About me
At the project beginning (Spring 2013)
Before my return to Spain I was wearing for awhile looking for a land to regenerate. Taking as first goal not having to pay rent and at the same time have complete freedom to design without boundaries, I was thinking in repopulate an abandoned village. Just before reaching my home country I found in Scotland the contact that would lead me here.
Looking at the skills and knowledge on permaculture that I have accumulated in the last years, I am eager to take on a project like this. If you want to know more about my skill flex, click (here) to access to my diploma portfolios.
I know that now this project is out of my boundaries, but I believe that gradually I'll raise the resources I'll need.
Due to lack of experience I think that the beginning it will be hard some times, till this project is not stable can be spend two to three years. Especially the economic factor worries me, but I think the persistence and to go in one direction makes each day to be more near to reach our dreams.
Looking at the skills and knowledge on permaculture that I have accumulated in the last years, I am eager to take on a project like this. If you want to know more about my skill flex, click (here) to access to my diploma portfolios.
I know that now this project is out of my boundaries, but I believe that gradually I'll raise the resources I'll need.
Due to lack of experience I think that the beginning it will be hard some times, till this project is not stable can be spend two to three years. Especially the economic factor worries me, but I think the persistence and to go in one direction makes each day to be more near to reach our dreams.
My Vision
At the beginning (Spring 2013)
I see a beautiful place in earth where the landscape is sustainable, and provide food shelter and water to cover the needs of all the inhabitants in it.
With infinite ways to finance it's implementation and maintenance, with a systems that works with nature integrating holistically my life style, family, dreams and time for joy with the work to be done, having time to dedicate to myself, my family and friends.
A place that make me fell proud of what I want and what I live, and allowing me to create and do my way of life been in pace with my family and friends around.
A place to share knowledge and skills, where people can come to learn and get inspired through the experience and sociability.
A place to grow.
With infinite ways to finance it's implementation and maintenance, with a systems that works with nature integrating holistically my life style, family, dreams and time for joy with the work to be done, having time to dedicate to myself, my family and friends.
A place that make me fell proud of what I want and what I live, and allowing me to create and do my way of life been in pace with my family and friends around.
A place to share knowledge and skills, where people can come to learn and get inspired through the experience and sociability.
A place to grow.
Our Aims
(2012)
At the mid map below I show our goals and aims when we was looking for a land in 2012.
Short term
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Long term
-Food forest -Veg garden |
Resources
At the beginning (Spring 2013)
After such a long time far of my family, old friends..., my roots in Barcelona, I can appreciate the big benefit from having them close.
Being near a city as Barcelona have a lot of opportunities to meet new people and expand my network, in there I'm participating in some social and permaculture activities as a food forest or urban gardens. Have good relationships is necessary to let others know about future courses and workshops that we can offer at the land.
Internet is other grate value resource for shopping a van, water pump, generator, solar..., it's the most effective way to see the second hand opportunities around the area.
Some internet resources I have used:
Being near a city as Barcelona have a lot of opportunities to meet new people and expand my network, in there I'm participating in some social and permaculture activities as a food forest or urban gardens. Have good relationships is necessary to let others know about future courses and workshops that we can offer at the land.
Internet is other grate value resource for shopping a van, water pump, generator, solar..., it's the most effective way to see the second hand opportunities around the area.
Some internet resources I have used:
Second hand:
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Other pages:
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Network:
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Documentation:
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Money and Time
Spring 2014 (One year after start)
When we embarked on this adventure we had some money savings, not much but enough to invest in buying a van and some basic tools to start implementing.
After four months we no longer had money and since then, has been an art of juggling to pay for gas and food with small paid jobs that we have had sporadically, this makes the implementation be very slow as the purchase of basic materials.
This means that we have to open our creativity to take maximum advantage of all the free resources available and get the best performance from them.
Unemployment in Albinyana in 2013 is seventy-five percent and added that we just have arrived in a place where we didn't know anybody, has been almost impossible to find paid job. Now we are thinking about how to combine the time between the land and other places to find work, so we can have some money in order to continue to meet our basic needs and the implementation of the place.
After four months we no longer had money and since then, has been an art of juggling to pay for gas and food with small paid jobs that we have had sporadically, this makes the implementation be very slow as the purchase of basic materials.
This means that we have to open our creativity to take maximum advantage of all the free resources available and get the best performance from them.
Unemployment in Albinyana in 2013 is seventy-five percent and added that we just have arrived in a place where we didn't know anybody, has been almost impossible to find paid job. Now we are thinking about how to combine the time between the land and other places to find work, so we can have some money in order to continue to meet our basic needs and the implementation of the place.
People relationships
Spring 2014 (One year after start)
My Family
My family is going to be the most influential people in the decisions that will be taken to transform the place.
They are my partner in life Nim 35 years old and her little Ohli 5.
My partnership is also doing the permaculture diploma. The two of us are passionate about going towards a sustainable and self-sufficient life into the permaculture path. Our two minds working together can boost performance to regenerate this land and become in a educational permaculture center.
We also are thinking that here is a beautiful place to Ohli´s growth, but can be also a bit isolated by not having much kids friends around. At 2 kilometers from here we have a good friends with a child same age as Ohli´s, and they have a good times together. Also the school at the village is quite nice and they are open to well come to him.
Bellow I expose some of our needs and aims
They are my partner in life Nim 35 years old and her little Ohli 5.
My partnership is also doing the permaculture diploma. The two of us are passionate about going towards a sustainable and self-sufficient life into the permaculture path. Our two minds working together can boost performance to regenerate this land and become in a educational permaculture center.
We also are thinking that here is a beautiful place to Ohli´s growth, but can be also a bit isolated by not having much kids friends around. At 2 kilometers from here we have a good friends with a child same age as Ohli´s, and they have a good times together. Also the school at the village is quite nice and they are open to well come to him.
Bellow I expose some of our needs and aims
Nim and I
Needs
Aims
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Ohli
Needs
Aims
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The Landlords
The land owners looks very nice people, they have always been very friendly and I think that they trust our ideas and are happy with us.
From our first meeting we haven't went back to see them until four months later, they have came to visit us to explain the history of the site, giving us much information about when things were done, what was growing, the size of the site and what we can do with it.
Five month after of our arrival at the land we have signed a five years contract.
From our first meeting we haven't went back to see them until four months later, they have came to visit us to explain the history of the site, giving us much information about when things were done, what was growing, the size of the site and what we can do with it.
Five month after of our arrival at the land we have signed a five years contract.
Off site influences
There are different people passing through the land, those who come more often are neighbours and local friends, they are always welcome and have given us them support and some of their surplus to share with us.
There is also sporadic visitors, after being so long the place abandoned people around was used to come to look for asparagus and wild plants.
The worst visitors are the hunters, they are really a problem. Hearing the shots to within a hundred yards throughout the weekend has been quite annoying during the autumn and winter.
There is also sporadic visitors, after being so long the place abandoned people around was used to come to look for asparagus and wild plants.
The worst visitors are the hunters, they are really a problem. Hearing the shots to within a hundred yards throughout the weekend has been quite annoying during the autumn and winter.
General
Spring 2014 (One year after start)
What do I particularly like about the site and want to keep as they are
- I love the peace environment that I feels in it
- Living in wild nature
- That little Ohli grows in contact with the natural environment
- Increasingly know more interesting people who live near
- We have full freedom to design and do what we want
What do I particularly dislike about the site or want to get rid of
- Pollution from neighbour chemical farming
- Hunters into the site
- No much water
What would I most like to see change
- Better soil fertility
- More diversity
- Create economic stability
- Be almost eighty percent self-sufficient
- Sell products to market