PERMACULTURE COURSE, MAY/JUNE 2011

Here I am to announce another PERMACULTURE COURSE here at the MOUNT OF OAKS, Portugal... As last years it will be taught by Lesley Martin who is a fantastic person, experienced  practitioner, and a great teacher in my opinion... I’m sure all the ones who did attend any course with her would say the same...

It will be from the 28th of May to the 5th of June 2011, and it’s going to cost 180e (if by any chance you’d like to offer more, know that all the money will revert to pay the teacher, the food expenses of the course and all the extras will be for our future projects...this land is still in a pioneering stage and all things we need are either bought with charitable donations, or done with recycling materials we get for free)...

Back to work...new projects on the way...

 I'm starting the new season organizing... I really don't like mess and chaos... some chaos can be organized, but when it's messy it just gets on my nerves...

We have this shed here where we'd keep the "useful junk"... it was just a roof actually, because the original idea was never finished... then it just became a place to dump things, not really organized... I really like recycling, and there are some things that might be really useful, but then, when it is messy the way it was, nobody can really find anything when it's needed...and actually things get damaged and become real trash...

News from the last months...

Sorry for not posting for so long... I posted on my other blog and forgot to update this one, so  here
goes...
I'm actually away from the land since the beginning of December and I'm so looking forward to go back...I'm in Angola at the moment visiting my parents who were both sick, and now it's time to go back for a new season at the Mount of Oaks.

A GOOD NEW SEASON TO YOU ALL

Computer is broken...And olive harvest needs helpers

it's been a few weeks now that I can't use my computer, only to connect my internet modem in order to use my phone for the internet, as I'm doing now...

My keyboard got a few drops of rain and doesnt work anymore, but the rest is fine... I can only use the mouse ...

I'm using my phone now for accessing the internet and checking emails, so i just wanted to drop a line to let you know.

All my mail contacts are on my computer, so i ve only been replying to those who have been sending me emails recently.

I found a good deal for a MacBook pro and I'm going to sell the one I have now, an. iBook g4 14", after replacing the keyboard (I just found a good deal yesterday for a used one)

I have lots of news... Good and not so good, but you'll have to wait until december when i get my "new" laptop.

If anyone would like to send a donation to help on the costs, or buy my old iBook g4, let me know.

The OLIVE HARVEST is about to begin, so I have no time for the internet anyway.

If anyone would like to come and help from now until the end of the month, you are more than welcome...

I was going to start today, but the weather is really not good for that... There is a soft rain and a really crazy wind...

ok , that s it

PEACE TO ALL

Fruits of the garden, and the Compost Toilet

Finally I finished the Compost Toilet... There are still some details here and there, but I can always use a rainy day for that... I have other priorities now...

I'm just starting another shed for fire-wood and possibly a working space as the rainy days are approaching...it's just behind the kitchen, against its stone wall...

I will not write much on this post, as pictures will speak for themselves, with a few comments...

I also wanted to post some pictures of a few of my little vegetable gardens... I didn't garden much this year, but I still have enough for me not to need to go shopping...


nice cherry tomatoes, peppers and egg plants...they like each other very much...and basil is in the mix as well ...

nice water melons as well !!!

The winter cabbages and lettuce, planted on the "sheet-mulch" bed made by the participants during the permaculture course, are doing very well... behind you can see the nectarine tree that improved significantly after I mulched around and planted some beans for Nitrogen fixing...

tomato plants came everywhere... actually, I didn't plant any of the tomato plants, they simply came along with the compost I used from last year´s compost toilet material...
I just love seeing plants grow...

Now the Compost Toilet...

It started like this... I made a structure with Mimosa poles, against the existing wall from the terrace...

I easily made the floor, and then I started to build up the walls, and the door frame... that was more challenging... I already noticed things I would make differently next time...

