The Site

The Farm: A Permaculture Site

Located at 9078 Torn Rose Lane and Davis Road in The Sulphur Springs Valley near the town of Elfrida, Arizona.

Existing components:

40 acres of irrigated Bermuda Grass pasture. The property has a slight elevation running west to east through the center of the property. Pasture to the north of the elevation drains to the north east. Pasture to the south of elevation drains to the south east.

2 Wells, one for irrigation and another serving the farmhouse and 11 livestock tanks.

5 Pecan Trees

2 Acorn trees

Numerous Evergreens located around the farm house as shade and windbreaks.

6 Grid-tied solar arrays and 1 Grid-tied wind turbine.

9 individually fenced pastures.

1 Barn in a deteriorated state.

1 Pig pen on concrete with a clean-out drain to the north.

1 Chicken house with fenced yard

1 Farmhouse

1 Garage

1 Old adobe structure

1 Cellar

The purpose of the Project is to establish a working permaculture site that demonstrates a bio-diversenpolyculture that is able to support all living organisms on the site as well as create a marketable excess.  Additionally, the site will serve as a model of responsible land stewardship in the arid southwest.  Maintaining the historical integrity of the site as a working farm will be the highest priority.  Every effort will be made to make use of the abundant materials and resources currently on the site.  Additionally, the farm will be a working partner with The 47 Ranch.

This project will be documented in a website for educational resources along with our permaculture design diploma. We will be asking for Dennis to be our mentor in this process.

The project will also strive to retain the wisdom of time associated with working on both the farm and the ranch. In that, we wish to build a system that stewards human life to a dignified and loving end.

Phase One in creating Pachamama Permaculture Site:

Phase one will consist of cleaning up the home and getting it so we can live on site. We will need to clean and replace the floors, rid the house of extra materials which will either go to the bone yard or will be thrown away. We will need to insulate the upstairs and do an overall clean and reparation of the home. Reparations will be further noted as we spend more time at the site.

Phase one will also consist of cleaning the five acre plot surrounding the home and a resource assessment. Materials will either be reused or put into the boneyard. The chicken coop and other animal enclosures will be repaired and readied for animal inhabitation.

Chickens for future eggs will be the first animal introduced to zone one. They will be used in tractors to begin garden soil/orchard amendment. Secondly, we will be using compost that we have created along with worm castings. We will also be using the cow and sheep manure in the barn for soil amendment.

We will begin amendment of the pastures by introducing chicken tractors and the addition of clover for crop diversity. At this time intensive grazing management will begin.

We estimate that this phase will take 4 months.

We will begin the structural changes that are needed in phase one and will continue throughout the project as needed.

Salvage Barn

Salvage Garage

Recondition Adobe

Straw Bale or Adobe for WWOOFers and Eco-tourists

We will begin the process of forming a non-profit organization 501©(3) along with a board which would consist of primarily the Moroney's, Hoffman/Prow and those with parallel thoughts and future plans for the site.

 

 

The Principles of Permaculture

Care for the Earth recognizing that Earth is the source of all life (and is possibly itself a living entity — see Gaia theory), that Earth is our valuable home, and that we are a part of Earth, not apart from it.

Care for the People
supporting and helping each other to change to ways of living that do not harm ourselves or the planet, and to develop healthy societies.

Return excess back to the Earth and to the People ensuring that Earth's limited resources are used in ways that are equitable and wise.

Welcome! Bienvenue! Bienvenidos!

We.  We means you and I.  It means us, them, he, she, all of us.  We means the whole; from the smallest microorganism in the dark brown dirt to the largest of all beings.

We are Pachamama Permaculture.  We are you.  We want to grow food and live harmoniously within the natural systems.  Not systems that we have created, rather systems that have existed since the beginning.
The resources are all here.  The dark soil, the flowing water, the bright sun, the magnificent human energy and the wholeness of community.  Bring them all together and watch the miracle of life.
What is permaculture?  Let's first begin with what permaculture is not.

 Permaculture is not solely gardening techniques, limited to food production, an underground culture that only some have access to, accessible to only those in rural areas, a name of a perfume, wasteful, nor a passing fad.

What is permaculture?  Permaculture has always been.  It is a way of life that has been left behind in our modernity.   Permaculture is the answer to many of our modern day problems.  Our environmental concerns, our financial stresses, and our overall disconnect from one and other can be solved by returning to this inter-woven philosophy of mindful living.

Permaculture is working with natural systems rather than against.  Permaculture is circular in that everything has purpose.  Permaculture (PERMAnent agriCULTURE or PERMAnent CULTURE) is a sustainable design system stressing the harmonious interrelationship of humans, plants, animals and the Earth.