Norris Thomlinson & Tulsi Latoski Present: Fall 2010Summer 2006

SELF SUFFICIENCYFIVE YEARS IN

March 2006

Summer 2009

More details atfarmerscrub.blogspot.com

Site Info● NE Portland, OR. Mediterranean climate, Zone 8● Slopes slightly north● Almost full sun access● Well-drained, very rocky soil● Began with almost no topsoil, nitrogen 1 ppm● Inherited 1200 ft² of asphalt driveway, and ~6350

ft² of anemic lawn● Two large seedling cherries on property line● “Little shack on the prairie” - small house in need

of some major work

Site Info – Land Area Stats

● Lot officially 50' x 175' = 8750 ft² = .2 acres● With unused parking strip 50' x 183' = 9150 ft²● House & garage & carport & porch = ~1620 ft²● Storage shed, chicken coop, wood shed, compost area =

400 ft²● Material handling zone = ~200 ft²● Side yard hang-out area = ~80 ft²● Paths = ~ 2000 ft²● Growing space + paths = ~6850 ft²● Actual growing space = ~4850 ft², non-growing=~4300 ft²

Site Info – Ecoroof

● Added 500 ft² of ecoroof in fall 2010, with 500 ft² more planned for this spring

● 400 ft² of actual growing space

● Experimenting with food production; too early to report results

1st Year: March – September 2006

● Sheet mulched grass

● Bought in 6 cubic yards of mixed soil for instant annual beds

● Planted in wood chips & large pots

● Got chickens, bees, fungi

● Observed site: sun, water, wind, traffic & use patterns

● Discussed goals & ideas

Site goals: Big picture● Self-sufficiency for 2-4 people in:

● Food - balanced paleodiet, (not 5 pounds of potatoes per day!)● Water● Heating & Cooling● Cooking● Lighting● Waste treatment

● Sustainable – really● Giving back to the land more than we take● Not dependent on civilization after establishment● No pollution (exported waste)● Create habitat – support wildlife, bees, birds, insects

Site goals: Garden● Nutritious, diverse abundance● Protein crops – nuts, eggs, and meat● Peaceful & quiet –

nature sounds● Low maintenance● Minimal digging● Urban model● Inspirational● Beautiful● Alive & vibrant

Site goals: House RenovationGoals

● Comfortable without fossil fuels & civilization

● Welcoming & inviting● End result attractive to

buyers for resale● Low maintenance –

mudrooms & outdoor shower to keep dirty people (Norris) under control

● Model for low-budget DIY techniques

Parameters● Space for 3-4 people● $25 - $30,000 budget● Mostly DIY● Meets code

Began Summer 2009Expect end Summer '11

Design process: September 2006

● Only observed 6 months before beginning food forest & site design, not full 12 months

● Permaculture principles

● Based on Edible Forest Gardens by Dave Jacke & Eric Toensmeier

● Created accurate base map, cut out tree & shrub circles to scale, and shuffled around to maximize numbers of trees & shrub spots

● Left adequate space for paths & understory sunlight

● Prioritized favorite fruit & nut trees & shrubs to fit available spots

● “Planted” tall bamboo poles to represent trees & shrubs

Yard Design Elements● Food forest

● Canopy trees● Berries● Herbaceous understory

● Sun garden (Zone 1)● Chickens● Bees● Ecoroof (came later)● Hangout areas● Material handling zone● Water integration

● Cooking & heating fuel● Summer shade for house

& hangout areas

Food forest design

Front yard

Back yard

Element: Food forest● Best fit for goals of low

maintenance, nutritious abundance, diversity, protein crops, and habitat creation

● Encompasses entire food growing area except ecoroofs and zone 1 sun garden

● Most woody plants planted by spring of 2007

Element: Food forest canopy

Nuts & seeds● English Walnut● Black walnut● Chestnut● 4 filberts● 2 Yellowhorns● 2 Pea shrubs

Misc● 2 Olives

Fruits● 3 Pawpaws● 2 Persimmons● 2 Chinese dogwoods● 2 Plums● Cherry● Fig● Medlar● Mulberry

Element: Food forest berries● Blueberry● Goumi● Autumn Olive● Silverberry● Salal● Evergreen huck● Serviceberry● Darwinian Barberry● Goji berry● Gooseberry● Red/white/black currant● Chilean guava

● Lingonberry● Kinnick-kinnick● Rasberry● Blackberry● Japanese wineberry

Element: Food forest Vines

● Kiwis● Hardy● Fuzzy● Arctic beauty

● Maypop passionflower● Grape● Akebia● Air potato● Cinnamon Vine

Element: Food forest Herbaceous Understory

● Theoretical polyculture assigned to each tree

● Very experimental: little experience with most of the desired herbaceous plants

● N-fixers, nutrient accumulators, beneficial insectaries, aromatic pest confusers, ground covers, plus direct yields for us

Element: Sun Garden● Mostly perennial veggies:

low maintenance, soil building, habitat creation, & nutritious diversity

● Some annuals for things w/o perennial subs (tomatoes, melons, squash, etc)

