Family Transforms Tiny Suburban Backyard into Thriving Permaculture Gardens - Abdallah House Tour

[@katbond7972]

Your garden is inspirational. My wife and I were moving down a similar path to your family . We had an incredible food forest going and I loved nothing more than going out each morning and eating my breakfast directly from the trees. Then my wife came down with two critical illnesses and I was diagnosed with a heart and lung problem. Consequently due to numerous doctor and hospital visits in Rocky and Brisbane our sustainable garden living lifestyle finished almost overnight. All I was able to do was to water the fruit trees as a maintenance effort, everything else dried up. We had not thought about planning for the eventuality of not being well enough to keep up with the level of work that we were used to. Another permaculture family we know of had a similar occurrence. Their yard was far more fruitful than ours but severe sickness hit them, so much so that they had relocate to Brisbane. They had major problems selling their house and yard because to the non permaculturist it wasn't the "Better Homes and Gardens'" type of yard. My wife and I loved it as you would have done. So while you have your health and are living your dream take time to plan for when your children leave home and you come to that age where you are either ill or simply do not have the energy you need to maintain your permaculture yard. It will happen, but please don't be blindsided like we were. Again watching your video brings back lovely memories. One suggestion though, have you thought about edible weeds? Sine we weren't able to keep water up to our yard the weeds took over. I did a bit of research and found that our yard was producing a very large crop of edible weeds each season, with no planting, watering or care from me. Some of then grew happily in full sun in 40 degree heat waves and continued to produce greens for us. Enjoy your life. Cheers Royce.

[@my_permaculture]

Permaculture Tours!? Are you serious? This is so inspiring. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@johnkidwell370]

It is very nice to see some well established urban-homesteaders living so lightly and abundantly. Well done.

[@diannej2406]

What a beautiful place! Their use of the semi-submerged cold cellar/water storage tied to the cool pantry is genius! Thanks for sharing this tour.

[@BamBamMaori]

It's amazing how resourceful people are. His knowledge about permaculture is really cool and so much going on in such a small area, mini food forest, it's great like this video, thanks for posting

[@thechaosgardener]

Beautiful! I’ve been converting my backyard into a permaculture food forest over the last year. It’s amazing how much joy and happiness it brings me. Thanks for the ideas. I’ll apply them on my backyard and videos ❤️

[@gardenextra7415]

Growing a dream one day at a time. I am 5 years in and still learning every day. The joy that comes from the experience I'm unable to explain today and words.

[@betty8173]

So glad to see how folks are living, simply, sustainably, thank you : )

[@anilkapur1584]

It is heartening that more and more people are realising that wholesome living near nature and according to the Law of Nature, is the way forward. This reminds me of the book 'Back To Land For Self Preservation', written by the legendary nutritionist and researcher Dr Norman W Walker. Permaculture Tours is indeed a worthy venture, thank you for the episode and series!

[@BEAdventurePartners]

What a wonderful permaculture design! We love how everything flowed from one place to the next along with the thoughtful use of earth heating and cooling to transfer cooler air from the ground cellar to the upright cellar in the house. - Brian + Erin

[@katharinestewart3983]

My garden sits along a small tidal harbor in Maine. Permaculture makes so much sense to me. Over the past two years, I have incorporated many of the principles described in your videos, using natural, local materials like seaweed, grass clippings, leaves and plant remains to compost each planting bed. Water is collected in barrels from roof runoff and distributed to areas of the garden through soaking hoses or hand watering.

[@chopsnz88]

What an excellent permacilture design for VIC Aus. Passive solar house, abundant garden and a beautiful family!

[@sarahhowell3725]

I love that he just decide to plant near the creek ! I’ve often thought of this

[@TheNightwalker247]

im gonna watch every single video of yours. Such great visuals and great to have the owner explain it. In many videos the filmer just ask questions all the time but here it all seems to be tied together with no questions needed. Thank you for sharing this great video.

[@debbiedavis715]

Amazing It gives me heart to keep trying 😊

[@TruckTaxiMoveIt]

I particularly like that part about the house facing in a specific Direction allowing for the Sun to heat The slap during particular parts of the year and using grape Vines outside as shading during warmer months. Also noticed their thermal water heater on top of the house directly over that room

[@janetbransdon3742]

This would have to be one of the most inspiring videos I've ever watched. Thank you.

[@chaya9205]

Down-sizing from 200 acres to 1/2 acre. Videos like this are re-assuring. I WILL STILL HAVE MY FARM--just smaller scale, and much more efficient in every way! Very heartening. Well Done!

[@jenniferbrown7659]

My goodness. You have solved all human problems. You are a natural genius.

[@thegardengazer]

Hi, I am in California and we share the same mediterranean climate. Your stories are amazing and inspiring. Thanks for sharing!

