2 2 x Animal complexes
Purpose:
To safely house the sheep, goats,
chickens, miniature cows, and donkeys/horses while providing enough space for
them to roam and graze when not taken out to pasture.
Design Features:
Four 12.5’x16’ barns with 50 feet of
chain link fence run from each to the next, forming a large courtyard area for
the animals to safely roam in. While 10 acres (20 x ½ acre sections) are available
for rotational grazing, this courtyard area provides a safe, lockable place for
the animals to be housed at night and if the family should travel. Each barn
can house up to 10 sheep or goats, 48 chickens, two miniature cows, or two
horses or donkeys. The chickens can feed from the livestock manure, keeping a
healthy environment.
We plan to keep 3 ewes (Dorset), 2 goats
(Nubian), 2 miniature cows (Jersey), 2 donkeys (Mammoth Jack), and 4 different
types of chickens, 48 of each type. Four chicken coops will house them, each
type being kept separate. One type will be in each animal complex. The other
two will be in areas where they are needed. The types of chickens are Jersey
Giant for eating and large eggs, Sussex for eggs and meat, Easter Eggers for
their unusually colored eggs, and Marans for their chocolate brown colored
eggs. The “gourmet” egg collection will be sold in the farm shop, at farmer’s
markets, and any other viable outlets.
There is room for expansion, as more
barns can be added within the perimeter fence, still allowing for a good-sized
central area. Rain catchment from the barn rooftops will be channeled into a 3,000
gallon water storage tank to provide drinking water for the animals, irrigate
the grass, and for cleaning out the barns. Drinking and feed troughs, as well
as grass will be in the complex.
3 20 x Gazebos
Purpose:
- To provide shade for the livestock while grazing on a rotation system
- To harvest rain-water for the animals to drink
Design Features:
Made of wood, these inexpensive 8’ x
8’ structures used for livestock shade will have metal roofs to harvest the
rain-water and moveable galvanized steel troughs will be in place for the days
they are grazing in that section.
4 2 x Wallapinis
Purpose:
Underground greenhouses with stable,
sustainable temperatures year-long to facilitate the growth of plants requiring
a different climate, delicate plants, and germination of seeds
Design Features:
Wallapinis will have a modified Plexiglas
roof to maximize aerodynamics in the high winds, to use fewer materials, for
aesthetics, and to provide more surface area for rain catchment to feed water
barrels inside, thereby creating moisture within a microclimate.
5 Farm Shop
Purpose:
To sell produce, eggs, herbs, baked
goods, dairy products, refreshments, and any other by-products or goods
produced by the farm. This in turn is hoped to provide some income for the
general expenses. It is situated near the state road, Route 39, with nothing
around it for about 19 miles towards the east and 5 miles towards the west.
There is little to be found along the route, so it will serve as a stop for
refreshments and organic food supplies. It will also be used as a check-in and
check-out station for the pick your own organic orchards.
Design features:
Wooden 10’x12’ shed used so the shop
can be up and functional as quickly as possible. Eventually, it is planned to
cob around it, to provide insulation, strength, and aesthetics in line with Healing
Earth’s farm and architecture.
6 Pick Your Own Organic Orchard &
Picnic Grove
Purpose:
To be a source of income for Healing
Earth, create a micro climate, wind break, and encourage rain.
Design features:
A selection of trees including:
various types of apple, pear, peach, nectarine, plum, cherry, fig, and
pomegranate. Companion planting will be employed to encourage beneficial
insects, to add nitrogen to the soil, impede grass growth, create a
microclimate, and additional food source. A chicken coop in the area will be
used to fertilize, eat pests and fallen fruit.
Picnic grove will have gazebos with
wooden trellis roofs for shade and grapevines planted at the base of the posts,
to provide shade and food. Insect repelling plants will be planted around the
perimeter and natural seating by way of rocks or wooden benches will be in
place. Fire rings or barbecue pits will be built beside them for picnicking.
7 Family Orchard
Purpose:
To provide family food supply, this
orchard’s fruits and nuts will be eaten fresh and also dehydrated, canned, or
frozen for long term storage.
Design features:
Trees are all circled with mulch 6
inches from the trunk and the mulch ring is circled by rocks. The mulch
provides cover which retains the moisture in the earth and the rocks provide a
natural watering system by gathering condensation overnight or in wet/damp
conditions and it rolling down into the ground. The mulch also eventually
composts down to nourish the earth and rich compost can still be added around
the trunk and under the mulch. The trees and berry bushes are saddling the
naturally occurring swale the runs down from the house to the vegetable garden,
benefitting from household grey water run-off. The bushes are planted in a
zigzag formation to maximize space and assist gravity with the irrigation
system.
A chicken coop will be built in this
area so the chickens can free-range, fertilize, and eat any pests & fallen
fruit.
8 Vegetable Garden
Purpose:
- To provide food for the family
- Excess and scraps for the animals
Design features:
A well mulched area, organized into
rows for easy access, this falls at the end of a natural swale running from the
northwest corner perimeter wall of the housing compound. It will be supplied
grey water as well as have rainwater channeled to it when it rains. It will be
served by a nearby composting unit for fertilizer and is beside a composting
toilet and tool shed, for convenience.
9 Flax field
Purpose:
- To grow flax for domestic cloth needs
- To make rope and twine
- Fibers for cob mixture
- Organic matter for composting
Design features:
½ acre field, which is enough to
provide approximately 44 yards of fabric, will be sown. Specific types of flax
will be sown to ensure a good quality, softness, and soil management.
