Current Status

Current residents

Edwin Basye and Mike Fallwell.

Living Accomodations

Four pickup-style campers and a 24-ft motorhome. One camper is currently available for visitors or a new participant, and a second can be made available when needed.

Composting Toilet

The toilet is a modest unit, not ideal but has been adequate so far. It been enclosed in a small building made from recycled and new materials.

Solar System

A solar system has been installed in the motorhome, consisting of 2 120W panels, a charge controller, a Xantrax inverter and six 6V golf car batteries.. Twelve-volt wiring has been run from the motorhome where the batteries are stored to the campers, the solar shower, and the composting toilet house for lighting and to run the solar shower pump. Power is almost sufficient for our current needs but we plan to add one more panel soon.

Water

We now have running water! Well #1 was drilled in December 2004 and a pump installed. The pump failed and the well output was marginal and partially collapsed due to improper wellpipe installation by the well driller. Well #2 has been drilled with a very successful result of at least 15gpm in March 2007. We have installed a pump and set up a temporary tank system consisting of 5 or so 50-gal plastic barrels. A larger tank, and plumbing in the very near future.

Garden and Fruit Trees

A garden space has be created and soil has now been built up with organic and permaculture methods. The garden space is an 18ft circular keyhole garden with a central herb spiral. The annual garden will be expanded as needed after the new well is operational. Fruit trees have been planted. See the Food Plant List and the Forest Plant List for more information on what has been planted and what is planned. Apricots, almonds, pomegranates, and grapes do very well here. Successful harvests of watermelons, kale, Chinese cabbage, red peppers, squash, green beans, and broccoli have been obtained. Many lessons have been learned concerning specific conditions here and the garden will continue to be much improved and expanded. One such lesson is that the sun here at this latitude and elevation is extremely intense in late spring and early summer, which can shut down photosynthesis on sum plants. The north side of the circle garden will be covered with shade cloth which will protect the plants from withering sun. As the sun dips southward and is less intense, the angle of the sun will allow the sunlight to penetrate the entire garden.