[@megulman]

Love this film! So exciting to see how much can be done on a small scale. I love that the permaculture principles and ethics are not prescriptive, but there to be interpreted and envisioned by anyone, whether they have access to a large scale property or a small one, like Richard and his family. Another wonderful film, Jordan and Antoinette! x

[@MessinInTheMoss]

I would love to see a video or a few about renters using permaculture to grow food in pots because they do not have garden space provided by landlords.

[@pussiriffic]

MessinInTheMoss there is a segment on that on this channel.

[@Kiyarose3999]

MessinInTheMoss Same here as I’m in that situation where I live in a 1 bed Council Flat with only a communal washing line area that is tarmac. So I’ve been growing Veg in pots along one side of the communal area against the wall that surrounds the area. I want to experiment by attempting to grow a mini Forest Garden in pots using Dwarf Fruits Trees and shrubs, Wild Strawberries etc, also a few Annual plants such as Runner Beans that I have been Training to grow up Sunflowers stems, I hope to grow perrenial Verticle food plants up the Dwarf Trees etc.

[@chaya9205]

Go to Amazon for FELT GROW BAGS. all sizes. I grew an entire garden in reusable grocery bags 12 years ago, just to test the theory. Great success(put drain holes in grocery bags). Have only heard good things about the felt bags. Excellent investment and they are selling out fast. No drain holes necessary. Handles to move your plants if necessary.

[@Kiyarose3999]

Chaleen Duggan They sound good, but what is the ‘felt’ made from?

[@chaya9205]

@@Kiyarose3999 Two words: Due Diligence. I don't manufacture them, but I imagine they would be easy enough to make using microfleece- THAT fibre takes years to break down (likely due to the recycled plastic content). We cannot live toxin-free lives. It's all about what one is willing to tolerate.

[@JonesLeFae]

This is amazing! I have always dreamed of living this way, but I just got stuck in the game of trying to make money and raising kids as a single mom in the suburbs. I'm still going to make it happen someday, but I missed out on raising my kids this way. With any luck, I will be able to share this way of life with my grandchildren in the future. What a beautiful way of life!

[@craftykez]

I'm in a similar situation. Single Mum kids are all but grown now. I've been doing a little at a time. 1 plant here and there. It's certainly not a food forest and very modest at best but even 1 tomato plant is a step in the right direction.

[@MsWatchdog]

Wow! when you look at this first sight you think what a mess... but then when you hear him speaking and see exactly what he has done and why... this is pure genius! Love it!

[@adamcarroll1975]

I own 1 acre that I’m not utilizing AT ALL... This inspires me to put it to use and take better care of it. 👍🏻❤️😁

[@sunlight8299]

How's it going?

[@sunlight8299]

I recommend hugel beds and creating a food forest garden

[@issacprashant294]

All the best , Adam... Have u started..???

[@honeybadger8942]

And here l am raking my mind on how to get 1 acre of land for growing fruit and vegetables.

[@nusrambwadzawo8161]

@@issacprashant294 I need to help you. Call me please on 07507571022

[@miketaiwanwalkcity6355]

AMAZING!!! Even oriented the house to the sun to warm the floor. The chicken's roleS. The cellar, the air flow, WOW so many things to learn!

[@sinntax1647]

Using deciduous trees like that blew my mind! I love it!!

[@gordonbooth8848]

Love and permaculture is the only sane and satisfactory answer to the problem of human existence....

[@jameslea18]

I can't get enough of your videos! Keep them coming!

[@ulteriorwonderer3483]

This is my wish... May all your dreams come true. Everyone in the comment section who is wishing for this kind of life, I pray for you. May you get there and may you live a life o goodness and lots of fun with your family... Stay blessed people.

[@protoearth]

I’ve never seen the vine approach to the sunward windows.. this is a perfect natural solution wow 🤩

[@fionaludbrook8193]

Love the quality of the work of Happen Films. Wish SBS or the ABC would run a collection of your short films when Gardening Australia goes into recess!

[@fionaludbrook8193]

So lovely to show Richard Telford's own site. He is a legend amongst permies! I want a cellar like his!

[@mvandell]

Good people making great films! From heart to heart

[@EGee-tc1si]

1/7th of an acre is almost 580 sqm. So very efficient and productive. Thank you for great ideas here

[@JM-oo3rb]

Love the cellar, water tank and cool cupboard idea. Never seen that before.

[@treehousepermaculture3310]

Very impressed! People would be amazed by how much food you can grow just in your yard. We produce so much citrus on just an acre along with all of our veggie needs. Thanks for sharing this beautiful space!

[@jamesevanperez536]

Wow! Thank you for creating this film. He is a visionary! I’m inspired on how he materialize his thoughts.

