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Existing Conditions Site is a .8 acre lot in a suburb of Keene, NH located in the Connecticut River Watershed and the Adirondack – New England biome consisting of mixed forest, coniferous forest and alpine meadow. The site was an operational orchard prior to the existing residential use. Now zoned as LD (low density) residential. Residence is a Sears Robuck house; a mail order home kit available from 1908 – 1940.
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Hydraulic and Erosion Ratings
Design Goals 1. 2. 3. 4.
Transform the site into a working homestead that provides at least half of the dietary requirements for 4 people with an omnivorous diet. Use organic, sustainable methods of food cultivation. Provide outdoor living spaces for relaxing, entertainment and play. Typical profile Use natural ecological processes to reduce repetitive labor tasks and monetary inputs.
Wind Erodibility Group Wind Erodibility Index T Erosion Factor Runoff Drainage Hydric Rating / Hydrologic Group Parent Material: Total Plant Available Water (cm):
134 5 Negligible Excessively drained No [Group A] outwash 6.79
Geomorphology Plants
Major Constraints
Symbol
Scientific Name
Range Prod.
Common Name
Organic Matter (%)
Percent Clay
Percent Sand
Ksat (mm/hr)
pH (1:1 H2O)
Kf Factor
EC (dS/m)
SAR
CaC03 (%)
Gypsum (%)
CEC at pH7 (cmol + /kg soil)
Linear Extensibility (%)
Soil 1. Soil composition is severely lacking in organic material, has a very high sand content, and low pH. • • •
Class IV (4) soils have very severe limitations that restrict the choice of plants or require very careful management, or both. Remarks: This soil is not considered to be prime farmland because of low available water capacity. pH of 4.8 – 5.5
-NRCS Soils Interpretive Groups
Water 1. “Drainage and permeability: Excessively drained. Permeability is very rapid. The gray color in the C horizon reflects parent material and not soil wetness.” -NRCS Soils Interpretive Groups – Caesar Series
Figure 1. Soil Composition (USDA Soil Web)
Zoning & Access 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Municipal regulation against “compost that breeds flies or gives of offensive odor.” Drive in businesses’ must have visual screening of 4’ in height between any adjacent residential area. All vehicles must be parked on-site, on pavement. All unregistered, uninspected vehicles must be in a garage. All waste storage containers must be at least 25 feet from the ‘rear of the front line of any building’ No permit required for ‘gutters, drainpipes and fences’ Zoned for low density ‘LD’. ‘Intentionally excluded are commercial/industrial uses since they are not appropriate for a residential zone’
Permitted Use
Subject to the Following:
Accessory dwelling unit
CUP, subject to conditions and limitations as specified in section 102-896
Agriculture Irrigation Forestry Waste Related Engineering Urban / Recreational DHS Wildlife Surface Runoff
http://casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/soil_web/ssurgo.php?action=explain_component&mukey=279684&
Dwelling, single-family Group home
Special exception.
Harvesting of forestry products
Special exception.
Historic site open to the public Home occupation incidental to main residential use
Condition: See division 5 of article V of this chapter pertaining to home occupations.
Institutional use
Special exception. Subject to conditions and limitations as specified in division 12 of article V of this chapter pertaining to institutional uses.
Non-commercial raising of farm animals
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Figure 2. Site photo of soil near existing apple tree
Other Significant Site Features 1. Much of the site receives full sunlight, but tends to be exposed, hot and dry, exacerbating the limited moisture retention of the soil. 2. The site is very visually exposed to the street and neighboring properties, particularly to the northeast where there is no property line fence. 3. The land slopes gently from the street toward the back northeast corner. Two slight swales run NE/SW through the center of the site. 4. The garage is in a poor state of repair, but does not appear to leak. 5. A mowed corridor exists at the back SW corner of the site leading to an adjacent property on Morin Ave. 6. A line of maple and oak at the chain link fence along the SW property line provide shade and a protected, pleasant space. 7. Slight hillock at the back SW corner offers a secluded overlook of the property. 8. Three productive apple trees are on site and much beloved by the local community (at least the mail lady and Monadnock radio station receptionist). 9. The third apple tree back is a Quintessential Permaculture Apple Tree. It has a lush, well rounded canopy that invites one under it. We expected to see Toby Hemenway & Dave Jacke crouched here, feverishly planting comfrey, horseradish, bergamot and peppermint.
Figure 3. Front yard
Figure 4. Slight natural swale
Figure 8. View from the hillock
Figure 5. Quintessential Permaculture Apple Tree. Where are Toby & Dave?
