Maella permaproject

Location

Lat: 41.13527447
Long: 0.19491994
Altitude a.s.l.: Top: 246m – Low: 236m Area size:

• 1st plot west side 5.024 m2

• 2nd plot south east 21.949 m2 Area shape: Concave

• Top Level: West - Zone4 - 246m

• Low Level: North – Zone 1 – 236m

• Top Level: East – Zone3 – 245m

• Top Level: South – Zone 3 – 240m

Land history

The whole land is made of terraces. Terraces are slightly tilted backward.
The land hasn’t been used for any agricolture labors for a few years and presents signs of wild regrowth vegetation. Mostly, wild rosmery. Lot of grazing pasture have been formed, good for animals.
Once, this land was an olives crop, good quality olive oil, but now only few olive trees left.
Neighbours lands are cultivated, monoculturely with olive trees, grape vines and apricots fruit trees.
All bare soil, very crusty on top and softer and fresh just below (40cm deep).

The 2 plots of land are slightly deattached, but easy to connect with a channel beside the secondary road access that will bring down the water from above land to the valley land. Good catchment of water.
Gold color lines define the 2 plot of lands.

Overview of the 2 plots.

View of the hill catchment. Very nice water resource.

Soil

Sandy soft soil with top crust on top levels.
Hard compacted soil in the valley area.
Ph in two different spots of the land is 7.5 at 40-50cm depth.
Soil, nice and fresh 40-50cm depth
Presence of ants in the subsoil.
No presence of clay in the subsoil.
All the ponds in the nearest area are made by concrete and covered with apposite mat, thick canvas

Climate

Koppen climate classification: Bsk – Cold semi-arid. Distance from sea: 90km
Distance from ocean: 750km
Average annual temperature is 14.8 °C.

Average annual rainfall is 450 mm.

Max 24h maximum rainfall 81 l/m2 (10th July 1923)
Area of hill catchment: Area 6742 m2
Cubic meters of water catchment: 6742m2 x 0,081= 546,10m3=546100Lt

Wind

Prevailing Wind Direction Summer: South East
Bochorno: SE wind of Mediterranean origin, rising upstream Ebro river giving temporal rainfall in the middle and lower basins. Usually appear before a storm that slowly enters the Gulf of Cadiz, Guadalquivir and Morocco. It is the basis of the contribution of moisture to the dry lands of Aragon.

Prevailing Wind Direction Winter: North West
Cierzo: Cold and dry wind blowing from the NW often and at any time of year, in the Ebro valley high pressure is given in the British Isles and the Bay of Biscay and low pressures on Balearic Islands. Usually coincides with invasions or cold air drops in height maps. Isobars on surface maps perpendicularly intersect the Ebro valley: it is an isobaric gradient wind.

Sun Orientation

Summer Solstice: June, 21

Summer Solstice

Winter solstice

Customer goals

The customer is an ipotetic family of 3 (2 adult + 1 child +1 dog) that they need to make the live out of the property following the parmaculture principals.
Around the plots of lands no villages or habitants found. The closest village is about 4-5km away, following a dirty road.

The house will be made out of mud and straw, constructed with flat gardened roof, in order to cool down the temperature on top and take advantages of some yeld. Solar panels will be installed in the S-SW side of the house in order to get the most out of the sun agles during summer and winter season.
The S and W wall of the house will be climbed by some climbers ,vines species in order to diminish the house temperature. House will be provided as well with solar chimney.

Soil will be improved and fertility increased following the permaculture principales.
The living of the family will be based as well on meet, which will include chickens, ducks and some wild animals such as wild rabbit, which are present in the area.
Customer request:

• -  Be able to collect as much rain water as possible in order to use it for all needs(cooking, irrigation, cleaning, personal)

• -  Grow as much as possible food and live out of it

• -  Help local community and get some profit out of the sale of own products

• -  Lot of biodiversity in order to create a demonstration permaculture site

  IMPORTANT: In this type of climate (cold semi arid), it is very important to have lot of shade and mulch

Structures on land

Tha Land hasn’t been used for many years and no structures are present on the land. Only an old house wich will be taken down as it his falling a part. Rocks, will be used for costructions of herb spiral and other features.

