This presentation was prepared as part of a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course. It reviews the history of the farm and presents design ideas for 17 areas of the 35 acre farm established at the end of the 19th Century.

1. A Permaculture Inspired Plan for a
Baby Boomers Workers
Cooperative Demonstration Farm
and Nursery
A Looking Back-Moving Forward
Farmers for 6 Centuries on a
Piedmont Plateau--PA Hill Farm
Prepared by Margaret Cahalan for Chesapeake
Forest Gardens Permaculture Design Certificate
(PDC) Course --Chears --Kim Walsh and Lincoln

2. Goals Articulation for Design
1. Feasible business plan in the context of building a
new economy and healthy life style
2. Experiment with Organic Land Care Standards
implementation demonstration & Permaculture
concepts
3. CHEARS Mission– Rural—urban links place for
sustainable environmental literacy education and
4. Provide meaningful and valued work for baby
boomers such as myself to contribute to adaptation
and mitigation of climate change

3. Listing of Principles
Toby Hemmingway
• Observe
• Connect
• Catch and store energy
• Each element performs
multiple functions
• Each function supported
by multiple elements
• Make least change for
greatest effect
• Use small scale intensive
systems
• Use edge effect
• Accelerate succession
• Use biological and
renewable resources
• Recycle energy
• Turn problems into
solutions
• Get a yield
• Design limits yield
• Mistakes are tools for
learning

4. Build on Assets/Problems
1. Historic Models --Farmers of Forty Centuries-King’s
1917 work studying sustainable practices in Asia-
Forest Gardening—Robert Hart—Permaculture—
workers co-op models—Native American models
2. York County Farming Systems History--Placed
Based Education—Environmental Literacy
3. Climate Change Research—Adapt and Mitigate—
4. Health Motivation Young and old growth of chronic
health conditions----as we age and as our peers
age—dementia prevention
5. Farm itself—close to cities, diversity of
landscape—wetlands, few crop fields, streams, hill
sides—old buildings that are standing—farmed

5. Observe and Interact
Farm Natural Features
• 37 acre farm in York PA
• Piedmont Ridge and Valley
• Soil—Chester Glenelg—Hopewell Township of York
County
• 1.5 hours from DC –also 40 minutes Baltimore
• Developing area—agriculture and Stewartstown-few
subdivisions
• Mostly slopped
• 13 acres crop land
• ¼ acre pond
• Bordered by 2 wonderful streams and spring fed one
right down middle
• Wetlands—major feature
• Small house—animals barns

6. 6 Major Periods in Histories
1. Pre-Europeans---Three Sisters—since 1100 practiced
companion farming—self sustaining
2. Colonial --Diversified Small Scale farming—1750-
1830—Herb gardens raised beds—self sustaining
3. 1830-1885—Mechanized small farms—livestock and
crops for new markets—Baltimore
4. 1885-1940—Shifted to cannery crops, orchard, poultry
5. 1940-2000—More specialized capital intensive loss of
small farms and reliance on off-farm income—
Alternatives Biointensive—Organic--Permaculture-
Forest Demonstrations
6. 21st century—experiments with adapting and mitigating
climate change

7. Who are Gardeners?
1. Native---Sasquesahannok by 1700 only 300 left and
listed as extinct in Wikopedia
2. Colonial York formed —1749--Colonial—English,
Quakers, Dutch
3. 1800-1900 —Germans—Irish, Scots-Irish settlers
4. Hash Farm 1900-1999—live stock, diverse gardens,
hay fields
5. 2000-2011—Hobby farm—horses and birds, gardens,
landscape plants, pond
6. 2011—2 city families interested in doing environmental
projects together—CHEARS, Permaculture, ?????

