Got an allotment in the UK, around 100m² of usable growing space currently and I am looking to try and water it more efficiently.

Some ideas I find online are like sticking a water bottle in or with a fabric wick to water soil or pots. This would be highly impractical on such a large area.

Seen some interesting ideas that work for raised beds, but I don't really have the budget or materials to make raised beds without losing most of my space in the process.

Water reservoirs that you can top up sound appealing if that is possible. I don't mind quite a bit of work or a lot of digging. But I don't want something that will cost lots of money. Soaker hoses would cost 3 figures to cover an area this large, plus we are not allowed to leave hoses unattended.

I don't have a car to transport heavy materials and my plot isn't by the road so even if I did it would be impractical.

LuminX Cool Roof Paint is a cutting-edge, nanotechnology-based solar reflective cool coating designed to minimize heat buildup on rooftops to reduce indoor temperature. With a high Solar Reflectance Index (SRI), it reflects a large portion of solar radiation—lowering roof surface temperatures by up to 40% and reducing indoor temperatures by up to 20%.

Engineered for superior durability and adhesion, LuminX bonds seamlessly with metal roofs, concrete, tiles, and other roofing substrates—delivering long-lasting thermal comfort and energy savings.

Experience the difference—apply LuminX and keep your building cooler, naturally.

https://tube.thechangebook.org/w/btcFcZ4xyJARg3uN3CPu5G

Meant to post about this earlier, but I didn't even read about it until 2 days ago after the event started, but it's still on for a couple more days - plus once you join the event you can watch the past talks.

If you are interested in #permaculture #solarpunk #IndigenousWisdom #hopefulfutures #localisation #ClimateChange and so much more, this is something to check out.

Speakers so far have included Tyson Yunkaporta, Helena Norbert-Hodge, Fritjof Capra, Nate Hagens, Daniel Christian Wahl, Jeremy Lent... you get the idea.

Ok so I have trouble planning for the future because I often feel disconnected from myself and overwhelmed by intense emotions and reactions, but a caravan on a piece of land looks accessible enough even from me.

Still living with my parents in a very beautiful place already in the countryside, and I don't know if this desire of moving out is coming from a real necessity or from the fake thought that it might actually finally "solve my problems"..

What I notice is that when I'm out of home I usually just feel better for whatever reason: more stable, no doomscrolling on the internet, less dissociation, less debilitating thoughts, I just generally feel better.

As long as I can have food and a shelter, and I'm outdoors, perhaps with animals, I generally feel "good enough". i don't care about having a lot of stuff, and I genuinely feel that I would feel better without an internet connection at all, I can also drop my car as long as I can reach basic necessities with my bike, I don't care about traveling or money, status or career, as long as I can do something good for myself and others, I feel happy.

So I would love to know if you have some experience with this kind of life, if it ended up suiting you, if you just felt like me in the past and if the only constant in your life is chaos, or if all of this is just a fake dream.. I don't wanna do all of this just to say "oh, there we go again", and realize to late that I'm not actually making improvements from my current condition.

. I love my family, and if I could I would make all the changes I dream about here around them, but they have their opinions and interests of course, so I kinda feel stuck, despite all..

Generally looking for insights more from a psychological point of view.

In Northern NSW, Australia... love her garden, work ethic etc etc

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/33818672

I have just found that another one of my LiPo battery packs has started to develop a belly, and I'd like to replace it with one where I can just swap out the cells rather than junking the entire unit. I haven't had much luck finding something that meets my, I think modest, needs.

Needs:

• USB 5V power (enough to charge one modern cell phone, slowly)
• replaceable cells (18650s would be ideal but I'd settle for something that took AA or AAA batteries too)

Nice to haves:

• USB-A and USB-C (though I can manage with either - I have a ton of cables for both)
• Fast charging (the more watts the better but all I really need is ~10W at most)
• Passthrough charging (can charge and keep the output hot at the same time)

Sky Pie:

• Hot swapping cells (can selectively discharge one cell or bank of cells, then switch to the other while the dead cells are being replaced)

For that last one, I think if I can find a pack that just meets the "Needs" requirements I can rig up two of them and a raspberry pi to handle the charge monitoring and source switching. I just would like something that uses commodity hardware like the 18650 to store the power, can deliver enough voltage to run the pi, and is designed to have the cells be user replaceable. Is there something like that on the market?

