Permaculture and Willows at Cypress

Planting Begins!

Next month Cypress Villages will begin planting trees, a crucial first step towards establishing a sustainable “food forest”--a method of agriculture that emulates natural woodland ecosystems, only with yields useful for humans. With the help of sustainable agriculture students, FFA and interns, 470 trees have already been purchased for this first planting. Trees include a variety of apples, cherries, pears, nuts, and more.

Special attention was placed on ordering native species, including some you may not have heard of like the PawPaw.

We will also be ordering many species of fruiting bushes and canes, ground covers and vines. All of these plants will grow together and have important and multi-functional roles, mutually benefiting each other (the way nature intended). And best of all is that most of them are food producing, providing us produce not available in grocery stores!

The Cypress Villages community is designed to reduce energy through unrivaled efficiency in building processes. At the same time, the agriculture component will renew natural surroundings and culture sustainable farm operations called permaculture, or permanent agriculture. In essence permaculture is “a design system for creating sustainable human environments”. It is about the relationship we create with plants, animals, buildings and infrastructure and how to make that the most efficient and healthy for all elements in the system.

The organic farm surrounding the clustered housing development will have genetically richer crops, deep, healthy topsoil, and support an abundance of wildlife that maintain balance of pests and weeds.

The opportunity to live in harmony with the environment, to graze freely on the abundant produce, is waiting at Cypress Villages.

Be apart of the change, call Cypress today.

Willow Playground

Cypress Villages will soon have yet another unique feature. With the help of master gardeners and 4H, a Living Willow Playground is underway.

Willow branches are beautiful and versatile. They can be bent and shaped into just about anything. Not only that, but live cuttings from willow shoots can be planted, woven and grown into living chairs, tunnels, even huts! This project will be the first of it's scale in Fairfield. Designs are being drawn, and soon a group of volunteers will lead the charge to Cypress Villages to construct a Living Willow Playground for families to enjoy.

Stop in for Art Walk to learn more about Cypress Villages, permaculture, and LEED. We will have presentations every 20min starting at 8:00pm. See you there!