permaculture

Solar Cafe, Pumpkin and Spring Onion Pizza!!!

permaculture

EARTHSHIP GREENHOUSE, The Foundation is in!!!

With a lot of great help from interns and students, we have the foundation in and the rainwater and fish tanks ready to be filled.
Tyler helped cutting grass, Natchan drove the tractor (!!!) and Rob and Alex did all the heavy tire packing.
the barrels will collect rain water for plants and also to fill the fish pond and fish tank installed on the East end.

The in-ground foundation will help mediate temperature, as well as the tires and water tanks providing thermal mass, so that we will be able to do hydro-ponics and aquaponics year round, and not freeze our fish in the winter. Hoping to get the roof on before the snow flies!

permaculture

Organic Mint Chocolate Strawberry Tofu Cheesecake!!!

New on the Solar Cafe menu….this cake is made with organic mint and strawberries grown on our own farm, and fair trade organic 100% cocoa powder from Alishan. The “cheese” cake is made with tofu instead of cheese, so it is waaaay healthy too!

permaculture

Eco-Greenhouse & Earthships Building Workshop

This summer we will build a passive solar Earth Ship greenhouse that can be used as a living space or for growing plants year round.

Earth Ships are built largely with recycled materials, most of which are easily available and free for the asking. Used, steel-belted automobile tires, packed solid with earth, become giant 400- pound bricks that create sound-proof, fire and earthquake resistant, fortress- like walls.

Once built, Earth Ships collect rain water from potable roofing material into water storage tanks that provide an abundant source of water, even in areas with minimal rainfall.

Dates: July 28 to August 1, 2010 (tentative)
Cost: ¥ 48,000 (weekend only: ¥20,000)
Location: The Earth Embassy Solar Café and Farm, on the foot of Mt. Fuji.
Contact: info@earthembassy.org

The Experience Includes:
• Classroom overview of Earth Ship building and its environmental advantages. Discussion in English with Japanese support.
• Hands on experience building an Earth Ship. We will line a 4m x 8m hole with earth-packed tires and build a roof and south-facing wall designed to function as a passive solar greenhouse.
• Farm tour and organic farming activities.
• Hike to nearby Ice caves.
• Three home-cooked meals a day prepared with locally grown organic foods.
• Lodging in the Earth Embassy Guest House.

permaculture

Companion Planting; Organic Rice, Wheat and Soy Beans

We planted our first rice paddy today! The organic rice “ine” (seedlings) are especially adapted to thrive with the cold weather we have been having this year. We planted about 125 tsubo (410m2) which should yield about 200kg of rice come harvest time in November. Seven Earth Embassy farm staff and interns did this in about 2 hrs. Thats 100kg an hour! We also helped local farmer Hirata-san plant soy beans in between rows of wheat, which will help control weeds and fix nitrogen in the soil as a fertilizer. Looking forward to home-made bread, beans and rice come fall. Hope you can join us for a meal.