anyone in NE PA?

I live in between Wilkes-Barre and Williamsport. Anybody nearby?

i'm in long island.
but was in Milford PA last weekend. that's about as North-East as one can get in PA eh?

there is a retreat center there called "circle of trees" . they hold mostly women's retreats but she's looking to expand.
i think permaculture workshops or PDC's would be great there..!

https://www.facebook.com/circleoftrees.retreats

http://www.circleoftreesretreat.com/

Hi,


I'm new just wondering what you 2 are doing. I'm from Bloomsburg PA and work near wilks barre

Hello,

I am also new here. From near the Bloomsburg area. Jeff Roan and I are freinds and work together. Some of my current permie projects include gardening, composting, canning, dehydrating and soon possibly aquaculture. Nice to see some fellow permies in NE PA. Hopefully there are some others out there.

I am from the western side of the state but it is so great to see fellow residents on here.

Hi!
I live in Lancaster, which is just a few hours south. Haven't begun any projects of my own yet, but I'm definitely looking to connect with people interested in permaculture. If anyone knows of any events/classes/gatherings/etc. that are nearby, I would love to exchange thoughts/ideas!

Ya just getting into gardening and composting, water harvesting, ect.. Looking for like minded people. All the people I know beside's one or two see no reason to grow your own food or live off the land when the wal-marts and grocery stores will be around for ever haha. I rather have free food.

Growing your own food and creating your own dishes is the most satisfying thing! Organic farming/gardening has taken over my life in the past couple years. I actually work at a Co-op here, which is part of how I stumbled into permaculture. The bulk of the people here are like that though, but there are some really great people here as well. I feel like the area I live in has a lot of potential to grow in a positive way with the help of permaculture ideas. Me and a friend are actually going to attempt to build a (small-ish) rocket mass heater this winter when he is back from school. I am just working on sourcing my building materials now.

I'm in wyoming county, pa, trying to put together a forest garden in a section of my property.

Hello! I'm in the Poconos, Reeders, PA 18352. I have a homestead / food forest / farm in which I implement all aspects of permaculture science. In the past few days I have set up my maple syrup extraction system. Fall weather in PA brings the one of the worlds most diverse and prolific mushroom fruitions. Foraging is is fun and relaxing. Nothing is more rewarding than finding a choice wild edible, and the mushroom is truly the pinnacle of gourmet foods. Finally, the end of October brings about the planting of over 30 varieties of garlic. The Pocono climate and soil make for some of the best tasting garlic anywhere.
Keeping with the permaculture ethos ... I share seed, plants and excess products from my forest garden. As well, I am always open to visiting and helping with other permies projects. Good luck to all and I hope to hear from fellow PA premies soon!

I am currently in Plymouth PA (just around the corner from Wilkes-Barre) and I am originally from Tunkhannock PA.

Last year I started just a small garden (only 4 tomato plants) and my wife gave me a bit of hassle (Why you doing that.... only you like the tomatoes), but alas, she did like the spaghetti sauce I made with it.

So this year, she decided, we needed Corn, Cucumbers, Zucchini, yellow beans Plus my tomato plants and now Green peppers.
Corn didn't do so well, tomatoes were slow this year but I still got a descent amount. Only got about 5 peppers from my 2 pepper plants. Goat quite a bit of zucchini. Yellow beans were a bust, and we did also plant squash, but it wasn't the "Right" kind and I didn't know what to do with it. (It did get added into the compost though).

SOOOOO.... Now next year my wife is already planning the garden. Good thing I also got into canning this year. I got an All American pressure canner (I also have a standard water bath canner to) and I have made plenty of chili (Venison) as well as canned some spaghetti sauce and made Zucchini relish (Yum!) and since I had a lot of green tomatoes at the frost this year, I know have 6 quarts of Green tomato relish. (I haven't tried it yet though since it's been canned).

I would REALLY REALLY love to discuss these types of topics with someone else who "Get's it". Although part of me wants to learn this to avoid spending so much at the stores, part of me just thinks it's better overall. I won't lie, I am also trying to prepare for the time when our economy collapses and this is all we have.

Lastly, I have saved seeds too. I have bell pepper seeds (green and red, although I have little faith in the red since they were harvested from a grocery store pepper), tomato, cucumber, zucchini seeds all harvested. I have other seeds (corn, basil, squash, and yellow bean) that were purchased, but I have sealed them in a bag and put them in the freezer. Not sure if that will keep them or not, but I will try late winter/early spring indoors to try and sprout them.

I am not looking to save the earth, just my portion of it.

Good morning fellow NEPA permies,

My project last night was dehydrated banana, pear, apple fruit leathers. I put them in a ball jar with a tattler reusable canning lid and vaccum sealed them. Any idea what the shelf life of these would be?

I am guessing it has more to do with the Moisture content than anything else. Since it's vacuum sealed but their could still be bacteria/germs in the jar (because it wasn't "Canned") I suspect you will get a couple of months (6 maybe?) to perhaps a year.