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Figure 6. Shaded along SW fence line
Figure 9. Out in the open in the center of the site
Figure 7. Under the pines
Design Response The site design and phasing plan presented on the following pages is a response to the soil conditions water, patterns, existing vegetation, regional and micro climates, animal patterns and zoning regulations. It is also a product of the goals put forth of transforming the site to a working homestead that feeds the residents, encourages ecological health, and provides spaces for relaxation, education and demonstration.
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Year 0 (Autumn 2013) Description 1. Build soil. It is critical to generate more biomass on site in order to generate the biological foundation for the food supply to sustain 4 humans. Without on-site biomass, the site will be reliant on very large, regular additions of compost at significant cost. Incorporating just 2� of compost over ½ acre would require 134 yards of compost; over $8,000 at a price of $60 per yard. This can be avoided and the initial biomass building process begun by allowing the grass to grow longer between cuts and leaving the cut grass in place to feed new growth. The current maintenance plan cuts the grass very short resulting in a shallow, weak root system.
2. Generate compost. A three sided, roofed structure to enclose composting activities. Water should be collected and diverted from the shed roof to the compost piles below to ensure adequate moisture for soil life. Connecting with local small businesses, commercial kitchens, farms and neighbors to divert organic material to the site for soil building will boost compost generation.
3. Capture & hold water. About 1400 sf of building footprint can be guttered and directed to 2 rainwater collection points. NOAA weather data indicates historical rainfall of 23.5 inches from April 1 through Nov. 1 (the non-frozen months). This will yield 875 gallons per inch of rainfall; 20,500 gallons per annual growing season. The water system is designed to move this water from the collection points to a centrally located point, with a total storage capacity of approximately 2,000 gallons.
4. Source building materials. The pines shade portions of the site and if felled, will provide much needed lumber for building projects in the early years, particularly fencing which will be built along the perimeter of the site where fencing currently does not exist.
5. Get a yield. Maple sap and apples are the primary yields from the site in Year 0.
Figure 3. 330 gallon IBC tank as water storage
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Year 1 Description 1. The primary design response at this phase is the use of rotational paddock grazing using 4 goats (1 male, 3 females) on site to rebuild soil. The goats are used in a rotation grazing pattern where they graze a single paddock intensively and then move to the next, allowing vegetation in the first paddock to recover. The goats serve multiple functions: 1) Converting hay and other forage material into manure which is a high quality fertilizer that is more weed seed free than cow, horse or sheep manure, 2) Generating a yield in the form of goat milk & goat cheese. Recommended breeds: Alpine, berhaslis, Saanen & Toggenburgs.
Supporting Infrastructure
2. The water system is activated with the installation of gutters on the house and connecting downspouts. Downspouts are to be equipped with: 1) First flush diverters to keep the dirtiest first gallons out of the system, 2) Overflow routes for periods of heavy rainfall, 3) Winter bypass channels to divert water away from tanks during the winter time. 3. The centrally located water trough is equipped with a hand or solar pump to fill from the rainwater tanks near the house. 4. A light weight skin is attached to the metal frame on the concrete pad to serve as a space for milking and storage. 5. Paddocks and a goat pen must be constructed. The central enclosure allows for easy rotation to paddocks 1, 3, 4 & the milking hut. Paddock 2 is separated in order to allow people to circulate freely to the space between the apple trees and beneath the maples and oak. This will require herding the goats and providing a separate water source when paddock 2 is in use. 6. Milk processing and cheese making equipment will be located inside the house. Estimated production is 1 gallon milk per goat per day, resulting in 3 gallons of milk per day, which can be processed into approx. ½ pound of cheese.
Other Activities
7. Establish a buffer strip planting of flowers between the residence and Stanhope Ave. Lupine & red clover fix nitrogen, improving the soil, Echinacea, valerian, bergamot & calendula provide valuable medicinal yields, and all will enhance aesthetics and divert attention away from the presence of 4 goats on the site. 8. Establish an herb garden outside of the back door. The following herbs have culinary and medicinal uses: Tulsi Basil, Catmint, Chamomille, Hyssop, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Sage, and Thyme. Other herbs considered to have only culinary uses include: Basil, Bay, Chive, Dill, Marjoram, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sorrel, Summer Savory and Tarragon. 9. Install an awning or umbrella outside the back door to shelter the concrete landing and provide a space from which to observe the functioning of the site. 10. Cut designated stands of deciduous trees. When in leaf cover, small branches can be provided to the goats as forage. 3-8� diameter logs can be inoculated with oyster mushroom spawn and laid in sheltered, moist locations and will generate mushroom yields beginning in 3-12 months.
