Project Introduction

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We intend to embrace the ethos of “Small is Beautiful”- E.F Schumacher. We will focus on technology that is appropriate for regional scale. This will enable us to develop productive capacity that supports a high quality of life while responsibly managing our planet’s resources collectively by a local presence. Our primary long-term objectives are to steward the earth, advance resilience and create livelihoods. That said we need to start from where we are. There are numerous beneficial fascinating projects we can undertake along the way. The cooperative structure will enable collaborative meaningful directed action to undertake these projects. Sunnyside Artisans approach our activities holistically, recognizing that natural systems are based on relationships, and we are an integral part of nature. Our projects collectively form a holistic systems approach, creating synergies that enrich the environments we inhabit and, consequently, ourselves. Fundamentally, it’s about experimenting with and living within the limits that the Earth can provide. This requires a community to manage the multifaceted relationships arising from a holistic systems approach, mirroring nature-based interactions. There is no one silver bullet for the environmental problems we have created with the present systems we live by. A Sunnyside Artisans community must have a means of productive capacity to help sustain its members and maintain resilience. This is one core objective of the Construction Zone Fab Lab project. The Fab Lab provides the initial support for a variety of the Sunnyside Artisans activities. Much of the means to realize our objectives starts with fabrication activities.

Fostering resilience includes being good with one’s hands, experimenting, making and building and growing things. It’s not just the practical aspect of being able to design and build, but it is also a way to learn and understand in a real way that enhances other more familiar forms of learning. Learning by doing is much better than learning by reading, listening, watching. It sticks. This is also about developing a diverse skill set. We are going to dive into these projects with action but also with curiosity and a philosophy of being citizen scientists.

Our projects will mainly focus on the essentials of a fulfilling life. Projects may include Artisan products (textile, ceramics, glass, wood craft, etc), Artisan services, Shelter, Food, renewable energy, restoration, as well as other appropriate technologies. We want to focus on food, shelter and clothing mainly because these are areas that are very much adversely affecting our life support systems on this Earth. Also food security and food sovereignty relate to resilience.

See the list of projects. Some projects can be started right away with materials that are presently available. When you view projects see what interests you knowing that what your project produces can also be helpful to others. For example, if you are interested in growing mushrooms but would like eggs to eat, you can exchange your mushroom productivity for someone’s egg productivity.

The initial projects we are focusing on now are:

Appropriate Living Book Share Library

Construction Zone Fab Lab

Polyculture plant nursery (as part of many Agroecology projects)

Poultry Power project (as part of many Agroecology projects)

Organic material cycling and composting -

Other projects that would be beneficial to pursue (to be explained later per interest) are:

Growing mushrooms -

Johnson Su Bioreactor (as part of many Agroecology projects)

Rocket Heater/Kiln / BioChar production -

Bat Bird Bee Sanctuary -

CNC fabrication equipment -

Solar food drying -

Local Nomads Land Stewardship -

Run-of-river micro-hydropower -

Solar powered wood chipper -

Solar powered compost sorting, rock tumbling(pic) -

Solar powered band saw -

Soil moisture sensing -

Solar powered water pump systems-

Seed collection and prep -

Aquaponics and Duckponics -

Modular wicking bed gardening -

Natural fiber clothing -

Mobile outdoor shower with grey water use -

Dunbar communities by way of land trust -

You can see the general theme of the projects. If you are interested joining Sunnyside Artisans and getting started on any one of these project or any project in line the Sunnyside Artisan objectives we welcome your energy.