IBIS Projects

Here's a slide show of some photos detailing a couple of the projects we have launched at Ibis to promote the production and growing of local organic food

Matt and I have made use of the eclectic array of bits and bobs lying around the campus (being good permaculturalists) and through a couple of permablitzes and weekend work blitzes we have managed to create a fairly decent system incorporating:

- A sizzling hot compost

- A bread Crate Worm farm (Industrial size!)

- An experimental tub compost system (doesn't work!)

- A garden raised garden bed system

We still have way too much food scraps to handle at the moment but we should be upping the ante massively on the hot composts.

We will also mix in wood chips with the scraps as we go, preventing a nitrogen overdose that

creates stench and gaseous toxic sludge which makes poo smell good!, and giving us a nicer product that we can work into larger compost systems.

Our long term view is to build a nice working herb Spiral and a mandala garden design, a couple of classic permaculture design solutions which will provide great demonstration sites for our darling school students!!!;

enjoy the slides:

Transition Phillip Island

Alycia and Nia, ran an inspirational Transition talk today at a Phillip Island Climate Change Day.

The response was very positive with four groups brainstorming strategies for how we can begin moving towards Carbon Positive Life Styles.

About 6 people signed up and they were keen to learn more which is fantastic to have new recruits on board to assist us in 'Transitioning'.

Jeff was also visiting form melbs, a permaculture friend, was up with his family for the weekend, they were given the customary tour of the mostly empty block and defiantly keen to pitch in and help out when the fun stuff begins.

All up another great day for the work of transition and permaculture in general.

Our Straw Bale House

Here are our preliminary designs for our straw bale house.

In order to maintain thermal efficiency we have gone for the 'curled cat' design.

We have a north / South block so our large windows are facing north with eaves, designed to draw in winter sun and block our summer sun, we plan have the capacity to store about 40,000 litres

of water, recycle grey water and black water using a Biolytix system for use on a fruit orchard, heat and cook using a wood combustion Rayburn stove which will also provide hot water.

New Solar innovations are coming out from RMIT next year and when this happens we plan to install a 2kw Solar system which is about enough to provide for approx 5 - 7 kw of energy for the house per day.

In this way we are planning to operate a house that produces more food, energy and water than it consumes and can largely recycle it's own waste.

Easter 'Permablitz'

Dale was up or down (depending on weather your standing upright or on your head) from Tasie

this weekend, on break from a Permaculture course run by Southern Cross Permaculture Institute.

This was awesome as I had the opportunity to pick his brains about a recent Straw Bale Course that he had just completed and that I aim to complete in July and to share some permaculture stories.

I also thought it would be a great opportunity to engage in a micro blitz on our block and setup a couple of sheet mulched garden beds. (Sheet mulching is a quick way to build garden beds; involving layers of cardboard, hay, horse poo, and compost).

In a couple of hours we had two garden beds, filled with peas, lettuce, broccoli and cabbage (a good autumn selection).

On our N - S block we should see some good rapid autumn growth through into the winter.