For the past two and a half months I have been a part of the Post Carbon Institute's efforts to encourage relocalization and investigate strategies for a post carbon world. Starting with a residential backyard in Sebastopol California, we transformed a portion of lawn into twenty one 4x10' energy crop beds. As time progressed so did our ambitions; we extended into the front yard where we double dug ten 4x20' beds and in another section three 4x33' beds. The soil in which we are digging is of the Sebastopol sandy loam series and therefore provided rapid drainage and contained low quantities of organic matter. To each bed we added a couple wheel barrows worth of compost to improve the organic content of the soil as well as to encourage water retention in the A horizon. For the paths surrounding the beds we laid medium sized cedar wood chips to serve as aesthetic appeal and weed prevention.

As temperatures increase, the next phase of our project required laying irrigation for the 2168’ of fertile soil. We chose to use ½” pvc attached to ¾” drip line as it is the most resource conserving method of watering as well as very flexible in the methods of watering that it allows for. Installing an automatic timing system to govern four valves as well as manual shut off valves at each bed allows us complete control of the amount of water we use; with each line running at a half gallon per hour we will be able to utilize the system to calculate the amount of water input per biomass output.

Along with energy crops, we have planted a variety of vegetables and just recently an herb garden including both medicinal and culinary herbs. Due to the nonlinear placement of plants in these beds we will be laying a mist emitting line, running from the same automated system, in the near future.

To assist in jump starting the planting season we have built three cold frames in which we can safely keep flats of seedlings overnight without any risk to external conditions. Using a layer of manure beneath the flats we have employed exothermic bacterial decomposition as an overnight heat source.

We recently purchased four pullets: one Rhode Island Red, and 3 Sex-links. Out of recycled wood we have built for them a chicken coop equipped with a removable floor, an outward opening wall, and an egg harvesting panel. At night they are safely protected from predators as well a provided with comfortable roosting conditions; however, during the day they are allowed to roam free in the 150 sq. ft. pen that we have built.

To the grass we removed and other organic material, including food scraps from the kitchen, we are adding straw and dirt and promoting decomposition in three compost containers that we have constructed. The chickens are allowed access to two of these containers.

With the summer quickly approaching there are many exciting tasks ahead of us: flats to be planted, seedlings to be transplanted, and many more building projects (benches, pocket gardens, a living roof, etc.), not to mention the regular maitenance.