc)

Cleaning System for Stalls

Reduce Bug Pressure (especially gnats: there is a nematode that just may do this for us!)

Aquaponics, Pond/Lake/Surface Catchment

Electric Vehicles to Ferry People Around Property

Wedding carts

All events

Educational Venue for Permaculture, Crafting, Etc

Artisan areas and craft spaces (glass blowing, cooking classes, etc)

Blacksmith shop

Conferences, concerts, reskilling, nutrition, permaculture, gardening, etc

Maintain Historical Look

Gourmet Restaurant (organic and raw foods)

Health Recovery Program/Health Spa (taking advantage of everything that is here)

KEY SERVICESEducational Venue

Wedding Venue

Resort Spa

Restaurant

Child Development Center (livestock management)

Activities Areas

ESSENTIAL TECHNOLOGIES

Gardening and Farming

Pasture

Aquaponics/Aquaculture

Greenhouse Management

Food Preservation and Use

Value Added Production

Management and Maintenance (general)

Soil Building

Animal management

Tools and Materials

Energy Systems and Energy Production

Natural Building Design, Construction and Maintenance

Bio-Gas Systems

Flower Production

Plant Nursery Procedures

Pond Building (NRCS)

The Scale of PermanenceFrom authors Bill Mollison and David Holmgren, in the book entitled Permaculture One:

“In any landscape planning, relative permanence is of great importance if the planning itself is to be part of some ongoing evolution of the landscape. Time scales for complex landscape evolution span many generations and cannot be considered a finite task. For the purpose of putting planning and design work into perspective, Yeoman’s Scale of Permanence is very useful. However we would amend the scale to adapt it to planning for Permaculture systems.”

From author David Jacke:

“This Scale of Permanence can be used as a way of structuring one’s observations and analysis of the landscape, as a means of prioritizing which

aspects of the design are most important to design first, and, in some cases, which parts may be most important to implement first.”

One more note on the Scale of Permanence: originally set out by P.A. Yeomans of Australia, best known for his work with the Keyline system (a method of holding water and nutrients on the land where and when the rain falls), this method of assessing the landscape has since been modified by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren (the founders of Permaculture) and David Jacke. Of course, without sound observation and rigorous design practice, the Scale of Permanence becomes just another list amongst lists. We utilize this system in order to help us organize our assessments, inventories, ideas, goals and visions into a comprehensive whole. Permaculture is about functional relationship and seeks to delineate the interconnections of the many functions of all elements in the landscape. A comprehensive design is a “whole” design, a unified expression of all stakeholders involved in the creation of a land-base.

In order to fuse together the many divers facets and details we created an underlying matrix of concentric circles that cross at various intervals integrating all elements in the landscape into a curvilinear, ecosystemic whole.

The Scale of Permanence and Master Planning

Based on the fact that we will be outlining this master plan we feel that it is important to restate the materials explicated in the initial assessment and report. (Please see attached assessment document)

This master plan will focus on short and long term goals for South Eden Plantation and will be based on the Permaculture Scale of Permanence, a step by step delineation of what are the most perennial of processes taking place in the landscape, focused primarily on the particular latitude and longitude and climatic factors endemic to the site.

The scale of permanence lists the components of landscape in their general order of permanence and ease of alteration by humans. As P.A. Yeomans said, it makes more sense to fit the tie to the suit than the other way around. Designing your access and circulation without understanding your water flows, landform and climate factors is likely to lead to mistakes. On the other hand, knowing how the more permanent landscape components operate on your site will give you excellent guidance for how to design the less-permanent features. The scale of permanence is also a useful “handle” to help organize one’s site analysis work, ensuring that all bases are covered.

Originally defined by P.A. Yeomans, the creator of the Keyline system of agriculture in Australia in the 1940’s, the scale of permanence has since been revised to include more efficient responses to the particular needs of the landscape in question. Yeoman’s scale is as such: 1) Climate; 2) Landform; 3) Water supply; 4) Farm roads; 5) Trees; 6) Permanent buildings; 7) Subdivisional fences; 8) Soil

Bill Mollison, the creator of the Permaculture system, took this a step further:

1) Climate; 2) Landform; 3) Water supply; 4) Farm roads; 5) Plant systems; 6) Microclimate; 7) Permanent buildings; 8) Subdivisional fences; 9) Soil

The scale currently in use as developed by David Jacke:

1. Climate2. Landform3. Water (in general)4. Access and circulation5. Vegetation and wildlife6. Microclimate7. Buildings and infrastructure (the waste stream and energy systems)8. Zones of use9. Soil (fertility and management)10.Aesthetics 11.Culture

In this master plan we will take a detailed look at South Eden Farm based on this regime.

We have also taken the time to expand on the current understanding of the Scale of Permanence with these changes and additions:

Wildlife also equals domestic animals in the system

We are adding these categories based on “permanent” human needs and necessities:

Food

Clothing

Healthcare

Education

Safe Environment

Included in this report are research and information resources for further study and application.

ClimateHow does climate impact this design?

As we initially walk the land and observe we make an inventory of the affects and movements of the local weather patterns that are written in the configurations

created by wind and water, cold and heat, geological processes and plants and animals. Are the trees flagging in one direction (wind), is there any erosion (water), dams created by animals (beaver), abundant organic matter laying on the surface of the ground (plants)? All of these indicators, and more, belie the importance of recognizing how and where the forces of nature leave an imprint on the landscape, a curvilinear line here, a straight line there, a gully here, a steep slope there.

