This is my dream: To live as my forefathers once did - in harmony with the land that sustains us. A project to investigate and innovate the creation of a low impact home with methods of living in a form of permaculture designed to sustain my family and improve biodiversity. To leave the land richer than before and in doing so enable others to do so.
A small victory
Posted 08/10/08 by Matt B in the Woodlands category
The UK's most famouse low impact building "that roundhouse" has finally achieved planning consent! This is probably not news to anyone else but me (call me Mr Slow). Read More.Soap from trees
Posted 19/06/08 by Matt B in the Woodlands category
As Linda rightly says in her post "Petroleum-Based Cleaners" soaps made from pertrolium (itself derived from oil) are not a sustainable way to clean yourself or your clothes. Linda points out sources where you can purchase petroleum free soap but I want to take things a bit further. I'm going to look at using things you can pick yourself as soap.We'll start with conkers which are the seed from the Aesculus hippocastanum or horse chestnut tree. This is a tree that is common throughout most temperate areas and is a common sight in most parks in the UK. A mere 20 conkers are needed to make up three litres of washing water. The only caveat is that it should be rainwater if at all possible or softened in some other way.
In the past, Horse-chestnut seeds were used in France and Switzerland for whitening hemp, flax, silk and wool. They contain a soapy juice, fit for washing of linens and stuffs, for milling of caps and stockings, etc., and for fulling of cloth. For this, 20 horse-chestnut seeds were sufficient for six litres of water. They were peeled, then rasped or dried, and ground in a malt or other mill. The water must be soft, either rain or river water; hard well water will not work. The nuts are then steeped in cold water, which soon becomes frothy, as with soap, and then turns milky white. The liquid must be stirred well at first, and then, after standing to settle, strained or poured off clear. Linen washed in this liquid, and afterwards rinsed in clear running water, takes on an agreeable light sky-blue colour. It takes spots out of both linen and wool, and never damages or injures the cloth.
» Read More: Soap from trees
About Coppicing
Posted 16/04/08 by Matt B in the Woodlands category
Instinct might say that this would kill the tree but in the years that follow new shoots will emerge. After a number of years (which varies based on possible use and species of tree) the cycle can begin again and the coppiced tree, also known as a stool, is ready to be harvested again. Only this time not there is a great deal more wood available. The wikipedia says"The cycle length depends upon the species cut, the local custom, and the use to which the product is put.". The humble Birch can be coppiced for what are called faggots every 3 or 4 years but the mighty Oak can only be coppiced over a cycle of 50 years for poles or firewood.
Coppicing can be used to creat long straight poles of wood or thicker "logs" as required and the tree will live like this to many times it normal age. In this way it outlives many generations of "woodland managers". The wikipedia says "Coppicing has the effect of maintaining trees at a juvenile stage, and a regularly coppiced tree will never die of old age – some coppice stools may therefore reach immense ages."
» Read More: About Coppicing
How to live off grid with your own private grid
Posted 28/03/08 by Matt B in the Woodlands category
When considering the dream to live in harmony with nature, as part of the ecosystem, while maintaining a relatively modern lifestyle there are things that must be considered. Not everything from our wasteful way of life can be maintained and not every "green" innovation will be useful. For example to sustain a growing family as part of the biodiversity of the area one can not simply allow nature a free hand but neither can you.That is not to say that things should be unnatural but the land must be managed somewhat as must your resources. This is not so different from the way we imagine that Adam and Eve might once have lived. Effectively we are talking about being gardeners of our living home.
To do this and be independent means that resources can not be "piped in" from outside. This is going to mean living "off grid" while ensuring a reliable supply of energy that is not wasteful. It also means reconsidering the way we do things.
In this article I am going to explore this issue and the issues it raises.
» Read More: How to live off grid with your own private grid
Why do we eat?
Posted 07/03/08 by Matt B in the Woodlands category
Why do we eat what we do? Have you ever wondered that? I have.I wonder about a large number of things. How could one live in harmony with both law and land or why could a food forest not be planted and what would it cost?
» Read More: Why do we eat?
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