Installation of Wholeo Dome at The Farm (wdatfs) Study 4. See the Study 4 page for details or the wdatfs Study intro.
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.
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.
Youre Inn at The Farm
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."
Cob oven with the characteristic permaculture roof.
The cob oven is a giant head.
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."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.
Strawbale sauna interior 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.
Making bricks.
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.
Details of the Green Dragon.
People on tour, learning about how permaculture principles manifest at the ETC.
Albert Bates, who creates this environment, carrying buckets, just like the rest.
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