Motto. I see my work as a permaculture designer as an exchange relationship in the spirit of permaculture, fair and mutually beneficial. I gladly garden almost anytime, anywhere, not only with plants, but also with ideas. I have my own gardens and my own projects and that’s why
the time I can devote to other ideas and projects is limited. The first step to reach me is thru my onsite and online classes and workshops, affordable as cost and comprehensive in topics covered. Your need for permaculture design should follow as a natural consequence of understanding permaculture principles and form the natural desire to apply them to your life and to the context in which you live.
My vision is to create high-quality regenerative edible landscapes in Romania and elsewhere, to pass on the joy of working together with Nature, to inspire through what I do and to contribute to a living permaculture community!
My values are care for the people, care for the nature and fair redistribution of the surplus. I offer high value-added services, affordable and I act on the basis the gift economy whenever possible.
My services are permaculture design, planning and landscaping through which to I create abundant and regenerative edible landscapes. I design and co-create abundant individual households; I develop regenerative agriculture and permaculture farms; I create polycultures and abundant forest gardens; I manage water and fertility in natural ecosystems or cultivated. I offer permaculture classes and workshops, intensive organic gardening and forest gardens online
and on-site.
1. On-site consulting
If you have a location that you want to transform in the way of permaculture and you have a relatively clear idea what do you want to do with it, we can discuss on the spot and sketch together how to do it and what the future of this place would look like. A few times a year, during summer, whenever my schedule allows, I travel to locations anywhere in the country, at a cost of 350 lei per day plus gas. I come, I see, we talk, I sketch, I analyze all the factors in the location and we explore different possible scenarios for the site’s transition to a vibrant and regenerative permaculture landscape.
2. Online consulting
For those of you who are getting directly involved in the co-creation of your project, I think it is very useful for you to get directly involved in the design process as well. This will help you a lot to think the progress of the project and know what needs to be done for the rest of the implementation process. You have a lot to gain from understanding your project and how much it represents you.
That’s why I propose to discuss, online, punctually on your ideas and you project, via zoom or
skype. A few times a week I will have a few hours where I will apply all my experience and my knowledge to give energy and life to your permaculture, gardening, sustainable living or green economy project. I offer that we make this exchange through the gift economy, that is to say
make a donation for our advice and expertise, depending on how much it means to you
the information and energy received and what resources help you save; what amount do you feel it is appropriate; how do you want to support my work; what is possible for your pocket. The minimum recommended donation is 100 lei. Donations go towards the development of the
demonstrational site and permaculture school from Permacultura Vale. Send me a message or an email at radu.craciun@permacultura.ro to make an appointment.
3. Permaculture design with perennial vegetation, buildings and infrastructure
There are 3 stages in the permaculture design that I do: site analysis and the client’s needs and aspirations; conceptual design; technical design. For each of the 3 stages there is an initial version followed by a discussion of clarifications and, if applicable, request for changes and/or
additions to reach the final version of the stage. During the design process no major changes to the design theme will be made by the client. Any major theme changes are considered a new project that is billed separately and the term of delivery of the documentation to be elaborated will be delayed accordingly.
Site analysis
The first stage is the site analysis stage which determines the depth of the other 2 stages. In order to
understand the location, which I believe determines up to 70% of the final design, I come to
the location, anywhere in the country, at a cost of 350 lei per person, plus gas. I come, I see
I take pictures, take soil samples and start the analysis. The analysis stage includes beneficiary/beneficiaries needs and aspirations analysis, the climate analysis (temperatures, precipitation, wind) microclimate, topography and contour analysis, soil analysis, water sources,
vegetation, access, utilities, neighborhoods, experience and aesthetics, social and economic factors (if applicable), etc. In this phase the existence of a topographic survey and of a geotechnical study increases the quality of analysis and design. The result of this stage is a written analysis accompanied by graphic boards with the analyzed elements. The actual analysis part is 1100 lei. Site analysis takes about 2 weeks.
Conceptual design
The second stage, that of conceptual design, comes with a permaculture concept of the location. This includes visual and written proposals for landscaping and proposals for possible elements
planted, grown or built on land. These elements can be gardens, food-forests, annual gardens, flowering meadows, rain gardens, plant guilds with different functions, ponds, houses, other
constructions, infrastructure, solariums, semi-buried structures, etc. The result of this stage are
drawings (one general and several details for more complex elements) accompanied by a written description of the proposed elements. The design is based on the situation existing at the time of the analysis. For properties up to 2500 square meters the cost is 2300 lei. For properties with areas between 2500 square meters and 2 hectares the price is 3500 lei. For properties over 2 hectares, the price is 5800 lei. The part of conceptual design takes between 3 and 4 weeks.
Technical design
The third stage, designing solutions, actually means technical design with sketches and calculations for the items you choose to develop.
These include:
– the proposed vegetation with plant species, annual and perennial plant planting schemes,
quantities for each species;
– energy efficient natural constructions;
– technical solutions for capturing and managing water;
– methods of increasing soil fertility and its management;
– solutions for the introduction and sustainable management of animals;
– types of viable crops such as forest garden, market garden, guilds with different functions;
– production solutions, revenue sources and business models;
– the actual activities and their planning.
The result of this stage are sketches made in a design program and the related texts of the proposed solutions.
The technical design stage is optional. Depending on the complexity of the detailed item, the price can vary between 900 and 1200 lei/detailed design element, up to 4500 lei. The technical design stage
lasts between 3 and 5 weeks.
Implementation of the proposed design
To ensure the success and sustainability of the projects proposed by me, if requested, I offer:
– the planting and maintenance activities of the vegetation in the project. I do this, depending on the size and complexity of the project, either alone or together with a working team;
– the production and supply of plants, seeds, cuttings from my own permaculture nursery;
– purchases of plants, seeds, cuttings from certified sources;
– supervision of natural construction projects in the project;
– counseling both during the entire implementation and afterwards;
The implementation stage is a complex one and usually lasts 1-5 years. This is a hard physical work involving digging holes, planting trees, shrubs, other plants in difficult weather conditions and the transport of plants and materials on difficult terrains. The labor price for planting/ maintenance of vegetation is 450 lei/day for a single person and 400 lei/day/person for a team of 2-3 people, to which is added, for trips over 100 kilometers from Cluj, settlement of transport and accommodation. The price for only on-site supervision and advice on the implementation is 300 lei/day.
The Ecological Footprint of my Design: I am reducing the footprint of my permaculture design work on the planet to a minimum through simple regenerative solutions. I travel by car in the country to projects and for this, for every 100 kilometers traveled I plant a fruit tree or a wild tree. All deliverables are transmitted electronically only. I develop the permaculture community in Romania and follow a best practice guide for permaculture design.