|
Commenced:
|
01/03/2013 |
|---|---|
|
Submitted:
|
29/05/2014 |
|
Last updated:
|
07/10/2015 |
|
Location:
|
Watkins, CO, US |
|
Website:
|
RegenFarms.com |
|
Climate zone:
|
Cold Temperate |
This permaculture project is on 20 acres on the eastern plains of Colorado. The goal is to have a productive farm where people come to learn about permaculture and farming for the high plains. We are finding ways to regenerate pasture land to be much more productive with improved soils. Many different fruit, nut and herb species have been planted to trial their productivity in the environment.
The site is on the easter plains of Colorado about 30 minutes east of Denver. Average rain fall is listed as 15 inches a year. Since beginnin the project there have been days a weeks with over 2 inches of rain. The soil is very sandy so most rain fall soakes in rather quickly. The land was mostly open pasture which had been cut for hay for several years.
As of May 2014 the site inlcudes:
3 hugel swales supporting 2 food forests
1000 asparagus plants on contour below a food forest
25 hybrid hazel bushes on the south side of the asparagus to be a productive wind block.
Over 130 trees were planted along the north side of the property for a wind blocking forest. These trees include bur oak, pinion pine and ponderosa pines. Native plum, wax currant and willow were planted around the site for wild life and wind blocking.
The first food forest was planted in 2013 along two swales and includes:
3 Bur Oak
3 Black Walnut
3 Black Cherry
2 Mulberry Northrop Morus alba
5 Apple Trees
2 Smoky June Berries
2 Prince William June Berries
10 Gooseberries Pixwell
3 Sumac
8 Elder
The second food forest was planted in the spring of 2014 and includes 33 trees with every third tree being a nitrogen fixing siberian peashrub or honey locust.
Melba Apple
Siberian Pea Shrub
Hudar Pear
Meteor Cherry
Siberian Pea Shrub
Lobo Apple
Mt Royal Plum
Siberian Pea Shrub
Adirondack Gold Apricot
Southworth Pear
Siberian Pea Shrub
State Fair Apple
North Star Cherry
Sierian Pea Shrub
Northern Blue Plum
Adirondack Gold Apricot
Siberian Pea Shrub
Sharon Apple
Nova Pear
Siberian Pea Shrub
Bali Cherry
Native American Plum
Thornless Honey Locust
Red Baron Apple
Adirondack Gold Apricot
Thornless Honey Locust
Hudar Pear
Montmorency Cherry
Thornless Honey Locust
Regent Apple
Northern Blue Plum
Thornless Honey Locust
Adirondack Gold Apricot
An estimated 13,000 pounds of leaves were brought to the site in the fall of 2013 past year to help cover bare soil and to improve the soil. 5 dump loads of composted manure were also brought to the site.
We make some biochar and have bought biochar to amend the soil when planting plants.
Note: The various badges displayed in people profiles are largely honesty-based self-proclamations by the individuals themselves. There are reporting functions users can use if they know of blatant misrepresentation (for both people and projects). Legitimacy, competency and reputation for all people and projects can be evidenced and/or developed through their providing regular updates on permaculture work they’re involved in, before/after photographs, etc. A spirit of objective nurturing of both people and projects through knowledge/encouragement/inspiration/resource sharing is the aim of the Worldwide Permaculture Network.
 |
MemberA member is a permaculturist who has never taken a PDC course. These cannot become PDC teachers. Members may be novice or highly experienced permaculturists or anywhere in between. Watch their updates for evaluation. |
|---|---|
  |
Permaculture MatchmakerOne of these badges will show if you select your gender and the "I'm single, looking for a permaculture partner" option in your profile. |
 |
PDCPeople who claim to have taken a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course somewhere in the world. |
 |
PDC VerifiedPeople who have entered an email address for the teacher of their PDC course, and have had their PDC status verified by that teacher. Watch their updates for evaluation. |
 |
PRI PDCPeople who’ve taken a Permaculture Research Institute PDC somewhere in the world. |
 |
PDC TeacherPeople who claim to teach some version of PDC somewhere in the world. |
 |
PRI TeacherWith the exception of the ‘Member’ who has never taken a PDC, all of the above can apply to become a PRI PDC Teacher. PRI PDC Teachers are those who the PRI recognise, through a vetting board, as determined and competent to teach the full 72-hour course as developed by Permaculture founder Bill Mollison – covering all the topics of The Designers’ Manual as well as possible (i.e. not cherry picking only aspects the teacher feels most interested or competent in). Such teachers also commit to focussing on the design science, and not including subjective spiritual/metaphysical elements. The reason these items are not included in the PDC curriculum is because they are “belief” based. Permaculture Design education concerns itself with teaching good design based on strategies and techniques which are scientifically provable. PRI PDC Teachers may be given teaching and/or consultancy offerings as they become available as the network grows. |
 |
Aid WorkerThe individual with this badge is indicating they are, have, or would like to be involved in permaculture aid work. As such, the individual may or may not have permaculture aid worker experience. Watch their updates for evaluation. |
 |
ConsultantThe individual with this badge is indicating they are, have, or would like to do paid permaculture design consultancy work. As such, the individual may or may not have permaculture consultancy experience. Watch their updates for evaluation. |
 |
Community ProjectCommunity projects are projects that help develop sustainable community interaction and increase localised resiliency. |
Cows are not part of the system at Regen Farms
In November of 2014 we added two miniature Hereford heifers to the site. We plan to use them to mob graze the site to improve the soil life and soil for the entire site. They are also producing extra manure which will be used to compost. They also redu