10 Grains Field
Purpose:
- To provide the yearly grain needs for the family
- Straw bedding for animals
- Straw for cob building
Design features:
Plant 2-3 acres of diversified crops
covering many grains and grasses that are very expensive to purchase. The
varieties will include: hard and soft white wheat, einkorn and emmer wheat,
kamut, spelt, amaranth, millet, oats, quinoa, sorghum, and the grass buckwheat.
This gives the best chance of having sufficient grains, so if one doesn’t do
well, there are others to compensate.
11 Zone 5 Forest/Tree Nursery/ Pick your own
nut orchard
Purpose:
- To have a 3 acre forested area as windbreak, source of wood for fuel and lumber, and seed clouding
- This will serve as a place to grow seedlings in a nursed environment, especially for the more unusual or exotic trees we would like to try growing and trees for sale
- Provide a different environment for a bee hive
- This area will also house a pick your own nut orchard, approximately 1 acre in size, open to the public
Design Features:
A special feature of this forested
area is the planting of Pinon Pine Trees. There are no cultivated pine nuts in
the USA, largely due to the length of time for the trees to produce. It takes
25 years to have an initial harvest and they reach their prime for harvesting
in 75 years. This is a planned source of income for our children, and the
generations after them. Considering that pine nuts are very expensive, with
only macadamia nuts being higher in cost, it is planned to be a long-term, high
income cash crop.
12 Existing Access Road
The state road, Route 39, borders
the southern side of the property. It is elevated from the land, with a sharp grassy
drop. It is always exceptionally green from the rain runoff, and we can use
this area to plant trees that require more water. This road is the main highway
that connects Texas to Taos, a major ski resort and natural building haven.
Cars traveling this route are potential customers for the farm shop, especially
as there is no pick your own or organic store within 1.5 hours drive.
13 Existing County Road
The existing county road, Homestead
Road, turns off the state road. The farm entrance and farm shop are accessed
from it. There is a wide enough section of land between the road and the
perimeter fence to allow parking for people who stop for the farm shop or the
pick your own.
14 External Kitchen
An external kitchen is established
in a 10’ x 12’ building northernmost on the property, housing the solar array
to run a solar freezer. It will include a cast iron wood stove, all food
supplies, and the outdoor cooking apparatus, such as the rocket stove and sun
oven. This will be used by the family until the houses are built, and later on
by guests, course and workshop attendees, and volunteers such as WOOFERS,
POOSHERS, and apprentices.
15 28’ Travel Trailer
This serves as temporary housing
while building the houses and other structures. It can sleep 8, so can be used
in the future for a guest house or accommodation for volunteers coming to work
on various projects with us.
16 Bee Hives
Purpose:
- Pollination
- Honey
- Nurture and restore bee population
Design Features:
Strategically placed in different
growing areas to pollinate the various plants and trees
17 Perimeter Windbreak/Privacy Screen
Purpose:
- Windbreak
- Firebreak
- Privacy
- Attraction for potential customers passing by
- Food for wildlife and humans
- Nature trail surround
Sunflowers will be planted first on
the inner side of the perimeter fence, both perennial and annual, to establish
a border and some nursing for tree seedlings. They grow up to 10 feet tall.
Wildflowers will be planted on the outer side of the perimeter fence, for a
lower cover, to attract bees and other insects for pollination and propagation.
Along the inside perimeter fence we will plant lilac, lavender, and New Mexico
privet hedge for long-term, lower, and fast growing cover. Then three layers of
varying drought resistant trees will be planted, which will make a dense
privacy border, a windbreak, firebreak, cloud seeding, as well as a pleasant moisture/temperature
controlled micro-climate.
Capitalizing on the dense and
aromatic privacy border, a pathway will be woven amongst them to provide a
beautiful and secluded nature trail for reflection, relaxation, personal
enjoyment, and access to the border trees and bushes for harvesting, maintenance,
and watering if necessary.
18 Internal roads
Purpose:
- The internal roads connect plants, trees, and barn areas to control where vehicles are driven on the farm
- They will also provide cycling paths for recreation
19 Cemetery
Purpose:
- To keep Islamic burial traditions
- To keep burial expenses to a minimum
- To provide plots for other Muslims in the surrounding areas
Design Features:
On the easternmost section of the
farm, midway between the northern and southernmost sections will be a ½ acre
Islamic cemetery. This section is the highest elevation on the farm and located
in a non-flood plain (a requirement for zoning), and the area least accessible
to pick your own customers. The cemetery will be surrounded by flowers and
hedges to provide privacy and help restore bio-diversity.
20 Bat houses
Purpose:
- To control the ever increasing and annoying mosquito population
- Reintroduce bats into the area
- Help restore bio-diversity
- To make nights more enjoyable
Design Features:
On the eastern and western corners
of the farm, running parallel to route 39, two wooden bat houses will be
erected. A 6x6x16 beam will be used as a post for the houses. By burying the
beams 3 feet into the ground, the post will be secure and out of predators
reach.
Note on the positioning
of various zones and fields
Purpose:
To ensure that family members get a
good amount of exercise moving from place to place in their daily lives. Health
and wellbeing of the family is paramount, and healthy organic food is effective
in conjunction with physical exercise. Exercise should be an integral part of
daily life, not something that has to be made time for or done in an artificial
way. In this way, all areas of the farm are surveyed on a daily basis and
everyone gets plenty of fresh air, sunshine, and exercise.
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