Appropriate Technology

As a SolarPunk Architect, I am feeling out the lines of “appropriate technology.”

I have an aversion to large machinery — loud, consuming, detaching us from nature.

I also have an aversion to typical concrete — not great for our environment, and does not blend back into nature at the end of its life.

And so, for the foundation of our first Dome, we are using Earth Screws. Like normal screws — but bigger. They are easily reused or recycled. They secure the dome frame to the earth. We have had a bit of practice with these building our rainwater collection tank, as well as a “ninja gym” for my son.

At first, I was hoping I could just put the earth screws right into the soil and build up.

That might be okay for a glamping setup. But we are building a home that needs to last generations and hold up in every season of the Ozarks. I am also incorporating Earth Tubes into the design to help keep the dome cool in the summer. So, we must dig.

Getting Dirty

We started with simple hand tools — shovels, a rock-breaker, a pick-axe, and gloves.

The soil here is so rocky, this turns out to be quite exhausting with very little progress. So I stalled after we made a trench to mark the perimeter.

We really want to get things moving and have the dome up this year, so I loosened my convictions and started moving up the technology chain.

First, we tried Papa’s tractor with a tiller and bucket. It definitely moved things around faster than we could by hand, but it met its match after the top layer of soil.

So, I reluctantly rented a skid steer to get the job done (~$400 for a weekend). I must admit, that thing was fun to drive, and made very quick and clean work of digging out the dome’s footprint.

Was it loud? Did it use gasoline? Was it more disruptive to the ecosystem than doing it by hand? Did it go faster? Did it save our bodies from potential injuries? Yes to all.

But was it “appropriate tech?” Honestly, I still don’t know. I do know that the new Freddy’s (fast food hamburgers and ice cream) going in nearby used all sorts of big machinery and extractive tools and materials to get built in a matter of months. It is just going to poison and extort the people, promote the abuse of animals, and channel money to the wealthy. At least what we are building is going to contribute to the healing and regeneration of all life around us. Do the ends justify the means? If we move slower, is C@pItali$m going to win? These are the questions that keep me up at night. Maybe I will be graced with an answer some day.

Next Steps

I saved up and bought all the materials we need for the Earth Tubes. I went with 6-inch HDPE tubing and fittings. I was hoping to have the funds for base-rock and a compactor, but vehicle repairs have delayed us. So we have been siphoning the pit every time it rains, grinding on to the next paycheck and trusting God’s timing.

Masonry Heater Workshop

Ozark Mountain Jewel, a BioRegional Learning Center in the mid-eastern Ozarks, is hosting a workshop for masonry heaters, led by Jim Schalles from Tallgrass Hearth and Home. We have been to Ozark Mountain Jewel once before, to help build up the earthen exterior of their big strawbale building. It was a great time of learning, community, and nature connection.

This workshop looks like great timing. Once our foundation is set and our frame is up, we will be needing to build our heater and earthen floor before winter. So we are hoping to attend and get the experience and connections we need!

I don’t know where the finances will come from yet, but we are trusting God to provide if this is the right opportunity. If we can attend, we will be documenting and sharing what we can here on the blog.

If you would like to see our SolarPunk dreams come to life (OpenSource for all!), and want to contribute to our attendance and documentation of the heater workshop, you are welcome to subscribe here on substack, or contribute to our GoFundMe.

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Gratitude

Thank you to , our latest paid subscriber!

I am so thankful that our SolarPunk Experiments resonate with you enough to receive your support. Your contribution helped us pay off the NoFence Equipment for our goats and agroforestry experimentation.

In service to God and all of Creation!

Ever since my first “job” mowing the lawn of a local CarMart, I have disliked lawnmowers and weed-eaters. Their noise and the way they rattled my bones when I had to use them was so dissonant. My distaste for the machines only grew once I came to understand how much of a toll their production, maintenance, and fuel takes on both the pocketbook and the environment. And of course all the time we have to spend wielding them — just to keep nature “under control.”

If you’ve been following along, you know BioHarmony is a SolarPunk project. We are seeking a better balance between nature and technology.

I wanted to steward our land in a way more aligned with nature. So I got some goats.

Goats Loathe Fences

It turns out, goats are quite the escape artists, and really don’t take well to fences. Especially the “portable” fences I tried to set up in various places around our property.

After a few seasons of frustration, trying different fences and locations, our poor goats have been confined to a very boring pasture with an electric fence. And even with that, they occasionally find a weak spot and get out.

We are preparing a large garden for this year. And we really don’t want the goats getting into it and ruining our hard work. So I made one more attempt at figuring out how to manage these guys before I had to give up and sell them.

It looks like we have a winner!

NoFence Virtual Fencing

NoFence is an epic way to manage animals without physical fences. They have designed a system that allows you to create virtual fences from their app and move the animals from one “pasture” to another. It tracks their location, how many times they are warned about a boundary, how many times they are shocked, the collar’s battery status and cellular connectivity, and maybe more I haven’t found yet.

