Permaculture Experiments

Featured Projects

Modified Johnson Su Compost

soil building

Hugelkultur Mound

Buried wood core mound for moisture retention and long-term fertility.

water retention

Swales

On-contour trenches to slow, sink, and spread rainwater across the slope.

water harvesting

Kiln

DIY biochar kiln for soil amendment and carbon sequestration.

biochar · soil

Modified Johnson Su Bioreactor

started December 2022 · ongoing

Based on a Johnson Su Bioreactor, Sean built this composting system soon after moving to the property as one of its first projects.

photo coming

Hugelkultur Mound

started fall 2024 · establishing

Built on a slight slope to double as a passive water-harvesting feature. Core is stacked branches,topped with grass clippings, compost, and native topsoil. Total height about 3 feet at peak.

The wood will rot slowly over 3-5 years, acting as a sponge and releasing nutrients. First season I'm planting it lightly — mostly nitrogen fixers and ground cover to let the mound settle.

Planning to add a keyhole path around it next spring so I can tend it without compacting the sides.

photo coming

Swales

started winter 2024 · active

Hand-digging on contour using an A-frame level. Two swales so far on the east slope, spaced about 15 feet apart vertically. The berms will be planted with native bunch grasses and a few fruit tree guilds.

The goal is to capture the monsoon pulses and let them infiltrate rather than sheet off downhill.

photo coming

Kiln

in progress · 2025

Building a small rocket kiln for making biochar and bricks for making a better rocket kiln.

Biochar at this elevation makes particular sense — the soil is sandy and drains fast. Even modest additions improve water-holding capacity measurably.

photo coming

Field Journal

18 Mar 2025

Weed clearing and sheet mulch bed prep

sheet mulching beds weeds

Spent most of the day clearing the tumbleweed accumulation along the east fence and invasive barley and mustard grass. The tumbleweeds I'm burning in my cone pit and the barley and mustard tees are being fermented into compost tea.

Sean and I have been laying cardboard in the cleared areas. Plan to pick up mulch next time we visit the permaculture course. The idea is to smother the remaining weed seeds under 6–8 inches of mulch and let the cardboard decompose in place over the season.

02 Mar 2025

Pepper seedlings started indoors — hardening plan for late May

seedlings peppers timing

Started several pepper varieties under lights. At 4,700 ft the last frost date is around May 15 but I've seen frost into early June, so I'm targeting mid-to-late May for outdoor transplant with row cover on standby.

Hardening off will begin about two weeks before transplant — starting with 1–2 hours of outdoor shade and working up. High-altitude sun is brutal even in spring; UV intensity here can sunburn seedlings faster than at lower elevation.