This was my first new building on my own... from scratch...

then the windows...that was another challenge... I recycled old glass I had found and just made a frame around it...

my idea was to support the roof frame on the walls, so I had to keep going...

the door!!!

the 2 chambers below, all sealed with mosquito net to prevent flies from coming in...the idea is to have 2 toilet seats...using one for 6 months or a year...then close that and move to the other one for another 6 months or a year, while the first chamber is composting... I need to check how long it takes to compost properly before using it...

the doors for each chamber, with mosquito net as well... I didn't bother to make proper doors as it would be harder to close it well for the flys, and also because I will only have to open each one once a year or so... I´m keeping it simple ...

the chimney for the smell and gases to escape...I painted it black at the end...here I was just trying out how I would fix it...

the pee collector detail...so the pee will go through this pipe straight into a strawbale which is also inside the chamber... this will make a good compost as well, and it will smell so strongly of pee as if it was mixed with the poo... I might collect it into a water container but not for now... I need to learn better about these things, and observe... for now, I´m following what I´ve been told so far ...

finally, the toilet seat... also all sealed so the flys have no way in... I made the good old mix of sawdust with white carpenter´s glue...
I just made one seat for now, but I will have time to do the second one later... another thing to do on a rainy day...

the outside door handle... a little detail...

 
And that's it ... a "compost machine" ...

It was exciting, and it´s not so complicated after all... 

3rd PERMACULTURE COURSE

After the strawbale workshop I was away for 3 weeks in the USA for a Peace and Reconciliation camp...If you missed the previous posts, you can check out  here or here if that interests you...

When I came back I had to catch up with all the work left behind, mainly cutting grass and brambles which were totally taking over...plus, a solar water heater that is not really working as needed, so I hope I have time to fix it before winter...

Another Permaculture course was about to come, so that was my priority... I had grass to cut from the camping place and to clear the walking paths for the 15 participants who would arrive for the course, plus Lesley of course, our amazing usual teacher...

I started to build the new compost toilet that I thought was needed for the extra number of people on site ...

I didn't finish it, but I made it ready to be used... anyway, I will leave the compost toilet for another post...

The course was great as usual... It's always nice, encouraging and inspiring to have like-minded people around... and in some ways, it reminds myself of the reason why I'm here...

It was lovely for me to host all those who came, and I had the privilege to cook for all of us during the 8 days of the course... the first couple of days Lyna was still here and Marcia also came for the weekend to give a hand... but I realized it´s really not be a big deal if that´s all I´m doing during the day while the participants are in class (I was a bit worried that it might have been too much for me alone)...

Despite the heat, I guess everyone was coping well with the conditions we can offer at the moment...
There was a couple from Germany, Hannes and Johanna, who came with 2 kids, around 2 and 4 years old, Lina and Finn, who also added to a good and definitely entertaining environment around us...

Here's Finn playing with some wood boards together with uncle Georg...
Georg, uncle Justus (both Hannes' brothers), and the parents, would take turns to skip the lectures and be with them... it worked perfectly ... they would also entertain themselves quite easily, either with the dogs or with dirt, or a simple bucket with water 

the classroom...

the usual "sheet mulch" bed, during the practical time...

now in groups, they started to prepare for the final presentations of their designs...some more focused...

others, rather relaxed...

In the end, they all did great... I always get amazed with the results of a day´s work with a group of people who hardly know each other...and who don't know much about this place besides the few questions they asked me before starting to work...

here's the first group: Ricardo, Jo and Filipa...

Ricardo filling in more details...

Vera, Pepa, Susanna and Francisco... The second group... very concerned with the handicapped accessibility...

As usual, everyone would hear the feed-back from the others...nothing negative... only what we liked, and what we would do differently...

Fourth presentation...Johanna, Hannes, Georg... I guess Nelson was in this group but he had to leave on saturday because he had a ferry to catch up to Madeira Island, where he lives with his wife Maria Jose... But hey, little Lina was a good replacement...

