1. Green Farm A&M Permaculture Project Design & Implementation “You can solve all the world's problems in a garden.” ― Geoff Lawton Designed by: Ernest Rando & Jonathan Sowder

2. The Permaculture Plan The Permaculture Plan contains: brief history of the land current features detailed analysis of soil and water energy flows design goals steps needed to begin building Northwest Indiana’s first Permaculture School.

3. “To create and cultivate the model farm of the future by incorporating the best practices of both current and traditional methods of sustainable agriculture. A major component of the farm will be an educational outreach program focusing on teaching practical, sustainable, and regenerative methods of food production." Vision Statement

4. People Care Goals Create diversified sources of income on the farm in order to create jobs and provide food for the Farm employees, volunteers, and students. Incorporate traditional herbal and medicinal plants in the farm and facilitate their use as an alternative health care tool, including classes on their preparation and use. Teach students methods of food (plant and animal) preservation, storage, and processing. Community Care Goals Create an educational center and education programs, including bringing in regional experts for larger classes. Create and promote a community of local trade and commerce, a “Local Food System”. Increase the aesthetics of the farm. Goals

5. Earth Care Goals Identify and plant the most nutritious and highest yielding non invasive plants from local and similar world wide climates and replace the invasive ones. Test and prove non-chemical and no till soil building processes to be used and duplicated in our region. Diversify the amount of plant and animal species by increasing the amount of micro-climates on the farm, especially the aquatic and semi aquatic habitats. Food production models will focus on utilizing sustainable and humane methods of food production such as polyculture food forests, pastured animal production, and perennial gardening. Long Term Goals Become 100% energy independent. Use the least amount of effort to accomplish the greatest gain.

6. Why Permaculture? Permaculture is an approach to designing human settlements and agricultural systems that mimic natural ecological relationships. Permaculture emphases trees and perennials. Food forests mimic natural systems - self fertilizing, self watering, self weeding, and self pollinating.

7. is a vertical extension of the garden that benefits from three-dimensional planting. A Permaculture Food Forest

8. Bioswales on Contour with mounds increases growing surface area, water held on the property, and prevents erosion while maximizing solar gain.

9. Stacking Functions allows us to recycle the energies, the nutrients, and the work of each organism so that there is a production of abundance and resiliency that can't be equaled on in an industrial system.

10. Food Forests Pond-topia ! Campus The GFAM Permaculture Project in a Nutshell

11. Food Forests - The Kitchen Garden - The Mushroom Trail - The West Food Forest - A Portable Animal Shelter - The Upland Food Forest These zones are the high-use zones that are the most commonly used and intensively planted and includes:

12. Species Included Trees - apple, plum, peach, elderberry, and cherry trees, black walnuts are already present. Berry Bushes - black raspberries are already present gooseberries, hackberry, and elderberries will be introduced. Garden - A plethora of common vegetables of uncommon varieties will be grown wild and in the Kitchen garden. Edible Groundcovers - such as dandelion, clovers, wheat, strawberries, sweet potato, and pumpkins. Vining Plants - such as grapes, malibar spinach, and Siberian kiwi. Multipurpose chickens will be the first animals introduced on the farm used for their eggs, meat, and feathers. Preference will always be given to heirloom varieties, non GM seeds, endangered species, and those plants suitable to local conditions. Medicinal and other useful plants will also be cultivated.

13. Pond-topia The core permaculture principals at work! This area is 1.5 acres total with 12 feet of elevation change running west to east and a 11,000 sq ft wetland/pond. At the top begins the sloped Swale Food Forest that will clean and aerate the water as it travels to the catchment pond. Water will also be directed from the buildings into this pond. This will become an area rich in food and wildlife. The overflow from the pond will flow into a watering hole pond that is centrally located in the middle of a rotating paddock system for the farm animals where their food will be grown for them so that they must learn to forage before they themselves are harvested for food.

14. Species Included Animals will only be introduced when the land can support them but will hopefully include: Animals - Tamaranth hogs, ducks, geese, baby doll sheep, and saanem goats. Draft animals, bluegill and catfish in time. Trees - Peach, apple, and plum trees will be protected from the animals but will provide a natural shade and food for them. Bushes - blueberries, others? Grain - wheat, rye, buckwheat, rice, corn Plants - various plants and groundcovers will abound to provide foraging food for the animals and humans alike. Trellised plants and wildflowers will be grown along the fences. Preference will always be given to heirloom varieties, non GM seeds, endangered species, child friendliness, and those suitable to local conditions. Animals will be purchased as young or bred on the property but most will be harvested and not overwinter. They will also never be made to produce out of season.

15. “You can solve all the world's problems in a garden.” ― Geoff Lawton Green Farm A&M is three things: - It is a place to grow resources for the next generation. - It is a model for Indiana, the Great Lakes Region, and the Planet. - It is a place to learn how to solve the problems of the future.

16. First Year Structures All structures will be built with materials available on the property if possible. Sensible construction that maximizes solar gain, catchment of water, and proper insulation will be utilized. The Garden House - storage for seeds, tools, and books. The Outdoor Kitchen - an open kitchen with hanging utensils, solar and cob ovens, and rocket stoves. Camping Sites - Padded platforms of raised sand beds will provide a safe place to pitch tents for extended workshops. Outdoor Classroom Shelter - simple shelter of round timber frame construction will provide work table space and weather protection.

17. Through observation we are cultivating abundant natural and social resources We are using natural forms to catch natures energy Reusing and creating renewable resources to produce a self maintaining food system Started with patterns and design the details in order to produce no waste Using the biodiversity that is naturally located among the edges of the property to slowly build up the property and its relationships over time without depleting the soil. Permaculture is the Solution

18. Timeline Phase one site development Set goals, design, and implement plan for: Surveying Earthworks Water Human Presence Access Fencing/ Security Office/ Management Education Perennial System Food Nursery Energy Phase two site development Review and Evaluate Year One. Set Goals, priorities, design, and implement plan for year two. Reduce reliance on purchased plants using nursery seedstock. Expand teaching schedule and develop intern positions. Begin training and phasing in local teachers, become less reliant on teachers brought in. Increase integration and efforts with local community.

19. Timeline Phase three site development Set goals, design, and implement plan for Self Sustainability: Aim for financial sustainability by teaching PDC courses. Rely mainly on own seed stock except when introducing new species. Bolster and improve on volunteer and intern program. Create specialized workshops. Fulfill roles in organization that still need filled and improve effeciency. Further increase reliance on local teachers unless a specialization is needed. Share the abundant resources.