Ecovillage Musings August 2010

Ecovillage Research Group Inc.

Our aim is to bring you topical and practical articles to assist you with the many facets of sustainability

Ecovillage Musings August 2010 Hello and welcome to this month’s edition of the Ecovillage Musings, albeit a little late but hot from the press of the Ecovillage Research Group Inc. We thank our ongoing contributors and this month, we have again have another interesting bumper issue for you to ponder. Welcome to our new subscribers! We hope you enjoy these Musings, and encourage you as new writers! We hope you will enjoy and appreciate this month’s issue filled with articles we are certain you will find interesting!

Remember, you can help us to circulate EV Musings more widely by mailing it out to your friends and by encouraging people on your lists to subscribe via the website It is free!

Ecovillage Musings is published every 2 months reaching a mailing list of 1478 members. It costs around $800 to publish and is entirely self funded.

Your donation will greatly assist with production costs and keeping the news coming. If you have enjoyed the content and would like to contribute, please contact us at our address below.

We look forward to your support!

Thanks to Cad Tech Australia for your generous donation. Your support is much appreciated!

Please keep us in press! To make a donationplease visit our website at www.ecovillageresearchgroup.c We welcome your submissions and suggestions for future issues!

Articles by Max Lindegger are non copywrited

We appreciate your feedback, and again, encourage you to submit interesting snippets so that we can share them more widely.

Don’t forget, if you’ve missed prior editions of EV Musings, check out our website for your copy! www.ecovillageresearchgroup.com.au With our best wishes, Max Lindegger & team.

FEATURES Links to other stories: A few weeks in Portugal No Bees in the Serra di Estrella Voices from Africa Short Stories from Turkey Upcoming events

Ecovillage Research Group Inc. 59 Crystal Waters 65 Kilcoy Lane Conondale QLD 4552 Australia www.ecovillageresearchgroup.com.au

Ecovillage Research Group Incorporated

“ The slopes of the valley had mostly been cleared; possibly hundreds of years ago, may be for boatbuilding, maybe for mining props, may be for charcoal.

The climax species would have been Oak. Over the years a lot of soil and fertility would have been lost in the valley. “

“A Few Weeks in Portugal— Covilha Serra da Estrela” Max Lindegger During the month of May I was invited to teach a Permaculture Course in the Village of Paul, about 15 minutes from Covilha in the Serra da Estrela.

While on my arrival the weather was rainy and the peaks of the mountains were covered in a fine dusting of snow, most of my time in the valley was blessed with perfect May (Spring!) weather.

About 25 students (mostly from Portugal but also Spain, Romania, Italy, Poland and Latvia) participated on this course organised by the local Ananda Marga Chapter.

The valley where the course was held was burned out about 10 years ago and only a few families live there. Ananda Marga has purchased a parcel of land and students worked on the design of this land for a master unit.

Many ideas were put forward and it is hoped that re construction of the ruin and other work will start within 12 months.

Above: Some of the students attending the program, collecting plants for identification.

Above: The ruin and Below: The land is gently sloping with some established terraces.

The slopes of the valley had mostly been cleared; possibly hundreds of years ago, may be for boatbuilding, maybe for mining props, may be for charcoal. The climax species would have been Oak. Over the years a lot of soil and fertility would have been lost in the valley. Many legume species can be found; yellow and white broom, Medics, Clover and more. The previous owner told of 10metre high broom. We know that 20 years ago, probably less, an abundance of vegetables were grown plus grain (barley and wheat) and there are still a few old olives maintained. Sheep, goats and a few cattle would have enjoyed the protected lower parts of the valley where a modest creek, fed by a number of springs flows most of the year.

The observation of bracken fern, sorrel and blackberries point to an acid soil. Organic matter would have improved since the fire. A good, wet winter promises for a long growing season. It is unlikely that soil organisms are plentiful at this stage. Some well managed cattle would help here. Compost for gardens will be essential, cow manure mixed with the abundance of broom and the tops of wattle (Acacia dealbata) would surely be a good combination. Speaking of wattle; these plus the blackberries and eucalypts need to be managed before they take over more of the best land and increase the fire risk. (And the pines will be a worry in this regard too).

I have no doubt that this valley will soon be feeding many. About the ruin: The romantic in me would plead for a restoration job, but is this feasible and desirable? Part of the building is 150 years old. Window openings are small, some of the stonework is in poor condition and today, needs are vastly different from all those years back. I can see a mix of restoration and reconstruction to make this building functional for many years ahead.

And the water? In May the springs were flowing and the creek was a wonderful sight. But I saw it all at its best. In years past the well was struggling and the creek had dried up. Pines and Eucalypts will not help in the future.

The council has built a capped well and is taking water out of the valley.