[@margaretcumingdavies497]

Really inspiring. Thanks. Keep up this series. I believe that so many people now want to work, with, the land, in harmony.

[@deannalovern]

so happy to have a channel like yours to learn from! would love to hear about the development that happens after the initial permaculture design is put forth. i see so much intricacy, im interested to hear how much of that growth comes after the initial idea!

[@josephnunez1166]

watched this for the garden but that house is really smart! it's great to see people put every little thing to good use, a reminder that we can always work a little harder to reach sustainable living practices

[@logekarl8584]

Wonderful information...thank you

[@luzgiraldo2468]

Very interesting. We probably will learn more of permaculture by these examples. Thanks for sharing.

[@meldacano1525]

Omgosh. Enjoyed the video. I have a large backyard. I compost harvest water, I have 6 Citrus Trees, but wanted to start a vegetable garden. You're such an inspiration. Thank you.

[@jenniferfullergreen490]

I'm in a city in England, so I did have a chuckle at 'small garden' Well done, it looks lovely, such great ideas with the cellar thing

[@StephBer1]

This guy has so many more ideas than I've seen before. The cool cellar to cool pantry is ingenious as one of the biggest problems is Australia is food spoiling due to heat, as all Aussies know.

[@gabrielleheard6366]

What an amazing place, everything you need in life, so connected!

[@passionfruit2819]

what an amazing lifestyle, this is so inspiring! Thanks a lot for this interesting video.

[@hortpodgreenhousekits1089]

We love your films. Thanks

[@Goggsy08]

Fantastic episode guys. People are going to learn so much from this amazing content you're putting out

[@jeff6899]

Many Thanks again for your video work from the USA...

[@andrewpinto1778]

Loved the clip.. God Bless you all & May others be inspired & get started, on their own ideas of using & enjoy their land.

[@riverunner9978]

I’m putting in peastone pathways to make a way to the other areas of 21/2 acres to plant more fruits and veggies!

[@nicholausjamesjay83]

He made the house into an earthship. Beautiful!

[@MrsMika]

Oh this was a very great video! I look forward to the next in the series. Thank you for posting something so uplifting. :)

[@LoganberryForest]

Fantastic to see this video after reading about this property in Retrosuburbia.

[@Permacultureprinciples]

You can see the RetroSuburbia case study of Abdallah House here: www.retrosuburbia.com/case-studies/abdallah-house-case-study/

[@nzbslwellington2814]

I love how frugal and resourceful these folks are. some great ideas here without the narrow minded ideology you sometimes get.

[@rickschuman2926]

This is very nice. I live in a place where very little of this can be applied but I used to do square foot gardening. Where I am, most of the "permaculture" is basically an announcement that they smoke dope there so come on by and bet high. The Abdallah House is an example of a high functioning and successful project/life style.

[@Acquamarina1010]

Congratulations..you live in a paradise....Greetings from Buenos Aires

[@outlaw565]

Well done! thank you for making this video.i hope you make more.

[@donnarae8602]

Thanks. I am looking at buying a home and was feeling depressed by how small a section I can afford. This really showed me how much you can achieve in a smaller space.

[@TheNightwalker247]

In australia you definitly have to check out zaytuna developed by the Geoff Lawton. He worked really closely with bill mollison and does amazing work. and excerpt from his site:Zaytuna Farm is situated on a sixty-six acre (27 hectares) property that fronts Terania Creek opposite the village of The Channon, Northern NSW. The property contains 800m of creek frontage, numerous swimming holes and abundant wildlife. The landscape is diverse, covering high frost-free hilltops, ridges and valleys with both cleared paddocks and forested areas.

[@laraayoubi4970]

Love Geoff Lawton permaculture style

[@myfrugalraggylife7104]

Almost all of the 'grow huge amounts of food in a small space' videos I see are set in Australia. I don't think you can go wrong with that climate ! You should try it in the UK where the weather changes dramatically from day to day, one day it can be sunny, next it can be snowing, next is frosty and foggy !! Not easy to grow anything. Thats why more and more growers and farmers are using plastic, i.e. huge polytunnels, it's the only way to get success.

[@victorklsoo]

This is the best! So generous!!!!!

[@Mikdeelow]

very well organized (US here). tyvm!

[@alishagoodfelow5752]

I love the humanure and the rocket oven xxx excellent recycling

[@Shawntheconstructionguy-xe2tv]

loved it! and part 2 that i watched before part 1 :)

[@Rocketmandesigns]

This is great... loved it! As a rocket stove designer, was impressed to see the rocket oven! Lots of great ideas, I really like the cool air flow from the cellar to the pantry. Thanks for putting this out and looking forward to seeing more.

[@brainzend]

Thank you so much again and again, over and over.

