Sugar Mountain Center is a small farm and education center located at our 10 acre homestead in Tunbridge, Vermont specializing in permaculture and ecological landscape design and organic gardening support. recent postsHow to Build an Herb SpiralApril 16, 2019We humans tend to like things organized. We organize our homes, our schedules, our meals, our whole lives. It’s only natural that we would be inclined to organize our landscapes. When we think of gardens we tend to think of neatly weeded straight rows arranged by crop, or a few flowers placed at uniform intervals with large empty spaces between them. But, if you have ever taken a stroll through the woods you probably noticed that nature doesn’t organize itself quite so rigidly. Nature is diverse, complex, integrated, and flowing. Webs, spirals, rings, branches; these are the shapes that make up the natural world. If our goal with gardening is to provide food, beauty, and increase ecological health- then we need to create gardens that look, feel, and act more like nature. Perhaps the time has come to reconsider our neat and sterile gardening methods. While letting go of rigid organization may seem daunting, it doesn’t have to be! Nature is beautiful, and thus, natural gardens can be too! When we began the process of transforming our flat grassy lawn into gardens, we knew we wanted our design to be curved and twisting as well as diverse in species. We envisioned a series of delightfully winding paths with one garden bed flowing seamlessly into the next. As a focal point for this design, we decided to start by building a large herb spiral. An herb spiral is a beautiful and easy way to incorporate natural shapes into design, while also providing microclimates for different species of herbs to thrive. Adding an herb spiral to your garden design has many benefits; it can add dimension, beauty, and diversity to your gardens. It is space saving, insulating, and increase yields. And of course, it will impress all of your friends and neighbors. Best of all, building one is much easier than it looks! To help you get started, the following is our step by step process of building and planting our herb spiral. How to Build an Herb Spiral Find your spot! Think about your sunlight, distance from your house, and larger garden design. Ask yourself questions such as; How far am I really willing to walk from my front door to collect a handful of parsley for dinner? We picked a spot for the spiral right in the center of the lawn-close enough to the front door for convenient access when cooking, but far enough away from the shadow of the house to provide consistent sunlight. We planned to use this spiral as a starting point for a winding series of gardens-building outward and incorporating meandering paths over time. 2. Gather materials: Cardboard, whatever stacking material you choose or happen to have on hand (Bricks, stones, cinder blocks…), and soil/compost/sand 3. Lay your base. We decided on a size based on our lawn size and needs and laid out cardboard where we wanted the spiral to be. Our spiral is about 6 ft in diameter. 4. Next, use your stacking material (ours is mainly bricks and stone we happened to have laying around the yard) and outline your spiral. Lay your material in a spiral shape, starting at the center and working your way outwards. The spiral should be oriented the way that water drains (clockwise in the northern hemisphere). You also want the bottom of the spiral (the outside edge/entrance) be facing north. When it comes time to plant, this will make it easier to organize plants based on sun, heat, and water preferences. 5. Next its time to stack. To create the gradual increase in height, start at the outside edge of your spiral, skip over the first few bricks, and then add a second row on top of your first. 6. Continue adding rows to the top of your spiral, being sure to skip the first few bricks or stones of the previous row. If you are stacking correctly, your spiral will start to look like it is gradually increasing in height as it goes inward. Depending on how high you are stacking, the stability of the materials you are using, and how much you have on hand, you may want to stick a few stones on the inside edge to reinforce the structure. Adding soil and ultimately plant roots should help to keep the spiral sturdy as well. 7. Once you have reached your desired height, it is time to add fill. You need quite a bit of material to fill your spiral. We used a combination of soil from our garden and compost. We also added a bit of sand, especially near the top of the deep center, as we are planning to plant several Mediterranean herbs that prefer a sandy soil. You can also add sticks/rotting wood to the bottom of the deepest part if you like. This will eventually break down into nutrient rich material. *note: if you are using less easily stackable materials (like round stones) it may be easier to add soil as you go…just fill the soil to the current height, then add the next layer, and so forth . And voila! You have an herb spiral. Only one thing left to do… 8. Get planting! To maximize the benefit of the spirals unique micro-climates, plant top to bottom starting with herbs that prefer the sunniest, warmest, and driest conditions: Top of spiral (sunniest, warmest, and driest conditions)-Mediterranean herbs and other herbs that require good drainage and full sun here. Ie Rosemary, Lavender, Thyme, Sage, Aloe, Oregano, Tarragon, lemon grass, mugwart Middle of spiral (In the middle, a bit more moist and a bit more shade. The south side will be warmer and sunnier, the north cooler and shadier)-Basil, Parsley, Cilantro/Coriander, Sorrel, Borage, Chives, Chamomile, Calendula, Dill, Fennel, bee balm Bottom of spiral (Wettest part)-mint, lemon balm, sorrel, skullcap, watercress, meadowsweet “The construct itself gives variable aspects and drainage, with sunny dry sites for oil-rich herbs such as thyme, sage, and rosemary, and moist or shaded sites for green foliage herbs such as mint, parsley, chives, and coriander.” – Bill Mollison We would love to help you design your dream garden! Learn more about our services offered or contact us to schedule a consultation. See