REimagining our world + living roofs, kefir, wildcrafting & more

Details: Published on Friday, 15 May 2015 10:45; Written by editor

Offerings, happenings, and know-how of Ashevillage & friends.

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REIMAGInation Potluck & Documentary
#reimagine #communityculture #celebratelife

Ashevillage is excited to be hosting a filmmaking crew for a few days, and we invited our extended community for a potluck to share food and reflections on how we are imagining and creating the world of our dreams. Here are some of those reflections:

"Just and sustainable food systems." "I want to live in a world where my kids can grow up with loving community & freedom." "I envision peaceful world leaders ending wars." "Re-imagining birth as sacred and honoring mothers everywhere." "I see a world where sexuality is a powerful means of healing." "More public art!" "Everyone living in natural buildings." "I want to be able to bike everywhere!" "For everyone to live in their power."

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How and Why To Create A Living Roof On A Natural Building #greenliving #putaplantonit

Our building apprentices have been hard at work designing and implementing a living roof on one of our structures, affectionately called ‘The Honeybee'; a sweet earthen building that we use for quiet reflection, singing, meditation and meetings. It has been a spectacle here, watching our crew rolling wheelbarrows of soil up onto a roof and beginning to plant it.

Don’t know what a living roof is? Living roofs, also known as ‘green roofs’, are roofs that have a water proofing membrane such as a pond liner, aka: EPDM, which can be protected by salvaged carpet so it won’t puncture and leak. Then the roof can be partially or completely covered with light weight growing medium, such as soil with vermiculite, hydroton, expanded shale rock, and/or other kinds of aerated rock. On top of that, the roof can be planted, most often with shallow-rooted plants, such as sedums and strawberries, to name a few... click here to learn more.

>> LEARN about living roofs and much more at the Natural Building Workshop with Mark Lakeman & top local teachers, July 6-10, hosted by the Permaculture School. DETAILS: www.ThePermacultureSchool.org/Natural-Building-Workshop
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Garden Update: Growing Tomatoes in Self-Watering Containers #permacultureplants

The garden crew is growing tomatoes using a variety of methods, including self-watering containers. These container gardens will go in the hoop house where the plants will be protected from blight. The bottom of the 5 gallon bucket where the plants will be has a reservoir of water, which leeches upwards to the roots and keeps the soil moist at all times. Excess water drains out through a hole that was drilled in the bucket at just the right height. Traditional containers dry out in the hoop house, so this is a crafty way to avoid that. Mulch will be added to the top of the soil to keep water from evaporating. It's a safe way to keep the tomatoes consistently hydrated, which is very important for the success of the plant as a whole.

Here's what the garden crew is saying about their season so far:

Most of my experience is with traditional organic farming so I am learning a ton about implementing permaculture practices into food production – from a very experienced teacher! - Kerry, garden assistant

I am getting real life, hands-on experience with so many things that I only read about in books before. When it comes to permaculture, it is much more effective to learn by doing, cultivating diverse skills while being committed to one site. - Autumn, garden apprentice

It’s been so cool to see how all of the homesteading systems interact with each other, supporting and feeding each other to make this place thrive. I’ve really enjoyed the hands-on experience and am looking forward to a meaningful harvest. - Hannah, garden apprentice

The Eco-Urban Garden Apprenticeship program has provided exposure to various local models of agro-ecological operations and has helped me network with talented farmers. Through this dynamic combination, I have managed to fill my schedule with projects that foster many of ways of working with and learning from plants. - Everett, garden apprentice

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Wanted: Work traders - please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for details.
Videographers • Bone broth & wild food aficionados

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Wanted: Summer interns - apply here.

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NOURISHED KITCHEN VIDEOS

How to make kefir

With Jenny McGruther of Nourished Kitchen

Wild edible plants

Juliet Blankespoor on sochan, a wild edible

Slippery elm bark

Todd Elliott wildcrafting slippery elm bark

Learn with these teachers {plus Ceara Foley & CoreyPine Shane} in person at the Nourished Kitchen Workshop in Asheville this August. Save $333 in May!

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EARLY BIRD SPECIALS

WILD FOOD & FERMENTATION WORKSHOP WITH SANDOR KATZ: Last chance to sign up - the next 7 people get a $100 discount!

This immersive workshop is led by the world renowned fermentation expert, and New York Times best selling author, Sandor Katz. He will lead you in daily hands-on fermentation projects and classes. Along with Sandor, five of Asheville’s top wild food experts will take you on field excursions to discover, taste, and learn how to work with nutritional edibles you can find most anywhere. Demonstrations, lectures, food tastings, and a community soiree are all included. In this workshop, you will learn how to nourish yourself and heal your body with fermented foods, as well as identify and prepare wild and medicinal edibles that you can integrate into your kitchen and daily diet. May 24-30. www.ashevillage.org/wild-food-fermentation-workshop

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NOURISHED KITCHEN WORKSHOP WITH JENNY McGRUTHER: Save $333 in May!

Learn hands-on, traditional techniques for a healthy, sustainable, and balanced life. Gain take-home knowledge of modern homesteading practices, age-old natural remedies, and how to safely forage for wild herbs, mushrooms, and other powerfully potent plants. Jenny will guide you in daily hands-on cooking classes, demonstrations, how-to techniques, and lectures on the health-enhancing powers of traditional foods. Along with Jenny, four of Asheville’s top homesteading and natural food experts will take you on field excursions to discover, taste, and learn how to how to create your own nourished kitchen and farm-to-table life. August 16-22. www.ashevillage.org/nourished-kitchen-workshop

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK

One of the marvelous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn't as individuals. When we pool our strength and share the work and responsibility, we can welcome many people, even those in deep distress, and perhaps help them find self-confidence and inner healing.
― Jean Vanier, Community And Growth

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