Paranga is named after the Scarlet Tanager, a bird that nests on this 17 acre land situated in the Laurentian Forests of Quebec.The experimental part comes from the question we often ask ourselves here: can we gain a livelihood from this land and respect the integrity of the surrounding forest? The site was cleared in… Continue reading PARANGA EXPERIMENTAL FOREST FARM
Shamanism and Forest Gardens: reconnecting the pathways to productivity. (is there a bustle in your hedgrow?) It could be argued that forest gardens were the precursor to present day agroforestry innovations; whereby the planting of trees alongside the planting of annual crops of grains or vegetables produces,eventually, a secondary crop of wood, fruit,nuts, and biomass,… Continue reading Agroforestry
Helianthus tuberosus The topinambour; sunchoke; Jerusalem artichoke; any other names I am missing?! For years these Plants have been shooting up great green sprouts and soon enough October rolls around and they finally begin to flower. Topinambours are a staple to the NorthEastern NorthAmerican diet (or so they should be!) as they are perennial… Continue reading Topinambour
I have been enamored with companion planting ever since I started observing and building permaculture designs. The attraction and repelling properties that plants have on each other is so difficult to detect to humans. A lot of the times you cannot see the effects that a parsley or yarrow plant will have on a tomato… Continue reading 7 Sisters :: Buckwheat
Can it really Be? One whole year later? Sheet mulching is a wonderful way to reclaim eroded and bare earth into surprisingly fertile garden spaces. You’ll find a step-by-step guide to our process here. What used to be barren ground is now loaded with both wild and cultivated flowers that provide habitat and forage for… Continue reading Progress Report
Once upon a time, there was no house. Prior to 2009, this site was your typical Laurentian bush – swamp and forest, thick underbrush from past logging with medium growth deciduous and coniferous forest. Then a house was built – trees were cut, foundation was laid, and construction began. Bringing in material is messy, and… Continue reading Sheet mulching 101
Homestead Nomads 