Resources available in the neighbourhood

Sheeps and goats for grazing and manureing. Local workers to hire or invite.

Vegetation on the land

Tha land was formerly an olive tree cultivar with now only few olive tree left with a dense regrowth of wild rosmery.

Wild Animals

During the visit to the plot, wild rabbit were present as well as lots of bees, which they will be helpful for honey production

Earthworks

No much of earthwork will be made since all the land is already made of terraces, tilting slightly backward The earthwork on the land will make sure that the terraces will be 2% tilted backward and sideward in order for the water to be catched by the V drain and spilled away downhill in case of flood.
The V drains will be connected to the trenches used for the Net and Pan. Basins at the base of trees will be created and connected by trenches. Those trenches will take the water to all the trees basin. In the middle

Zone Planning

Zone 0 – The House

• -  The house will be completely eco-friendly, made of mud and Straw. It will have a flat gardened roof, in order to diminish the temperature on the roof.

• -  The S and W wall of the house will be climbed by species, in order to keep cool he temperature during the day

• -  House orientation N – S (slightly NE- SW), in order to make the most out of the sun angles during winter and summer season

• -  Rocket mass heater will be build in the house in order to have a hot source for winter season

• -  The house will be implemented with solar panels which should allow the family to live off the grid.

  (Batteries, feeded by the solar panels, will be used for night hours and bad weather)

• -  The house will be provided with gutters in order to harvest all the rain water possible

• -  Different water tanks will be placed for washing, drinking, cleaning, eating

• -  Greywater system will be in place in order to make the most of the used water for irrigation

  purpouse only

  Zone 1 – The most intensive

  It will include Zone 0, the House.

  Features to be implemented:

• -  Access to the house from North West side, driving through the lower point of the land

• -  Garage, with water tank, in order to provide water to frog / reeds pond

• -  Frog/reeds pond, with bushes.

• -  On the lower terrace, North-East side, 2 green houses will be placed in order to extend the warm

  season. Feeded by water tank.

• -  Solar panels

• -  Water tanks feeded by gutters of the house

• -  Grey water system set up in order to feed the orchard on the West side of the house.

• -  The area will be fenced in order to protect the kitchen garden and othe parts of the zone from

  wild animals

• -  Food/seed storage, with water tank

• -  Oven wood pizza made of mud and straw will be build

• -  Porche on the East outside wall, covered with climbers (recreational area)

• -  Tables and chairs/benches

• -  Dwarf trees will surround the house from SE through W side of the house.

• -  Herbal spiral with medicinal herbs beds will be created using the stones from the old house.

• -  3 Keyhole garden bed will be built between the dwarf trees

• -  Compost toilet will be on the SW side of the house connected by a living tunnel of climber

  species which will flower giving a nice aspect and aroma to the tunnel that leads to the outside

  toilets

• -  Compost toilet will be build for humanure porpouse.

• -  On the west side of the house we are on the edge between Zone 1 and Zone 2, where the orchard

  already starts, in order to provide shade to the West wall of the house

• -  On the East side, we will have the kitchen garden, completely fenced and sunken, in orther to

  attrap moisture and water.

• -  The kitchen garden will be started by chickens, cell by cell.

• -  The garden will be shaded by trellis:

  50% above – 20% sunside – West side already shaded by house and other trees

• -  Attached to the garden we have the nursery and the Tools/workshop which is provided with

  water tanks, used in the kitchen garden for irrigation and used by the nursery

• -  On the edge of Zone 1 towards Zone 2, East side, we have chickens coop, provided with water

  tank for self watering

• -  Ducks are with a small water feature, in order to provide water with additional nutrients from

  duck to the kitchn garden (Pipe from duck pond going downhill to the kitchen garden)

• -  The pond will be highly shaded in order to prevent water evaporation

• -  The area just attached to the poultry will be used for animals food so they can free range. This

  area will be planted with nitrogen fixer plants suitable for animal forage (leaves and seeds) e.g.:

  Alfalfa.