Assessment of climate is first and foremost a determiner of what we can and cannot do at a particular site. No matter where we go, there it is. The coastal plain region of Southern Georgia demands that we pay special attention to the mild winters and gradual warming trends in spring and summer. The limiting factors here are: in more recent history, climate and drought extremes, the possibility for massive, short-term rain events, hot summers and variable winter temperature extremes.

In order to develop a planting regime for the site it is of utmost importance to select plants that “fit” the terrain, the USDA planting zone (zone 8), weather extremes and the soils that lie beneath our feet.

Any animals included in the landscape need attention in terms of acute cold and hot weather, developing nutritious and mineral-rich feed resources, appropriate shelter, and overall general health. Climate and weather dictate to us how we will configure the best possible care for all our animals, both domestic and wild.

The built environment is, of course, all about the “weather”, both internal and external to the building. Insulation and mass create the opportunity for delimiting extremes and the creation of comfort for residents and guests. Insulation is predicated on “dead air space”, pockets of asymmetrical hollows that stop the flow of air, whether hot or cold, from entering a structure. Mass: rock, clay, etc., is a heavy substance that absorbs solar radiation during periods of sunlight and radiates the warmth generated by the sun into the building during the colder periods of the day. Mass also acts to temper the extremes of heat and humidity that circulate through a building during the summer months.

We seek opportunities to delimit the amount of gadgets that, in our modern culture, are all encompassing: highly technical HVAC systems, energy intensive air conditioning units, etc. Instead, by building structures appropriate to scale with materials that will afford us the prospect of utilizing the sun and biological intelligence to help attain a pre-determined level of comfort, we eliminate excessive maintenance and management of systems for the future.

In general, climate informs this master plan, defining for us the possibilities and the means. As Bill Mollison has stated: “We are surrounded by insurmountable opportunities”, and, “Turn problems into solutions”. As Permaculture designers and practitioners we take this to heart: in what may look like a problem, large scale rain events, severe heat and drought, insect infestations, we seek to lift the veil of the “issue” and understand what lies beneath the surface, who or what is

the driver behind the wheel and turn this “issue” into an opportunity to generate and regenerate the landscape and to craft an abundant yield for all involved: mineral, vegetable, animal, human.

LandformThe South Eden Plantation property slopes primarily in all directions, gently. The top of the ridge at the main house and access road is the highest point in elevation on the property.

The information from the initial report for South Eden is important in the explication of landform and topographical retrofit in order to hold water and topsoil where needed on the property.

“With the largest land area of any state east of the Mississippi River, the Georgia landscape runs from the mountains in the north and northeast to the coastal plain in the southeast. The most southerly of the Blue Ridge Mountains enter Georgia in the north and northeast. The central piedmont extends south and southeast from the mountains and levels to the coastal plain and coastal flatlands.

Georgia can be divided into six main land regions; the Appalachian Plateau, the Appalachian Ridge and Valley Region, the Blue Ridge, the Piedmont, the Atlantic Coastal Plain, and the East Gulf Coastal Plain. They are presented below, beginning in the southeast along the Atlantic Ocean and moving northwest towards the Appalachian Mountains

Atlantic Coastal Plain: The Atlantic Coastal Plain is part of the Atlantic Plain that stretches from Massachusetts to the Florida peninsula and around the Gulf of Mexico. The Atlantic Coastal Plain lies in southeast Georgia along the state's Atlantic Ocean shoreline. Occupying about 1/4 of Georgia, the Atlantic Coastal Plain is characterized by a flat landscape. The Okefenokee Swamp lies in the southern part of the Atlantic Plain and in part of the East Gulf Coastal Plain. The rivers in the Atlantic Coastal Plain drain into the Atlantic Ocean.

South Eden Plantation lies in the Southern Atlantic coastal plain region of Georgia.

East Gulf Coastal Plain: The East Gulf Coastal Plain covers almost 1/4 of Georgia in the southwest. Similar to the flat landscape of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, the flat East Gulf Coastal Plain's soil is less sandy. Part of the Okefenokee Swamp lies in the East Gulf Coastal Plain. The great Suwannee River, like all rivers in this land region, flows south into the Gulf of Mexico.

Piedmont: Northwest of the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the East Gulf Coastal Plain, the Georgia Piedmont cuts across the state. The Piedmont is marked by a hilly landscape in the north where it abuts the Appalachian regions at around 1,500 feet above sea level. The land loses elevation to the southeast, where the hills become more gently rolling and the land is only about 400 feet above sea

level. The clear difference in landscape where the southeastern edge of the Piedmont meets the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the Gulf Coastal Plain is called the Fall Line. It is along this line that the rivers flowing from the higher elevations of the Piedmont fall to the lower Coastal Plains forming waterfalls and rapids.

Blue Ridge: A small section of the Blue Ridge is found in northeastern Georgia north of the Piedmont. The mountain peaks in the Blue Ridge area rise 2,000 to almost 5,000 feet above sea level; more than 20 above 4,000 feet. These mountains are forested with hardwoods and pine softwoods. The rushing rivers in the Blue Ridge provide hydro-electric power to Georgia. Georgia's highest mountains are found in the Blue Ridge area, including Brasstown Bald, or Mount Etonah, which rises 4,784 feet above sea level.

