To meet the design challenges and goals as laid in the Goals Articulation, a design that focuses on creating a dynamic, integrated farm was created and presented in the Master Plan herein. The design is based on the Ethics and Priciples of Permaculture and the Practices of Restoration Agriculture while focusing on Holistic Managed Animal systems with respect for traditional Animal Husbantry traditions whihc will comulate in the sucessfut Interated Permaculture Farm. The design focuses on a few main areas, hoping to meet the stated goals to the highest degree and create synergies that bring many unforeseen positive benefits to the land and surrounding ecology.
The design focuses on Integrated Farming with the production of animals and their by-products as the primary marketable products, and integrates the agricultural and aquaculture systems in such a way that maximizes the nutrient potential already present on the land and introduces systems designed to create greater productivity, healthier animals, and higher income, with a reduced dependency on fossil fuels and outside inputs. The focus on trying to grow the vast majority of the food for the animals, and cycling the nutrients through energy systems, worm bins, and back out onto the fields helps to reduce cost, increase animal health and add value to the farm. In every step of this process, multiple functions are performed, providing all of the farms electrical energy needs through a methane digester / generator energy system. The Integrated Farming systems provides the highest quality compost from the worm bins, which in turn helps to grow the most nutritious food for the residents at the farm. The abundance of worms helps to feed the fish, poultry and the soil. The cycles are endless and we work to refine and improvc them on a daily basis.
The perennial fodder trees produce highly nutritious fodder for the animals, shade during the summer, fix nitrogen into the ground, reduce evaporation and the negative effects of wind on the farm. The chickens act as a natural partner for the grazing animals, spreading their manure, eating the fly larva, and converting otherwise harmful parasites into high quality eggs, which can then be sold or consumed on site. The local dairy’s milk can be made into high value products like cheese, ice-cream or butter, with any waste being fed to the pigs, which in turn produces what is known as some of the best tasting pork there is to be had.
The entire system is wrapped up in the spirit of the scientific process, and encapsulated in an education center that will see many enthusiastic young farmers as well as experienced teachers come through. Through their trial and error of various styles of growing vegetable, fruit rice, corn, and various animal husbandry techniques, Rak Tamachat will be a valuable source of scientific inquiry into the best sustainable practices for the post-petroleum organic farm. This understanding and knowledge will contribute internationally as well as right in the closest village, helping the local people to increase incomes while treating the planet respectfully.
With this combination of short-term and long-term income production, scientific inquiry, engaged community and integrated sustainability, this master plan makes Rak Tamachat not only an incredible place to raise a family, participate in classes, or volunteer, but also an example of resilience in the face of whatever challenges might arise in the coming years.
This Master Plan is just the first step, the starting point from which we hope years of experimentation, fun, learning and teaching can come. This document will function as a living document, from which much more in-depth and broad explorations of what can be done at Rak Tamachat can be documented.