events and register for our upcoming classes here!... Read more...How To Build a Cordwood FloorMarch 18, 2019When we moved into our house we did what just about everyone does when they first move in…tore up carpets! Our house was built in 1979 and many rooms (and hallways) still had what appeared to be the original carpeting; a beautiful blood red, thick shaggy mat. We didn’t have the funds to pay a professional, so we tried our hand at flooring! Over the course of the following months I removed carpeting and replaced it with click-lock wood flooring in four bedrooms and a hallway, and restored a beautiful barn wood floor in our workshop turned classroom. Lots of work, lots of fun, and an incredible transformation in the look of each room upon finishing! But this post is not about those floors…it is about the other flooring experiment I decided to take on. Eventually I got to feeling sick of purchasing expensive wood flooring that was highly processed, shipped from afar, and certainly not sustainable. In my quest for an alternative, I had come across some pictures of beautiful cordwood floor projects and thought, wow! What an amazing idea! We have plenty of trees, we have a miter saw, I can do this! Our house is a split level; the lower floor is finished but is half underground. While this is very convenient in many ways (a nice root cellar being one) it means that the floor doesn’t get a ton of light. There is an old laminate floor that is cold, drab, and peeling up in several places to expose concrete underneath. This is where I would try my hand at cordwood flooring. I decided to start with the hallway because I had no idea how time intensive the project would be, nor how it would turn out. First I took note of needed tools and materials: Miter saw-ours is a 10 inch blade, but I would recommend larger for a large area of if you prefer the look of larger tree cookies Freshly downed hardwood of preferred diameter. Hammer and pry bar (or whatever tools needed to remove old flooring) Strong wood glue, we used Loctite Premium 3X construction adhesive Orbital handheld sander and some sandpaper scrub brush, towels sanded grout 5 gallon bucket Linseed oil Floor finish I then began by gathering logs (this was easy to find because we had a ton of downed brush from a small area we had cleared over the summer). I looked for recently cut straight wood (generally maple and pine) of about 3-5 inch diameter and brought the logs under cover to dry out a bit. After a week or two, I used a miter saw to cut the logs into rounds (about 1.5 inches thick). I clamped some scrap wood to the saw as a guide for width. Once I had gathered a large quantity of tree cookies (and I mean large!) I brought them inside, spread them out, and let them dry out some more. Meanwhile, I was tasked with the fun activity of peeling up the old, very stuck laminate. Using a mini pry bar and a hammer I set out to tap and peel up as much of the old flooring as I could. This took some patience. Ultimately, I was left with a hallway of bare concrete. The next step was the step I found by far the most frustrating in this process; the gluing of the tree slices to the concrete floor. I tried several types of adhesive to poor results, and finally settled on Loctite Premium 3X Construction Adhesive While this still wasn’t perfect, and required reapplication in a number of spots, it held well enough for me to move to the next step…sanding. Sanding was a bit of a challenge considering the fragility of the bonds, but with careful attention, I was able to use my handheld orbital sander to do a round of sanding to generally smooth and clean up the wood. Next, I applied a layer of linseed oil, this is to protect the wood from moisture and keep excess grout from staining it too much. I applied a layer of oil with a large paintbrush and let dry. Now for the fun part…grouting! For the grout, I used a sanded grout blend, and added about 1 parts sawdust to every 5 parts grout. I mixed the grout with water in a 5 gallon bucket (just a little at a time, being careful not to over moisturise) until the grout had a thick peanut butter like consistently. I waited 10 minutes for the mixed grout to settle and bond, and then began grouting. Wearing plastic gloves, I used my hands to push grout into each of the cracks between the wood cookies, filling the spaces and doing my best to smooth it out. Once the floor had been fully grouted and allowed several days to dry, I came in again with my sander, to even out the floor and sand off any grout that had stained the wood. Finally, I topped the whole thing off with a coat of linseed based floor finish for a beautiful glossy sheen! I had a ton of fun doing this project, and absolutely LOVE the way it turned out. I haven’t yet begun to undertake the kitchen and living room, a much larger space, but think it would look pretty amazing if we ever get there! We would love to hear from you! Contact us to learn more, share your own stories and tips, or to schedule a consultation or training. See events and register for our upcoming classes here!... Read more...How to Build a Lean-To Greenhouse from Recycled WindowsFebruary 15, 2019 As any experienced farmer or gardener will tell you, keeping frost off of new plants is essential to yields and overall success of crops almost everywhere in the world. One wants to start their plants as early as possible so they grow as large as possible but start too early and they may die or get stunted from an unexpected bout of cold weather. Sugar Mountain Center is in Vermont and Vermont is cold. How cold is that for plants? Well, it is in zone 4b according to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map and our first and last frosts are roughly May 21st and September 25th leaving only four months of frost-free growing season… not very long! Luckily, with a little bit of ingenuity and planning a plant’s growing season can be vastly extended in a variety of ways, even if they are not frost-tolerant. The most foolproof method is to start plants in a greenhouse. This, of course, requires a greenhouse. Though good options exist for buying a prefabricated greenhouse, at SMC we wanted something DIY that would add a little bit of character and reduce cost. Therefore, a greenhouse made from recycled windows seemed like a perfect project! After a few months of combing local publications and craigslist, we were able to acquire all the glass we needed from free from the surrounding community. So much glass in fact, that we decided to add a special alcove with a full-sized bathtub/shower. This inspiration came from a similar “glass shower” that existed at Smoky Mountain Center in North Carolina. The heat and moisture from the shower coupled with floor-to-ceiling glass worked so well that it became our de-facto greenhouse. Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Greenhouse from Recycled Materials What you will need: TOOLS tape measure, level post hole digger shovel hammer drill ratchet set (for lag bolts) Drill bits 12″ drill bit (for lag bolt pilot holes) saw (circular or mitre) speed square ladder pry or crow bar *MATERIALS: Lots of windows Lumber A door (or two) Nails Lag-bolts Screws Clear Roofing Panels (most likely you will need to buy these) *Your building materials may be different than ours based on what you can find in your community! Craigslist, community forums, freecycle, thrift stores, habitat for humanity restore, and even your local dump can be great places to find materials. 1. Designate an appropriate site with adequate southern exposure, light, and good drainage. We decided to build a lean-to style greenhouse with the wall of our house on the north side. Though there are a few deciduous trees on the southern edge of the yard, the sun shines through the bare branches during the winter months, and by the time they have leafed out the sun rises higher on the horizon and they are not an issue. Make sure to observe how the sun, wind, and water impact your land over time before beginning any permanent building project. 2. Dig post holes in correct locations- For us this was 8′ from existing wall by 4′ apart. We determined the size and shape of our greenhouse based on the glass windows and doors we had available as well as the length of the wall the greenhouse would be connected to. Be sure to gather and measure your materials and space first, and then you can calculate the exact dimensions your unique frame requires. *It is recommended to always bury 1/3 of your post height in the ground. Exact depth recommendations can vary depending on your climate and soil type. 3. Insert posts into holes and level (try to keep posts same height). 4. Concrete posts and allow to set. *Caution if building in winter: Concrete takes longer to set in cold weather and if it is too cold I could potentially freeze. It is best to wait for a warm spell, though there are methods for protecting concrete while it sets. 5. Place horizontal post or “top plate” on top of posts and ensure level. To secure, drill a pilot hole through both the post and top plate and secured with lag bolts. 6. Build nogging between posts for rigidity and to allow places to fasten windows which will form the wall. *Only put as much framing as necessary to keep your design structurally sound and allow places for windows to attach. 7. Create a “nailer board” by attaching a post horizontally 1 foot higher than the top plate to the exterior wall of the house. To attach the nailer board, lag bolt the post into studs within the existing wall. 8. Fasten rafters to top plate and nailer board to create the roof structure. We used 2X6s for the rafters to account for heavy snow loads. 9. Install clear roofing panels parallel with rafters. Be sure to start with lower panels first (like shingles) so moisture drains correctly. Use roofing screws and do not over-tighten so the panels do not crack. *Be sure to use panels made to handle snow loads if you live in a place with harsh winters. 10. Attach windows directly to posts and nogging using screws. Keep cracks to a minimum. We attached some windows securely on all four sides, but attached our top row of windows to hinges so they can swing open and latch shut. This allows airflow in the greenhouse, which is especially important when it starts to get warm outside! 11. Install door in desired location and frame remaining wall with windows. Build a wooden frame using 2x4s to the dimensions of the desired door, being sure to leave enough space for door to fit within it. 12. Seal cracks using insulating foam for large spaces and clear silicone caulk for small spaces. 13. Construct or find tables to elevate plants to ideal height. It may also be necessary to level the ground before you install tables. If you happen to have some gravel handy, spread an even layer on the ground to both suppress weeds and improve drainage. 14. Grow! More detailed information on building a “glass shower” to come in a future post. We would love to hear from you! Contact us to learn more, share your own stories and tips, or to schedule a consultation or training. ... Read more...Simple Guide to Home CompostingJanuary 27, 2019For the urban, suburban, or rural home I’d like to kick off our series of “how-to” blog posts with a perhaps underappreciated topic: home composting. I have recently taken to noticing how rare the practice still seems to be. I have been to urban homes, suburban homes, rural homes, homes of self proclaimed environmentalists, activists, and conservationists where precious egg shells, onion peels, and half eaten sandwiches go straight into a messy, smelly trash can. Despite being a super easy and common sense tool for both waste reduction and soil building, somehow, it is still not a regular part of our routines. So why don’t we compost? Landfills are overflowing and soil is being destroyed all over the world, yet we continue to divert food scrapes and their nutrients unnecessarily into landfills rather than replenish the soil beneath our feet. Composting turns our own waste into a useful product right in our own home or yard. It is one of the most common sense ways to reduce our impact and its easy! We should all be doing it! The following guide will explore reasons we don’t compost, and provide easy options for anyone to compost, no matter whether you live on a farm, in suburbia, or a high rise apartment. In talking and