They even have this nifty feature that allows you to publish your pastures and animal data to the public, with a pre-designed poster and QR code that you can put up around your property for passersby or guests to learn more about virtual fencing. I would give you the link, but it only reveals our information if you are actually within 20km of our property (probably a smart security feature).

The collars have tiny solar panels on them to keep them charged up. After several days, we have not fallen below 90% charge on any of the collars. And I imagine the more they get to know their boundaries, the less they will drain the battery.

The app takes you and your animals through a training process. Our existing boring pasture was the perfect spot for training. It had a boundary that they already understood, with room to introduce the virtual boundary. The app suggested one to two weeks of training. But it seems our goats are quick learners, and it only took a few days for them to understand the tones and shocks before I could move them to fresh ground with lots of tasty forage.

If you happen to have cattle, sheep, or goats and would also like to try out this technology — let me know and I can get you a 5% referral discount for NoFence.

Shocking?!

Yes, I know it sounds scary, and perhaps even mean. But I have felt the shock from an electric fence myself, and these collars don’t have enough juice to do any serious damage. As seen in the video above, the collars emit a scaling sound pattern as they approach the boundary, giving the goats plenty of time to turn around now that they understand what the sound means. It only took a few interactions in the training pasture for them to know what to do. And now, they have access to a much healthier diet, logs to climb on, and space to explore. In the long run, this will bring more health and happiness than keeping them cooped up and breeding resentment with us when they escape and eat our garden.

Silvopasture Research

Now that we have the basics figured out, it opens up a huge range of possibilities on our property that I never could have attempted before with traditional fencing.

While simple “pastures” are pretty well tested at this point, I have not seen any information about how this tech fares in a forested environment. I want to know if virtual fencing is viable for applications in Silvopasture/Agro-forestry.

I attempted to put this up on experiment.com as a project that could be crowd-funded. It sounded like a cool platform for democratizing science. And it very well might be, but this project doesn’t quite fit their mold.

Silly memes aside, I understand their desire to keep their platform to more “pure” science experiments. This research is too open-ended with a lot of potential chaos and unknowns. Goats are a bit crazy, and our forest is very hilly and overgrown.

But I want to know how well this technology holds up to a forested environment. Will the collars wear faster, will they still get enough charge under the tree canopy, will the trees block their signal, will the goats still understand boundaries in a space with less clear visible boundaries?

Cost Analysis

The up-front investment for our minimal NoFence setup was similar to the price tag of a very nice riding lawnmower and weed-eater ($1,446). This included five collars (minimum order), a battery charger, and a longer collar chain for our bigger goat.

I know that my recurring inputs are now reduced — no gas or oil, and no need for supplemental goat feed during the green seasons. The collars seem to be getting plenty of sun to stay charged.

The hope is that maintenance costs will also be much lower than having to fix complicated machinery. I have two spare collars for now, and they seem pretty sturdy.

I will monitor and report back after a few seasons.

Domesteading Continues

If you would like to support our long-term research for experiments like this, our other Domesteading shenanigans, or our work with OpenSource software, I would very much appreciate your subscription here on the blog, or a contribution to our GoFundMe.

Things are about to really pick up at the Domestead. We are in the process of finding a 501-3c fiscal sponsor. We have at least one donor who would like to channel funds through a tax-free entity. The hope is to use those funds to facilitate workshops around the dome construction and eventually all sorts of permaculture/solarpunk topics. We aspire to become a “BioRegional Learning Center” for the western Ozarks. I will be putting together a separate update on that soon, so stay tuned!

If you know of a 501-3c fiscal sponsor that would resonate with our project, please let me know.

Gratitude

Many thanks to the paid subscribers who stuck it out during the last few months. The blog has been quiet, and your enduring faith in our project is encouraging. About half of you dropped off during that time, and I completely understand. In retrospect, an update about my priorities could have helped.

I was called to focus on “Faith, Family, and Finance” through the winter, and the blog didn’t really fit into any of those. I have increased my faith in God, self, and community. I have grown closer to and continued to heal my family. And while my finances still aren’t amazing, they are improving. Now Spring is here, and it is time to get building!

In service to God and all of Creation.

I am always on the lookout for tooling and ecosystems that enable more people to make the jump and re-claim their digital sovereignty.

The latest tool that I want to share is called YUNO HOST. The name is play on the “Y U NO” meme — Y U NO HOST?

And after finding this project, you will have a hard time answering that question. It makes it easier than ever before to host your own suite of OpenSource applications.

With a catalog of over 500 apps (and growing all the time) — everything we’ve sought to replace in our previous articles (social, docs, email, blog, etc) and so much more are at your fingertips.

It is just as easy to use and configure as the app store on your phone.

The possibilities are endless. And I must admit that I like it better than NextCloud (featured in “Getting off of Google”).