● Main greens growing area● ~ 1000 ft² including paths● Circular layout w/wide

keyhole beds

Sun garden design

Element: Chickens

● Kept since summer 2006● Backyard as playground● Integrated into food forest● Fed dumpstered food● Mainly for eggs, but eat

them as they age or die● Goal to feed them onsite

Element: Bees

● Kept since spring 2006● 2 colonies each spring● Langstroth & Top Bar

hives● Minimal maintenance● Usually 1+ die each

winter● Restock w/volunteers or

captured swarms● Harvesting ~30 lbs/year

from dead colonies

Element: Food preservation● Eat fresh in season● Staggered yields● Storable foods – nuts,

seeds, honey, eggs● Solar dehydration – fruits,

berries, fungi● Wood stove dehydration –

fall crops● Fermentation● Limited canning● Root cellar● Small livestock

Element: Rainwater

● Soil primary catchment; we added ~9,000 gallons by adding 8-9” topsoil and removing driveway

● New metal roof● Ecoroofs will catch, hold,

& use some rainwater● One or two ~5000 gallon

water tanks● Mulch to conserve water● Perennial plants

Element: Rainwater● Little implemented so far● Sunspace ecoroof drains

fill 3 backyard bath tubs, ~150 gallons storage

● Front porch drain will fill 2 55 gallon rainbarrels then ~300 gallon pond

● Carport & garage roofs will irrigate plants in hedgerow. Could fill some rainbarrels first

● 5 gal. buckets as stopgap

Element: Greywater

● Bathtub, kitchen & bathroom sinks: ~20? gallons/day into mini wetland (buried hot tub filled with gravel)

● ~50%?? overflows into buried bathtub – clean water for irrigation

● Laundry to Landscape ~30 gallons/week

Element: Aquaculture

● Very simple, no pumps/greenhouses/ etc. desired

● Aquatic plants – wapato, cattail, etc

● Aquatic floaters – duckweed & azolla for livestock

● Fish – Gambusia & goldfish for humans & livestock

Element: Fuel wood● Not based on hard

numbers, just hope● Coppice for firewood

● Black locust● Elaeagnus● Hazel● Chestnut?● Mulberry?● Paulownia new planting

● Woody prunings for rocket stove

Element: Hot water

● Not implemented● 160 ft² solar water panels● Solar pump: water into

insulated pondliner box (plywood) under house

● City water flows thru 300' of 1” PEX in tank (12 gallons storage)

● Excess thermosiphons (or pumped) into radiant floor tubing

● Wood stove can heat water

Element: House heating● Passive solar sunspace

w/thermal mass● Bathtubs add some

reflected light/heat● Minimize winter tree shade● Wood stove – should really

be a rocket stove● Lots of insulation, ~R30 avg

all around● Windows all insulated

Element: House cooling

● Summer shade, winter sun● Black locusts east side● Black walnut SW corner● Grapes on south trellis

● Ventilation● Sunspace thermal mass● Cold water through

radiant floor pipes

Element: House lighting

● Sunspace● Bathtubs add light● Windows in most rooms● Privacy window between

sunspace & bathroom● Mostly living with sun● Headlamps w/solar

battery charger● Considered light tubes,

but very expensive

Mistakes, Problems, & Adjustments

Design mistakes● Not designing rotating

chicken paddocks

● No ducks

● Omitting nursery area

● Omitting secure material handling zone

● Pawpaws in driveway

● N-fixers not necessary

● Planting garlic w/drought intolerant plants

● Assumed cold winter east wind

Problems● SLUGS

● Mushroom logs dried out

● Nettles overwhelmed Ribes

● Raspberry die off

● Kiwi establshment (arctic, hardy, & fuzzy)

● Olives dead

● Yellowhorns weak

● Chilean guavas freeze

● Salal & evergreen hucks dry

● Path maintenance-depends on woodchips

● Lack of security

● Lonely for community

Adjustments● Planned for 1000s of

gallons in water tanks but:● Too much space required● Not economical after ~400

gallons per 1000 ft² roof area

● 100% gravity feed difficult● Rely on Bull Run

watershed as giant gravity fed system

● Outdoor kitchen moved● House expanded extra 2'

● Minor shrub changes● Bamboo shoehorned in● Mulberry not planted

until fall 2010● Even fewer annuals

than orig. expected● Ongoing experiments

herbaceous perennials● All new polycultures● Food balance (greens

vs roots vs berries etc)

Results: AccomplishmentsMeeting our needs

● No fossil fuels for heat (but most wood imported)● Minimal gas for cooking (rocket stove would

eliminate natural gas dependency)● No need for sewer● Garden goes til June w/o needing imported water● 675 calories, 40 mins maintenance & harvest per

day● Should scale well as fruit & nut trees begin bearing● Ducks will add low-maint. high-efficiency calories● Many calories from animal products imported from off-site