Happy 2026! The Eco-Libre project published our 2025 Annual Report for last year.

Eco-Libre is a volunteer-run project that designs libre technology for sustainable communities.

Eco-Libre's mission is to research, develop, document, teach, build, and distribute open-source technology that sustainably enfranchises communities' human rights.

We aim to provide clear documentation to build low-cost machines, tools, and infrastructure for people all over the world who wish to live in sustainable communities with others.

Executive Summary

• Continuing search for land in Ecuador
• New Eco-Libre Logo
• First Release of Life-Line Project
• Two Prototypes of Life-Line Project

Read the full report here.

Contribute to Eco-Libre

If you'd like to help Eco-Libre reach our mission to enfranchise sustainable communities' human rights with libre tech, please contact us to get involved :)

Join Us
eco-libre.org/join

Cheers,
The Eco-Libre Team
https://www.eco-libre.org/

We’re happy to announce the release of the Eco-Libre Life-Line version 2025.10.

• https://www.eco-libre.org/life-line-2025-10-released/

Who is Eco-Libre?

Eco-Libre is a volunteer-run project that designs libre technology for sustainable communities.

Eco-Libre's mission is to research, develop, document, teach, build, and distribute open-source technology that sustainably enfranchises communities' human rights.

We aim to provide clear documentation to build low-cost machines, tools, and infrastructure for people all over the world who wish to live in sustainable communities with others.

Contribute to Eco-Libre

If you'd like to help Eco-Libre reach our mission to enfranchise sustainable communities' human rights with libre tech, please contact us to get involved :)

Join Us
eco-libre.org/join

Cheers,
The Eco-Libre Team
https://www.eco-libre.org/

I dug up some of my ginger crop and started a ginger bug for making ginger ale.

You can definitely tell the ginger roots that just camped out in the sand vs the new growth. I'm not even upset that some of it didn't do anything. It stayed fresh and usable. Sand outside is the best storage system for ginger.

Over all between this and the previous harvest I have 50% more ginger than I started out with. A pretty good return. Next year I'll go bigger than a single square foot of planting.

I know in my heart that I could dry those leaves out and weave something with them but that's not a project for this year. But I'm always keeping an eye out for that function stacking ability.

From Survival to Abundance: How Fediverse Permaculture Can Save Your Instance

(Article by Steven Tree Baxter)

Another Fediverse instance just vanished—swallowed by the familiar spiral of desperate donation drives and dwindling support. Will yours be next?

Fediverse permaculture offers a bold alternative: instead of living in fear of collapse, admins and developers can build resilient, self-reinforcing ecosystems where every interaction strengthens the whole. The goal? A mutually beneficial cooperative, designed to thrive through change.

How It Works: A Self-Sustaining Ecosystem

1. Merch & Artisan Creations

Users don’t just donate—they invest in the community. A merch buyer gains a tangible symbol of their support, while the instance earns funds to cover costs. Handmade goods and creative projects foster connection, celebrate talent, and turn supporters into active participants.

2. Community Events & Collaborative Projects

From virtual workshops to co-created content, these initiatives generate value while reinforcing bonds. Users contribute skills, time, or resources, and the instance gains both financial and social capital.

3. Niche Communities & Multilingual Support

Diversity is strength. By welcoming sub-instances, specialized groups, and multilingual users, you create a richer, more adaptive ecosystem. The message is clear: "You have a place with us!"

Permaculture Principles in Action

Why This Works: Flipping Fear into Opportunity

Fediverse permaculture replaces anxiety with action. Instead of waiting for donations to dry up or users to leave, you create a system where:

• Every purchase, contribution, or collaboration strengthens the whole.
• Artisans, creators, and volunteers become stakeholders in the instance’s success.
• Diversity and adaptability turn challenges into opportunities.

