Start with the ground beneath your feet

The best time to map your water flow is before the first heavy rain. Whether you are working with a narrow town plot or a few hectares in the mistbelt, the same principle holds: observe, then dig. The planning guide walks you through reading your slope, marking your zones, and choosing the first swale line so you do not waste a season on guesswork.

Read the zone-by-zone guide Free to read, no sign-up needed.

New to the journal? Start with the field notes on swale placement, then move to the greywater setup once your beds are holding moisture.

Field Notes and Recent Observations

A running record of what we have been testing, measuring, and reconsidering across homesteads in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. These posts track the slower work: planning sessions, first weeks of a new layout, and the adjustments that follow a proper review.

Planning

Notes From a Recent Planning Session

This page frames a concrete subject instead of using a generic heading. It explains what is being considered, why it matters in the site's context, and what detail a reader can expect next. The copy is intentionally plain and specific, so it reads like a real content item.

Field Work

A Practical Look at the First Week

This item focuses on practical use, tradeoffs, and decisions that a reader may recognize. It avoids broad promotional claims and keeps the topic tied to a clear situation. The description gives enough substance for a real page rather than a placeholder card.

Follow-up

What Changed After the Initial Review

This page gives the third item its own reason to exist. It covers a separate angle, includes concrete context, and avoids repeating the same promise in different words. The result should feel like a planned article, project, review, or offer.

Seasonal Notes, Sent When They Matter

A short field letter a few times a month, timed to the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal seasons. No noise, just what to plant, what to watch for, and which swale or compost task is due before the next rain front.

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