Appalachian Ridge and Valley Region: The Appalachian Ridge and Valley Region in northwestern Georgia consists of a series of broad, fertile valleys separated by parallel ridges of sandstone.

Appalachian Plateau: Isolated to a small piece of Georgia in the extreme northwestern corner of the state, the Appalachian Plateau stands about 1,800 to 2,000 feet above sea level and consists of narrow valleys and wooded ridges. Lookout Mountain and Sand Mountain are found in this region. The bedrock of sandstone, with sporadic outcroppings of limestone, comes close to the surface of the property in specific areas. Otherwise, the soil matrix is predominately a silt clay loam, rich in nutrients, with a clay base. Clay is the most highly nutrient rich soil and it has the capacity to hold water well, thus, an opportunity for a good seal on the bottom of a pond.”

All of these regions affect the soil, climate, watershed drainages and plant and animal composition of the pine-oak coastal region. After centuries of erosion, earth movement, minerals riding the wave toward the coast, we cannot avoid the understanding that not only the immediate bioregion dictates how we will approach our design work, but the surrounding bioregions incur as much affect on the region we are working in as the immediate region itself.

The fact that the topography initially falls off gently in all directions from the crest of the ridge at South Eden we look to take advantage of this mild gradient and determine prospects for water collection at point of use by means of gravity, proper storage and efficient distribution.

The general sloping nature of the plantation obviates the need for holding water as high in the landscape as possible for plant, animal and human needs. By slowing water down and holding water high in the landscape we also hold nutrients on the land. We will also accomplish the objective of using the force of gravity to move much needed water to lower elevations. After all, water is life, and we need to pay particular attention to this basic necessity.

We accomplish this need by evaluating topography and contour lines (which sit dead level) and creating opportunities for water management by:

Directing water where it is needed most and spreading it around the property so that all areas are on equal footing based on need. We do this by manipulating the lay of the land though earth moving and by creating containment. Water and landform are married forever. Water will not only move by gravity, but also by capillary action through the topsoil, and it shapes itself into any container that it flows into.

By changing the landscape where needed, we will accomplish this task through:

Keylining the entire property where accessible (please refer to the segment on water)

Creating cisterns for storage and distribution (please refer to the segment on water)

Planting dense vegetation (please refer to plants and agriculture)

Using mulches to delimit evaporation (please refer to the segment on agriculture)

Planting many trees in order to aid in the regeneration of a complete and full hydrological cycle endemic to the area of southern Georgia (plants and agriculture)

Water SystemsWater and landform are inseparable. Water knits the landscape together with its power to give and support all life, and reveals its multifunctional ability to connect all the dots in the design matrix.

As already stated above we direct water where needed through the “manipulation” of landform, moving structural earth around to hold and shift water to point of use. We will do this by developing these key earthmoving objectives:

Swales, keylines, roof catchment, cisterns, ponds, well.

Please refer to the master site plan for locations of all water structures and earthworks related to water catchment and storage.

The fact that the main house at South Eden Plantation is located at the highest point in the landscape, the ridge, means that there is great opportunity in water available for capture that falls on the site, whereas parcels of land situated lower in the landscape, will have water flowing down from higher elevations for potential capture and use. Therefore, we must strike a careful balance between

placing our points of collection high in the landscape for use but low enough to effectively collect surface groundwater.

The implications of beginning at the top of the ridge, and making our way down from there, are that the potential for collecting a high volume of water for multiple uses, when starting high in the landscape, is paramount to quenching the many “thirsts” needed for all. We also diminish the possibility that a large percentage of the water falling on the property will find its way to the creeks, small rivers, and eventually to the bottom of the watershed too quickly, before we have the chance to convert it to the landscape’s many needs.

Our first step in slowing down and holding water at South Eden Plantation will be to “Keyline” the entire farm in 2012. We accomplish this task by first observing where the head of a valley (which is steepest) begins to flatten out and move gradually downhill. This point, where concave and convex landforms meet in the valleys, is known as the keypoint. Once identified, we use the contour line that intersects the keypoint for our primary reference line. We will do this for all the essential open areas on the plantation (the pasture and all open agricultural areas). All subsequent lines that we need to know about will run parallel to the original keylines. We then use a “Keyline Plow”, or subsoiler, which consists of several 12” to 18” shanks on a toolbar pulled by a tractor through the soil. This opens slits in the soil profile and allows for water and air to circulate freely through the topsoil and vertically beneath. This action supports the biotic life in the soil matrix to do the work of building topsoil anew. It also opens channels for roots that not only support trees and plants, but it allows for free exchange of nutrients and gases and for the network of mycelial threads to reach out easily and transfer nutrients between perennial woody species. (Please refer to the appendix for more detailed information about the keyline a system and references for implementation).

Bioswales will filter and clean water that pours into the property from the roads. Major swales will follow the contours of the drives.

As we travel down the slopes there will be smaller swales at the up slope of major woody species plantings, with an accompanying berm to the down slope of the swale (ditch on contour), where needed.

The roof systems of structures planned for the plantation are significant water collecting surfaces. These surfaces will collect rainwater that will be directed to large capacity cisterns. This water will be used for landscape needs and a backup resource for human use.