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Year 3 Description Year 3 marks a major transition period. The number of goats and their paddock area is reduced, chickens come onto the site, and yields diversify. 1. The garage is deconstructed and rebuilt on the same footprint to serve as a welcome center for the site and tool storage. Two large bays doors allow direct circulation from the driveway to the compost area. 2. Signage is placed on the SW border of the driveway that informs visitors about the site. Small shade tolerant forest gardens are planted near these signs to illustrate the ecological interactions that are exemplified across the site. 3. Kitchen garden space is established on ground that was previously part of goat paddock 1 and has benefitted from 2 years of goat manure fertilizer. Rectangular raised beds made using sheet mulching with soy based newsprint, hay, and compost are illustrated although this space will ultimately reflect the cultivation preferences of the residents. Regardless of form, this is a space that is on the walkway to the front door and will be visited frequently, making it ideal for intensive cultivation of veggies that require frequent attention. 4. A trellis with T-shaped cross posts at 7 feet connected by medium gauge wire is built on the SW side of the house and hardy kiwi strains such as ‘Geneva’, ‘MSU’ & ‘Issai’ are trained onto the trellis. 5. A hedgerow of Goumi completes the visual screening on the street side of the site. 6. Comfrey growing to 4-5 feet and Siberian Pea Shrub growing to 5-6’ provide visual screening along the SW chain link fence. Comfrey also bio-accumulates calcium, manganese & potassium and grows vigorously, allowing it to be ‘chopped & dropped’ several times a growing season and incorporated into compost, attracts and feeds bees, provides a valuable healing medicinal, and provides forage for chickens. Pea shrub also provides chicken forage in the form of dense pod growth. 7. Under plantings of comfrey, horseradish, bergamot, mint, strawberry, chive, yarrow, and garlic support the apple trees by accumulating deep minerals, mulching the ground to retain moisture, and attracting beneficial pollinators, all while producing yield with human uses. 8. The central trough is upgraded to an enclosed water tower 8’ high by 6’ in diameter, capable of storing 1700 gallons. A solar powered pump is used to fill the tower and must be spec’ed to sense when the tower is full and when the house collection tanks are empty and stop pumping. 9. Irrigation lines are buried, connecting the water tower to operable spigots for flood or hose irrigation. 10. The goat pen is divided, with the remaining 2 goats receiving half and the other half retrofitted to serve as a chicken coop for 16-20 chickens. A small Jean Pain bio-heat mound made of wood mulch is constructed seasonally near the chicken coop side and a water circulation system used to cycle warm water through the coop during the winter. 11. Construction and establishment of a hugelkultur pathway begins. The mound and pathway are sized to be 6’ wide. At a mound angle of 45 degrees the mound will be 3’ tall. Hugelkultur mounds are built by laying woody material such as logs, stumps and branches under a layer of soil. The woody material absorbs water and releases it as called for by plants (no watering required), breaks down slowly over many years releasing nutrients (no fertilizing required), and as it breaks down air pockets form and move about (no tilling required). In year 1 a hugelkultur mound can be broadcast seeded with clover and drilling, roots veggies that will have success at the base of the mound. In subsequent years this is a grow space for low maintenance, high volume crops such as cabbage, beans, squash, pumpkin and potato. Trees can be established at the base of the mound or in rings where the tree grows from existing ground level and the mound encircles it, channeling water and nutrient flows toward the tree. 12. A blueberry patch is planted around the edges of the remaining pine canopy. Blueberry tolerates the acidity of pine forest environments well. 13. A remote focal point is established near the back edge of the site.
Figure 11. Building a hugelkultur mound
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Year 5 Description
Year 5 marks the completion of major construction and cultivation activities. 3-5 additional years must pass before all trees and shrubs reach their productive stages. At this time visitors can tour and observe all the elements that have come together to form a working homestead that provides food for residents, minimizes the need for external inputs, and offers unique and stimulating spaces to explore.
