Outline of The Podoli Land trust

Privately owned by Jensen's, administrated by Permalot, accredited by CSOP

Photos of the property here

2 Hectare Arable land, North of Podoli:

Rented to neighbouring organic farmer Petr Vanek for 10 years. The main focus of the field is to grow bio-dynamic vegetables. The field has a line of 10 mixed old variety apple trees planted on the Northern border. During this first season (2008) the field has been ploughed tilled and a cover-crop of white clover has been planted. 

¼ Hectare Orchard :

This small piece of land at the Western edge of the village is basically held in reserve for someone to use it for intensive vegetable gardening. The allotment is flanked by 2 small creeks and South faced, with tall poplars to the North. 8 different fruit trees have been planted, and the area is certified as extensive orchard.

Zone 1 

Our garden and house is situated at the bottom of a Northen faced slope leading to the 5 hectares described below. The garden features about 20 old fruit and nut trees, shading for wind but also sun. As we settled here in 2004, we made a series of 8 raised gardenbeds for vegetables and perineals, formed as swales down the hill, following the Hazelip’s appraoach of synergistic gardening.

During September 2009 and 2010 a large shelter was be made of large straw bales for a forest kindergarten on the furthest corner of the garden, adjacent to the sheep paddock, fireplace, and composting area. A wowen willow fence borders this area with the pasture which may become a large pond once funds are found for the work.

Once completed our garden area will include 3 ponds as well as a primary reed growing area as part of a water catchment and reedbed cleaning system.

Zone 1,5!:

This borderline zone consists of our public parking and manipulation area situated on 2 terraces dug into the slope on top of our garden. The surface is consists of hemp straw mulch, which also seconds as a slug deterrent. The garden is fenced off with a fence made of vertical and horizontal willow sticks, all supported by growing willows. The manipulation area is permanently shielded from onlookers by 10 m3 firewood and is the parking area for attachments to our small tractor and our mobile cider press trailer, along with various storage of sand, lumber, straw etc.

This area is also where a shed for animals, machinery and hay is under construction.

Zone 2:

This area is certified as extensive orchard. It starts with a small triangular horse pasture on top of the slope, bordered by 4 rows of about 100 old variety fruit and nut trees planted so they parallel the Western slope of the hill. 2 of the rows were planted on small swales, and eventually a series of key-line water holes will connect the run-off from the top of the hill to the bottom, allowing for intentional drainage, water catchments, micro-biotope. Between the first 2 rows is a deer-proofed area (1,8m metal fencing) for intensive growing of large-scale crop; ¼ is currently planted with strawberry and onion, the other area will have vegetables and herbs. The fences will function as trellis for tomatoes and peas in the years to come.

The areas further downhill are sectioned into 3 different large pastures for sheep, surrounded by 1.2 m. fencing. At the bottom of the hill is the creek, which drains the whole watershed. The bottom area is also where we have our Willow cant, and a smaller pasture, which we hope to develop into a lake.

The sheep are summer guests and owned by organic farmer Petr David, who also manage our large old orchard in Bouzov Svojanov. 

Zone 3

Beyond the sheep pastures the hill gets steeper (functions as the village sleighing hill during snow) and will be electrically fenced off  (Solar powered) for horse/pony during 2011. We made a couple of  swales on the hill during 2009. Right beyond the ridge of the hill is a tree line of pears, apples, plums and cherries continuing from our house, creating a public path to our zone 4 properties and the Bouzov village/castle. (The castle is visited by 100.000 tourists a year.).

The top corner of this property could contain a lake fed by the natural drainage from the adjacent grassy fields and our zone 4 properties.

Zone 4

Upper orchard camp;

Beyond the horizon of our homestead is three of our properties, all planted with a total of 120 old variety fruit and nut trees. The piece closest to the narrow road is intended to house an un-staffed primitive caravan camp, with BBQ and water as only facilities, beyond the road and parking areas made with hemp straw mulch.. Part of this orchard may become horse pasture for a local horse stable with focus on touristic horse riding.

The adjacent second extensive orchard was managed by organic farmer Karel Stastny, with primary focus on production of hempseeds and other oil plants. We are now looking for someone else to intercrop the orchard with various large scale crops, such as grains.

Lastly a narrow 200 meter property intercept the neighboring large grass fields with a tree line, which will be inter-planted with various bushes, creating a wildlife corridor and inviting to be a public path connecting and continuing the path in Zone 3 and the ‘lost’ path which intercepts the to previous mentioned properties.

Zone 5

….The adjacent forests are not our property, and hence not part of the Land Trust. The wild animals forage on our Zone 3 and 4 properties.