Here's Hannes, presenting some details... very good, low cost and practical ideas... Hannes also took part in lectures to speak about peak oil... I'm sorry I've missed it, but Lesley said it was really good with lots of detailed facts ... It´s a subject that many people should be hearing about, or at least be conscious about... here is a good video if you want to have more clues about it... a very powerful example of Cuba on how to change our petrol dependent life styles ... and "the power of community"

Another presentation... Pedro, Moy (Susanna's husband), Justus...

...and Maria Jose (Nelson's wife)...

They all got their certificates and most of them left that same afternoon...
The German family only left on tuesday to get their bus in Fundao, and Jo was going to stay 10 more days...

I was exhausted, I have to say, especially because I got a flu in the middle of the week and it took me a while to recover...actually most of us got the flu... it all started with little Lina, and then it spread to the others... oh well... it was worse for Lesley who had to teach, but the rest of us did fine under the circumstances...

One more course, one more good experience ...
soon I'll write about the compost toilet that is about to be finished.

PEACEFUL DAYS TO ALL

STRAWBALE BUILDING DONE...

I thought I would have time to post every couple of days, but in the end I just didn't have the energy for it...so, this will be a bit long... but most of it is pictures and videos, don't worry ...

here's the last day´s picture with all who got involved... except for Xico and Nuno who had left us by then...and Carin, a french girl who also joined us during the week... 

I have no idea where Lyna was...probably putting Nolan to sleep ...

From the left to the right, there's Katharina (a traveling potter from Germany), Lua and her daughter Kiara who came to help in the kitchen (portuguese), Zven, a carpenter from Germany, Eddie in the back (also a carpenter from Germany), Chrissy, also german (a studying nurse, who was actually quite handy when I cut myself with a machetti), Jo , another carpenter from Germany (they were very handy as well), Marcia, who came from Lisbon to serve us once again, Lesley, who led the workshop, and me...

It was a really lovely time with everyone and I was pleased to meet Katharina, Chrissy, Carin, Xico and Nuno... the other ones are already part of the family...

It was amazing what we could all accomplish in one week... I still have the roof cover to do and the plaster to finish, but the building is up and safe already !!!

Let me just put some videos and pictures for you to have a rough idea of how things developed ...

Here's the beginning of the 3rd day... the first layout of the bales...not much words...I was still shy to speak...

A few steps forward... with more explanations of what we were doing ...

Eddie and Jo explaining how to break a strawbale in two... first part 

second part ... and more on the building...

Jo checking if the wall was going straight...

every one had their task at times... Eddie, Nuno and Lesley putting the steel bar at the corner, while Zven was checking the window frame...

Xico and Lesley putting a temporary board to hold the window frame...

sweet Kiara !!! always around ...

starting with the roof...

first "A" frame for the roof...the carpenters were on it !

corner detail...

It was not always easy (remember I still have no scaffolding)... nice picture of Xico and Nuno...

They were making sure it would be straight... it's not easy to work with round wood... even for professionals... I loved learning nice and simple techniques...

in place...

nice picture of Xico with his camera...

peeling the mimosas we would use to fix the broom on top of the tin roof...

Jo fixing the window...

the hardest work was about to start... Jo and Katharina helped us with their skills to find good soil with enough clay for the plastering... I showed them a place where I want to have a pond in the future and they liked the soil there...very handy !!! now, the digging and carrying part had to be done... by hand... thankfully we could use the van to carry it...

taking away as much of the big stones as possible...

and now yes...the fun part of it !!!

everyone wanted to give it a go ...

Zven making the door... he likes to use the chain-saw for everything... even the more detailed things... amazing !!!


Lua was not only helping in the kitchen... I loved that she was with us... such a beautiful person...

On our final night we treated ourselves with a lovely dinner at a local restaurant... even though we came super late, they still managed to feed us... it was nice to relax and enjoy each other's company...

last details before leaving... the door handle...beautiful and cute !!!


smiling Marcia... Thanks for all your help, for your presence and your friendship...for who you are... you are amazing !!!

and finally...a big clap to ALL who made this happen!!! Thanks...