An example of amounts of rainwater collection:

Annual Water Volume

sf gal/sf/inch inch/yr gallons/yr

House 2100 0.65 32.9 44,909

Barn 1500 0.65 32.9 32,078

Greenhouse 935 0.65 32.9 19,995

Tower 705 0.65 32.9 15,076

Total water from the roofs: 112,057 gallons

Monthly Water Volume Per Growing Season (June through August)

sf gal/sf/inch inch/yr gallons/mo

House 2100 0.65 4 5,460

Barn 1500 0.65 4 3,900

Greenhouse 935 0.65 4 2,431

Tower 705 0.65 4 1,833

Total water from the roofs: 13,624 gallons

It is anticipated that large cisterns will first be filled with roof collection water. Cisterns are dedicated to gravity fed irrigation to the ag/garden areas. Other cisterns are dedicated for pumped irrigation for the greenhouse and plantings around the front of the buildings. Cisterns will have a back-up supply from the well. During a rain storm, and after the cisterns have been filled, the water will be directed through overflow lines to supplement surface groundwater that has also been channeled to fill the ponds. This pond water will be able to be pumped and used for irrigation of gardens and fields as might be needed, and to quench the thirst of animals. As it is unknown yet how much water the South Eden Plantation agricultural operations may use per day during the growing season, we cannot yet calculate how full the ponds and other catchments are likely to remain. Future

calculations of anticipated use in the gardens (based on types of plants selected); use in the greenhouse (based on types of plants selected); and volume of surface groundwater channeled to the ponds and all other catchments can more accurately estimate anticipated pond levels. For now, the volume of water needed to keep the pond in the pasture, shown on the Master Plan, full is calculated below.

 area(sf)

average depth(feet)

volume (cu ft) gal/CF

volume (gallons)

Pond #1 61,400 6 368,400 7.4810 428,400

Total water needed to fill pond: 428,400 gallons There is much potential to construct small water gardens, ponds and biological wetlands for phase two of this project as we implement the intensive garden areas in the near future.

We will minimize what goes into the septic by minimizing the flow of water to it. The first step here will be to install water saving toilets and fixtures. At a later date we will configure a system of graywater distribution from showers, sinks and laundry to gardens and all agricultural areas.

Graywater reuse will be delineated with a branch drain system. Diverter valves accompany all plumbing that moves “wastewater” from the buildings so that, when the need arises, water can be diverted easily to the septic.

Low flow showerheads, taps, and conscious use of water will also be implemented.

We will utilize the pre-existing well that was drilled many years ago, for primary human usage and potable purposes.

It is also important to note that plants are great collectors of water. Plants dig their roots into the soil and drink when rainfall and snowmelt make water available. Plant roots also mitigate erosion and absorb nutrients that are used for growth, and are then given back to the soil at leaf fall and by shedding roots and branches, and eventually, death. Without this constant cycle renewal of the landscape would be impossible.

We have designed in two ponds that will collect surface flow: in the pasture and behind the child development center. These ponds will be utilized as water for horses and other animals and as possible backup for all farm plantation operations in times of need.

Access and CirculationGeneral access and flow through a property helps to weave all the elements in the landscape together, and directs people and animals to nodes of activity (or quietude) where they need to be. There are vistas, gardens, homes, barns, meeting areas, places of meditation and contemplation, storage areas, forests, that are central to how and why we move through a site. These avenues of access are fairly permanent once established in the general design. Therefore, much contemplation is required for the appropriate direction, scale and frequency of use of these pathways. When we think of access and circulation we can think of the circulation of blood and nutrients in the human body. All of the veins and arteries are connected as they move from larger trunks to smaller capillaries in a network of flow. The paths and byways on a property do the same thing. We are directed into a main entrance and, as we proceed, we move to smaller paths, which point the way to significant nodes of life.

South Eden Plantation needs consideration for both public and private use. As a place for domicile we have created private spaces and go-to nooks and crannies for the residents, to walk to when needed, for meditation, contemplation and to unwind. Because the people at South Eden Plantation are a close knit entity the need for private family space is also an important factor. Paths and drives, already present at the site, are well designed and easily accessed. Therefore, we need retrofit very little change into this pre-existing system.

But beyond this, the public will play an important role here at South Eden Plantation. The ponds, forest and savannah, agricultural areas, work areas, gardens, tool sheds, barns and, in general, the entire property will be for public use. Add in economic development and education, we must design for large (and small) groups of people that will visit and reside on the plantation. As the world goes through major changes this plantation becomes an important center for people to learn about and practice the skills that are all important in the current state of affairs, to learn self reliance in all daily endeavors.

Therefore, vehicle access must work, but the site should not be designed around it as first priority. People and nature are more important. There will be limited access for vehicles in order to eliminate the potential for soil compaction, inundation by vehicular chemicals, and noise.

All walking paths are linked together in flowing fashion. These walking paths direct people to the important activity or places of quietude on the property. Planted along these paths will be fruits, foods and herbs for the picking and for scent, interest and beauty.

There is access for work related activities and recreation.

The childhood development center is an important cog in the wheel of operations for South Eden. We have designed access to playgrounds, animals, indoor activities and the outdoor pavilion for ease of movement across the ground for children.

We have connected the “drives” in order that horses may move freely through the site without having to turn and circle back.

Paths and roads are built on contour as much as possible in order to eliminate potential erosion.