I think you might actually get longer life if you vacuum sealed them in bags. Just play it by ear and experiment. You should be using your storage anyway as opposed to just waiting for the "SHTF" day. Trust your senses. If the seal is popped... then get rid of it. If it's not Popped, open it (when ready) and smell it. If it smells funny, get rid of it, if not Taste a small part of it. If it tastes ok, then enjoy, if not get rid of it.

I know this is not fool proof, but it's worked for me with other stuff (such as food past it's expiration in the fridge). If I could only get my wife to have faith in her senses when it comes to this stuff....

Hi Paul Gardner! Where did you purchase the reusable lids? Thanks.

Hi Rick,

I accidentally post under Jeff's account earlier, we work together. You can find the reusable lids @ http://www.reusablecanninglids.com/

Rick Romanelli wrote:Hello! I'm in the Poconos, Reeders, PA 18352. I have a homestead / food forest / farm in which I implement all aspects of permaculture science. In the past few days I have set up my maple syrup extraction system. Fall weather in PA brings the one of the worlds most diverse and prolific mushroom fruitions. Foraging is is fun and relaxing. Nothing is more rewarding than finding a choice wild edible, and the mushroom is truly the pinnacle of gourmet foods. Finally, the end of October brings about the planting of over 30 varieties of garlic. The Pocono climate and soil make for some of the best tasting garlic anywhere.
Keeping with the permaculture ethos ... I share seed, plants and excess products from my forest garden. As well, I am always open to visiting and helping with other permies projects. Good luck to all and I hope to hear from fellow PA premies soon!

Hi Rick! I'm so glad to see that someone in this general area is implementing this! The Poconos are not that far from me. My long term goal is to get a plot of land and start a food forest so I can be self sustaining. I really want to apply every aspect of permaculture into my land (housing, farming, energy, etc.) I would be interested in checking out your setup one day if you are willing!

Hello Tyler, You are welcome, I luv visitors. Lancaster is beautiful. I attend the Kutztown Dutch German folk fest each year. When you are ready to start your food forest I can supply you with things like seed, plants, tubers, bulbs and during summer I have loads of extra garden food. The rocket stove project sound great. I've been studying and planning to build several in the near future. Maybe we can work together on each others projects. I see you are a vegan. I am a vegetarian and I enjoy cooking. Food quality (healthy and flavor) are paramount. Meetup.com has mycology, edible foraging, permaculture and homesteading groups maybe we could both attend some of their classes/meetings/outings and learn some new skills and do a little permie networking. Thanks Rick

hello all!!! Im sorry I didn't read all the posts here yet I am too excited that there are people with like interests so close. I am Aj French from Bloomsburg my wife is from Saylorsburg (poconos) and we now live near Mahanoy city. We built a green house and have many fruit trees. new to the forum but i'm trying to implement better ideas as I learn. also planning a RMH build for my house primary heat then one for the green house. anyone else interested? we might be able to get a workshop. just a thought. nice to meet you all!!

Sorry I shouldn't have jumped the gun. RMH was already mentioned. I agree on all counts on food. My wife and I are trying to provide fruits and vegetables for us and extra for our parents. not there yet and so far need to learn a lot about canning. but hey I have a goal and its better then watching TV!!!

Also, Rick, I will pay for a tour!! sounds spectacular and exactly what I want for my future...especially the mushrooms and 30 kinds of garlic!!!

Lastly if anyone needs anything from seeds to building materials or even rocks out Koi, please post. i'm more than willing to share anything I have. although it varies and as far as seeds, we will have much more saved soon.

Hello Aj French, I'm in th process of planting a few thousand heads of garlic. If you are interested, to get you started, I can send you several garlic verities by mail that do well in our area and taste awesome... thats if you can plant them before november 15th. I could include other seeds if you like, I have a great strain of flavorful yellow ghost chili. No $ compensation necessary. Send me a private message with a mailing address and I will send it out pronto. Regards Rick

Thank you very much Rick! I look forward to learning about you growing methods. I have a 10x13 green house we just built this year. so for the first time we are trying to grow all year round. so far we didn't have great success during the normal growing season because of bugs. lookimg into some organic solutions. you said to plant the garlic by November 15th. is it better outside or should I plant it in the greenhouse? Thanks again. oh also I have some friends in varying lines of work and i'm trying to get some pickup truck fulls worth of fire brick and maybe some much cheaper fire morter than buying it in the store. I'll let everyone on here know when I get some maybe we can ask start working on those RMHs!

Hi Rick!
Sorry it took me so long to respond, but that sounds great! I would love to come visit sometime soon for sure. I work full time at a co-op here, so it's hard for me to get out a ton, but I'm sure my son (he's 5) and I could come see what your place is like! Although, I'm waiting to see how this hurricane pans out. A lot of of farmers within the co-op are bracing for it.
But yeah, I will look into meetup.com for sure. I actually went foraging for mushrooms about a week ago (after my friend foraged something like 40 lbs of maitake's), but I didn't have the best of luck! I found a few small puffballs and some other inedible monstrosities. I need to work on my foraging skills badly!