• -  Always on the Edge of Zone 1 towards Zone 2 East side, will have area reserved for compost bins

  and compost worm farm.

  Zone 2 – The Orchard

• -  Zone 2 will be mostly the orchard fruit trees area, where different kind of fruit trees for semi arid climate will be planted using the Net and Pan pattern.

• -  The basins are connected by a network of shallow trenches, which they collect rain and runoff water falling over a large area and delivers it to the base of the trees. Mulch is also collected in the basins, building soil

• -  The fruit forest will be at the beginning 90% support species and 10% fruit trees. By the end of the cycle the situation will be upsidedown where 90% will be productive fruit trees and 10% support species.

• -  This Zone will be used as well for annual main crop e.g. Spelt, also known as dinkel wheat or hulled

  wheat, which will give us spelt flour, nice for backing bread, pasta and pizza. Plantation of those

  species will be between support legumes species.

• -  Other type of wheat will be be implanted, as well as some fruit like watermelon.

• -  Parts of Zone 2 are used as well for the growth of animal forage, where they can range free.

• -  Zone 2 will be implemented for the creation of mulch:

  1.1.1. Annualcovercrop

1.1.1.1. 1.1.1.2. 1.1.1.3. 1.1.1.4. 1.1.1.5.

Cowpeas Lablab Pinto beans Sesbania Wheat

1.1.2. Perennialcrop

1.1.2.1. Birdsfoot trefoil

• -  Zone 2 will be started cell by cell, triangle by triangle, prepared by chikens and when needed by goats.

• -  Olla system will be implemented togheter with dripping irrigation for trees establishment and best use of water.

• -  Another option for the design of the lower part of the Zone 2 where mulch and annual crop will be growth, is the use of swales, as the lower part is not terraced.

  Zone 3 – The bees empire

• -  In Zone 3, which will be easily accessed via Zone 2, will implement bees for honey production, animal forage, windbreaks and fire breaks.

• -  It will contain as well nut trees

• -  This area, which includes the rain water run off from the hill, will have this water channeled and

  tanked for future irrigation down the hill

• -  All the plant species, such as flowers, shrubs and trees will be aimed to create the bees empire for no

  stress environment and super quality honey production

• -  This area will be used as well for cutting off the humid warm wind blowing from SE. No records of

  fire in the area.

  Zone 4 – The giants

• -  This area will be used for long term development

• -  It will be implemented with timber for building, firewood with the use of appropriate tree species

• -  This area it will have less maintenance requirement

• -  There is a water catchment from the road runoff. The water will be channeled and used for dripping

  irrigation till trees are established

• -  Water will be piped down to a water body catchment, which will connect Zone 4 to the orchard of

  Zone 2, for irrigation purpose

• Plant list – Ground cover

• -  Acmadenia Star blush 30 cm high

• -  Agastache 70cm high

• -  Alfalfa cultivated as important forage crop

• -  Cicer arietinum (garbanzo) up to 50cm high, edible for humans and animals

• -  Esparceta (Onobrychis viciifolia) 20-80cm

• -  Lambs ears 15 cm high

• -  Lupinus albus (White lupin) 30-120cm high, green manure and mulch

• -  Lupinus angustifolius (altramuz silvestre): green manure and mulch. The plant is widely used as

  fodder for livestock, due to high protein, used as green manure or grain legume for animal feed or

  human consumption

• -  Lupinus micrantus (altamuz peludo): 10-40cm, green manure and mulch

• -  Lupinus varius: up to 100cm. Green manure and mulch

• -  Prairie Lupine (Lupnius Lepidus var.lepidus) 10-35cm high

• -  Sea lavender 45-60 cm high

• -  Thymus 10cm high

• -  Vicia faba (haba): up to 160cm, green manure and mulch. Edible fruit for humans.

• -  Vinca alba minor 20cm high

  Plant list – Shrubs

• -  Tepary bean up to 4m high, drough resistant, low water requirement (under 400mm),annual

• -  Brittlebush non-legumes shrub for semi arid

• -  Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) 4-5m height, usually 1-2m. Very heat tolerant. Is one of the most drought

  tolerant legume crops. Cowpea type of inoculum can be used.

