Why a ‘Vision’ is part of this Permaculture Design

Every permaculture design begins with the vision that the owner or owners have for the property. We will end up with quite different designs for the same piece of property should one owner have the vision of creating a pick-your-own fruit operation where another wants to create a healthy and safe environment for aging horses. Some elements will be the same – many others will be different.

Here are the sorts of questions we will ask an owner(s) when starting a permaculture design for their property:

1. What is your vision for the land over the next 5 years, 15 years, 30 years, 60 years, etc.
2. What do you expect or need from the land?
   • Beauty
   • Privacy
   • Food (how much of annual consumption?)
   • Some income?
   • A lot of income?
   • Community?
   • Family stability?
   • (List all others)
3. Will the focus be on buildings, plants, animals, agroforestry, education or something else?
4. Does the vision include the public?  In what ways?
5. What resources are available (labor, design talent, experience, equipment, money, etc.)
6. Is developing a piece of property really what you want to do with your time and money (your life energy)?  How does this fit into your life’s work?

The CSC Vision for the Property 

• Develop the overall biological health of the property to promote increasing abundance and sustainable utilization of the land;
   
• Continue to utilize the CSC property for educational and demonstration purposes in accordance with the CSC Vision, Mission and Goals;

• Vision: “We are engaged in the discovery and creation of all aspects of Sustainable Community, honoring and embracing the natural world and humanity. We nurture the harmony of all relationships with joy, excellence, and compassion.”

• Mission: “To provide educational experiences and demonstration projects that make ethical and wise uses of human and natural resources.” 
   
• Goal: “To develop and share models that improve the quality of life for the human family, while increasing the long-term sustainability and health of the planet we all live and depend upon.”

• Develop approaches and programs to make the property economically self-supporting and capable of generating income for the CSC and for individuals working upon the property;
   
• Support the experience of community on the property by providing opportunities for meaningful relationships among those who work with the land and among those who visit the property for recreation, education, and meditation;
   
• Make the property inviting to participants of our organization, to Stelle residents, and to community visitors.