Results: AccomplishmentsMeeting needs of others

● Habitat creation & support of biodiversity● More & new insects,

spiders, soil critters ● More bird activity ● More worms, richer soil● More trees & woody

growth

● Educational model – tours & classes

● Source of seeds & plants for others

Results: Food Harvest calories

27%

48%

10%

5%

4%3%2%2%

RootsAnimal productsGreensFruitBerriesSeedsFlowers & BudsOther

Results: target harvest calories12%

30%

12%

8%

25%

5%

2%1%5%

RootsAnimal productsFruitBerriesNuts & SeedsGreensOther veggiesMushroomsSquash

Results: HarvestsMeeting needs

● Greens & other veggies● Roots in winter (summer

roots scarce)● Berries (close, anyway)● Honey (but may grow

scarcer in future)● Eggs (mostly offsite feed)

Importing● Meat - ~ ½ lb/day● Milk● Fats: veggie, butter, bear ● Eggs in laying gaps● Foraged fruits & nuts

Results: Greens harvest by month● Way more greens than we

need in mid to late spring● Dwindles in summer,

especially without irrigation● Picks up again in fall● Falls off cliff w/ hard freeze● Available through winter, but

takes longer to harvest● Picking up in early spring● These #s affected by our

immersion in house projectApril

JuneAugust

OctoberDecember

FebruaryApril

0

5

10

15

20

25

Ounces greens per day

Results: Animal products calories

58%30%

12%1%

Eggs - 184 kcal per dayHoney - 95 kcal per dayChickenSquirrel & Rat

Results: Root harvest calories

45%

12%

9%

7%

7%

5%

5%

4%

6%

Jerusalem artichokeGarlicPotatoSkirretMashuaElephant garlicDandelionYaconOther

Results: Root harvest by month● Abundant from late fall til

early spring● Scarce in summer,

besides garlic in August● Potatoes comprise much

of summer harvest

AprilJune

AugustOctober

DecemberFebruary

April

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Calories of roots per day

Results: Food preservation● Much solar dehydration

(mostly off-site fruit)● Cherries dry on tree● “Garden scrap kim chee”● Created root cellar● Freezer for bulk meat

purchases● Fridge - often “where

food goes to die”● Easier w/more ppl to eat

perishables

Results: Conditioning & cooking● We'll burn ~1.5 cords wood this

season - would need 1.5 acres to grow (!)

● House heating projects incomplete: insulation, sunspace windows, solar hot water

● Should use rocket stoves to heat & cook plus hayboxes

● Cooking J. artichokes eats wood

● Drying laundry eats wood

● Body acclimatization to cold temps helps a lot

● Run fan sometimes in summer, but not necessary

● Dress appropriately!

Results: Lighting● Haven't installed all planned windows yet

● Sunspace doesn't allow as much light into kitchen as hoped during gray winter. Does great on sunny days.

● Haven't adapted to living w/sun – still use electric lights

● Headlamps alone for

artificial light would

work

● Haven't really tested

ability of solar battery

charger to keep up

in winter

Results: Summary

Self-sufficiency

● X Food (can feed 1/3 of a person)

● X Water

● X Heating

● √ Cooling

● X Cooking

● Lighting (close)● Waste treatment (still

generate garbage, especially from house project)

Sustainable

● √ Giving back to the land more than we take

● Not dependent on civilization after establishment (will always depend on water supply)

● No pollution (could get there by not buying packaged food)

● √ Create habitat – support wildlife, bees, birds, insects

The Future

Future theoretical possibilities

● Could maybe feed one person● Could meet heating & cooking needs by

implementing all strategies and living with whatever temperature is possible – 50s?

● Could meet all other goals except water self sufficiency

Future yields● Fruit trees may yield

~350 lbs/year● Berries may yield

~200 lbs/year● Walnuts & filberts

may yield ~80 lbs, chestnuts 10 lbs/year

Future development: Meat

● Ducks!● Live under front porch● Free range front yard● Eat slugs

● Rabbits● Live on roof w/access to

ecoroof● Feed alfalfa, black locust,

comfrey, paulownia

● Trap or shoot squirrels● Expand chicken fodders

Future development: Seed crops

● Plant 15+ Oikos Tree Crops dwarf oaks for human & poultry acorns

● Grow more fennel

seed● Breed Good King Henry

for seed production● Experiment w/perennials

for humans or poultry● Legume seeds (favas,

peas, runner beans...)

Future development: Root crops

● Adjust seasonal balance● Cinnamon vine bulbils● Yellow asphodel● More summer potatoes

● Diversify● Develop polycultures

● Mashua & jerusalem art & chinese art. or silverweed

● Lily & chinese artichoke● Oca & lily & yellow asphodel● Oca & skirret & potato● Skirret & garlic

● Grow for poultry

Cities: Implications● If can feed one person

& fuel one house from our lot, then Portland can support ~280,000 ppl.

● Currently ~600k ppl.● So everyone needs to

do what we're doing, only do a better job of it, and kick out more than ½ the population.

● Our conclusion...

Conclusion: Let's move to Hawaii!

● No need to heat or cool● Don't even need clothes● Fill our shorts with wild

avocados instead