Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

permaculture - Re: [permaculture] Balkan Ecology Project - Balkan Ecology Project & Permaculture Bulgaria (Facebook page)

permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: permaculture

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Lawrence London <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Balkan Ecology Project - Balkan Ecology Project & Permaculture Bulgaria (Facebook page)
  • Date: Wed, 10 May 2017 21:52:14 -0400

On Wed, May 10, 2017 at 9:49 PM, Lawrence London <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>
wrote:

> Balkan Ecology Project - Balkan Ecology Project
> http://www.balkep.org/
>
> The Balkan Ecology Project is a permaculture-inspired, grassroots project
> based in South Eastern Europe, Bulgaria. We are devoted to the design and
> exploration of ecologically-sound human habitats and serve as a
> demonstration and education site for visitors from all over the world. Our
> efforts aim to develop thoughtful approaches to food, shelter, community
> and commerce, while promoting and preserving the unique biological
> diversity associated with the Balkan region and the world at large. We
> run *courses and events <http://www.balkep.org/courses-and-events.html>
> *throughout
> the year and run a forest garden / permaculture plant nursery.
> <http://www.balkep.org/plant-profiles.html>
>
> Permaculture Bulgaria
> (Facebook page)
> https://www.facebook.com/groups/permaculturebulgaria/
>
> A gathering of people with interest in Permaculture to meet and share
> information and experiences.
>

Balkan Ecology Project - Balkan Ecology Project
http://www.balkep.org/

POLYCULTURE RESEARCH
[image: Picture]
The Paulownia Garden - Home to the Polyculture Study
Having experimented with polycultures for almost a decade now with some
very encouraging results. We are curious to learn how this approach to
cultivating crops compares to conventional methods, specifically in terms
of time and energy expenditure and in the yields harvested. Surprisingly,
little data exists for polycultures, so we've started to gather our own.
We are currently working on building data sets to present along with our
models that aim to provide healthy nutritious food while promoting
increased biological diversity in the growing environment.
Our Studies are currently carried out in two plots, a garden scale plot of
66m2 and a market garden scale plot of 2000 m2.

For an overview of our research so far click here
<http://www.balkep.org/annual-polyculture-research.html>.

If you would like to take part in the 2017 study click here
<http://www.balkep.org/the-polyculture-market-garden-study.html>.

LAND STEWARDSHIP
[image: Picture]
<http://www.balkep.org/uploads/9/0/7/9/9079678/5779795_orig.jpg>
Plots currently under our stewardship
Currently we have approximately 4.5 hectares of land protected from the
encroaching monotony of industrial farming in the area. The strategic
purchasing of scattered plots throughout the area means that effectively
53.5 ha are off limits and the wonderful diversity of wild flora and fauna
coupled with an extraordinary quantity of heritage fruit and nut trees on
some of these plots are much more likely to survive for future generations
to enjoy.
Revenue from bio-nursery sales, our market gardens and educational courses
sustain our project and help us to achieve our goal to protect and promote
the regeneration of ecosystems here and beyond. We continue to commit to
using all profit from our activities for the purchasing of land with high
ecological value currently under threat from intensive agricultural
development. The land, once under our stewardship, is managed with respect
for its inherent value and vital ecosystem services. ​
POLYCULTURE MARKET GARDEN
FOREST GARDENS
[image: Picture]
Produce from the Market Garden
Our wildlife friendly market gardens produce a diverse range of fruits and
vegetables from April - October, with exciting new additions planned this
season!

The ​approach we take to market gardening goes way beyond "organic". We
develop biological systems that rely on the native ecology to function as
opposed to external manufactured inputs and high energy requirements. As a
result our gardens service not only our needs, but the needs of other
organisms too.

Our crops are excellent quality produced the way nature intended.

We supply produce to our team, local customers, buyers clubs - trustika.org
<http://trustika.org/> and our veg and fruit box customers.

More here <http://www.balkep.org/veggie-boxes.html>on our Polyculture
Market Garden ​



Our garden designs are based on utilizing the resilience and natural
fertility of the temperate forest and demonstrate well the inherent value
of any piece of land.
We are currently working on various sites in and around Shipka, including
our 10 year old home forest garden, and a market garden within a maturing
forest garden situated outside the village where we are transforming the
low-grade agricultural land into a biologically-diverse, productive, and
ecologically-sound habitat.
The gardens are open to the public on Open Days throughout the year, during
which we share information, swap seeds, provide guided tours of both sites
and offer our home grown plants.
We use biological fertilizers produced on site and supported by the local
waste stream reduce energy and water needs within our bio - nursery and
gardens by irrigating with rainwater and growing in season.
Browse our Forest Garden Plants
<http://www.balkep.org/forest-garden-plants1.html>
EDUCATION
Courses and Events <http://www.balkep.org/courses-and-events.html>
We offer educational courses throughout the year, sharing our experience
and practice within the fields of ecological design, forest gardening,
agroecology and more. We host a number of open days throughout the year and
travel to various festivals and events throughout Bulgaria .

Our Blog
Take a look at our blog to find out what we are currently involved with.
You will also find an archive of articles on specific aspects of ecological
design.
CLICK HERE TO ENTER
<http://balkanecologyproject.blogspot.com/>
*Resources <http://pinterest.com/balkep/>*
If you are interested in Ecological/Permaculture Garden Design you may find
our collection of resources interesting. With links to excellent pages from
bug and plant identification keys, fungi and guilds to forest gardening and
much more. CLICK HERE TO ENTER. <http://pinterest.com/balkep/>

[image: Picture]
Shipka Town

*Want to get involved?*
We have volunteer <http://www.balkep.org/> and intern positions available
throughout the year. There are currently places available on the Polyculture
Market Garden Study <http://www.balkep.org/>- email us for more info.


--
Lawrence F. London, Jr.
lfljvenaura@gmail.com
https://sites.google.com/site/avantgeared




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page