Outdoor Living Spaces
Fruit Orchard Forest Garden
Apples, Pears, Peaches, Cherries
Forest garden understory, herbs small fruit, medicinal plants
Swale for overflow rainwater
Sunny areas, shaded by deciduous trees in summer Direct access into indoor living areas
Existing CB Carport
Bioswale outflow
Nut Tree, shades
driveway
Shades end of drive way PV Panels on roof Gutters for rainwater collection
House
Low Tunnels
Gazebo
Chicken Tractor
Solar powered pump for irrigation Seating area
Ex. Apple Trees
Herb Lawn
The Garden Shed
Pizza Oven
Kitchen Garden
Pond
Nut Tree Bee Hives Bocce Court
Rainwater storage
Greenhouse Garden Shed, tool storage workspace, drying area Winter Chicken Coop Reused conc paving (urbanite) from ex. Pad and steps Vermiculture
Compost Area
Urbanite terraces at either end
Herb Lawn
Vegetables
Highbush Blueberries
Vegetables
Herb Lawn
Vertical Garden Cane fruit, squash, and grapes growing on fence
Pine Grove Play Area
Wild area habitat Treehouse/playhouse tree swings Hammock
Stanhopeutopia A Model for Happy, Healthy Living on One Acre
B-11
Hose Front
Newspaper insulation 1926
House Back
House North Side
Neighbors Across Street
Back Steps Site looking Northeast
Pines
Conc. Pad
Looking Northwest
Neighbor to South Maples/Oaks
West fence line
Site Analysis
Stanhopeutopia A Model for Happy, Healthy Living on One Acre B-11
B-11 Stanhopeutopia A Model for Happy,Healthy Living, on One Acre A Master Plan for Sustainable Living in Stanhopeutopia 21 Stanhope Avenue, Keene, New Hampshire A successful plan for sustainable, resilient living is rooted in an ecological design approach that relies on interconnected biological systems. These systems work together, harmoniously, to provide habitat for all creatures living in the environment, and rejuvenates the ecosystem. This seems like a far-reaching goal given the typical suburban life style we are accustomed to, however these goals can be realized with an understanding of the partnerships within the system, and an approach to foster these naturally interconnected partnerships The Master Plan for 21 Stanhope Avenue, is to be used as a guiding vision, setting goals and objectives. In order for a Master Plan to be a true working document it is expected that it would be updated to reflect the changing and developing goals of the inhabitants. GOALS The goalsof the Master Plan for Stanhopeutopia rely on principles of permaculture, proposing a holistic look at the elements of the living system including; Climate, Energy, Shelter, Soil, Water, Food, Community. A sustainable balance of some these elements will ultimately depend on the choices made by the inhabitants, (Stanhopeutopians). This plan addresses the physical outdoor environment and proposes a plan that promotes the lessons learned from natural systems and how to integrate them into a nourishing, aesthetically pleasing, and resilient landscape. Climate The climate goals include the use of maximum renewable energy usage and food production for year long self sufficiency. All elements of a sustainable living plan become more challenging in a cool climate. The New Hampshire climate requires substantial heated shelter and a special strategies for year-round food supply. Many new and old techniques have been successfully implemented to provide a sustainable way of living in this climate. Using these techniques along with careful planning for food production can yield a four season abundance of nutrition in a relatively small area. Energy – Reliance on renewable energy is the goal of Stanhoputopia. While the site is not suited for efficient wind energy generation, opportunities for solar are present. The garden systems will rely exclusively on solar where energy is needed. Shelter – A small, comfortable and efficient house is the goal of the Stanhopeutopia Master Plan. Providing many flexible spaces, indoors and out, that are private, semi private and public will create a comfortable livable environment. The existin 1920’s bungalow requires substantial renovation to meet building codes as well as the sustainability goals of the project. The costs to renovate compared to new
construction are likely to be equal. However new construction would allow better use of the interior space and more energy efficient materials. If the structure is to be demolished this process will take care to save materials tha can be used for the garden shed/greenhouse, tree hous, chicken coo and tractor and other building projects. Soil - Siol health will determine the success of the garden. The goal of the Master Plan is to build healthy, nutrient-rich soil that will supply nutritious food and healthy, resilient plants. The soil for the Stanhopeutopia site is classified as Caesar loamy sand and is “excessively drained”. This will require a soil building strategy to give more nutrient value and water holding capacity to the soil. This can be achieved over several seasons of composting garden and home waste, and chicken manure, and adding it to the garden beds. The growing of green manures will also give the soils much needed amendments and minerals. While the new garden beds will require inputs for off-site sources such as compost and other organic amendments, the goal is to eventually supply all necessary inputs form on-site resources. Water – The goal of the Master Plan is to capture and reuse or infiltrate as much rainwater as possible falling on the site. Water for irrigation can be harvested from all roof structures. The harvested water is stored in tanks and the pond. In case of a severe weather event a bioswale that leads to the existing catch basin at the street will allow outflow of the system. The bioswale can also be used as needed to bring water to the orchard forest garden. A gray water system may also be considered and will depend on City approval. Food – The gaol for food production is to provide at least 50% of the food need for the four person family. This food will be grown using organic practices for maximum nutrient value. Food grown on the site will include vegetables, fruit, nuts, chicken, eggs. Season extending and storage strategies will provide some of the food for the winter months. Planning and growing crops for storage will be part of the growing strategy; root crops, winter squash, onions, potatoes, apples, pears will be stored in the root cellar located in the basement. Beans for drying can also be grown for storage. Preserving and freezing other fruits and vegetables will also provide food through the winter months. Season extension techniques such as low tunnels and greenhouse will provide fresh greens and some root crops into December. These structures will also be used to get a jump start on the growing season in the spring. Soil temperatures are often too low to seed many crops until late May or even early June. The greenhouse will be used to start seedlings for planting out when the weather permits. This greenhouse (bioshelter) provides a 10x20 foot year-round growing space and a 6x20 foot storage and chicken coop space to the north side. There is also a second story for a hammock and cool gathering space. The structure is made largely of local and recycled materials, has a solar pv system, captures and stores excess heat in the ground, and is capable of capturing and storing its own water. This space allows for hothouse use in certain months and growing greens and other cool weather crops in winter.