• -  Tagasaste (Chamaecytisus palmensis) - Requires over 300mm of rainfall per year. Grows to a height

  of 7 metres. It makes an excellent protein-rich fodder crop.

• -  Leucaena leucocephala, small fast growing tree. Source of quality animal feed, also fo residual use

  for firewood or charcoal production. The legume provides an excellent source of high-protein cattle fodder. May be invasive.

• Salt wattle (Acacia ampliceps) Requires between 250 – 700 mm of rainfall per year. Grows to 2 to 8 metres in height. Tolerates alkaline and saline conditions. Makes good fuel or timber for posts. Can be used as fodder. Hard round-wood, good fuel-wood, good browse.

Plant list – Medium trees

• -  Carob (Ceratonia siliqua) up to 15 m high edible

• -  Honey locust up to 24 m, decidious, fast growing

• -  Acacia longifolia up to 11m

• -  Myrica rubra evergreen 10-20 m high fixex nitrogen. Has red edible fruits

• -  Albizia Lebbeck up to 20m height. Multiple use as protein supplement, for feeding weaners or as

  deought reserve, lopping annually or as necessary

• -  Japanese Honey Locust up to 12m, decidious. Has spines or sharp edges

• -  Honey locust up to 12m, decidious, drought tolerant, quick growth for shade wanted

• -  Acacia aneurea: up to 10m, very good wood for making instruments

• -  Acacia farnesiana: up to 10m, decidious

• -  Acacia longifolia: Fast growing. It reached in 5-6 years the height of 7-10m

• -  Acacia nilotica: up to 20m. Good lumber for boats

• -  Acacia tortillis: up to 21m. Used as windbreak

• -  Acacia seyal: quick fast growing tree up to 10m high. Wood for building

• -  Acacia trachycarpa: Fast growing tree. Up to 15m high. Keeps the leaves during the dry season.

  Wind break

• -  Balanites aegyptiaca: fast growing tree up to 10m high. Good wood for fornitures and traps insects.

  Nitrogen fixer

• -  Butea monosperma: Drought resistant and resistant to grazing by animals. Good for wood, green

  manure and resin. Up to 15m

• -  Cassia siamea: fast growing tree up to 18m. Leaves are rich in Nitrogen, good for green manure.

  Wind break

• -  Cercidium floridum: 10-12 m high. Nitrogen fixer. Edible fruit and good use of wood

• -  Geoffrea decorticans (chañar): Up to 8m high. Edible fruit and good wood. Nitrogen fixer -

  Prosopis alba (algarrobo blanco): 5-15m, good for semi arid, Wind break. Nitrogen fixer, wood.

Online Permaculture design course 2014 – Fabio Borghini

Plant list – Full term trees

• -  Robinia pseudoacacia up to 52m

• -  Tipuana up to 30m. Shade tree

Geoff Lawton’s Permaculture design course 2014

Plant list- Fruit trees

• -  Albariquoques

• -  Caryocar brasiliense: up to 10m. Edible fruit. Good for bees and other impollinators

• -  Cerezo

• -  Che (Maclura tricuspidata)

• -  Ciruelo -
  -
  -

• -  2-12m height

• -  Melicoccus bijugatus (Mamoncillo): up to 25m

• -  Melocotonero

• -  Pistachia vera (alfóncigo, pistachero): Bushes up to 10m

• -  Pistacia atlantica: decidious tree growing up tp 7m

• -  Pomelo tree: up to 7m, long live 50-150y. From seed, fruits after 8 years. Grafted on other citrus

  trees. -

  -

• -  Punica granatum (pommgranade): 5-8m, decidious

• -  Spondias cytherea (Ambarella): 9-12m
  

• -  Neem (Azadirachta indica) - Drought tolerant. Grows 15 to 20 metres in height. The trees has anti- septic properties and it used for everything from oral hygiene to head lice treatment. This is one of the great trees of India. Noted to be drought resistance. Uses: Toiletries, toothbrush, cosmetics, brid repellent, fertilizer, honey, soap

Diospyros virginiana (Persimmon, Kaki virginiano): Decidious tree to 10m

Ficus Carica (higuera):

Loquat Eriobotrya japonica (Níspero japonés): 5-10m, but often smaller 3-4m

Macadamia:

Prunus amygdalus (almendro): growing 4-10m, decidious tree.