It is our recommendation that considerable attention is paid to the possibility of rerouting the primary access to the plantation for the public to the current service entrance, and to developing parking in or near the designated campground. There are turnouts already set in place and the drive is significantly wider than the main gated entrance.

(Please refer to the site plan for further delineation of access and circulation)

Vegetation and Wildlife (Animals)Plants are key to life in all ways. Without plants we simply do not exist. The food chain is such that plants are the primary resource for the growth, ongoing health and nutrition for all beings.

Agriculture and the production of healthy and nutrient dense food are tantamount to the success of South Eden Plantation. We mimic the Southern Georgia coastal plain biome and the ecological processes that drive it. Historically, the Pine-Oak coastal plain was, and still is, the primary “native” habitat. The live oak acts as the keystone species. Stands of woody vegetation, surrounded by open savannah, are key to a healthy system.

There are already many edible species intact on the grounds of the plantation. For example: a much-underutilized resource, acorns for food, is already abundantly present. All the functions of all the plants in a landscape are unlimited and infinite. The implementation of this design, once established, will almost be overwhelming and the opportunity for learning how to make use of “uncommon” species will be ongoing.

Let’s revisit the goals for food production, flowers and other forms of vegetation and animal life:

Provide all food for events, the people living at South Eden Plantation and ten draft horses

Place for farm equipment

Bees, chickens, goats, sheep, rabbits, alpacas, etc

Mushrooms

Plant flower nursery for weddings

Plant forage for animals

In order to make this happen in an efficient and abundant fashion we have positioned the food production area central to the entire plantation. Think of this as concentric circles that radiate out into many areas, as a stone dropped in the water that radiates circularly in all directions. Along with the need for centralized production we feel that it is imperative for agricultural work to be highly visible to the people that live and visit South Eden Plantation for their schooling in raising animals and plants. There is a salient need for personal food production in the present culture, to relocalize our efforts to the back door, and to eliminate the supply line issues of petroleum addiction and long distances from farm to table.

Please refer to the site plan and notice that the central annual and perennial crop production, compost processing, vermicompost, compost tea composition, aquaponics, flower growing, mushroom production, a nursery, a processing building (seeds and produce) and, in general, vegetables, herbs, fruit and fish all combine to form a powerful web of interactive relationships. These interactive relationships form the essence of an ecologically sound and high yielding systemic matrix that colors the entire plantation in all its operations.

We have positioned the animals near the child development center in order that the children and adults may interact directly with the raising, feeding and general care of animals. Children have a special bond with the animal world. If we are to skill and reskill (see vision statement), animals must play a significant role in that reskilling for not only emotional and spiritual health, but in understanding the intracacies of the production of food, dairy products, wool, etc.

Plants will play a larger role than simply food production. Cut flowers for events are located at the front of the main house. Bamboo (bambusa multiplex, bambusa textilis, fargesia dracocephala) acts as a screen to muffle the constant hum of the highway at the perimeter of the property and as a screen from the neighbor.

The gourmet restaurant has the immediate benefit of fresh food at the doorstep of the kitchen. Fruits (satsuma, meyer lemons, pomegranate, peach, pawpaw, jujube, kumquat, apple, etc) picked directly from trees and shrubs (blueberry, goumi, elderberry, aronia, serviceberry, cornelian cherry, etc), medicinal and culinary herbs (black cohosh, asarum, petroselinum, ginger, melissa, curcuma, etc) at the fingertips, mushrooms (shitake, etc), nuts (pecan, hazelnut, acorn, etc), seeds, utility plants, root crops, groundcovers (crimson clover, perennial peanut, strawberry), herbaceous species, shrubs, vines, understory, canopy, all in all a “Garden of South Eden”.

Many native species are placed around the plantation for beauty and reintegration into the bioregion (camellia, rhododendron, ferns, hydrangea, etc). A selection of native grasses are utilized in the pasture for forage for the Gypsy

Vanner horses and other grazers (bluestem, switchgrass, side oats grama), and the main crop area produces grains and large swathes of annual root crops and beans for animals and the kitchen.

It is highly recommended that a full time farm manager be on site at all times and that this manager be trained and skilled at both plant crop and animal production and care. We cannot stress the absolute and immanent need for this. Management and maintenance is an involved and variable process that needs constant attention. The ideal goal of Permaculture is to develop self-managed systems that rely on the biological intelligence already present in life. The reality is, that in order to arrive at this ideal, it takes years of hard and thoughtful work where design and redesign, and the willingness to have successes and make “mistakes”, to take the feedback that the system is offering and learn and move on to the next success and the next mistake, so to speak, is “ok”.

MicroclimateBy developing microclimate, opportunities for outdoor and indoor crop season extension, building temperature regulation, outdoor recreation and gathering, present themselves. As we move into phase two of this project, and design buildings and intensive gardens, these opportunities will show themselves many fold. White walls reflect heat. Black walls absorb heat. Plant against these walls and we extend our growing season.

Shelterbelts, screens, and walls will slow down incoming winter wind, intense prevailing winds and rainfall squalls and such.

By observing the path of the sun we utilize sunlight to create pockets of warmth.

