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Abstract
The purpose of this project is to explore more sustainable agricultural methods. It was inspired by the 12 principles of permaculture. Permaculture is a land management technique that focuses on creating small communities of plants. In these communities, the plants coexist in a harmonious way, just like natural occurring plant groupings. These groupings are called guilds and the implementation of them eliminates the need for tilling, fertilizers, and pesticides. When many guilds are placed close to each other, that area can be called a food forest. This method of growing food is important because current agricultural methods are causing major problems to the global water supply and soil quality. The site chosen for this project is a small portion of 25-acre facility by the name of Hartman Arboretum. It is a local non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of trees and native habitats for wildlife. The location hopes to implement more sustainable land management practices in the future, making them an ideal partner for this work. The deliverables for this project include the following design elements; a 1000 square foot post-frame structure, rainwater harvesting and storage design, and a guild planting plan for a food forest.