8. First Gardeners
• Native Americans In 1722, the American Indians who
inhabited what is now York County granted
permission for a survey of land west
beyond the Susquehanna River. The
Onondaga, Seneca, Oneida and Tuscarora
nations subsequently signed a treaty of
peace and deeded to the Penns "all the
river Susquehanna and all land lying on the
west side of said river to the setting of the
sun...“
Sasquesahanok (Iroquois language) in 17th
century fought and defeated Maryland
settlers and also Lenape (Delaware) in
several wars. Decimated by disease were
absorbed by other tribes by 18th century.
Listed as extinct as separate tribe

9. What Were Major Crops in York
County?

11. Many Streams Farm Overview

13. Many Streams Farm Areas
1. Pond
2. Wetlands—Bog Habitat
3. Ebaughs creek along road
4. West small area across Bridgeview
Road—Rail road track access
5. East small area across where
Ebaugh and Shaw stream meet
6. Entrance-road-grass park
A. 6A. Gate--Road to Shaw
Stream--Possible Greenhouse
site—mixed berries
B. 6B. Drive way with 75 osage
orange trees; Wine berries
C. 6C. Flat Grass Gathering
area—grass park;
D. 6D. Grass slope
7. Wooded area leading to Shaw stream—
south east slope
A. 7A flat area a top
8. Beautiful area along Shaw Stream
A. 8A 100 –mushroom logs
9. 1890’s small farm house; 1950’s garage
A. 9A—House veg garden and 2 peach, 3 pear, 4
apple and 4 blueberry and grape, flowers,
tansey, grasses, rose of sharon, sedum
B. Garage—large-tools workshop
C. Shed –2013—composting toilet
D. Tiny house –office sleeping
10. 19th and 20th Century live stock
farm buildings
A. 10A Old 19th century barn
B. 10B Corn crib
C. 10C Hog house
D. 10D Newer barn
E. 10E Other animal structure
F. Old garage

14. Many Streams Areas (page 2)
11. Flat field with large old apple tree
and nut trees—possible forest
garden site-border of farm
A. 11A Corner turn large hickory—
volunteer osage orange—
coppice them
B. 11B Beautiful views Horse
pasture slope down to Shaw
Creek—tree nursery
12. Spring and water flow
A. 12A Spring flow cross drive and
flow to pond—CREP program
B. 12B Above slope and flat area—
Paw Paws
13. Steep sloped down to Ebaugh’s
creek and mixed wet and dry land
and bottom
14. Flat open field secluded—woods
surrounded—Native American
Companion planting—medicine
wheel
15. Largest field—hayed—East
Biointensive demonstration -14
foods—growing green compost;
barrier needed—next to
monoculture of corn field;
Bradford pear invasive
coppice/remove/graft
16. Small woods near power lines
17. Behind new barn—South
facing—Hedge row –invasives—
Paw Paw nursery—Potato area

15. Areas 1 -5 and 12 Wetlands—
Bob’s Bog

16. Pond and Wetlands

17. CREP --Area 1 and 2 and 12 and 3 Keep
Wetlands in Mid-Succesion and free of
invasives
• Plant species commonly associated
with bog turtle habitats include alders
(Alnus spp.), willows (Salix spp.),
sedges (Carex spp.), spike rushes
(Eleocharis spp.), jewelweed
(Impatiens capensis), rice cut-grass
(Leersia oryzoides), tearthumb
(Polygonum sagittatum), arrow arum
(Peltandra virginica), red maple (Acer
rubrum), skunk cabbage
(Symplocarpus foetidus), cattails
(Typha spp.), juneberry (Amelanchier
spicala), sphagnum moss (Sphagnum
spp.), and bulrushes (Juncus spp. and
Scirpus spp.). Tussock sedge (C.
stricta) and sphagnum moss is
commonly used for nesting and
basking.