learning from others in various circumstances, what I have come to find is that there are still many misconceptions and confusions around composting. Many of us have found reasons that composting just isn’t practical for us. This blogs purpose is to prove this notion wrong; composting is practical for everyone! Regardless of where or how you live, composting can be easy, neat, odorless, convenient, and useful. Lets take a moment to explore some common questions, confusions, and misconceptions that prevent us from composting. By the end of this post, I hope you will see how simple and sensible composting can be! Lets start with a tiny bit of Science: Organic matter (food/yard waste) is broken down by microorganisms (bacteria, fungi) into a simpler substance (soil). Microorganisms, with the help of worms and other beneficial ground-dwellers, consume organic waste and excrete nutrients that plants need to grow (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Magnesium). When we set up a home compost, we need to manufacture an ideal environment for microorganisms to thrive (oxygen, warm temperatures, and nutrients). Then those microorganisms will kindly do all the work of breaking down our waste for us! THE CYCLE OF NUTRIENTS: Lets take for instance, a head of broccoli. The broccoli takes nutrients up from the soil through its roots as it grows, helping it develop the delicious flavor and nutrient-rich qualities that keep us humans healthy. When we pick that broccoli, the nutrients are removed from the soil along with the plant.When we throw away our leftover scraps the nutrients are disposed of too, sitting in a sealed landfill somewhere surrounded by lifeless seas of plastic and styrofoam.But, if we compost our broccoli instead, we return the nutrients into soil as they are broken down by microorganisms, which we can then use to replenish our gardens, thus aiding the cycle of life! “This all seems very complicated. What do I actually need to DO?” Not much! If all this science talk is hurting your brain, don’t worry about it! All you need to do is find a vessel for your compost (a bin, a bucket, a hole, or even just a pile…read on for compost system options and ideas) and provide a balance of “green” and “brown” material in your compost. “Greens” = nitrogen rich material: food scraps, cut grass manure, egg shells, coffee grounds, plant trimmings/weeds “Browns” = carbon rich material: dried leaves/plants, sticks, straw, hay, twigs, pine needles, sawdust, wood chips, newspaper It is usually recommended to put 3 or 4 parts brown to one part green (brown:green – 3:1 or 4:1). In layman’s terms, if you throw in one handful of veggie scraps then top it with 3 handfuls of leaves. That’s all there is to it! “This seems like a lot of work. I’m busy enough” Composting can be as simple as throwing your food scraps in a pile, and covering it with leaves. You can turn it if you want to, you can add water occasionally, but you don’t really have to do anything. Seriously it is SO SIMPLE: Put your food waste in your compost pile Throw a bunch of leaves, sawdust, or newspaper shavings on top Every so often turn the pile and add some water And…that’s it! You have successfully composted! “OK maybe composting isn’t complicated, but it is gross and smells bad!” Composting only smells when done incorrectly, and it is far from gross. If anything, it saves your garbage can from becoming full of leaky drippy molding food waste. As long as you remember to top your waste with some browns, you shouldn’t have any issues. “But a compost pile would be an eyesore in my yard” There are SO MANY different ways to create and organize composting systems. If you want your compost to be neater and trendier than just a pile in the corner of the yard, or even if you don’t have a yard, read on. Here are a few different simple ways you can compost: The basic backyard compost bin: You can find designs for backyard compost bins from as simple as a box made out of wood, to complicated and stylish systems utilizing all sorts of materials; wood, wire, trashcans, milk crates, cinder blocks, barrels… here are a few creative ideas You can spend hours online sorting through all sorts of interesting designs; if you have the time and the creativity, go for it! BUT you don’t have to build anything complex in order to compost. Here is the compost bin I built: It is an extremely simple design that anyone with a hammer and a couple nails can put together. I basically just made a box out of wood. It isn’t fancy, it doesn’t even have a lid. But it keeps things neat and does the job. I keep a holding unit made of chicken wire next to my compost bin filled with leaves that I rake up in the fall. Every time I dump a fresh bucket of compost in the bin, I top it with a large handful of leaves. This helps provide that balance of “greens” and “browns” I mentioned earlier, keeping the compost from smelling, and helping it break down faster. Composting in place: You can save yourself even more work by composting “in place” by layering browns and greens anywhere you want to have a garden! Start by placing a layer of cardboard on the grass or build a raised bed, then layer compost for a season (browns and greens). Next year, plant the bed and move your compost to a new spot OR your garden bed from last year. “I don’t have the space! I live in a tiny apartment” Whether you live on a farm or in a high-rise apartment, there are ways you can compost your food waste anywhere. It may take slightly more thought to compost in an urban environment, but not much. There are several methods that can be easily used to compost in limited space: The store-bought composter: If you don’t want to DIY or are uncomfortable with the idea of a compost pile or even if you live in an apartment with only a small balcony, you can purchase a store bought tumbler. There are various styles and designs. I have used this type to positive effect: Just dump in your waste, add a few leaves, some straw or some newspaper, and turn. easy peasy! Aside from the many benefits of compost, for many people this option will greatly reduce the mess and smell of food waste in the garbage where it will stay until it is removed