Low tunnels will also be used in beds close to the house, to provide extra protection for bedding plants on either end of the growing season. The garden shed will also be used for drying of herbs
Community – Stanhope Avenue is a small suburban neighborhood with houses within close proximity of each other. The Master plan goals are to provide opportunities for interaction with neighbors while also providing privacy. Extra food grown in the gardens can be distributed to the neighborhood through a small CSA business. ZONES The Master Plan is based upon examining the site as a series of four zones. The zones are defined based on the human uses and activities within the property, with the most intensive activity occurring in Zone 1 and the less frequent activities in Zone 4 Zone1: Intensive Use This zone includes the house, outdoor living spaces, driveway, Garden Shed, and planting beds that will require frequent visits. Outdoor living spaces are an extension of the indoor living spaces and include the porch areas and herb lawn. These spaces are designed to offer the Stanhoputopians a variety of semi-private and private spaces for relaxation, socializing enjoying outdoor meals together. The Herb lawn is a greenspace planted with low growing, walkable herbs including thyme, roman chamomile, clover, that will require minimal non- gas powered maintenance and an abundance of pleasant fragrances. Driveway: The expansive existing driveway offers more than ample space for two to four vehicles, and is a large heat island. The plan proposes to use the end of the driveway pavement as the footprint for a carport parking area with solar PV panels on the roof. This structure will shade a portion of the driveway while providing a covered parking area, and provides solar energy. The existing garage is in very poor condition and is to be removed. The lumber will be reused to build the new Garden Shed, treehouse, bocce court. The concrete pad of the existing garage will be broken up to and reused, along with the existing pad in the yard, as urbanite paving for the area between the carport, shed and house, as well as the bocce court terraces. . Rainwater will also be collected from the roof and fed into the overall rainwater recovery system. The Garden Shed: The Garden Shed includes a garden storage and work space, greenhouse and winter chicken coop. These uses are located close to the house for easy wintertime access. The greenhouse and garden shed are constructed using reclaimed lumber, windows, and other materials from garage and house demolition. This structure will provide a place for garden tool storage, potting and work space, plant nursery, and season extending planting area. The green house is heated using a heat recovery system that also warms the planting soil in the cold months. Attached to the north side of the greenhouse is a chicken coop that provides winter housing for chickens , (a chicken tractor will provide shelter during warmer months). This relationship also contributes to the warmth in the greenhouse. A vermiculture bin is also located in the
greenhouse, discarded plant material and kitchen scraps will feed the worms who in turn will provide castings to feed the plants and soil of the garden. Garden beds for the kitchen garden are located in this zone. These beds, containing culinary and medicinal herbs, as well as greens and other annual crops, will be most often used by the Stanhoputopians. These beds, located close to the house and garden shed, will also be used in late fall and winter for low tunnels. Zone 2:Frequent Access Vegetable Beds: This zone includes fruit and vegetable production that requires frequent visits for harvesting and maintenance. Annual vegetables and fruits would be planted in these areas. Several separate beds allow for rotational planting. These beds should be planted using Interplanting and companion planting of vegetables, herbs and flowers to encourage better growth, discourage insects and encourage beneficial insects Rainwater Collection A small pond and solar powered water pump provides additional water storage and drip irrigation for vegetables when needed. A meandering overflow bioswale is connected to the pool and directed toward the catch basin located in the front of the property. This will provide a system to release excess water during extreme water events, and provide irrigation to the orchard area as needed. The bioswale will allow for infiltration to the ground water. The bioswale and will also provide habitat for beneficial wildlife Fruit Orchard Forest Garden: The 3 existing apple trees will be retained and other fruit trees, such as pears, peaches and cherries, will be added to the orchard. The understory of the orchard will be managed as a forest garden containing a wide variety of perennial plants, small edible and beneficial fruiting shrubs, and herbs. This environment will help control harmful fruit insects, provide habitat for pollinators and birds and supply a plethora of edible products. Zone 3: Occasional Access Perennial vegetables, fruits, and certain annual vegetables are located in Zone 3. Perennial s such as berries, asparagus, strawberries, for example, are permanently located in the garden. These plants are self-sustaining and typically need little maintenance. Other annual vegetables that require little care during the season are also located in this zone. Zone 4: Play While the entire garden area will be considered a play space for both children and adults, the existing pine grove offers a special opportunity to create an out-of-the-way play and relaxation area. The pines, while and inhospitable to food growing, offer a wonderful area for ‘hiding out’ and quiet relaxation. The trees provide a perfect place for a treehouse (built with reclaimed materials for the house/garage demolition), tree swing, a hammock, birdhouses and many other activities. This area also offers space for recreation. The flat topography of the site makes it a perfect place for games such as bocce, that can be enjoyed by all ages.
PHASING The following is a suggested prioritization to realize the Master Plan. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
Zone One garden beds Trim apples trees Removal of garage and pad, create patio area Tree house Build Garden Shed/ Greenhouse Chicken coop and chicken tractor Pond and Rainwater system Irrigation pump Zone Two garden beds Orchard trees and forest garden Nut trees Blueberries and other small fruit Carport Bocce Court Pizza oven