19. Catch and Store Energy
• Water flows- Ebaugh’s Creek--Strong
current Streams—lining boundaries—
steady flow—experiment with using the
water from streams to power some
activities like plumbing water to
greenhouse
• Solar panels. Wind
• Insulate, Upcycle things with embedded
energy--greenhouse

20. Area 6 C and 9 —Health Promoting
Gatherings and maybe you pick mixed
berries

21. Area 6A Creative Response to Change Upcycle--Re-
cycled Community College Greenhouse from Minnesota
sent to us by farm partner—Sheltered place to work for
those who may need it --

22. Area 7 woods and 8 Forest Bathing and
Mushrooms
Major Asset of Farm—Shaw Stream

23. Areas 9 and 6 Colonial Medicinal and Raised
Beds—Kitchen Garden—Square Foot Gardens—
pear and cherry and blueberry

24. Area 10—Animal Buildings
Creative response to change
• Use barns for crafts and
learning about farming
history and future
• Maybe for rescue—
see Pete Peacock

25. Farm Museum in old buildings--
1900, 1950, and 2011

26. Heirloom Apples—Part of forest
garden in area-11
• In the early 1800s, York County orchardist Jonathan Jessop
cultivated the York Imperial Apple, which was best known for its
great flavor that actually improved in storage
• Adapted to soil and climate in 1914 Smokehouse, Fallawater,
Stayman Winesap, and Grimes Golden
• Others planted are Baldwin, Jonathan, Rambo, Ben Davis, Rhode
Island Greening, Northern Spy, Hubbardston, Mammoth, Black
Twig, Gano, and Smith Cider
• Wild Apple –Malus ECOS

29. Robert Hart’s Garden Plan

30. Area 11 and area 17 ---large apple tree and some
nut trees, osage orange
21st. Century –Edible Forest Garden Plan--Jacke
and Toensmeier

31. Area 11 and 17 Try Others Ideas
Paw Paw Polyculture

32. Area 6 B –75 Osage Orange along driveway
and and 11A and 11B many volunteers in
horse pasture
• Widely planted as hedge –keep
livestock in thorns
• Insect repellant
• Native American used for bows-
strong orange wood ship building

33. Hedgerows --Filberts--Hazelnuts
• The Celts believed hazelnuts gave one
wisdom and inspiration. There are numerous
variations on an ancient tale that nine hazel
trees grew around a sacred pool, dropping
into the water nuts that were eaten by
salmon (a fish sacred to Druids) which
absorbed the wisdom. The number of spots
on the salmon were said to indicate how
many nuts they had eaten. A Druid
teacher, in his bid to become omniscient,
caught one of these special salmon and
asked a student to cook the fish but not to
eat it. While he was cooking it, hot liquid
from the cooking fish splashed onto the
pupil's thumb, which he naturally sucked to
cool, thereby absorbing the fish's wisdom.
This boy was called Fionn Mac Cumhail (Fin
McCool) and went on to become one of the
most heroic leaders in Gaelic mythology

34. Area 14--Integrate rather than segregate—Multiple
Functions
Companion Planting of Native Americans
• Companion planting was practiced in various forms by
the indigenous peoples of the Americas prior to the
arrival of Europeans. These peoples domesticated
squash first--8,000-10,000 years ago then maize, then
common beans, forming the Three Sisters agricultural
technique. The cornstalk would serve as a trellis for the
beans to climb, while the beans would fix nitrogen which
also benefited the corn. Sunflowers were also grown
along with beans as a trellis for them, or just to the north
of the Three Sisters, to draw away aphids.

35. Buffalobird-Woman’s Map of SE
Gardens

36. Corn, beans, squash pattern

37. Buffalo Woman’s Drawing of Stage
(woman sat on or under to watch and
protect crops—did crafts)

38. Varieties of Corn, Beans, and
Squash

39. Grow Varieties of Sunflowers
• Sunflower (Helianthus
annuus) is an annual plant
native to the Americas.
Sunflowers should be allowed
to mature in the garden. There
are several indicators of
maturity. The back of the
flower head will be brown and
dry; most of the yellow petals
will have dried and fallen; the
seeds will be plump; and the
seed coats will be black and
white striped

40. Medicine Wheel

42. Traditional Corn Field on border
of area 15 and 17—Needs more
buffer

43. 15 and 17 area Experiment with
Green Manure and Composting
• Green Manures
• Nitrogen fixers
(lucerne, red glover,
field beabs, white
clover, peas, lupin,
vetches)
• Other (Buckwheat,
mustanrd, yellow
trefoil, rye)