Prunus armeniaca (siberian apricot): 8-12m.

Frutal. Spondias tuberosa (Imbú): up to 6m. Semiárid. Edible leaves and medicinal. Roots contains water

to reduse thirsty.. Fruit consumed fresh, juice,, mermeladas, vino, vinagre...

Dwarf trees

PINEAPPLE GUAVA (FEIJOA)

• A shrub or small tree up to 15 feet.

• Can be severely pruned and can be shaped into an informal or formal hedge or screen.

• Beautiful flowers have edible petals.

• Some varieties require a pollinizer to set fruit.

• Superior varieties have been developed for fruit quality and fruit size.

• Fruit fall to the ground when ripe in late summer or fall. The fruit flesh is scooped out of the rind, is very juicy and has a flavor of pineapple mixed with pear.

  NATAL PLUM Carissa grandiflora

• Hardy, evergreen shrubs. Dwarf and standard sized cultivars are available.

• Plants are very tolerant of pruning or shaping.

• Plants have sharp spines making it an excellent barrier plant.

• Attractive fragrant flowers and fruit are produced for many months during the spring, summer and

  fall.

• Fruit is eaten fresh or used to make jams and jellies. Flavor is somewhat cranberry-like.

• The fruit has a white latex sap when unripe that diminishes when the fruit is fully ripe.

  Mulberry Morus nigra, M. alba, M. rubra and Hybrids
  Mulberries are deciduous, fast growing trees frequently reaching 9-12m in height or more. The root systems can be invasive and greedy. Pruning can keep these trees smaller in size.

  Persian Mulberry Morus nigra
  Morus nigra is a smaller tree slower growing that reaches an average height of 25 feet.
  The dark purple fruit is smaller and has more acid than other mulberries giving the flavor more of a boysenberry-like flavor.

  White or Red Mulberry M. alba, M. rubra and Hybrids
  Fruit can be white, lavender, red or very dark purple. Fruit color, size, flavor and season can vary by variety. There are many named varieties available.
  Flavor is typically sugary sweet and is always sweeter than M. nigra fruit.

  Strawberry Tree Arbutus unedo
  A small to medium sized evergreen tree with attractive bark, flowers and fruit.
  Dwarf and full sized cultivars are available as named varieties.
  Attractive white or pinkish flowers are produced during the fall and winter months.
  The trees often have flowers and fruit occurring at the same time with the multicolored fruit being produced nearly year-round.

Yellow dragon fruit ( Selenicereus megalanthus)

Zizyphus mauritiana (Jujuba malaya): 2-12m, grows vigorously.

Zizyphus nummularia: shrub up to 2m. Leaves are good for livestock

Zyzyphus Jujuba (azufaifo): 5-12m decidious. Spikey. Fodder

Fruit are red when ripe and are typically used to make preserve or a liqueur.
Eaten fresh, the fruit are somewhat mealy in texture and considered bland in flavor.

Kei apple (dovyalis caffra). An evergreen small tree up to 4m in height. Male plant are required for pollination. Usually 1 male every 8 female plants best fruit production.

Annual cover crop for mulch

• Cowpeas

• Lablab

• Pinto beans

• Sesbania

• Wheat

  Perrennial cover crop mulch

• Birdsfoot trefoil

The Climbers

Bougainvillea Dwarf Orange:

•Bougainvillea
•Orange bougainvillea bursts with colour, with bright orange flowers that develop on short, compact growth.
•Bougainvillea love the sun, these spectacular climbers are evergreen in frost free locations. In cooler temperate climates Bougainvilleas have one long summer flowering season, but in warmer climates they will flower throughout the year. They can be grown in pots or trained to ramble over an arch or gazebo. If unsupported they will grow as a dense ground cover, however if support is provided they will climb vigorously.
•Grows 1.5m wide x 1.5m high.