some days or even weeks later. It is discrete, self-contained, blocks all odor, and works quickly. The Vermiculture: Vermiculture uses worms create super nutrient rich soil. It is surprisingly cleanly (you do not see the worms), doesn’t smell, and is really cool! The drawback is that unless you have the capacity and space for a giant vermiculture project, it can only accommodate small amount of waste at a time and you can’t compost everything. There are great store bought vermicultures you can buy that are compact enough to fit even in a city apartment. Some are even pretty stylish: Build a DIY indoor composting bin: Get a large container and poke some holes for aeration on the bottom and top. Be sure to put something underneath to catch any water that drips out. 2Put a few inches of soil in it and add some shredded newspaper. Add food waste as you as you accumulate it and top with newspaper and a cup of soil each time. Add a few sprays of water occasionally if it seems dry and turn it once a week. Once it is full you can use it to plant flowers or some indoor greens! Or give it to a friend who gardens, they will certainly thank you! Take your compost offsite: If you live somewhere where you really have no space to compost in your home, you can store it in sealed 5 gallon buckets and take it elsewhere. Neighborhood community gardens will likely take your compost gladly. Many cities and towns now have commercial composting programs where you just separate your food waste just like you do your recycling and have it taken by the trash collector to industrial composting facilities. Tips and tricks: Keep a small airtight compost container in your kitchen for convenience and style If it is a long walk outside to your compost pile, keep a 5 gallon bucket under your sink or right outside your backdoor so you only have to walk to the pile once or twice a week. Before composting your food waste, try freezing veggie scraps and chicken bones and reuse them for to make stock. Just dump a bag of frozen scraps in a pot of water, add some salt, pepper, and a couple bay leaves and simmer away! Your kitchen will smell like warm soup. And you can still compost the remains when you are done! For the more advanced composter, try these ideas: Incorporate chickens into your backyard compost system! Chickens will poop in your compost bin adding slow-release nitrogen and aerate the compost as they run around in your compost, having fun looking for worms to eat. It’s a win-win! This will super-charge your compost; increasing the speed and quality of your compost while reducing your need to mix and aerate your pile. Learn how to use a hot compost bin to heat a small greenhouse! I hope the information above has convinced you how easy, cleanly, sleek, and practical composting can be. If you have further questions feel free to get in touch with us. We would be happy to answer questions or schedule an onsite consultation to get your started with this or any other project!... Read more...BREAKING THE SILENCENovember 18, 2018We have been pretty quiet on the blog for a while, but that certainly isn’t because nothing has been happening. On the contrary, we have been so busy this past year that there has scarcely been a moment to sit and reflect! Since the last time we posted exactly a (leap) year ago, we have been doing project after project after project to get the new space event and program ready. We built a greenhouse, converted our garage into living and community space, converted grass to landscaped gardens, built an herb spiral, planted fruit trees, built a composting toilet, made up-cycled spool tables, installed a cordwood floor, the list goes on… After a winter, spring, and summer full of dawn to dusk projects, we finally had an opportunity to test the event readiness of the homestead… On September 2, 2018, Sean and I were fortunate enough to be able to host our own wedding here at our home and the future site of Sugar Mountain Center. Loved ones came from near and far to help us break ground in a celebration of love, community, and friendship. We were especially grateful to be joined by most of the members of our original conservation corps family, the SCA NH Corps. New Hampshire Conservation Corps is where Sean and I met in 2011 as part of a cohort of 30 young adults who lived and worked for a year in Bear Brook state park in the middle of the NH woods. This reunion was so special because it brought together those who were such a meaningful part of where it all began. New Hampshire Corps not only helped us begin our personal relationship, but also taught us the rewards of being part of a community, showed us the value of ecologically-conscious living, and shaped our desire to share this life changing-experience with others. We had over 100 guests for the wedding, about a quarter of whom stayed with us onsite- testing our kitchen, composting toilet, campsites, and community spaces. Amazingly, the weekend’s festivities were pulled off seamlessly. It was an incredible experience and we are deeming the test of site readiness a booming success! We want to thank all of our friends and family who went above and beyond to help us make the weekend the most magical experience that we will cherish forever. And now…we look towards 2019 for the public opening of Sugar Mountain Center. We plan to hold a grand opening event sometime in May 2019 and will be offering workshops and events summer 2019! In the meantime, please check back here over the coming weeks where we will be sharing a series of how-to’s on some of our projects this past season. ... Read more...Slowing Down…Kind ofNovember 17, 2017Here I sit in our cozy living room, my hands cradling a mug of hot cocoa, watching giant snowflakes fall quietly on our little homestead. The season has finally decided to change, and with the colder weather comes a call to slow down and enjoy some rest and reflection. The break is welcome, as up until this point we have been working around the clock to get our spot into shape, with a lofty goal of beginning to host trainings and events by next summer. As per SMC tradition, our house is covered in white-boards all sporting various charts and to-do