Abundance

Sitting watching the rain on a Thursday afternoon, wondering what will come of it all as we venture further in the unknown of tomorrow......


......... In keeping with one of my previous posts in which I showcased the cupola of the Shelburne Farms breeding barn, I now present the cupola of the Teal Farm energy barn. Separated by about a century in their construction, a similar theme runs throughout yet one that has been manifested in completely different ways. Although each farm is about the same size in acreage, Teal Farm being technologically and aesthetically pleasing is far less awesome in its grandeur than Shelburne Farms. I guess the gilded era of times past had more of a pinach for hugeness. The scale and scope of vision at Teal Farm is far more impressive
than the actual built environment of the buildings and landscaping. The great cathedral builders of times past would be quite proud of the one hundred year plan in place at Teal Farm, one that incorporates and plans for the uncertain paradigm changes that are befalling humanity at the moment.
Teal Farm is, at best, a shining example of what human ingenuity can accomplish in the face of these trying times filled with global resource shortages, climate change, political instability, and economic contraction. The trick though is in the scalability of a model like this. How does the average farmer, builder or anyone not in a situation similar to the people behind Teal Farm, create a resilient network of systems that are flexible and adaptable to an ever changing cosmos? This question is something I shall be expounding upon for quite some time I imagine.
The following photos are from select projects that I have recently partaken in that are attempting in some way shape or form to tackle these problems in vastly different ways. The first is a timberframe shot, from a Yestermorrow class that deals almost exclusively in natural building techniques. The class builds a structure, in this case, a small mixed use building that is destined to become a community space. The ethic of bringing people together through either a timber frame raising or a mud stomping party is not only building a strong and resilient building but also a strong and resilient community; something that in essence will be much stronger than any building.


The next photo doesn't say much except through its wabi-sabi conotations. The three generations of siding board (one with a dried snake skin pressed onto it by natural forces) reinforce the general philosophy behind this structure. I'll leave the rest to your imagination and your thoughts with parting quote from Richard R. Powell ,"It (wabi-sabi) nurtures all that is authentic by acknowledging three simple realities:

nothing lasts,
nothing is finished,
and nothing is perfect."

The last photo is a picture of the greenhouse that I have been installing on the side of a barn at the Green Mountain Girls Farm in Northfield. They have a decent sized farm operation going on in which they have extensively planned and implemented their vision according to whole systems thinking.
Anyways, enough of the update for now. I've got to continue designing a suitable structure to reside in. My schemes have lead me to a place of desiring to create on my own terms for the most part while utilizing resources from the immediate area. The area in question being the property of the White Bucket Farm, located in the flood plains of Richmond upon the banks of the Winooski river. Till next time...