The result? An instance that doesn’t just survive—it thrives as a hub of creativity, commerce, and shared identity.

Your Call to Action: Design for Abundance

1. Identify Mutual-Benefit Loops Start small: merch, micro-donations, or volunteer-driven projects. Every loop you create reinforces the ecosystem.

2. Embrace Diversity Welcome niche communities, multilingual users, and sub-instances. The more voices, the richer the soil for growth. "You have a place with us!"

3. Apply Permaculture Principles Observe, adapt, and iterate. What works? What doesn’t? Let the community guide you.

4. Celebrate Creativity Reward artisans, creators, and contributors. Their work isn’t just content—it’s the lifeblood of your instance.

5. Collaborate & Share Connect with other instances. Build a network of resilient ecosystems, where success is collective and shared.

The Choice Is Yours

The question is no longer "Can we survive?" but "How will we thrive?" Fediverse permaculture is your path from fear to abundance. Take the first step. Watch your community bloom—and join a movement where everyone wins.

Let’s Discuss!

• What permaculture principles have you applied to your instance?
• What challenges have you faced in building a sustainable community?
• Share your ideas and experiences below!

#Fediverse, #Permaculture, #SelfHosted, #Cooperative, #CommunityBuilding, #InstanceManagement, #Artisans, #CreativeEconomy, #DigitalSustainability, #CommunityResilience, #CollaborativeProjects

How would you create a sustainable balcony garden on a high and often windy balcony?

I know, it's specific, that's because I'd like it for myself, but my plants are being overrun with aphids while their enemies like ladybugs, hover flies, and lacewings, don't seem to find their way to the balcony.
I'd like to have a nice green balcony with permanent plants that survive, but that's been a challenge so far.

I was thinking of building some sort of long low narrow planter along the front to keep the plants connected, but it's not very practical and I'm not sure of the benefits.

This is in the Netherlands by the way.

I want to build a Hyperadobe home. I have seen many YouTube videos about the process, but I want to know way more than a few videos can teach me.

Does anyone have any book suggestions? I searched eBay and Amazon and found almost nothing.

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/17969419

• An international urban village for families & travelers based on 'gift'. • You can live there permanently or temporarily. • They have 30 rooms.

Read more about it. ↓

https://ecovillage.org/ecovillage/well-yokodai/

https://www.well.yokodai.org/?lang=en

Tradeless Earth https://tradelessearth.wordpress.com/

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/17484213

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/17484162

• Sadhana Forest is based on Gift economy and ecological revival.

• https://sadhanaforest.org/

•https://www.youtube.com/user/sadhanaforest

Hi there, Tradeless Earth is trying to work towards a peaceful, stronger, just and equal society by holding hands with individuals and communities to work together and be connected.

https://tradelessearth.wordpress.com/

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/post/20894234

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/17340151

"The ecovillage at Findhorn is a tangible demonstration of the links between the spiritual, social, and economic aspects of life and is a synthesis of current thinking on ecological human habitats. It is a constantly evolving model providing solutions to human and social needs while at the same time working in partnership with the environment to offer an enhanced quality of life for all."

https://tradelessearth.wordpress.com/

I'm working on a project to build a group of intentional communities in an old boarding school west of Portland. The property has fresh spring water, on site waste water treatment, orchards and a vineyard, and 20-30 acres we could use to grow food. I'm hopeful that one or two of the communities we organize to make use of the space will be focused on sustainability and renewable use of the resources available. If anyone here is interested in the project, I'd be happy to talk more. We're looking for potential co-owners, residents, community organizers, investors, etc.

In the village of Ein Qinyya, Palestine, a local mesh network functions as both an organic community intranet and a means of interacting with the environment.

The tower uses a new technology called mass timber. In this kind of construction, massive, manufactured wood elements that can extend more than half the length of a football field replace steel beams and concrete. Though still relatively uncommon, it is growing in popularity and beginning to pop up in skylines around the world.

Mass timber is an appealing alternative to energy-intensive concrete and steel, which together account for almost 15 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. Though experts are still debating mass timber’s role in fighting climate change, many are betting it’s better for the environment than current approaches to construction.