Still, there are opportunities for modest dams in the valley, the mine well will need some work, storage capacity for water can and needs to be improved and roof run off needs to be captured. Let’s not forget that soils capacity to hold water is quite possibly the biggest opportunity. The good season has produced a massive load of biomass which needs to be converted to humus.

“Many of the local crops like cherries, strawberries, clover depend on honey bees for pollination.”

“A few weeks in Portugal ” Max Lindegger This valley is just one of many in Portugal which has been virtually abandoned as people moved for jobs and opportunities to the big cities. But if the indications from course participants are a guide many young people want to return to the land. They are not seeking a fortune, but clean air and water, an opportunity to grow some of their own food, to allow their children to grow up in a healthier environment. They all realise that skills need to be learned and realistic plans made.

Yes, there are dreamers and so they should be because any project of substance will start with a dream and a vision.

No Bees in the Serra Di Estrella?

Above and Below: The whole valley seemed to be blooming!

During a recent visit to the valley where Paul is located (about 3 hours from Lisbon, Portugal) I was amazed to find very few bees!

During my visit of May 2010, I experienced excellent, warm spring weather. The valley was a sea of flowers: Broom, many legumes and daisies and yet only in one elevated location some bees could be found. I saw no hives and I wonder if it is really possible that all wild stock had succumbed to Varroa? I was told that the pest was indeed a problem in this area.

Many of the local crops like cherries, strawberries, clover depend on honey bees for pollination.

“But about 16 metres down, Kes Malede hit water. After his wife returned, he began sketching ways that would make it easier to “push” that water to the surface. He developed a series of pumps, improving on each one. The one he’s using now is built from inexpensive wood, iron, and metal piping, all available locally.”

“Voices from Africa”

Danielle Nierenberg World Watch March April 2010 Worldwatch Senior Researcher Danielle Nierenberg spent two months late last year touring several countries in East Africa in search of farming innovations that are adaptive, sustainable, and ecosystem-friendly. Supported by a major grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, this and related work will culminate in State of the World 2011, a report designed to guide policymakers, foundations, and international donors interested in the most effective agricultural development interventions in various agroecological and socioeconomic settings. The material below is adapted from blog entries Danielle posted during her trip. Updates and more information can be found at the “Nourishing the Planet” blog (http://blogs.worldwatch.org/nourishingtheplanet/).

Ethiopia October 29: “ I met Kes Malede Abreha, described by my interpreter as a “farmer-priest” on his farm near Aksum in the Central Zone of Tigray region. A small, wiry, soft-spoken man with a neatly trimmed beard, Kes Malede is one of the leading “farmer-innovators” in his community. Roughly eight years ago, he started digging for water on his very dry farm. His neighbours thought he was crazy, telling him he would never find water on the site. His wife even left him, moving their children into town.

But about 16 metres down, Kes Malede hit water. After his wife returned, he began sketching ways that would make it easier to “push” that water to the surface. He developed a series of pumps, improving on each one. The one he’s using now is built from inexpensive wood, iron, and metal piping, all available locally. It can push or lift water not only to the surface, but also through a system of hoses to irrigate his fruit trees and farm crops, including teff, sorghum, tomatoes and other vegetables.

As part of a group of farmers who can apply for and receive funding for their innovations from the global, NGO-initiated organisation, Prolinnova, Kes Malede is teaching other farmers in the community by example, showing them how small investments in technology can make a big difference on the farm.

He’s now helping other farmers—the same ones who thought he was crazy—by teaching them about his water lifting system and by selling modern, box-style beehives that allow farmers to both manage the bees better and pollinate their crops.”

Reproduced from World Watch March/April 2010.

“ Our visit also coincided with the peak of the cherry season and the start of the peach, apricot and nectarine season – pretty good planning by our facilitator Deniz.”

Men drink, talk, watch and sit silently….

“Short Stories from Turkey” Max Lindegger Turkey is situated where Europe and Asia meet. The area of the country is 780.000 sq. km. It is made up of European part (Thrace) and Asian part (Anatolia), separated by the Bosphorus, the Marmara Sea and the Dardanelles. At its widest point, Turkey is 1565 km across. The neighbours countries are Bulgaria and Greece at the west, Russian Federation at the north, Armenia and Georgia at the north east, İran at the east, Iraq and Syria at the south. The state is secular and a multiparty democracy is exist. Economy is based on agriculture with a rapidly developing industry.

During June Trudi and I spent a couple of weeks in Turkey where I was teaching a Permaculture course. This was my 3rd visit to this interesting and friendly country. (Trudi had also visited with me 13 years ago). For both of us this was the first time we spent time in the Izmir area. All rural villages in this area have at least a couple of coffee shops. Men only, (they accepted Trudi into the round with the words “well you know us”) Little coffee is drunk. Tea is the drink of choice. It is served hot, strong with two or three cubes of sugar. The coffee shops are busy places from early in the morning to late at night. Men drink, talk, watch and sit silently… while their wives I guess look after the kids, work in the fields.