Anyway, the food forest sounds awesome. I hope I can get to that point someday and be able to provide basically everything for myself. That's my long term goal. I don't have much money being a 22 year old dad! Maybe we can organize something with the others interested on here, as far as a date to come to your place!

Thanks!

Hi Tyler!! I like the organizing idea. just let me know. I work ALL the time so I'll just make time one day. Actually I work so much every single post i've done has been from my phone, ha. so don't mind the messed up words and punctuation please. If you still need materials for you RMH i'm working on getting a truck load or more from two different businesses, if it works out I'll have more then enough fire brick (in varying condition) and refactory mortar. I'll let you know if it pans out.

That would be great AJ! I'm still trying to get a design together for my RMH. I'm thinking of just starting small, maybe even small enough that I could transport it. Either that or I'm going to try to build a full size one at my grandfather's. Once I actually get a design I will try to post it on here. Thanks for the offer too!

Im up in Susquehanna PA just a stone's throw from the NY border with rt81 and Binghamton about 45min drive from Scranton. I am in the process of finishing up building my rocket mass heater https://permies.com/t/17748/stoves/st-RMH-build
I am, along with my wife and 4 children (5th on the way), looking for some property to begin building an earthship and small produce farm.

Welcome Martin.

Merry Xmas all, reading this thread I'm totally psyched to hear there are permaculturalists in Nepa, maybe Louis hasn't squashed the hopes and dreams of all nature centered people here.. I'm from Moscow, pa about 15 minutes from Scranton. I graduated in 2011 from college and traveled for a bit before getting a sweet opportunity as an intern at the central Rocky Mountain permaculture institute this past summer where I got my pdc. After coming back home I planted out my first forest garden. Just a bunch of random fruit trees and a shit ton of wood chips leaves, and grass clippings so far(I would pick up a truck load of yard waste from my borough building whenever I had the chance). but to the point if there are enough of us we should get together sometime and share some thoughts. Maybe the seeds of a nepa permaculture guild could be planted? What does everyone think?

Ps I'm heading back out to Crmpi in a few weeks and who knows when I'll be back around, so it looks like in the short term I'm declining my own invitation, not to stop you guys though haha

Best,
Nick

near Muncy/Wiliamsport

looking to connect with others in the area and really liking the mass heaters! i even found a few in the SketchUp library

I'm from southern NJ, but I'm having some trouble finding anyone close to me. Mind if I join you all?

Sure can, Jennifer

Ross Gigee here. centervillesubsistence.com We live not far from Sayre/Athens, PA, 3 miles from Wellsburg, NY. We have food forest, hugelkultur, goats, chickens, silviculture, workshop, and children.

Who's enjoying the snow storm? What's your favorite permie-style winter comforts?

Hello Everyone, I just found this website yesterday. I live in Lancaster, but I have family and roots in Exeter Boro near Wilkes-Barre.

Hi peeps:) I live in Honesdale PA, now that is NEPA! Just moved over from NY, got a 26 acre farm and just got my cert for PDC from Geoff Lawton online course. Can't wait till spring!!!

Hi Peter, Wow, 26 acres! Awesome! I live about an hour south near Stroudsburg. I would love to visit in the spring to see the land and hear what you're planning. Please, keep us updated on the project. Congratulations and Good Luck!

Thanks, that would be awesome! I really want to meet more people in the area. Maybe in spring we can get together. Have you taken a PDC? I took Geoff's online course, and have soooooo many ideas, but would love to talk about ideas with other people.

Me an my friend our form Bloomsburg, PA. He post the Fruit roll-up things up top of this post. I would be interested in visiting to even helping out with anything permacultured. Havnt got any land myself but friend an family are letting me put gardens on their land for now. Currently looking for land to buy but its so expensive in my area. Thinking rent to own a house of a family member. Not much land with it, but I will turn the whole yard into a garden hehe. An I want to put a rocket mass heater in to hopefully replace the oil furnace.



Cheers, Jeff

So, I am excited about having a bunch of permies out to my farm for a meet up in the spring. It seems several people may be interested in this. So far permaculture has been mostly observation and planning, since I have only been here for 4 months. Spring is going to be an awesome time around here, and a time for implementation. Money is tight right now, with a family to feed and a mortgage to pay, so some things are going to have to wait. I am trying to figure out what people would be interested in doing that wouldn't cost too much if they came out. Besides walks around the property and lots of discussion, some ideas would be;
Plotting contour lines
Planning future ponds and swales
Planting the beginning of a living fence
Designing and planting herb spiral
Planting a small polycultured garden

If I can get enough $ together for plants, I am sure we would all love to plant a food forest, maybe for starters we could brain storm and come up with a plant list and layout for a food forest.
Anyway, let me know if anyone is interested, and what they would be most interested in.

Yea, Peter, I would be interested in a visit also.