After making an assessment of the movement of the sun and wind through South Eden Plantation we agree that the placement, as noted above in the plant and animal segment, acts to optimize the goal of yearlong food production. There are many sheltered niches and nooks and crannies that afford us the opportunity to have abundant crop yields and animal goods throughout all the seasons. The greenhouse is optimal for year-round food production. Food preservation, in its own way, is microclimatic. It adds, substantially, to a fresh food supply 365 days a year. Fermentation, freezing, canning, drying and other processes anchor us in abundance and keep us fed indefinitely.

An example of microclimate opportunity is the walled in area behind the pool house. Sheltered and receiving abundant sunlight, bananas, considered primarily a tropical species, will be planted to take advantage of the warmer temperatures and humidity from the pool.

The Built Environment (Energy and the Waste Stream)The key to the built environment is to pay attention to natural climatic comfort, maximize solar gain, protect from weather extremes, supply easy access, and for

integration into the greater land base so that buildings are both beautiful and part and parcel of the natural flow and texture of site ecology.

Structures are multi-functional entities that not only require inputs, but also can be a major source of supply for all that surrounds them in the landscape. Organic materials seem to pour from buildings. If we pay close attention to these “outpourings” we have ready resources to build soil, water plants, construct buildings and other site features, and utilize “waste” heat. The house is as much part of the “food chain” at a site as an animal that crosses the land every day or a tree that has fallen in the forest nearby. We therefore recommend that all outgoing materials from buildings be monitored and utilized for compost, soil building, and reuse in the landscape, whether for building or crop production. In the future it would be wise to reconfigure plumbing systems for graywater utilization for crops and animals.

The central structures of South Eden Plantation are the main house, a personal home for Kim and daughters, housing for workers and guests, child development center, stables, food processing building, yoga building and store, offices, barns, etc. We have also placed a craft and shop building and an open game pavilion in the site plant (please see). An ecovillage with educational opportunities and examples of diverse natural building techniques and modalities is planned for the site.

All of these structures are located in areas that have maximum solar access (photovoltaic, solar hot water production, passive), so that passive solar techniques and implements can be used to help regulate temperature and comfort levels in the buildings and produce electricity without the exclusive use of the grid for power.

Attention to the size of the building footprint and construction site disturbance is tantamount to achieving ecological integrity. How often do we pass by building sites where the land has been completely bulldozed of all vegetation, and when construction is complete, a small mono-crop of sapling trees is planted, without regard for what was there and could have been saved and included in the original site plan?

Local sourcing of materials is key in order to eliminate the footprint based on fuel costs, minimizing the ability for local businesses to supply needed materials, and making use of local stone, wood and other materials that “fit” local climate and bioregion.

Energy systems, such as wind, solar (and geothermal?) are a big part of the discussion on how to power and heat the buildings. Solar hot water is the most efficient renewable resource on the market, upwards of 80-90% efficient, as compared to photovoltaic systems that are 15-20% efficient. Retrofitting for solar hot water is relatively simple and cost effective. (Please refer to the attached proposal for photovoltaic retrofit of the pool and pool house)

Electric vehicles will transport visitors, guests and workers to nodes on the plantation. It is recommended that we explore the possibility of constructing solar recharge stations for electric vehicles.

Other major construction pieces that need a closer look as to materials, construction methods and style and aesthetics, are all the preexisting structures, parking areas, paths, driveways, cisterns, a wind turbine tower?, gathering places, central activity areas, and ground for animals to be inserted into the landscape that will require shelter, fencing and other needs.

Once the master plan is complete, phase two of the work for South Eden Plantation will be to revisit detailed designs and drawings for all structures on the property. Materials, energy systems, style and structure, the waste stream, footings, foundation, roofing materials, and much more go in to planning for any building that will withstand the affects of time and weather, and if planned consciously, will be completely compostable and recyclable at the termination of its habitation.

Biogas has been mentioned as an energy resource. With the abundant animal manure being produced and the amount of biomass created during the growing season, the possibility for biogas production is immense. This system will need to be designed and implemented in phase two of the South Eden project.

Zones of UseThe Permaculture Zone System

Zones of use are how each area in a design is made use of. In general terms, Zone 0 is the house itself and Zone 1 is used for herbs, annual vegetable gardens, and intensive plantings.

Zone 2 is still heavily cultivated and requires maintenance of orchards and small animals (chickens, ducks, pigeon, quail). This zone includes most outbuildings and incorporates perennials.

Zone 3 is the first zone that probably requires less than daily maintenance/visitation and can be somewhat wild. It incorporates shelter-belts, nut forests, waterfowl habitat and potentially bees. Larger animals (goats, sheep, pigs and cattle) can be located as is appropriate in either Zone 3 or Zone 4.

Zone 4 is utilized for both larger animals and for timber production. And finally,

Zone 5 is uncultivated and “wild”. These zones are depicted for The Beck Farm in the diagram below.

Essential Zones of Use at South Eden Plantation

These zones are broken up into four quadrants: NE, NW, SE, SW:

-Main House Area (food production; herbs; three event spaces: in front of the main house, behind the main house, in front of the pool house; restaurant; etc) SE

-Pasture (livestock and horses) NE

-Commerce Village (yoga studio, store, etc) NW

-Agricultural Area (greenhouse, raised beds, nursery, etc) NW

-Lodging NW

-Child Development Center NW

-Stables NW

-Theater Area NW

-Storage/Operations NW

-Staff Area (support. Lodging, etc) SW

-Eco-Building Training Area SW

-Camping and Tenting/Naturally Built Cottages SW (housing for interns, etc?)

