Check out Arthur’s coverage of our work in their daily blog.

Here at Factor E Farm we’re trying to grow all our own food. However, it’s a daunting task to grow and process enough food to feed ourselves. That’s why we have a simple policy this spring to help us get closer to 100% food sufficient: Every Body Plants One Raised Bed A Day.  It’s the new industry standard. It helps us chip away at our goal, day by day.

Before reading this post, we invite everyone to write a message about what you feel Open Source Ecology means to you, and your ideas on how this can be communicated effectively to others. How do you feel about Open Source Ecology?

I’m leaving for the Oekonux Conference today. You can see my abstract under the 2nd day program at 2:30 PM. Here is a copy of my presentation, minus the transcript. If you want to meet up, just let me know.

Finally, the factorefarm.org Drupal site is starting to look coherent. Alex spawned it, Jeremy owned it. We are starting discussion on the second CEB prototype there. Log in, join the forum, and we’ll have the second prototype done in a jiffy. Once the second prototype is done, we’ll be taking preorders.

The plant propagation workshop of last weekend did not offer a chance for good documentation of the process details, so here’s another take. We propagated 200 raspberries and about 50 peaches and apricots. We’ll need to feed a village.

The plant propagation workshop of last weekend did not offer a chance for good documentation of the process details, so here’s another take. We propagated 200 raspberries and about 50 peaches and apricots. We’ll need to feed a village.

Here’s something to think about regarding our recent refocus on locally produced fuel and steam engines at Factor e Farm.

Energy is slave labor without the slaves. At Factor e Farm, doomsday peak oil scenarios are not particularly threatening because we know that a high standard of living can be attained readily by using technology that is 100 years old and which can be grown locally. Here’s how.

Here’s something to think about regarding our recent refocus on locally produced fuel and steam engines at Factor e Farm.

Energy is slave labor without the slaves. At Factor e Farm, doomsday peak oil scenarios are not particularly threatening because we know that a high standard of living can be attained readily by using technology that is 100 years old and which can be grown locally. Here’s how.

For the record, we keep log books/journals at Factor e Farm. Anyone visiting for more than one week is required to make a notebook for records, data, pictures, numbers, etc. This is useful for keeping track of Factor e Farm history, passing on work to future team members, and for other development streamlining. See how we make a sample book - a video from last summer with Bob:

For the record, we keep log books/journals at Factor e Farm. Anyone visiting for more than one week is required to make a notebook for records, data, pictures, numbers, etc. This is useful for keeping track of Factor e Farm history, passing on work to future team members, and for other development streamlining. See how we make a sample book - a video from last summer with Bob:

Today our work was mentioned in The Guardian, on building the world with open source. The article began with Vinay’s Hexayurt. While on the topic of hexagonal structures, here is our second Hexacube. It took 2 days to build with 3 people, but the time was extended because we didn’t have enough drills for screwing. I think it really takes one day with 4 people equipped with constantly charged cordless drills.

Today our work was mentioned in The Guardian, on building the world with open source. The article began with Vinay’s Hexayurt. While on the topic of hexagonal structures, here is our second Hexacube. It took 2 days to build with 3 people, but the time was extended because we didn’t have enough drills for screwing. I think it really takes one day with 4 people equipped with constantly charged cordless drills.

Lots of progress here. On the ground, we’re completing Hexacube 2 today for interim housing, with our friend O.R..

Lots of progress here. On the ground, we’re completing Hexacube 2 today for interim housing, with our friend O.R..