Sustainable Living at Moss Mountain Farm

A major factor in the design and construction of the home was the incorporation of green technology, such as collection of the rainwater to an underground tank for irrigation of the gardens, insulated concrete form foundation walls, soy-based foam wall insulation, and solar energy collection system concealed beneath the metal standing-seam roof.

The site was also designed to be shared with the public as an educational tool so average homeowners can take away these ideas and incorporate them into their own lifestyles.

I found inspiration in what HRH Prince Charles had done at Highgrove and applauded his approach to making the entire Duchy of Cornwall’s farming practices entirely organic. In my own modest way, I hoped to create a similar place demonstrating similar principles that would influence others to think about their immediate environments in a different way. Whether it be a window box, back yard, community garden, or our planet at large. Charles has always been steadfast in his resolve to uphold and commit to earth-friendly practices and for that I deeply admire him. Moss Mountain was no Highgrove, but it was a place I could express my passion for demonstrating a better way to live.

The ‘food’ garden I wanted to create at Moss Mountain was a departure from the vegetable gardens of my childhood, as I wanted it to be multifaceted and play ornamental, ecological and functional roles. It would be beautiful, productive and earth-friendly.

The garden is meant to be a teachable moment to all who visit and it is a constant reminder to me that diversity rules supreme. It’s such an important concept that applies to so many aspects of life. 

I share with you these teachable moments on my blog as well. 

A farm wouldn’t be a farm without its cast of barnyard characters and we certainly have ours.

At Moss Mountain we use organic methods as much as we can to care for the animals. Simple solutions help such as allowing them to eat the evergreen limbs of eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) and pumpkins as natural worming agents. All free-ranged on pasture grasses that’s genome  has been at Moss Mountain since it’s beginning provide a variety of nutrients. Apple cider vinegar in the water of poultry in the cool season helps bolster their vigor.

Honeybees and other pollinators are indicators of the health of an ecosystem. They are the environmental equivalent to the proverbial ‘canary in the coal mine.’ We have worked over the years to create both habitat and food sources for a diverse range of insects. Our beekeeper and neighbor, Ted Jundkin, tells the story of how he once attempted to keep hives on the farm in the 1980s, but with little success. He said that “there just wasn’t enough food for the bees” in the way of nectar and pollen-producing plants. 

From the start, it was clear that enriching the ecosystem through enhancing habitat and bolstering food sources, brought more diversity of birdlife to the farm, and in relatively short order. First came the hummingbirds, attracted to the wide range of nectar-producing flowers. Soon to follow where the Eastern Bluebirds, their population grew, as you might imagine, as we began adding more nesting boxes along the fence lines and farm lanes. Today we commonly see Goldfinches, Summer Tanagers, Indigo Buntings, Flickers, Black Cap Chickadees and the list goes on …all species rarely seen before we began our decade of improvements.

P. Allen Smith and Lew Oliver are passionate about improving the lives of others and the environment through thoughtful and stylish design, authenticity, and sustainable practices. These hallmarks of their work differentiate them with fresh and creative ideas for the built environment. 

“Each of us has a responsibility to be better stewards of the planet. Today, we must not only conserve what we have but reverse the damage done to the environment. Good design is part of the solution.” 

— P. Allen Smith

Our Latest Project:

Twin Gatehouse Cottages Designed By Lew Oliver at Moss Mountain Farm

We broke ground at Moss Mountain Farm and began building the Twin Sister Gatehouse Cottages, designed by Lew Oliver. Lew Oliver carefully designed them spaced 30 feet apart, they are deliberately skinny and tall, to be used in a set representing sentinels. The front is a piece deliberately large for the size of the building to impart a powerful scale. Small spaces are transformed by high ceilings that will contain rooms designed for contemporary living.

We chose to build with Extreme Panel Technologies (EPT) panels. Building with EPT panels is not only a superior way of building for contractors and investors, the building method is also more earth-friendly and energy-efficient than traditional stick-built. Extreme Panel Technologies is working hard to make homes healthier for families and reduce the negative impact of construction on our communities. Imagine building a house “in the dry” with two men in less than 5 days — now that’s smart work!

“Building with SIPs is not only a superior way of building for contractors and investors, the building method is also more earth-friendly and energy-efficient than traditional stick-built.” — P. Allen Smith

The idea behind the Gardens of Somerset is to take some of the programmatic approaches at Moss Mountain Farm and apply them to a new idea – a multigenerational community. 

Our goal is to take the traditional senior living facility and combine it with the fabric of the community. It’s also a place where people can connect with nature and a place where food is important.

By engaging the local community, nature, the garden and developing sensory enhancing environments, we can vastly improve the quality of life and health of our community members.