PaulssonPaleo: March 2016

Building work has started on extending and refurbishing our garage building. This is a really exciting project for us as it will allow guests to come and stay in the comfort of their own private space, and is the beginning of our little retreat in the middle of the forest.

Reinforcing the 'farmyard' and maintaining a connection to nature

The decision to extend the garage was born from the idea of improving our entrance courtyard, or farmyard. The longer building will help provide more shelter and protection from the south-westerly winds and driving rain. It will reinforce the idea of the farmyard being the central hub of activity, when we have guests this is where we will meet, chat, have fika (coffee), work out, and eat. Its orientation lends itself well to being a meeting place, south facing with views out to the forest in almost every direction.

Construction due for completion in June 2016

The building will retain some garage space and storage for firewood. The extension, an extrusion of the existing form, will contain a self-contained flat at ground floor and a large flexible studio space within the roof space. This will have long views across the forest and allow us to entertain a variety of events. The existing garage roof space will contain three guest bedrooms, bathrooms and a small kitchen. All of the spaces will have a fantastic aspect and maintain a connection to nature.

We hope that people will come and stay with us and be part of our ever evolving journey. Watch this space for more updates on the build and when we officially open as a retreat. We hope to see you here very soon.

So... our second growing season is fast approaching and I am just as excited as last year about growing our own vegetables. There's no better feeling than getting dirt under your nails and watching things grow in your own garden. Having one year under our belts means that we have learned a little bit about our land and our growing conditions, so hopefully we will have a slightly bit better yield and will be able to be self-sufficient for a longer period of time.

Garlic, shallots and strawberries got their own beds this year

Instead of rushing into things, I decided to follow our good friend Tina's growing schedule (check out her farm and courses at Genevad Nygård). That means, the peppers and chillies were planted in January and the tomatoes have just been seeded and hopefully won't get so darn lanky this year!

Peppers and chillies taking over the office

I am also experimenting with a hot bed for growing vegetables. I have access to fresh manure from our sheep and chickens, so why not attempt this way of growing? Hmm. So far, it is not going amazingly well. The manure is supposed to heat up and allow me to grow things earlier in the season, but so far, I haven't seen much progress on the heating front... we shall see and I will continue experimenting.