June had started off mild and unseasonably wet but the weather turned hot (with temperatures touching 40C) and dry as soon as we arrived. Our visit also coincided with the peak of the cherry season and the start of the peach, apricot and nectarine season – pretty good planning by our facilitator Deniz.

This introduction is followed by a number of short articles (with lots of photos) related to the visit to Turkey. I hope you enjoy them!

It is not easy being an olive oil producer:

Cherries were delivered by any means to the village square.

Olives are the big earner for the community

While students were hard at work doing the design project, Trudi, our translator Mustafa and I went to a small village just a few kilometres from the design site. Like most villages in this area here, the main income was from agriculture and the main focus is on olives. Olive trees have been grown here for hundreds of years (the oldest olive tree is said to be 700 years old!). The trees seem to grow well in the shaly soil, but harvesting must be a difficult task on the step and rugged slopes. Most of the farmers seem to be of retirement age, with younger people seeking their luck in the cities – a familiar pattern. Other fruits are grown. At the time of our visit, cherries were delivered by any means to the village square where buyers were inspecting them and a price was agreed upon. On the day export quality cherries sold for Euro 1.00 a kg and I was told that by the time they arrived in Central Europe, they would sell for up to Euro 27 a kilogram.

But cherries are not the big earner for the community, olives are! Olives are harvested late in the year for up to 4 months. Fallen fruit has to be gathered quickly or they will spoil. In the past the fruit would be taken to the local press and the price would be quite good. Over recent years the government has closed old factories as they are considered to be unhygienic and the fruit has to be taken to large, gleaming stainless steel presses located in the valley. It’s all part of the government’s preparation to join the EU. (A move which the locals don’t generally support and which is unlikely to happen.) There are also “labelling laws” which makes the opening of

“I wondered if we were witnessing the last generation of olive farmers, the end of a lifestyle?”

“Short Stories from Turkey” Max Lindegger “boutique presses” difficult and expensive. The farmers told me that they are earning now less from olives than 10 years ago, and of course retail costs and transport have gone up.

As we were sitting with these men on the terrace of the local cake shop overlooking the market place and thousands and thousands of olives trees hugging the hills, I wondered if we were witnessing the last generation of olive farmers, the end of a lifestyle? Are the massive olive groves in distant lands, set up for efficient mechanical harvesting pushing small villages like this one, to the brink, like live sheep exports from Australia is competing with the sheep herders in Turkey?

The times are indeed changing and farming practices which have survived for hundreds of years are unlikely to survive the next 100.

Ancient Olive Tree

Right of Sight and the First Sale of the Day: While teaching the permaculture course in Turkey (mostly held in an eighty year old restored stone building surrounded by a modern dairy) Trudi and I stayed at the station masters house of Canli The station master is long gone, but the station is still a stop on the way to Izmir. It is an old stone building and has seen better days. Its location is quite prominent. Farmers pass here on the dusty road between the fields and the nearby villages. I walked the road every morning and some evenings to get some exercise.

I passed a number of orchards on my 30 minute journey. The cherries had been picked but every day I watched the peaches and nectarines ripening, putting their best red blush on.

“Magnificent red cherries ripening on the tree.”

“Peaches with their best red blush.”

The farmer had done a good job hiding the desirable fruit behind quinces, olives and tall grass but there was simply too much fruit to hide. I mentioned the ripening bounty to my students and they mentioned that a custom existed in Turkey – “the right of sight” It simply means that if you can see the fruit as you walk past, you are allowed to pick a couple. What a lovely custom, and one people in my village, Crystal Waters, seem to have adopted a long time ago.

I found out about another custom a few days later. I was walking home and noticed that they had just started to harvest the fruit. I had an empty plastic bag with me and some loose change. I made my way up the row of heavily laden trees to the owner (the only male) and gesticulated to him with a handful of coins and the empty bag that I would love to make a purchase. The farmer picked the smallest coin, wiped it first across the wet grass, and then in front of his face before pressing it against his forehead. My Turkish friend Ali had arrived by then and explained to me that I, as the first buyer would bring luck to the farmer; indeed the village and any coin would do..

So it happened that I walked home with a full bag of delicious peaches for the price of a small coin.

“ Mete milks nearly 150 cows from a herd of 200. A modern purpose built setup aims to produce milk cost efficient whilst offering the animals as much comfort as possible.”

“Short Stories from Turkey” Max Lindegger

The Shape of Modern Dairying in Turkey: I met Mete many years ago, about 13, when he attended a permaculture course near Ankara. At the time, together with some friends he was pioneering on one of the early eco villages in Turkey.

