Market garden

At the start, the site was completely empty with no fertile soil, without local recourses or compost at hand, we decided to make fertile compost ourselves. This made it necessary to create fertility from scratch using what was locally available.

We built our own composting system and add all sorts of biomass like food scraps, coffee grounds, wood chips, and manure from goats, sheep, and horses. To speed up soil improvement, we also transplanted some forest soil rich in organic life to kickstart the ecosystem in the beds. The first 100m2 of no-dig growing beds were formed by layering compost and organic matter directly on the ground, following a method that reduces soil disturbance and retain organic matter and moisture.

To diversify, we added a second plot specifically for growing potatoes. A manual drip irrigation system was installed to deliver water directly to plant roots, reducing waste and protecting against dry summer months. To keep goats and wild animals out, we built fencing around the garden, ensuring plants can grow without being eaten.

The result: we now eat vegetables and fruits we’ve grown ourselves, fully organic and full of flavour, with no external inputs. The garden not only feeds us but demonstrates practical ecological gardening to guests and visitors.

Future plans include expanding the garden to achieve near total self-sufficiency for our household, and scaling up enough to share fresh produce with guests staying in the apartments. We also aim to organize planting schedules and automate watering, to keep the system running efficiently through seasonal changes and peak demand periods.