VEDA lives!
It's been a quieter season for our little roving seed circus, but that's not to say nothing's been growing up along the way. Several interesting developments and accomplishments are worth recounting here, from this summer's exploits around Columbia County of New York.
First, a quick summary:
This year was a bit scattered in terms of focus, in large part due to lack of stable base of operations. Rotating continuously between a handful of projects and locations made for a nice variety of activity and outcomes, but presented challenges around becoming established on the ground and expanding our network.
Primary venues for the season were Green Mead Farm, Solaqua land, the Canaan Quaker Village, and a Permaculture nursery near Hudson. A handful of outlying projects for private patrons helped round out the bill. Several fun experiments and artworks added spice. Major milestones? See below:
Of note, amidst this diversity, we're continually refining a model for fluid open participation and equitable benefit in the sphere of regenerative food and habitat production. The aim is to activate local abundance with the the knowledge and know how to generate mutual and collective advantage. Ample livlihoods and vibrant culture based around thriving commons resources.
This necessarily leads us 'back to the land' where a great deal of latent, sustainable value resides in this part of the Northeast. Coupled with that is the growing awareness and interest in this region for tasteful re-localization and community building. Third - which is mostly where we come in - lots of younger folks with inspiration and ideas for alternative socio-economics are looking to get hands on with low-capital land-based lifestyle and learning opportunities. Sound like a fruitful convergence?
Coming up for next year, ideas on the table include breaking ground on a demonstration EcoCenter site, providing resilience assessments for local real estate, and instigating participatory 'greenwheels' eco-adventure tours to community projects around the NE & beyond. Of course, there are a number of ongoing building and garden projects to sustain, and some fresh ideas for arts and fabrication activity as well.
This Winter season will provide much needed time for rest and reflection. Some very important seeds are planted, and it will be a thrill to see what pops up as the weather warms again in Spring.
It's been a quieter season for our little roving seed circus, but that's not to say nothing's been growing up along the way. Several interesting developments and accomplishments are worth recounting here, from this summer's exploits around Columbia County of New York.
First, a quick summary:
This year was a bit scattered in terms of focus, in large part due to lack of stable base of operations. Rotating continuously between a handful of projects and locations made for a nice variety of activity and outcomes, but presented challenges around becoming established on the ground and expanding our network.
Primary venues for the season were Green Mead Farm, Solaqua land, the Canaan Quaker Village, and a Permaculture nursery near Hudson. A handful of outlying projects for private patrons helped round out the bill. Several fun experiments and artworks added spice. Major milestones? See below:
- 200 fruit trees planted. All without a price tag attached. All kinds of unusual hardy varieties.
- Built and tested a large solar dehydrator to turn surplus produce into green "sun cakes"
- 300sqft green roof w/ custom biochar + compost substrate and spray foam liner
- nice new treehouses - built one, and started a second. fun times!
- classes + talks (fewer than intended, but still gratifying)
- sailboat trade - yup! Now part owners in an Aquarius 23 trailerable sloop
- outdoor shower - hand crafted roundwood frame, with wattle + daub walls
Of note, amidst this diversity, we're continually refining a model for fluid open participation and equitable benefit in the sphere of regenerative food and habitat production. The aim is to activate local abundance with the the knowledge and know how to generate mutual and collective advantage. Ample livlihoods and vibrant culture based around thriving commons resources.
This necessarily leads us 'back to the land' where a great deal of latent, sustainable value resides in this part of the Northeast. Coupled with that is the growing awareness and interest in this region for tasteful re-localization and community building. Third - which is mostly where we come in - lots of younger folks with inspiration and ideas for alternative socio-economics are looking to get hands on with low-capital land-based lifestyle and learning opportunities. Sound like a fruitful convergence?
Coming up for next year, ideas on the table include breaking ground on a demonstration EcoCenter site, providing resilience assessments for local real estate, and instigating participatory 'greenwheels' eco-adventure tours to community projects around the NE & beyond. Of course, there are a number of ongoing building and garden projects to sustain, and some fresh ideas for arts and fabrication activity as well.
This Winter season will provide much needed time for rest and reflection. Some very important seeds are planted, and it will be a thrill to see what pops up as the weather warms again in Spring.