-Forest Edge NW-NE

Because of the nature of the layout of the preexisting landscape and buildings at South Eden Plantation it is difficult to designate any one specific zone zero and zone one.

Therefore, in order to move forward in the design process, as already mentioned, we developed an underlying matrix of concentric circles that radiate out from activity nodes (a stone dropped in the water) and crisscross at various locations. This circular matrix helped us immensely in finding relationships in the landscape and tying elements together in the most perspicacious manner. Of course, it is obvious that most of the activity will be happening in and around the main house and restaurant, but we also feel that all activity nodes on the property need to be integrated with one another in order that neither this one or that one receives more attention or focus. The entire plantation is “important” in function, and at any given time could become the center of activity.

SoilsOne often wonders why, in the Scale of Permanence, soils sit so low in the list. In reality, none of the points in the Scale of Permanence is any more or less important that any other. But, if there is a hierarchy here, then the one that sits almost last takes on even more importance. We are in an age of peak water and

peak soil. So little of the water on this earth is potable and we have polluted it to no end. And most of the topsoil on our continent now lies in the depths of the Mississippi Delta. 2/3 of all drainages in the US end up in the Mississippi which happily makes its way past New Orleans and dumps what little is left of our topsoil in the gulf.

The key to all of our endeavors with soil is organic matter. We have this strange tendency to clear our land of anything that covers the lawn or creates what we perceive as a nuisance of rotting branches, leaves, cardboard, paper, and whatever organic materials get in our way. These materials are a source of gold to the Permaculture practitioner. Whether we are on sand or clay it is the organic materials that matter. This is what builds soil for our crops and supplies food and nourishment for the soil food web. And, as was previously stated, without these crops we simply do not exist.

Everything else that we have looked at in this master plan produces “waste’. All of this is recycled into our soil matrix where the micro and macro organisms go to work on it, turning it into accessible nutrients for our plants, and then of course, for animals and us.

At South Eden Plantation we utilize numerous strategies to keep the soil in good tilth and good health. We hold nutrients with keylines, swales, mulches, plant density and diversity, and eventually, animals integrated into the system to help build soil.

All “waste” from the entire site is recycled into compost bins, vermicompost operations, used for sheet mulch, in hugelkultur mounds and as part and parcel of the cycle of nutrients in the food chain and the great web of life and death.

All in all, the essential key for soil development is the reincorporation of organic matter back in to the soil matrix. We also monitor for the abundance or lack of mineral density available to crops and animals. This is an ongoing process that the farm manager must become familiar with. An initial soil test is helpful in determining just what the mineral, organic matter and energy concentrations are at the site. We will also need to check for ratios of sand, silt and clay.

AestheticsSouth Eden Plantation, already beautiful in its topography, views and vegetation, has the potential to be even more exquisite. It is, all in all, about a feeling of “place”. Proper placement of flowers, trees, and all types of plants, along with the circular, spiral motif set out and the flow of the design will turn all visitors into “budding” artists and adventurers in the natural world. Attention to scale, the native pine-oak landscape, building design, year round color in vegetation, the use of natural materials, the winding pathways, all of this, creates more than simply an aesthetic. Aesthetics go much deeper than surfaces even though these are shimmering and seductive.

As we knit together this landscape in all its possible and impossible connections and convolutions the delight that we obtain from immersing ourselves in it will reach into our personal depths. The opportunity for the “look” of the place, merged with the functional relationships that we design into it and that grow on their own, is an opportunity not lost to anyone with a heart for deeper communication and connection and an eye for beauty. Beauty, certainly, is not only skin-deep. A Permaculture landscape is a unique landscape, one that takes everything under the sun, literally, into consideration. South Eden Plantation is a shining example of what can be done for anyone with the heart, soul and mind to put it on the ground. This shining is the true aesthetic. After all, what shines most? The sun, of course. The sun.

CultureThe culture of South Eden Plantation is all of the above. It is a culture of health, balance and beauty, and the opportunity for those that visit and attend to reap the healthful benefits and the possibility to learn new skills to enhance their lives. It is no mistake that the word culture is also used in the agri-“culutural” world. When Bill Mollison and David Holmgren first coined the word Permaculture it was originally conceived of as a combination of “permanent+agriculture”. Later on, Mollison reconfigured it this way: “permanent+culture”.

The ideal is for permanent culture that will suffuse all the coming generations with an ethical basis for land and people health and the merging of the two in scintillating balance, where all are fed and yet, there is conscious understanding of making do with limited consumption, a conscious and thoughtful consumption that supports and nurtures and gives back.

The Basic Necessities of LifeFood

Clothing

Healthcare

Education

Safe Environment

All of the above have been detailed in this master plan. The one that needs a bit of clarification is a “safe environment”. What does this mean exactly? We feel that, when all of this design is set in motion and implemented, and as these systems develop and grow and blend and merge, there will be safety for all that live here and visit. Safety in food and medicine and play and education and all else that goes into a sound ecology and the building of healthy relationships as reflected in the health of the landscape.

2012 is an important year to continue all building retrofits, and to begin to delineate and implement, first and foremost, the agricultural areas central to the plantation’s many operations. This is the penultimate first step: FOOD PRODUCTION in all its many guises, plant and animal. Another major consideration is the search for and hiring of a farm manager to oversee all production. The designers feel that it is important for them to stay involved with the project and to help manage a significant portion of the agricultural implementation.