This time he offered the use of a restored, stone hall on his organic dairy farm for the course.

He milks currently nearly 150 cows (a total of 200 cattle of differing ages are kept on 1.2 hectares). This is a modern, purpose built set up aiming to produce milk cost efficient and offering the animals as much comfort as possible.

Cows can choose between the open yard (above) and below ,a roofed area.

Mete’s milking cows are able to move quite freely and can choose between a roofed area (water off the roof is collected in large tanks) and an open yard. Part of the area is kept cool by large fans with fine mist. These are highly producing cows and some are milked every eight hours. He raises all his replacements and keeps calves with their mothers for three to five days after birth. The calves are then kept in individual, quite roomy boxes for a few weeks. Male calves are then sold off while heifers are slowly moving towards the adult section until they are old enough to be artificially inseminated (Mete employed a vet who keeps a close eye on the animal’s wellbeing). A few days before the expected calving date, heifer/cows are moved to a quiet, more private area.

The milking seemed small but at the same time efficient for the number of cows. A “hospital” area (empty at the time of our stay) is located next to the office for close and constant observation.

The sheltered housing is continuously cleaned by a clever system which pushes the manure into a pit. At night the liquid is separated from the solids.

Both are currently sold but in the near future it is planned to compost and sell all wastes on the organic market.

Mete’s feed input (silage, hay, concentrates) are purchased as locally as possible if it can not be grown by the unit.

Turkish Law in relation to dairies is very strict. Processing and distributing the milk and milk products are challenges for the future. Natural joining of dairy cows is not permitted and imports of animals is also closely regulated.

Stall feed dairies are still new to Australia, but it is likely to be growing trend as demand for dairy products increases and land prices rise.

Calves are kept in private “boxes” for several weeks.

Mete is showing that a good quality product is possible under challenging circumstances with an innovative approach.

“ the village was abandoned some years back when a local well ran dry. A group of young people have moved in establishing some orchards, gardens, restoring a house and built swales and a dam.”

“Short Stories from Turkey” Max Lindegger Not an Ecovillage – Yet The second part of the PC course was held in the quite lofty (well about 740m above sea level) located village of Marmaric.

There is not much flat land here and the population is in single figures – at this point. The village was abandoned some years back when the local well ran dry. A better, deeper bore means there is plenty of water at the moment but there are no guarantees for the future. The bore was put down by the local government. I don’t know much about deep bores but at this point a lot of high quality water is gushing out. I would have expected that the bore be capped without delay. Months later – nothing has been done. How long can this last?

Photo above: The first house has been restored with local materials and skills; Below - door detailing fine restoration work.

The group of young people who have moved in and are moving over the next few years have established some orchards, gardens, restored a house, built swales and a dam. It’s all pretty experimental and incredibly interesting. Plans or a vision are not yet fixed. The focus is likely to be in an educational direction. Agriculture on this kind of land and soil is always marginal.

It’s much cooler up here than down in the valley, yet is only takes 20 minutes to climb up here. The views are stunning! The potential is incredible – clean air, some established trees, loads of good energy, good, committed people. A place to watch!

Upcoming Events and Interesting Articles Upcoming Events at Lot 59 Crystal Waters: Beekeeping: September 11th 2010

Subscribe today Ecovillage Musings!

Sign up for Ecovillage Musings by email. Visit

A mix of theory and hands-on work with an informative hand-out. Morning tea is provided. Cost is $80 per person, ($40 for under 16’s—we need more young beekeepers!) for the day. Numbers limited to 8. Book early to avoid disappointment. Tel: 07 54944741 or email Max at max@ecologicalsolutions.com.au

Secrets of Compost Making: October 9th 2010

www.ecovillageresearchgroup.com.au

To unsubscribe from Ecovillage Musings, send a message to news@ecologicalsolutions.com.au

with "UNSUBSCRIBE” econews_list" in the message STOP PRESS! We have copies of “Ecovillage Living: Restoring the Earth and Her People”

By Hildur Jackson and Karen Svensson. Price AUD $45 plus post and handling. Orders: ecovillgeresearchgroup@gmail.com

HELP KEEP ECOVILLAGE MUSINGS IN PRESS! WHY NOT MAKE YOUR DONATION TODAY! Visit www.ecovillageresea rchgroup.com.au

With Paul Kelly and Max Lindegger. A Fascinating one day workshop delving into the microbiological world of compost. Learn how the soil food web works and cycles nutrients. We will explain how to grow any tree, shrub or grass without fertilisers or the need for any pesticides.

The afternoon session will be hands on. Making good compost. Explaining the best methods and looking at compost tea and comfrey tea. Cost of the course is $80 and includes morning tea, notes and a tour of the garden.

Book early to avoid disappointment. Tel: 07 54944741 or email Max at max@ecologicalsolutions.com.au