Bougainvillea Purple:

•Bougainvillea spectabilis x glabra
•Magnificent deep purple flower bracts.
•Bougainvillea love the sun, these spectacular climbers are evergreen in frost free locations. In cooler temperate climates Bougainvilleas have one long summer flowering season, but in warmer climates they will flower throughout the year. They can be grown in pots or trained to ramble over an arch or gazebo. If unsupported they will grow as a dense ground cover, however if support is provided they will climb vigorously.

•Grows 5m high x 4m wide.

Bougainvillea Red: Grows 5m high x 4m wide. Bougainvillea White: Grows 5m high x 4m wide.

Chinese Star Jasmine:

•Trachleospermum jasminoides
•Chinese Star Jasmine is an evergreen climber with clusters of delicate star shaped highly fragranced flowers. One of the best summer fragrance plants. Can be used as a scrambling ground cover. Ideal for pots and containers. Drought tolerant once established. Prefers a full sun to part shade position. •Climbs to up to 10m high x 2-3m wide.

Yellow Star Jasmine:

•Trachelospermum
•Yellow Star Jasmine' is the hardiest of all Jasmine. This slow growing, long lived climber has glossy dark leaves and clusters of sweetly scented, yellow star-shaped flowers on an evergreen vine. Prefers a full sun position with well drained soil. Flowers in summer. Excellent plant for walls and trellises. •Grows 3-4m high x 2-3m wide

Carolina Jasmine:

•Gelsemium sempervirens
•A robust fast growing evergreen climber with twining tendrils. Fragrant large golden yellow trumpet flowers in spring. Prefers a full sun to part shade position. Ideal for covering a bare wall or even as a creeping ground cover.
•Grows 3-4m high x 3-5m wide.

Jasmine Azores:

•Jasmine azoricum
•Jasmine azores has highly fragrant multi-petaled pure white blooms that grow in clusters from spring through autumn. A vigorous, dense growing vine that quickly spreads. Drought tolerant once established, and Ideal for pots and containers. Prefers a full sun to part shade position. Protect from frost.
•Grows 2-3m high x 2-3m wide.

Jasmine Mesnyi:

•Jasmine mesnyi
•Fragrant semi double yellow flowers cover this evergreen rambling shrub, long arching stems create a fountain like effect. Also known as the primrose jasmine. Flowers late winter, and prefers a full sun to part shade postion.
•Grows 2.5m high x 1.5m wide.

Star Jasmine:

•Jasminum polyanthum
•Star Jasmine has buds of pink that open to tubular highly perfumed white flowers on an evergreen vine. Prefers a full sun to part shade position. Flowers spring-autumn. Frost hardy.
•Grows 3m high x 8m wide.

Virginia Creeper:

•Parthenocissus quinquefolia
•A stunning deciduous creeper (self clinging creeper). Green summer foliage, serrated leaves turn vivid red, gold and burgundy in autumn. Makes an ideal decorative wall covering. Very hardy in full sun or part shade position.

Lima beans:

Written by Fabio Borghini

• Both bush and pole (vine) varieties exist, the latter ranges from one to four metres in height. Cucurbita foetidissima:

• is a PERENNIAL CLIMBER growing to 6 m (19ft 8in) at a fast rate.

Conclusion

This project aims to create a complete new sustainable productive environement of life for an ipotetic family of 3 with the dog. In such climate (BSk), water in all its forms like moisture, road runoff and falling rain has to be captured and soaked into the soil but not saturating it, as in terraces, stability could be compromized. Water will be used for irrigation, drinking and other personal use. Mulch, (mostly self produced) as well will play a huge role in the project. New soil will be created, using shade trees and a complete new face will be given to this 2 plots of land, that are surrounded by monoculture plantation.

Notes

As the Sketch Up file generated was too large for the upload (115MB), screenshots were taken in order to visualize and explain the final transformation of the land.