44. Most areas have invasives 1 to 17--Use edges and
value the marginal
Use small and slow solutions
• Plant hedgerows with
natives; Filberts,
choke cherries,
berries, elderberries,
jewel weed,
juneberry, marsh
mallow
• Use for crafts and
reduce invasives such
as bittersweet, wild
rose, common reed
• Made fences to keep
livestock out of fields
and on the farm
• Many invasives
growing in hedgerows
now—
• Coppice and graft
bradford pears
• Coppice willows in
wetlands, remove

45. Fences to keep livestock in –
replant

46. Areas 15 and 17--1970s Alternative Grow the 14 Foods
that can give complete diet in the 1000 square feet of
garden space in the Biointensive Demonstration Garden
1. Collards (kale,
broccoli, chard)
2. Parsley
3. Onions
4. Garlic
5. Parsnips
6. Potatoes
7. Sweet potatoes
8. Soy Beans
9. Wheat
10.Filberts/hazelnuts
11.Peanuts
12.Turnips
13.Leeks
14.Sunflowers
From 1970s book--One Circle: How to
Grow a Complete Diet in Less Than
1,000 Square Feet By: David Duhon

47. Value diversity– Potatoes—field
17
• Blight related to propagation
through cuttings of small pool—
new varieties but in-bred
• 1846—Potato famine
• Great Revival 1850 and 1860’s
cross old deteriorating with wild
varieties from Mexico and South
America—Peru
• Early Rose—famous result
• Chester loam soil good for
potatoes
• Read more:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-
gardening/heirloom-potato-varieties-
zewz1303zsch.aspx#ixzz2k4JsrpRc
Several varieties of heirloom potatoes. On
the left, Conestoga. The three large rose-
colored potatoes: Bliss’ Triumph. The pale
pink potatoes: Garnet Chile. The long,
narrow potatoes are Austrian Kipfelkrumpl.
The greenish example in the center is
intended to show a potato exposed to
sunlight; such potatoes are poisonous and

48. Most areas have Invasives
Slow and small solutions--
Invasive to Discourage
found on farm
1. Oriental Bittersweet
2. Chinese Silver Grass
3. Giant Hogweed
4. Giant Reed, Common Reed
5. Japanese barberry
6. Mutliflora rose
7. Wineberry (good to eat)
8. Winged Burning bush
9. Butterfly bush
10. Bradford pear
11. Norway maple
12. Tree of heaven
13. Creeping euonymus
Natives Found
1. Wild ginger
2. Wood fern, New York fern,green and gold
3. Wild geranium
4. Joe Pye Weed
5. Native Bamboo
6. Pasture rose, swamp rose
7. Blackberry, Raspberry
8. Red and black chokeberry
9. Inkberry
10. Winterberry
11. Sumac shining and smooth, staghorn
12. Hickory, oaks, beech, maples, black gum,
ash, walnut, sweet gum
13. Redbuds
14. Willow oaks
15. Red Cedar
16. Milkweed

49. 2014 Action Plan
• Mushrooms --develop
• Grants==Transition to
organic, Aging, Dementia
prevention
• 4- Chears workshops
• Greenhouse up in 2014
• Shore up new barn for
use as classroom Yoga
etc.
• Coppice some osage and
willow
• Graft the Bradford pear—
or cut down in fields
• Plant hegerows along
neighbors corn fields
• Remove or cut back
some invasives and
replace with native
berries
• Maintain orchard
trees and plant
hierlooms
• Scions of heirlloms
order $3.00

50. Top Challenges
• People power to do this
• Invasives
• Mowing—just to keep up hard
• Time and interest

51. Obtain a Yield--Products
• Habitat for Turtles
• Goal –50 percent of personal food
• Environmental education and research—
gardens of past and future
• Nursery for heirloom, edible natives
• Opportunity for seniors to continue to contribute
and be integrated
• Reduce health care needed
• Improved quality of life