1. Three agroforestry sectors are established: a. Sector 1: Hazelbert & Sea Buckthorn. The hazelberts are located in the slight natural swales, receiving water boosts from the irrigation lines from the water tower. Illustrated at immature size, the hazelberts will grow to 6m tall x 3m wide and produce a crop of nutrient dense nuts. Sea buckthorn is a nitrogen fixing shrub that increases the N content of the soil, in turn boosting the nut production of the nearby hazelberts. Sea buckthorn is well adapted to poor, dry soils, growing to 4m tall x 2.5m wide and producing copious amounts of tart, acidic yellow berries that are usually pressed for juice. b. Sector 2: Hazelbert, Goumi & Honeyberry. Hazelbert same as above. Goumi is another Nitrogen fixing shrub that forms hedges well, grows to 2m x 2m and produces sweet, red berries that can be used fresh or in baking. Honeyberry is a very hardy shrub, growing to 2m x 2m, maturing in 2 years, and producing nicely flavored blue berries and copious insect attracting blossoms. c. Sector 3: Elderberry. Elderberry does well in moist well-drained soil, thus benefitting from the irrigation line from the water tower installed in Year 3. Elderberries grow to 3m tall x 2m wide and produce large numbers of edible berries with excellent medicinal properties for reducing the effects of flus and colds. Established elderberry stands provide enchanting sanctuaries for one to sneak off into. 2. The hugelkultur pathway is fully established with a stand of Asian Pear and plantings of sweet potato, cabbage, pumpkin, squash, beet, onion, pole bean & potato. Visitors can walkthrough the hugel mounds, observing the growth patterns on their way to duck into the blueberry patch for a snack. 3. The goats, having done their work across the site to build fertility, are housed in a centrally located paddock. 4. Chicken population is expanded to approx. 18 laying hens. ROT, each hen requires 1,000sf of meadow to sustain calorically during the growing season without additional feed. This is access to achieved by releasing the chickens using a rotating pattern where they are allowed to roam into Agroforestry sectors 1 & 3 and the hugelkultur labyrinth. Comfrey and Siberian Pea Shrub provide additional site derived nutrition. 5. The kitchen gardens are expanded. 6. A homestead scale root cellar retrofit provides much needed crop storage. 7. Bee hives provide pollinators for the site and generate honey yields for the household. 8. Shiitake and oyster mushrooms on natural logs provide a protein rich crop, which in the case of shiitake also has medicinal properties. 9. Visitors are able to tour the entire site, transitioning from intensive vegetable cultivation to soil building, agroforestry, market scale veggie production, animal husbandry, beekeeping, mushroom cultivation, berry production, cheese making, rainwater collection, and crop storage.
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Figure 12. Elderberry grove
3-D Renderings Note: Not all elements could be rendered in 3D. For a complete overview of site elements and connections see the plan view maps of Year 0, Year 1, Year 3 & Year 5.
Site overview
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View of the main yard from the back property line
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View of the driveway from the road
*goat not to scale
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View to the house from the fire pit
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View from the northeast neighbor’s yard
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Management Guidelines
The following provides general guidelines in managing and making decisions for the site.
Soil 1. Manage compost to maintain proper balance of carbons to nitrogens (C:N) ratio by adding material such as straw, hay, dry leaves, or soy newsprint to kitchen scraps or green plant material. 2. Once comfrey is established, it will grow vigorously, sending up stalks with purple bell flowers visited by many bees. Once the flowers begin to be exhausted, cut the comfrey back at the ground and compost. This will add vital nutrients to the compost. The comfrey will regrow rapidly, allowing for several cuttings per season. 3. Avoid tilling. This damages soil structure and exposes soil life to harmful UV rays. Build soil by layering on top rather than digging down into. This will ensure an increasing amount of organic material in the soil rather than an ever depleting supply. 4. Use ground covers and living mulches. Bare soil loses moisture very quickly. Ensuring that soil has plant cover and living mulches such as horseradish, comfrey or sweet potato where appropriate, such as around the base of fruit tress, will maximize the water that is retained for plant growth.
Water 1. Water with rainwater whenever possible. Municipal water contains chlorine and other disinfectants, which will also kill off soil life, inhibiting living soil activity. 2. A first flush system on rainwater collection tanks is important in order to divert organic material and asphalt particles out of the bulk water tanks. Water from rainwater tanks is not recommended for human consumption unless additional filtering processes are taken. 3. Use gravity whenever possible. Hold water high on the landscape to maximize gravity fed potential. Utilize solar pumping systems to move water from a low point to a higher point when solar irradiation is available, allowing for greater gravity fed options. 4. Hold water on site. Rainwater collection tanks will hold water that impacts on the house. Organic material in the soil will act like a sponge and hold water on the rest of the site. The soil building strategies mentioned above are also water retention strategies.
