Quadrant 3 is our garden expansion zone and infrastructure hub. With good afternoon sun and proximity to water and tool storage, Q3 is ideal for intensive vegetable production and composting systems.
Garden Beds
Q3 contains our most intensive vegetable production, organized in raised beds for optimal soil management and erosion control on our slope.
Bed Layout
- 12 raised beds — 4x8 feet each, 10 inches deep
- 3-foot pathways — Mulched with wood chips
- Orientation — North-south for even sun exposure
Soil Mix
Our raised bed soil is a blend of:
- 50% topsoil (native, screened)
- 30% compost (on-farm produced)
- 20% leaf mold (forest gathered)
This mix provides excellent drainage, water retention, and fertility without importing peat or coconut coir.
Succession Planting
Q3 beds follow intensive succession planting to maximize yield:
Spring (March-May)
- Peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes
- Transplants: broccoli, cabbage, kale
Summer (June-August)
- Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant
- Beans, cucumbers, summer squash
- Carrots, beets, onions
Fall (September-November)
- Second planting of greens
- Root crops for storage
- Garlic planting (October)
Winter (December-February)
- Cover crops or heavy mulch
- Planning and seed ordering
Compost Systems
Q3 houses our composting infrastructure, turning farm and kitchen waste into black gold.
Three-Bay System
- Bay 1: Active — Receiving fresh materials
- Bay 2: Cooking — Turning and heating
- Bay 3: Curing — Finished compost aging
Input Materials
- Kitchen scraps (no meat, no dairy)
- Garden waste (chopped)
- Chicken bedding (carbon-rich)
- Leaf mold from Q4 woodland
- Cardboard and paper (shredded)
Every output becomes an input. Kitchen scraps feed chickens. Chicken manure feeds the garden. Garden waste becomes compost. The farm is a closed loop where nothing leaves without purpose.
Animal Infrastructure
Q3 contains housing and management areas for farm animals:
Chicken Tractor
Movable chicken housing that allows birds to:
- Clear garden beds after harvest
- Deposit manure for fertility
- Eat pest insects and weed seeds
- Turn soil with scratching
Pig Areas
Rotational pig paddocks for land clearing:
- Pigs clear overgrown areas
- Root and till compacted soil
- Convert waste into protein
- Leave fertilized ground for planting
Livestock Guardian Dogs
Odin and Lada (Great Pyrenees, 8 months) have shelter in Q3 with visibility over animal areas.
Tool Storage & Work Area
A covered work area in Q3 provides:
- Tool storage (hand tools, hoses, supplies)
- Potting bench for seedling starts
- Washing station for harvest
- Shade for hot summer work
Having infrastructure close to the garden reduces friction and increases the likelihood that work actually gets done.
Water Systems
Q3 is the hub of our irrigation system:
- Rain barrels — 6x55 gallon barrels under roof catchment
- Drip irrigation — Timer-fed to all raised beds
- Hose bibs — Strategic placement for hand watering
- Swales — On-contour ditches to capture runoff