Orella Ranch, California

Location of Project: Gaviota, California (north of Santa Barbara)
Project Start Date: 2001
Expected Completion Date:

Project Concept:

Take an old 300 acre cattle ranch and design and operate an inspiring permaculture demonstration farm focused on keyline design.

Detailed Project Description:

Located just along the highway (101) north of Santa Barbara and a stones throw from the ocean, this awe-inspiring ranch has the potential to create tremendous positive social change. Our Mediterranean climate coupled with our dark rich soil make what we can grow almost endless. Of course water is the determining factor and that’s where keyline design comes in. The property has perfect topography for keyline work. We have hosted Darren Doherty's’s first keyline course in the U.S. We have not since been able to afford the plow and needed equipment but this may be the contact we were after.

We maintain a small community on the property (5 households) and run 4 businesses (custom wood working and on-site urban tree salvage/milling, dog kennel/boarding, horse boarding, and an event site (hosts of this year's International Natural Building Colloquium). We have a small nursery/green house where we nurture future food forest trees and wind block species. We also have 5 acres in market garden production. Cattle grazing of the land has been suspended for the last year and a half.

Project Duration & Schedule:

Short term - Continue learning, teaching and inspiring through contact with our local community. Complete event site build out and various loose ends at that site. Build up our nursery stock to accommodate large plantings. Secure needed infrastructure for rain water harvesting at zone 1 areas. Construct an semi-outdoor kitchen for use by WWOOFer’s and other temporary help.

Medium term - Invest in a small kiln to “value add” urban tree milling business. Purchase or partake in the purchasing of a keyline plow and retrofit our dozer to pull the plow. Continue planting various windrows and contour strip forests. Do earth works at various pond sites and environs. Keyline plow appropriate acreage. Begin our food forest plantings.

Long term - Build legal residences for employees that go above and beyond any sustainable architecture in the county to date. Have a fully economically sustainable farm dedicated to enhanced environmental synergy. Inspire thousands of passers-by each year. Continue to learn and grow, teach and inspire, research and share.

Project Needs:

• Keyline plow/tractor or retrofit
• Tree seedlings and or genetic stock
• Consultation/design
• Training in holistic resource management
• Funding (dam/pond construction etc.)
• Water harvesting supplies (tanks, water lines, etc)