Pip Magazine Issue 11

DANI WOLFF Dani is the co-founder of Agari Earth Building, a natural building collective. She travels the globe facilitating workshops to educate others on how to design and build natural, ecological and regenerative homes (strawbale, cob and tiny houses, and Earthships). Dani is a building designer who aims to inspire people to live in healthy homes which are low in toxins and are energetically healing. She also works to create permaculture projects from the ground up and to engage in community through appropriate technology, resources and whole system design. DAVID ASHER David Asher is an organic farmer, farmstead cheesemaker and cheese educator based on the gulf islands of British Columbia, Canada. David does not make cheese according to standard industrial philosophies; he instead explores traditionally cultured and more organic methods. Through workshops in…

Hey Pipsters, Preparing this issue of Pip for you has been an inspiring experience. In the process of interviewing people, photographing them and editing the articles, I always learn so much and get really excited by all of the great things people are doing. After talking to Jodie Vennitti (A Year From The Garden, page 32) about her challenge to only eat fruit and veg from her garden for a year, I wanted to push myself a bit further so I too could do this. I eat loads from my garden but not everything. Setting myself a challenge makes me really think about what I grow and how, and makes me evaluate the design and systems I have in place. And after going out to Emily Stokes’ place to take photos of her…

FOSTER VILLAGE, USA www.fostervillagepdx.org Not far from downtown Portland, Oregon, lives this small intentional community. Foster Village is ‘retrosuburbia’ in action. What started as a single shared community home has now evolved into three houses—an urban community homestead with 11 people living collectively on 1/3 acre. The villagers started in one house, then bought an adjacent home and have also constructed a straw bale house. They’ve pulled down fences and planted the streetscape. They share many meals each week, look after their permaculture gardens together, keep chickens, ducks and bees, and collectively manage their land and provide for their needs. They’ve transformed their own lives, are very active in ecological projects in their wider community and are rippling out their good work too by sharing projects with local neighbourhood. Foster Village also offer workshops…

WITHONEBEAN If you like to drink your coffee with a clear conscience, it goes without saying that it’s worth buying fair trade. WithOneBean is a not for profit coffee roaster based in Melbourne. Their coffee is made from 100% Arabica beans which grow as wild coffee (as opposed to in plantations) and is picked by hand, wet-processed and sun-dried. The workers are subsistence farmers in Timor-Leste who are paid a fair price for their coffee crops and labour. The money made from the business is also invested back into environmental and educational projects in Timor-Leste. And for every bag of coffee sold, a tree is planted in Timor-Leste. To find out more, make sure you read the WithOneBean article on page 80. Coffee can be purchased from their online shop and delivers to…

PERMACULTURE AUSTRALIA OPEN GARDENS AND FARMS All Year, Nationwide Permaculture Australia is encouraging permies all over Australia to open their farms and gardens to the public. This will introduce permaculture to more people, encourage social interaction with like-minded citizens and help fundraise towards the operating costs of Permaculture Australia, Permafund and your local permaculture group. To access an interactive map and the listings, visit Permaculture Australia’s website. www.permacultureaustralia.org.au/permaculture-farms-gardens-open-days/ PIP CLASSIFIEDS Did you know about the Pip Classifieds? It’s the go-to place for your who, what, why and where questions. If you are looking for something permaculture specific or if you have something to sell or promote, you can do it in the Pip Classifieds. Buy and sell, real estate, upcoming courses, job opportunities, building consultants, design consultants, markets, swap meets, volunteerism and more are featured as part…

Question for the Pip Brains Trust? Email editorial@pipmagazine.com.au How do I encourage worms into our soil and to stay there? [Rebecca, Maryborough, QLD] In the words of Kevin Costner, ‘If you build it, [they] will come’. Worms live in soils with high humus content. Humus is the product of decaying organic matter. The best way to produce humus is adding consistent volumes of compost and mulch each year. These elements provide worms with the food they require. Consistent moisture is just as important, so do your best to ensure your soils don’t dry out. [Justin] Any tips for managing animals holistically on a backyard scale? [Manu, Lapstone, NSW] Understanding what the animal likes to do and allowing it to undertake these behaviours in ways that benefit other parts of the garden is the key…