Rak Tamachat Nursery Project
Project 4 is about the design and implementation of a plant nursery at the Rak Tamachat (Rak Tamachat means love nature in Thai) project near Korat in the province of Nakhon Ratchasima, north eastern Thailand.
About the site:
The Panya Projects sister site; Rak Tamachat near Korat in north eastern Thailand is a new and upcoming Permaculture project with exciting and ambitious aspirations. The site has been designed by the Terra genesis group and is currently being developed into what will be a phenomenal example of Permaculture on a farm scale. We are currently implementing the design.
Terra genesis produced a “master plan” which will serve as a living document (it will be constantly evolving and revised over time). This master plan outlines what we're trying to achieve here at Rak Tamachat as well as giving a time-line for the implementation phase.
Site description and observations: The site here at Rak tamachat is very flat and exposed with a hot, dry, desiccating wind and almost no tree cover (shade). The soil is of the Ultisol type common to many tropical soils, making it not particularly fertile, prone to nutrient leaching and deficient in Calcium, Magnesium and pottassium.
Analysis of soil samples under the microscope have shown that the soil has a very low level of microbial activity and is almost entirely devoid of beneficial fungi.
The soil is a heavy clay loam, poorly drained and with little humus and organic matter content. This combined with the relatively high water table in the area means that the land is susceptible to flooding during the monsoonal rains.
About the team:
The team here at Rak Tamachat consists of four managers (two human managers, one building manager and one garden manager) and 9 interns.
Our team are working alongside a team of six Thai workers who are responsible for doing the ground work and roofing for the buildings.
A lot of the work we've been doing over the last three months has been focused on community building activities, getting to know and become comfortable with one another. Developing social, financial and managerial systems and training the interns to do basic tasks such as composting, organic gardening, making and laying Adobe blocks etc.
About the Nursery:
One of the goals of the Rak tamachat project is to design and implement a food forest system, to produce a diverse variety of food, medicines, fuel, timber and forage/fodder. We have also identified the need to create more shade and wind-breaks around the site.
As mentioned above the condition of the soil, lack of shade and protection from the desiccating winds means that growing conditions are less than ideal!
We have developed a number of strategies to help to work towards improving the soil on site. Many of these are outlined in our soil fertility proposal. One major aspect of improving soil fertility is the establishment of shade trees, windbreaks and chop and drop legume trees.
In order to implement these strategies it is essential that we create a nursery to raise and nurture the young trees and prepare them for transplanting around the site.
The nursery area will be designed so as to incorporate the following elements as outlined in the goals articulation:
About the site:
The Panya Projects sister site; Rak Tamachat near Korat in north eastern Thailand is a new and upcoming Permaculture project with exciting and ambitious aspirations. The site has been designed by the Terra genesis group and is currently being developed into what will be a phenomenal example of Permaculture on a farm scale. We are currently implementing the design.
Terra genesis produced a “master plan” which will serve as a living document (it will be constantly evolving and revised over time). This master plan outlines what we're trying to achieve here at Rak Tamachat as well as giving a time-line for the implementation phase.
Site description and observations: The site here at Rak tamachat is very flat and exposed with a hot, dry, desiccating wind and almost no tree cover (shade). The soil is of the Ultisol type common to many tropical soils, making it not particularly fertile, prone to nutrient leaching and deficient in Calcium, Magnesium and pottassium.
Analysis of soil samples under the microscope have shown that the soil has a very low level of microbial activity and is almost entirely devoid of beneficial fungi.
The soil is a heavy clay loam, poorly drained and with little humus and organic matter content. This combined with the relatively high water table in the area means that the land is susceptible to flooding during the monsoonal rains.
About the team:
The team here at Rak Tamachat consists of four managers (two human managers, one building manager and one garden manager) and 9 interns.
Our team are working alongside a team of six Thai workers who are responsible for doing the ground work and roofing for the buildings.
A lot of the work we've been doing over the last three months has been focused on community building activities, getting to know and become comfortable with one another. Developing social, financial and managerial systems and training the interns to do basic tasks such as composting, organic gardening, making and laying Adobe blocks etc.
About the Nursery:
One of the goals of the Rak tamachat project is to design and implement a food forest system, to produce a diverse variety of food, medicines, fuel, timber and forage/fodder. We have also identified the need to create more shade and wind-breaks around the site.
As mentioned above the condition of the soil, lack of shade and protection from the desiccating winds means that growing conditions are less than ideal!
We have developed a number of strategies to help to work towards improving the soil on site. Many of these are outlined in our soil fertility proposal. One major aspect of improving soil fertility is the establishment of shade trees, windbreaks and chop and drop legume trees.
In order to implement these strategies it is essential that we create a nursery to raise and nurture the young trees and prepare them for transplanting around the site.
The nursery area will be designed so as to incorporate the following elements as outlined in the goals articulation:
- Tree Nursery ; To produce and nurture a large variety of trees at different stages of growth from seedlings to 2 – 3 year old trees.
- Vegetable nursery ; To produce a wide range of annual and perennial vegetables, herbs and medicinals.
- Potting Shed: Combining potting/propagation area with lockable tool store-room, seed saving centre and office area.
- Mushroom House; To produce a range of different edible mushrooms.
- Chill out Zone; Incorporating a relaxing environment for education ; to hold classes, talks, lectures etc. Meditation ; a tranquil zone for yoga, meditation and spiritual practice. Chill-out ; a place to relax at break, lunch or after a hard days work, read a book, chat with friends or sit and observe, contemplate, philosophise, take a nap etc..etc...
- Monsoon House ; An area similar to a pollytunnel, covered with a plastic membrane to help protect delicate plants and seedlings from the torrential monsoon rains. To raise more high value or temperamental crops, and specific seed saving operations.