lists. Daunting at times, but so rewarding seeing the center begin to take shape. In the past few months we have cleared lots of brush, cleaned out and sheet mulched the gardens, planted some perennials, built a compost, put in floors, split firewood, painted, purchased tools, experimented in making lumber, and made plans to convert our two story garage into a meeting and bunk space. We are currently working on building a greenhouse using recycled windows and lumber milled on site, working fast so as to beat the heavy snow! Was a lovely fall… And now we are looking forward to the calm and beauty of winter!... Read more...Sugar Mountain CenterOctober 1, 2017We are excited to unveil plans for SMC Northeast; henceforth known as Sugar Mountain Center! Late this July, we officially became owners of a beautiful 10 acre property in the Vermont Mountains on the South Royalton/Tunbridge border, and have already begun working hard to transform the new permanent space to be ready to host trainings, events, programs, accommodate guests, and grow food. Sugar Mountain Center will build upon the vision and mission of Smoky Mountain Corps, working to support resilient community, foster environmental stewardship, and promote sustainable agriculture practices. The new training center and residential facility will support trainings, retreats, community events, and service learning programs in conservation skills, permaculture, leadership development, and low-impact living. Our goal is to be ready to host trainings by next summer. And what does all of this mean for now? Lots and lots of work! We have already begun, and will be spending the coming winter and spring (and the many years that follow) transforming our space…converting a garage into meeting and bunk space, building a pavilion, prepping gardens, planting fruit trees, and many more exciting projects! Here are a few photos of our work thus far. If you are interested in volunteering to help with any project, please contact us at hebuckner@gmail.com. There is lots to do! We may be able to make work/trade arrangements, and are particularly looking for anyone with carpentry skills. We also of course are always accepting donations via paypal or through mail to 34 Gee Hill Road, South Royalton VT 05068. Thanks again for all your support, and stay tuned for progress!... Read more...How to Make an Awesome Infinity MirrorJuly 8, 2017The new Smoky Mountain Center in Tunbridge/South Royalton, Vermont closes on 7/28/2017, so in the meantime Heather and I have been tinkering with other projects. I finally had the time to complete a project I have had an eye on for a while, the Infinity Mirror! It was incredibly fun and has made on of the most useful (not to mention beautiful/trippy) items I own. First, I went to Home Depot and bought materials to make an easy and large Infinity Mirror. The dimensions are 30″ x 24″ (32″ x 26″ with frame). I hope to turn this into a coffee table with relative ease. The results were well beyond my expectations! Take a look at the video which explains the process and shows off the finished product. https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=2uUCXeaGrf4 How to Make an Awesome Infinity Mirror! I was able to easily make this infinity mirror from a few items available almost anywhere. Everything was gotten at the same Home Depot near my house in one trip. Materials: (4) $8 -“x2″x30″ for wooden frame (2) $2 -3/4″x1″x8′ trim for interior spacer (1) $6 – Roll of Black Duct Tape (regular will work, black is best) (1) $20 – 24″x30″ Mirror (square, no frame, beveled is fine) (1) $10 – 24″x30″ Pane of Glass (the thicker the better) (1) $30 – 36″x15′ Mirror Window Film (one roll can make 7 of these) ***(1) $60 – 18” LED Color Strip Lights (with remote) Total Cost: $136 (Made it entirely free with found materials the day after making this) ***I got the deluxe LEDs for this one, because I wanted to go all out. This piece can be a simpler LED strip, Christmas lights, etc.*** Tools Needed: Spray Bottle with Light Dish Soap Water Mixture 1 or 2 Bath/Beach Towels on a Flat Surface Scissors Box Cutter Saw (any kind really, there are only four minor cuts) Step 1: Set Down one or two large towels on a table or flat surface as a work space. The towel gives a forgiving cushion so the glass is less likely to break. Step 2: Clean the glass pane extensively. Make sure as little hair/smudges/dust is on it as possible. Then spray the glass with the soapy mix, do not wipe off. Step 3: Cut a piece of the window film to roughly 26″ x 32″ (eg a few inches bigger than the pane). Remove the protective cover from the window film. Spray the soapy mix onto the adherent side of the film helps to take of the covering. It will be put straight onto the soap anyway, so feel free to douse it. Step 4: After removing the protective cellophane-thing from the window film, very, very carefully lay it onto the pane of glass. This is hard to do well, you may want to watch a video for the technique. It helps to lay it on from the top of the 24″ side and slowly walk it down to the bottom, removing the large air-pockets as you go. Step 5: Take a flat smooth surface (a credit card works well) and remove as many of the imperfections in the film on the window. It will be a lot of small air bubbles which may require a slight bit of readjusting corners of the film and such. Be careful it can tear and might be useless. Step 6: Set the filmed glass to the side and let it dry. By far the hardest part is over, enjoy the rest it is a lot more fun. Step 7: Set the mirror on the towels, this will be your work space for the rest of the project. Step 8: Cut the 3/4″x1″8′ trim to fit on the edge of the mirror (two cut to 23″ and two cut to 30″ or whatever). This trim can be as small as your light strip will allow. I probably could have used 1/2″x1″2″x8′ and it would have been even better. The mirror will reflect the space between the two panes back and forth. The narrower the space, the more often it reflects. Therefore if the space between is 2″ deep it will replicate half as often as 1″ and a fourth as often as 1/2″. It is a matter of preference. With the tape my space is probably 7/8″. Step 9: Apply the duct tape