Thinking in Patterns

Posted on vr 05 mei 2023 in tools • Gewijzigd op 08 mei 2024 • Tagged with thinking in patterns

Below is a list of patterns found in nature. Every pattern is a response to a specific challenge.

  • branching / fractal
    • scattering or gathering information / nutrients
    • cover a lot of surface with little material requirements
  • circle / ring / torus
    • strong
    • small interior, large exterior
    • used for constriction
  • cloud
    • dispersed, low density
    • saturation …

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Mental Inventory

Posted on vr 05 mei 2023 in tools • Tagged with mental inventory, bullet journaling

I first came across the mental inventory when I started using the Bullet Journal method.

Find the original explanation here.

  • Create it by rapid logging / brain dumping into three columns
    • Things I am working on
    • Things I should be working on
    • Things I want to be working on
  • Filter your …

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Survey for a location design

Posted on vr 05 mei 2023 in surveys • Tagged with permaculture, survey, community, location design

I'm collecting information for a design on location. This to validate our current choice of location and / or to find another place that is more suitable to our wants and needs.

Money and energy needs of different sized communities

Estimation of monetary needs for a community of size n. Expenses …


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Making soap

Posted on wo 03 mei 2023 in blog • Tagged with soap, experiment, recipe

We made a shampoo bar / soap for washing our hair. We did this for the first time in 2021 and after we had used up the first batch, we made a second batch in 2022.

We took every precaution to do this safely. Please familiarize yourself with the process before …


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Homemade Insulated Insoles

Posted on vr 20 januari 2023 in blog • Tagged with experiment, season: winter

I was looking for a way to create insulated insoles. I considered covering a piece of plastic with felt. As I looked around at what I had laying around to use as a felting template, I considered radiator foil.

The foil is made of a layer of foam and a …


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Journal of work in Proeftuin Meerhoven in 2022

Posted on wo 04 januari 2023 in blog • Tagged with survey, practical, season: spring, season: summer, season: fall, season: winter

Since mid 2017 I have been involved with gardening at the Proeftuin Meerhoven in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. This is a community garden maintained by volunteers in the neighborhood adjoining ours. We use the space with approval from the local council. The harvest from this garden has supplemented our lunches and …


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Web of Goals

Posted on di 13 december 2022 in tools • Gewijzigd op 13 september 2023 • Tagged with web of goals

Web of Goals is a technique proposed by Jacob Lund Fisker. It tries to map out a set of goals in a holistic way. Because for every goal we choose, there are consequences - positive and negative. In permaculture the attitudinal principle Everything gardens expresses this same sentiment.

A module groups …


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Experiments in 2022

Posted on di 13 december 2022 in blog • Tagged with experiment

This is a list of experiments Ina and I have been conducting in 2022.

  • gardening
    • a third full year of having an allotment garden
    • involved in creating an edible lawn / tiny food forest
    • propagating more plant cuttings
      • elaeagnus varieties
      • fig varieties
      • grape
      • willow
      • red and black currants
  • cooking / baking

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Ikigai

Posted on di 13 december 2022 in tools • Tagged with ikigai

My understanding of Ikigai has changed from my initial contact with the concept. I recently came across two articles by Dave Pollard that explain his take. I resonated with his views more than I did with other explanations. Below is Dave's synopsis. I highly recommend reading the articles linked for …


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Felted slippers (finally!)

Posted on wo 16 november 2022 in blog

Two weeks ago I finally managed to complete the felted slippers we started almost four years ago at the Permacultuur Festival (2019) in Belgium. Even though they came out a bit rough, they are quite comfortable to wear. We found them to work exceptionally well in plastic clogs.

Yesterday I …


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