Animal Care There is more to be said on this topic than can be included in the scope of this report. 1. As a general guideline for ethical animal care, consider yourself in the place of the animal and ask “would I be happy there?�. Does the animal have access to clean areas free from manure, clean water, sunlight, food and adequate shelter? If not, what is the root of the deficiency, and how is that to be addressed?
Weed and Pest control 1. Many perceived weeds are natural responses to ecological conditions and are nature’s tool for improving soil and covering bare ground to prevent erosion. The first response to weed problems is identification. This will tell much about the root of the ecological imbalance. Once this is understood, strategies can be employed to address the imbalance, or to embrace the weed itself for addressing the imbalance for you. Many weeds also have edible and medicinal properties, allowing the savvy grower to glean a yield from weed growth. B-15
2. Non-organic pesticides should not be used ever and great care and caution should be taken before using any organic approved pesticide. Killing pests with a broad use pesticide often kills the beneficial insects that prey on pests, leaving the door open to a resurgence of the pest. Identification is again the best approach. Once a pest is identified it is possible to research the beneficial insects that keep the pest populations in check and take steps to encourage those beneficials.
Material Sourcing Many building and cultivation materials will be required to construct the homestead. 1. Reclaimed and repurposed materials are generally less expensive than new materials, eliminate the need for manufacturers to invest resources in producing a new product, and often divert materials out of the waste stream. 2. Consider how a material will be ‘down purposed’, ie after it wears out for its current use, how can it be used next or how will it be disposed of? For example using stained or painted wood may be aesthetically desirable in certain applications, but the next spot is likely the landfill because of the toxins in paint and stains. Untreated wood may not last as long in the current application, but can be down cycled into a raised bed or compost bin. 3. Develop local connections rather than sourcing broadly. These connections are more likely to persist through time of hardship than those with remote regions.
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Yield Estimates Caloric Requirements The following table provides the basis for estimating caloric needs for the people living and working the homestead. Daily kcal requirements are calculated using the USDA calorie calculator found here: http://caloriecount.about.com/tools/calories-burned Providing the residents with ½ their annual food will require approximately 1,750,000 kcals.
Year 1 Estimated Yield
Year 3 Estimated Yield
* USDA label data B-15
Year 5 Estimated Yield
* USDA label data
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Estimated Yield at Maturity (Year 8 – 10)
* USDA label data Yields not included in the above: 1. All herb garden and flower garden yields which include valuable culinary and medicinal plants such as Echinacea, Thyme, Lavender, Calendula, Bergamot, Valerian, Tulsi Basil, Sage, Savory, & Chamomille. 2. All fruit and herbal yields from the two demonstration fruit guilds in the space between the driveway and the house. 3. Yields from the apple tree guild plantings such as horseradish, wild ginger, and garlic. 4. The potential to companion plant an additional herbaceous layer in the agroforestry zones such as field bean, globe artichoke, runner bean, or peppermint. 5. The potential to cultivate additional mushroom yields on straw or compost substrates in niche locations 6. The potential to cultivate additional mushroom yields on natural logs laid in developing sheltered, moist zones within the maturing agroforestry sectors. B-15
Yield Conclusion The goal of ½ of resident’s dietary requirements (1,750,000 kcal) is reached by year 5 and at system maturity in years 8-10, the residents will be able to meet approx. 87% of their caloric needs from on-site sources. At this point they will be eating an omnivorous diet with the bulk of the calories derived from nuts, honey, goat cheese, eggs, sweet potato, kiwi fruit, potato and mixed vegetables with many additional nutrient dense, medicinally significant yields to supplement and add interest to the diet. It is very likely residents will opt to trade a portion of their site grown products for staples such as grains, butter, and if desired, meat.
In the early years much of the calories are derived from goat cheese, the base of which will rely on external inputs of hay and other forage for the goats. It’s important to remember that the most important product during these years is an organically active soil structure that will be able to support the plants to come. The dietary or monetary gain from goat cheese is a by-product of using living systems to build soil.
Yield estimates and caloric calculations are based on USDA and State Ag Extension data where available. Where not available estimates are derived from anecdotal reports fro growers. It’s expected that for many crops, the careful attention and organic cultivation offered by 4 dedicated residents would be able to out perform the yield averages from USDA broad acre production estimates. While these yield estimates offer valuable insight into the capacity of the site to sustain its occupants, careful observation, cultivation, and preservation methods employed by the direct beneficiaries of the site’s offerings are likely to ensure that actual yields surpass our estimates.
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