I have been slowly turning my former lawn/landscaped back yard into plots for planting mixed vegetables. A lot of this area is super compacted clay with little to no life as it’s been underneath a weed mat.

I’m generally planning to do no-tilling, but for this initial start I have been digging down around 2 feet and mixing the native soil with mulch (smallish woodchips and sawdust from a tree I cut down) before I then add a top layer of mulch. I plan to add cow manure to the top in the early spring before planting next year.

My question is, is this going to help or should I just be applying the mulch topically and not digging down? Not sure how to break up the clay best and get the microbes back.

Hi all,

We’re looking for a like-minded co-creator for leading an eco-retreat and sustainable living space just outside Ayodhya, India—who’s passionate about:

• Permaculture
• Organic farming & composting
• Rainwater harvesting & natural building
• Simple, nature-connected living

This is not a commercial job post—it’s an invitation to co-create something meaningful.

🌿 The Vision:

Transform our Manglam farmhouse into sustainable retreat farmstay that supports:

• A community-led farm stay
• Earth-conscious tourism
• Slow living, clean food, and constant evolution

We’ve already begun planning. Now we’re looking for someone who’s tired of city life, and ready to invest their time, creativity, and energy into building and living this dream.
Think: farm-stay, mud homes, kitchen gardens, aquaponics, wild herbs, compost toilets, community gatherings.

🤝 Looking For:

• Someone with experience or strong interest in permaculture/sustainability
• Ideally can relocate
• Hands-on, self-motivated, and design-savvy (but open to learning)
• Can help manage and evolve the retreat with love & purpose

If this resonates with you—or someone you know—let’s connect.
We’re open to conversations and collaboration models (partnership, co-living, sweat equity, etc.).

📩 Drop a comment or DM me to chat.

Let’s build something timeless, together 🌾

Located in Hernando county, Fl. We tore down our old shed and had someone break up the slab. The shed was over 100 years old and had messages from the original owners. (It appears people used to live in it as well since there was plumbing to a shower. Where I live had a huge population of Czech/Slovak people in the early 1920’s and my wife’s family is from there. This was our attempt at reusing/repurposing a material and getting to honor her ancestors.

btw this took us longer than I care to admit and since each slab had a unique shape it was difficult lol but absolutely worth it