SOUTHWEST SELF-RELIANCE
The 5 Zone Method
Finding Inspiration in Everywhere you turn.
Rarely will a homestead be designed to be in a circular pattern that continually goes outward in a circular target shape. You could have a zone 5 creek going right through the middle of zone 1. Sunlight may dictate where you can put your garden. The zones just give us a jumping off point to start designing our land to best utilize the space we have.
These zones are designed to work together. For example your zone 2 chickens may forage for bugs and weeds in zone 3 which they turn into fertilizer that is used in zone 1 for the salad garden. Then the old salad greens are placed in the compost used to feed the chickens. Another example is the pruning from the fruit orchard is used for fuel to heat and cook in the house. And then the ash is returned to the orchard. How many connections can we make.
The Zones
Zone Zero
Your home inside and out.
Zone One
THE DOMESTIC ZONE
Right outside your back door: If you want to access it multiple times a day have it in the closest location to your house. Cooking herbs garden, Some of the veggies that you eat everyday like your salad veggies. If it needs daily attention, it goes here.
Example: Clothes line, green house, workshop, salad garden, worm bin, kitchen herbs, small poultry
Zone 2
THE HOME ORCHARD
Still quite close to the house, just a little farther from the back door. Things you access once a day. This area is higher maintenance; Your chickens can be on the edge of zone 1 or in zone 2. Your animal barn your don’t want next to your house but you want it close enough to access the animals easily if necessary.
Example: barns, fruit trees, animal housing, wood pile animal housing, nut trees and berries, chickens, rabbits, composting,
Zone 3
The Farm Zone
This zone is outside 2. It is visited less frequently with more extensive methods of cultivation. This is where you grow your cash crops of veggies or fruits, firewoods, pastures, ponds, larger animals like cows, sheep, goats, or pigs.
Zone 4
Forage Zone
This zone has minimal care. It is used for hunting, foraging, gathering firewood, mushrooms, wild craft herbs. You can also selectively graze to protect from wildfire in this zone.
Zone 5
Wilderness.
This place you want to leave alone. It is a place of peaceful observation to learn how nature works. Leave this area to wild nature and the only thing you take from here is knowledge.