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This is part 2 in a series where we take you to Alderleaf Wilderness College and Farm. If you haven't yet watched part 1, be sure to check it out. In this episode co-founder Jason talks about how they used a permaculture approach to turn their typical property in a thriving homestead.

Watch “Alderleaf Part 1: Permaculture Approach” on YouTube >

Alderleaf is one of the only organizations we know that combines wilderness survival and sustainable living skills. They not only teach these concepts but put them into practice on their property, which serves as both a school and home.

We remember visiting them shortly after buying the property in 2008. They knew they were going to be starting a 9-month training program and would need indoor and outdoor classroom space for their students. At the time the property was mostly lawn with a couple of buildings surrounded by woods - a pretty typical scene. But they knew this place had potential.

When it came to transforming the property into what you see today, they chose a slow approach. Using permaculture principles, they spent their first year on the land observing and planning. They noted things like:

• The types if habitat and contours of the land

• How water moves

• Patterns of sun and shade

• Quality of the soil

• How wildlife uses the area

• What plants are present

With this information they created a plan that worked with nature to create the places and features they dreamed of. In this way they solved their problems by creating new opportunities. Some of their early major projects included planning for:

• Earth works such as ponds

• New structures

• Food forest

• Gardens

• Livestock

Over time they have put the plan into action and adapted along the way. They have added a root cellar, cobb oven, archery range, and many more features to make a thriving homestead.

If you are interested in learning more about permaculture and how you can use the principals on your own homestead, Jason has a few suggestions. He recommends starting with the book, Practical Permaculture by Jessi Bloom and Dave Boehnlein. You can also take in-person courses in permaculture at Alderleaf Wilderness College.

In addition to the permaculture courses, you can read hundreds of how-to articles and learn about all of their in-person classes, including an online survival course on their website at www.AlderleafWildernessCollege.com