to the piece of trim. Only one side needs to be solidly covered (the side that will be reflected). Step 10: Cut two of the 2″x2″x30″ pieces of wood to be 2″x”2″28″ (just cut off two inches on one end). Then make the box around the outside of the mirror and screw the ends together. Step 11: Put the trim with the tape around the inside of the box over the lip of the mirror. The covered side should be the vertical one between the panes. Step 12: Create a space for the LED’s wiring to enter and exit. You can use a drill or saw, or do it before fastening the frame, but there needs to be adequate space for the strip(s) to exit on one corner. Step 13: Apply the LED Strip along the inside of the trim all the way around. Feed the wiring through the corner. If using 18′ LED’s exit at the same spot and apply the rest of the strip wherever you like (I wrapped it around the outside of the frame, which looks great and makes it a decent light-source as well). Step 14: Back to the last annoying part. When the pane has dried take a box cutter and cut the excess film off of the pane of glass. You can cut up to 1/2″ of the film at the edges of the mirror. Using a straight edge just inside the edge of the mirror seems to work best. Step 15: Take the filmed pane of glass and put it into the frame with the film on the inside of the mirror. Step 16: Turn on the mirror and be amazed! The first mirror was such a success I made a second Infinity Mirror entirely (nearly entirely) out of Recycled/Upcycled materials found around the house.... Read more...The Dream ContinuesJune 19, 2017Many exciting changes are in the works for Smoky Mountain Corps these days. After three amazing years of building community, growing food, learning, and serving the parks in Southern Appalachia, Smoky Mountain Corps/Smoky Mountain Center is moving north. Wayyy north. To Vermont. I will get to that in a little bit, but first, I want to share a bit of our experience thus far. The past few years have been an almost indescribable journey for me. It wasn’t easy, creating Smoky Mountain Corps and keeping it going strong for multiple years took virtually non-stop work with little monetary compensation. Oh, and of course there was the ever looming threat of total failure. I have learned so much about so much these past several years. I learned to negotiate with CEOs of large organizations. I learned how to build community partnerships, create programming from nothing, and find money for projects. I learned how to be in charge of other people (still learning that one). I learned how to get corps members to appropriately ration a block of cheese. I learned how to apologize for screwing up and how to let things go. The list goes on and on. There are so many inspirational mentors, community leaders, corps members, and partners to thank for our learning and our success. I have learned so much from those around me the last few years, from the incredible organizations in our community, to eager corps members, all the way down to the guy who rented out our yurt for a while. All this learning and growth has its rewards of course. For instance, it is a remarkable feeling to run into a former corps member at Great Smoky Mountains National Park–in uniform and working on a paid national park crew, or to come across a Facebook picture of former members reuniting a year later. Being able to watch and help young adults realize their potential, build long term support systems, and find ways to make a living helping others has been truly inspiring. For me, it is the reason I do this. This learning and growing and success has been so much more than a personal journey. During the 2016 season, for instance, our members managed invasive plants with Mountain True, built trails in the Great Smoky Mountain’s National Park and the Appalachian Trail, harvested produce for Dig-In Community Garden( a program that provides fresh produce for families in need), taught elementary students about gardening and nutrition with FEAST, and created a new wildlife sanctuary in Chattahoochee Bend State Park. They also learned about permaculture design, lasagna gardening, fermentation, canning, botany, and food justice. It was an incredible season filled with personal and professional growth for all involved. And though SMC is moving north, we did have a final opportunity to leave our mark behind in Burnsville. We worked this spring with the Toe River Food Security Network and several local partners to secure an AmeriCorps VISTA for 2017-2018 who will be tasked with coordinating partnerships and supporting a number of projects to alleviate hunger in Yancey County. Additionally, we will continue to provide support to our southern partners from afar by facilitating connections between project needs and volunteers as well as continuing to provide support for the Chattahoochee Bend State Park Wildlife Sanctuary. And now, please bear with me for a gigantic THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all our partners, mentors, supporters, and friends in North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and around the country who have helped make SMC go from vision to reality. There are way too many people and organizations to thank here, but ya’ll know who you are. Because of you, SMC went from some scribbles on a small piece of paper to a real place in real time with real people. People who among other things, created or improved over 35 miles of trail, built or maintained 178 structures, managed 200 acres of invasive species, cleared and planted 4000 sq ft of gardens, harvested over 7000 lbs of food, and provided training and education for over 200 students and community members. Even more significantly (in my opinion), you gave over 25 members, staff, and volunteers an unforgettable opportunity for training, experience, and lifelong community. So from the bottom of all of our hearts, THANK YOU. Finally, the moment you have been waiting for, we would like to announce phase two of our project. Smoky Mountain Center will become Sugar Mountain Center. We are purchasing a 10 acre property in Tunbridge, Vermont, where we will soon roll out plans to convert the space into a training and community