Hemp Farm & Passive Recreation Land Plan

In late spring of 2020, we came into contact with a hemp farmer and owner of a property located out at the southwest edge of the Rocky Mountains. With recent constraints placed on us and worldwide communities by the COVID-19 pandemic, we couldn’t help but find inspiration in communication with this client and other people across state and country boundaries. The ways in which we have used technology and social media to communicate across thousands of miles has lent to making our work with these distant clients a true collaboration. Not only can large pieces of site study information come to us via their first-hand site documentation and data collection, but this specific hemp farmer client is both a master Permaculturalist and already familiar with the agricultural practice and tools found within Huegulkulture. Our preliminary master plan design work and collaboration has delved into the following project design items and topics:

• Keyline plow technique: plow alignment is parallel to the grade to slow down and collect water sheet-flow. Keyline plow usage is currently proposed for hemp crop footprints found within the southern half of their property and may be further enhanced with a hemp Permaculture guild. The secondary crop footprint area may be developed as edibles/Permaculture guilds and utilize Huegulkultur row mound constructions as opposed to keyline plow. Both crop areas are to be aligned with existing site topography contour lines.

• Given the existing topography, usable/rootable crop footprint, current residence location, and existing access roads, we have employed a more wise and shrewd tact in our preliminary design development to keep, re-purpose and expand some existing site layout, both to cordon off new agriculture and recreation footprints and to better organize existing circulation into a more advantageous configuration for enhanced site accessibility. New circuit road alignments will provide access to an existing creek area, usable camping footprints, potential specialty crop footprints and create distinct zones for opposing and complimentary huegul/edibles and hemp guild crop rows.

• Distinctive crop configurations/geometries are not only utilized at agricultural footprints but are also employed at house entrance area to provide additional offset geometry extending into the entrance pavement, recreation program layout, courtyard plantings, parking/drop-off circulation, and other outdoor gathering/dining space footprints.

• Two new building footprints placed at current residence location employ a new/combined configuration for an enhanced sense of arrival/entrance/collection space for owner/patrons and provides needed greenhouse and utility/storage potential which may also offer added bath-shower facility for Airbnb guests.

• Airbnb: use of on-site trailer locations provides a flexible/adjustable enhancement for patron use and recreation potentials. Airbnb is a draw for hemp farm customers to patronize the business and purchase CBD/hemp products and is added income for a more sustainable business operation.

Content Copy: Kirk Bereuter Landscape Architecture, LLC. All rights reserved