APPENDIXLOCAL PLANT NURSERIES AND RESOURCE LISTS

Thigpen Trail Bamboo Farmhttp://www.thigpentrailbamboo.com/our-plants/non-invasive-clumping-bamboos/

6273 Thigpen Trail     Doerun, Georgia     31744    •   Telephone: 706-255-4901

The Nursery at TyTyhttp://www.tytyga.com/Nut-Trees-s/1826.htm

TyTy Nursery4723 US Hwy. 82 WestTyTy, GA 317951-888-811-9132

Just Fruits and Exotics

http://www.justfruitsandexotics.com/FruitHome.htm

PHONE: 1-850-926-5644FAX: 1-850-926-9885EMAIL: Justfruits@hotmail.com

Just Fruits and Exotics30 St. Frances StreetCrawfordville, Florida 32327

McKenzie Farms

http://mckenzie-farms.com/photo.htm

(843)-389-4831Mckenzie Farms 2115 Olanta Hwy Scranton, SC29591EMAIL: citrusman99@hotmail.com

Regional Plant list for Georgia

http://www.plantnative.org/rpl-algams.htm

The University of Texas at Austin Ladybird Johnson Plant Database

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/combo.php?fromsearch=true&distribution=GA&habit=habit_grass&duration=duration_perennial

Getting Started in the Nursery: Virginia Cooperative Extension

http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-050/430-050.html

SOILS AND THE SOIL FOOD WEB

http://www.soilfoodweb.com/sfi_approach1.html

Building Healthy Soil

http://www.gardeners.com/Building-Healthy-Soil/5060,default,pg.html

Basics of Organic Soil Fertility

http://www.mofga.org/Default.aspx?tabid=518

HOLISTIC FARM MANAGMENT (keylining, soil, animals)

http://ecologiadesign.com/2012/02/29/holistic-farm-management/

Pasture, Rangeland and Grazing Management

https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/livestock/pasture.html

Polyface Farm

http://www.polyfacefarms.com/team/farm-managers/

BIOGAS

http://www.adelaide.edu.au/biogas/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biogas

FARMING AND GARDENING

Biointensive and Ecology Action

http://www.growbiointensive.org/grow_main.html

NATURAL BUILDING AND ENERGY SYSTEMS

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_building

Local Renewable Energy Suppliers

Sunworks Solar: http://www.sunworkssolar.com/solar-power-tallahassee/

Simple Solar Systems: http://www.simplersolar.com/

ARCHERY

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archery

AQUAPONICS

http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/

http://www.growingpower.org/growing.htm

http://home.howstuffworks.com/lawn-garden/professional-landscaping/alternative-methods/aquaponics2.htm

KEYLINE DESIGN AND WATER

http://treeyopermaculture.com/previous-treeyo-courses/escola-da-terra-permaculture-course-sintra-portugal-iii/courses-attended/carbon-farming-course-the-farm-tennessee-usa/keyline-design-with-darren-daugherty/

THE KEYLINE COWBOY

http://keylinecowboy.com/

From their bio:

Brian G. Bankston, a.k.a “The Cowboy” and I started a holistic land management and soil regeneration business in autumn of 2009. We use Keyline Design subsoil plowing and the Berkeley method of thermophilic composting to make compost tea for various applications (foliar spray, direct injection into subsoil, and surface seeding applications) which are capable of taking the place of conventional pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers all while making the plants more disease resistant and drought tolerant. The methods we are using have been shown to deepen topsoil by up to 18″ in three years by breaking anaerobic soil compaction layers, increasing the organic matter in the soil, and increasing the land’s ability to hold greater amounts of water for longer periods of time (thus simultaneously guarding against flood and drought).  We have taken several courses (studying under leaders in their fields such as Dr. Elaine Ingham of Soil Food Web Institute, Paul Taylor a certified SFI advisor, Darren Dougherty an Australian Keyline Design expert, and Geoff Lawton an Australian expert in Permaculture) to learn about this information and have been applying it at Top of the World Farm in Westpoint, TN, The Farm in Summertown, TN, and Post Familie Vineyards in Altus, AR to name a few.

WaterPonds: Focusing on water management issues will allow some agricultural producers to be eligible for cost-share assistance. Find more information at

NRCS Agricultural Management Assistance: www.nrcs.usda.gov/Programs/AMA/

The NRCS Conservation Technical Assistance program offers guidance with water quality, fish hatcheries and developing sustainable practices. Information about the program is available at www.nrcs.usda.gov/Programs/cta.                                Qualifying as a limited resource farmer/rancher, beginning farmer/rancher or socially disadvantaged producer may result in eligibility for payments up to 90 percent of the estimated incurred costs and income foregone. Look for more information about Environmental Quality Incentives Program at www.nrcs.usda.gov/PROGRAMS/EQIP.                                Check out the pamphlet Optimize and Protect Your Natural Resources atftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/WA/news/pubs/EQIP_WA_brochure3-06.pdf.                                Read more: How to Get Assistance to Build Farm Ponds | eHow.com

http://www.ehow.com/how_5887550_assistance-build-farm-ponds.html#ixzz1rM1BqbI7