service center focused around conservation, sustainable agriculture, and community building. It has always been the dream to find a place of our own to be able to support programming in a more permanent way, and we are thrilled the opportunity has presented itself. SMC is living on, and we are more than excited to keep the dream alive. Stay tuned for detailed plans for phase two and ways you can help! -Heather... Read more...Words from the CrewNovember 7, 2016Southern Exposure By: Elizabeth Villano On my way up to the homestead, my GPS cut out. “No service!!”, my phone cheerfully rubbed in my face. As I slowed to a stop, I surveyed the gorgeous mountains around me- surely the same ones that were scrambling my previously taken for granted cell service. After finding SMC, it didn’t take me long to discover an eclectic community hidden in the idyllic Blue Ridge mountains, one that constantly surprised me with its generosity, curiosity, and passion. I found good friends, even better food, and a space to explore who I was and where I wanted to go. As a member of the Food Access crew, a kick-butt dynamic duo composed of Jess and myself, we focus on bridging gaps in the food system. And if that seems vague and liberal artsy, we thought so too until we got down and dirty with a month of learning from incredible women (as I affectionately took to calling them, our boss ladies) about the tireless work they do to ensure everyone gets the education and food they deserve. Before I get into what we did, it’s important I take a moment to talk about what food access is, and what gaps in the system actually look like. While it may sound daunting by name, the food system is everything and everybody that goes into producing, distributing, purchasing, and consuming food on a global scale. In 2015, 42.2 million of Americans lived in food insecure households (lack of access to healthy and fresh food), including 13 million children. North Carolina, the state we work in, comes in at number eight, with 15.5% of the population reported food insecure. Food insecurity is a pretty name for a serious issue- children who face food insecurity face potentially irreversible developmental stunting. Latino and black communities, both of which face disproportionately high levels of food insecurity, face continuous and systematic blows to their communities, increasing risk factors for disease, poverty, stunting. (Source: Feedingamerica.org) Food affects us all- when you’re hungry, or when you only have access to highly processed and unhealthy food, you can’t think as well, your body doesn’t work as well, you’re more at risk for injury, disease, malnutrition. And beyond basic human rights, you’re not as productive- food insecurities have been causally linked with decreases in GDPs. (Source: WHO). To learn more, watch this engaging and incredibly informative John Oliver episode. We started off our whirlwind tour with FEAST, an incredible and well-respected organization based in Asheville, NC that seeks to empower youth and families to learn about food, and to eat healthy. We were stationed with two teachers, Miss Jordan and Miss Summer at two different elementary schools: Vance and Fletcher Hall Elementary School respectively. Both women ran community, learning based gardens that were incorporated into the curriculum at each school. In addition to the monstrous task of caring for a garden, both were able to find innovative and engaging ways to engage the kids with gardening, growing and cooking fresh vegetables. One lesson that stood out was one that Jordan did at Vance, where she told the kids that they were a part of an alien race that was having a lot of trouble growing food, and were sent to Earth to figure out how we were growing food so well. We helped them sift through the dirt and take notes about different types of soil retention and composition. The FEAST model works to establish an early foundation of environmental stewardship, while simultaneously broadening children’s exposure to fresh and healthy produce- and teaching them how to use it. Some of my best memories from SMC have been playing with kids, teaching them to love gardening. We also had the opportunity to work with Dig In, a community garden based in our hometown of Burnsville, NC that grows tons (literally) of fresh produce, and donates it all to food insecure families in the area. Dig In, a powerful and resourceful nonprofit, is run by two powerful women, Kathleen and Olivia. Dig In is unique in the emphasis they place on community empowerment- they don’t just grow produce, they create a community that rallies around their battle cry. Kathleen, as we very quickly realized, knew just about everyone there was to know, and managed to get them all thinking about food access. From an elderly farmer named Kermit across the road from their facilities who was quick to volunteer his equipment, to a new area transplant looking for community and good work, Kathleen and Olivia were so successful that people all the way in Asheville had heard about our work. One day that I will always remember was a gleaning session we did in a nearby field. On a typical farm, when a farmer has already gone through their field and taken all of their crop that they could sell, they leave the rest of it to rot. Most of the food is left for aesthetic reasons- too small, a weird shape, has something growing on the outside. Gleaning is when a group of volunteers comes and takes the food to people who need it. We moved about 7000 pounds of squash off the field to food banks in the area- food that otherwise would have gone to waste. Dig In firmly believes that lower income people should not have “seconds”, that they deserve healthy and organic food to be grown for them just as everyone else receives. Their humanistic and empathetic approach to the food system left both Jess and I feeling touched, and proud to have worked with them. We’ve been fortunate enough to work with a diverse array of incredible people, and learn about their innovative solutions to tackling such a large problem. I know I’ll be taking these experiences with me, and keeping in touch with the incredible people we met along the way!... Read more...