[@brentshuffler1234]

Well done! Eager to learn more about the details of [1] your composting, [2] human manure, and [3] the brilliant use of the irrigation-system (in the final 2 minutes of the video). You have converted wasted land into production and showed how even small spaces can be very useful. Also would like to see more about how the ingenious food-storage system is made and how exactly it works, et cetera. Many enough material for a separate video on each of these topics. [smile]

[@jbrogardening7679]

Thanks for the tour. That's an amazing transformation of the place!

[@deborahzahler913]

The way of the New Earth 🌏. Inspiring the Possibilities 🌈

[@JoshStobart]

Hey guys, great stuff! We visited the Guytons in Riverton after seeing your film and are soon starting our own project. One to check out in NZ is Permadynamics, near Matapouri. They have combined permaculture and biodynamics into their massive property and are demeter certified. It is a very inspiring place to be. Another place in NZ is 'Te Paranui' between Picton and Blenheim. The project is very young but has a lot of promising ideas. It has been a year since we were there and Danny, the guy in charge of the design, was just finishing the design and implementing the first steps so maybe it can wait a little longer for them to have something more to show. Anyways, keep it up and spread the good word!

[@happenfilms]

Hi Josh - thanks for the fantastic tips! Sound right up our alley - we'll look them up :-)

[@danielcullum8996]

Great video u have a beautiful house and land very well done so many great ideas

[@bcwish]

I read about Abdallah house a while ago (can't remember where though). Fantastic to see a video about it. Very inspiring, thank you.

[@thetahappy9328]

I'm so loving this. I've started to watch your videos few weeks ago and i'm loving how you potrayed their stories. I'm planning my own permaculture house so this is so helpful. I'm supporting this project. Will look at ur patreon :)

[@AussiePharmer]

Great story of sustainability. Well done to the owners and to the film makers. Thank you! Can you please do a piece on commercially available compost toilets? Where the users don't have to manually turn the humanure? Many local authorities and home owners would be more open to composting toilets if there was less handling and where they provide more standardised disposal procedures.

[@praague]

Yes, there has got to be a way.

[@Susanna79.]

Wow that’s what I call efficient! Magnificent

[@greenhillsparadise]

This was a fabulous video. So inspiring. Thankyou!!!

[@theholygrail1049]

this is best video yet super inspired by this!!!

[@billastell3753]

Well thought out Richard. It is amazing how much can be done in a small area.

[@LisaGray1000]

Loved all the happen films

[@paintingtracey]

Great film. You guys rock!

[@reginecabrera8473]

Every I got internet, I always watching this amazing Life.

[@Andromeda2976]

Thankyou so much for sharing this, what a lot of work should have been this to build and maintain as a lifestyle. My goal is to live like this as well!

[@artikular7317]

when you work on your goal every day, you sure will! Cheers

[@greencloud2225]

Tēnā koutou Thanks for uploading this - very inspirational.

[@SailingLuckyfish]

Your channel is a great contribution to helping the world. Had the pleasure of doing a PDC under Bill at Tinaroo in the early 90's which gave us the tools we needed to turn a 2 acre disused pineapple farm into a food forest. Truly rewarding experience and now preparing to do it all over again perhaps in Oz or NZ. Looking forward to following your channel.

[@MrVirkMedia]

love the family and way of living, thanks for sharing. love happen films too

[@Blahisadam]

That was rad! I feel like I saw these guys in a Pip magazine article. Love their setup and love this video! Excited for the next instalment.

[@hilarygrebowicz4787]

Thank you for this beautiful work. Please give contact info in every pod cast that helps people connect with books and people doing this important work. It is so great to see people creating living systems that work well balancing our life with Mother nature

[@secretshaman189]

Great little video, thank-you so much for sharing.

[@kelli3610]

LOVE the oven and cellar/ water storage

[@zaradimple3980]

This is not an easy life but fulfilling healthy and natural. I so wish them peaceful Living. This is truly LIVING and we give thanks to GOD for His provision. The effort expended is served to keep them healthy. Hard work gives sweet sleep and satisfaction of knowing you have earned all you have achieved. Well done

[@amyw4216]

One of the best videos ever, imho

[@anjawilliams3695]

Inspirational video, have signed up with patreon to give my support

[@happenfilms]

Thank you Anja! Lovely to have you amongst our Patreon supporters :-)

[@vancamerawoman7399]

So much inspiration. Thanks so much for finding and sharing these great stories in such a beautiful way.

[@bombasticborneo]

Awesome design. TQ for sharing 🙏🏿🙏🏿

[@EducatingAbroad]

Such an abundant life and space! Can anyone recommend a channel that features permaculture in Southeast Asia or similarly tropical climate?

[@miasicilia]

Beautiful inspiring family! Thank you 🙏🏼

[@RichardSHartland]

Groovy video guys!