The topic is a look around the Institute for Appropriate Technology, Ecovillage
Training Center (ETC), which is close to Wholeo Dome at The Farm. Click
an image to see a larger version.
 The
golden square shows the location of the ETC on an aerial view of The Farm
area. The purple circle shows Wholeo Dome. Here's a larger
version of
that map. The ETC is off Schoolhouse Road, which joins the main road at The Farm.
The ETC road has a sign saying, "Global Village. Institute for Appropriate
Technology founded 1977, The Farm Ecovillage Training Center est. 1994, Ecovillage
Network of Americas International Office." No dogs beyond this point. |
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 People
become involved in the ETC in classes, workshops, apprenticeships, tours,
visits, or other events. Here's someone carrying a large piece of bamboo
grown at the ETC. For great pictures and news see http://www.thefarm.org/etc/index.html. |
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 Youre Inn at The Farm |
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 One
of the small signs says, "ELEMENT is the fundamental building block of
Permaculture analysis: the people within the system; then water (with
the subcategories of catchment, storage, reticulation, and disposal);
then house, major roads, then still at a general, generic level; orchard,
dam, stock forage; then species." |
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 Cob
oven with
the characteristic permaculture roof. |
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 The
cob oven is a giant head. |
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 Another
informative sign says, "Viridian Design Principles v.1.0.1 Futurist principle
5
"Look at the Underside first"
Legions of people are paid large sums to promote the positive aspects of
commercially available products. Very few people earn their daily bread
by pointing out malfunctions, bugs, screw-ups, design failures, side-effects
and the whole sad galaxy of trade-offs and failings that are inherent in
any technological artifact. To counteract this gross social imbalance, a wise
designer and a wise critic will make it a matter of principle to look at
the underside first." |
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 The
strawbale sauna is a work-in-progress, as is almost everything at the
ETC. I'd call it art-in-progress. How beautiful! See three photos following,
of the lizard and tree in bas-relief on the interior walls. Plans are
to install a masonry oven, cedar benches, and a hot tub. |
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Strawbale sauna interior   |
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 Ducks and chickens have many ponds and gardens for forage. |
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 Hipitat.
That is a small retreat or guest house. Here's another view of the interior,
showing the construction of primarily earthbag, plus cob and waddle & daub. |
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 Making bricks. |
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 The
Green Dragon, in progress. The name comes from The Lord of the Rings,
as in the pub in Hobbiton where the Hobbits danced on the tabletops and
smoked Shire pipeweed. The construction is similar to the kiln, sauna,
and See three photos following, showing building details. |
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   Details of the Green Dragon. |
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 People on tour, learning about how permaculture principles manifest at the ETC. |
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 Albert Bates, who creates this environment, carrying buckets, just like the rest. |