YUNO HOST raises the abstraction layer — and can even host NextCloud as an app if you so choose. Though I now recommend picking more focused apps that do one thing well, instead of NextCloud, which is like a Swiss-army-knife (does many things not-so-well).

YUNO HOST is more like a full workshop — where you get to pick which tools you want, and each tool does one job well.

Install the apps you want, invite your friends (everyone gets a user@yourdomain.tld email address!), and enjoy your newfound Digital Sovereignty!

All that being said, you still have to:

1. Have your own server or know how to provision one on the cloud

2. SSH into the server and install YUNOHOST

3. Buy and manage DNS records

4. Monitor and maintain the server

Which is still a pretty technical ask for many people.

So, I am working on a solution that will handle all of that for you. Answer a few simple questions on a web form, and we’ll handle the rest.

It would be very similar to federated.computer. The biggest technical difference is that we are building on the Open Source YUNO HOST ecosystem, allowing you to choose your own apps.

Initial estimates put pricing from $15-$100/mo, depending on your chosen options (size, users, domain, support, etc).

If you are interested in taking back control of your digital footprint, keeping your money and data out of the hands of C@pItali$t Corporations, supporting the OpenSource ecosystem, and supporting our BioHarmonic visions, let me know in the comments!

Let’s put the internet back in the hands of the people!

In service to God, Love, and the Regeneration of Creation.

If you’re new here — thanks for joining us! You can read up on the past few years of progress here. If you’re only here for OpenSource Everything, feel free to update your Substack preferences and unsubscribe from the “Domesteading” section of the blog.

Domestead Improvements

The “Domestead” remains dome-less. We have had the frame kit for a few years now. That has been a sense of guilt and doubt for me. I have recently come to realize that the dome needs to be built workshop-style, in Community. So our focus has been on getting the site ready to host workshops and building local community. I have also had to learn that God’s timing is not the same as mine. We have so much to learn and heal on this journey out of C@pItali$m.

One of those healing journeys has been for me — working through thoughts like “who am I, a software engineer, to be claiming the title of BioHarmonic Architect, building SolarPunk life-support architecture?” And so, I have started with smaller projects to prove to myself (and to you, I suppose) that I can do this.

Solar Energy Improvements

My Dad came to visit, and he camped out in the RV. We had a blast building a better frame for the solar panels and adding an inverter to the mix. I had a single panel resting on some tires. Now we have two panels on a seasonally-adjustable custom frame!

We found the panels (250W - $35 each) from a local. The PV combiner box came to us for free from our community. Much of the wood was recycled. And our current battery bank came from one of Papa’s old cleaning machines. We did buy the inverter, charge controller, some wires, hinges/hardware, and little timber. The whole system cost us <$1k, and has been working great for lights/fans/pumps/phones in the RV. We were also able to run the RV’s AC for a bit during the hottest days of the summer.

Pallet Raised Beds

I love cleaning up messes while I build things. Building these raised beds cleaned up some pallets, rotting stumps, wood scraps, and brush piles.

They aren’t the prettiest raised beds I’ve ever seen. But they work quite well. The stumps, wood and brush filling the bottom provide long-term nutrient and water storage as well as microbial activity.

The pallet height is very comfortable to work with. The t-posts that are holding up the pallets also turned out to be useful for tying up supports as the plants established. We built a twin bed parallel with the first one, and arched some old cattle fencing between the two as a terrace that have supported the tomatoes (and some volunteer morning glories that popped up out of the second un-planted bed).

We planted tomatoes, beans, peas, and some greens in the bed. The tomatoes were the most successful, and are still going crazy. We also planted some okra in the ground on the south side of the bed. One okra plant started fruiting early, but has only fruited out of its’ central stalk. The other okra plant started later, but has fruited from several branches and resulted in several times more okra than the other plant. Plants are so cool.

Rainwater Collection Improvements

Our first attempt at rainwater collection used 3 50-gallon barrels stacked up and piped together. I had simply dug holes for the support frame, and had a crude “first-flush-tank” bucket. It mostly worked, but looks awful, leaks, and is falling apart.

Our latest version uses a single 250 gallon ICB tank, gravity feeds into the RV’s fresh water tank, doubles as an outdoor shower (a lovely mid-summer treat), and also provides some tool storage underneath.

This time, I used earth screws to stabilize the framing, and a simpler “first-flush-tank” design. It is less ugly, doesn’t leak, standing strong, and multi-functional. I am happy with this design, and will be replacing the old one with another just like it after winter.

But first, I need to winterize this one.

Momentum

Victoria and I have moved out to the RV, and have been testing out all of the off-grid infrastructure, loving the off-grid life. We spend every night out there, but still have to come back to the “big house” to tend to our children (we’re un-schooling!) and plug back into the internet.

I feel most aligned when I am out there. We have just a few minor updates to make before we can host workshops, and plan to have the dome frame up before winter.

We can feel our momentum snowballing. The Studio Dome will get built, the Dining Dome will get built, and we will be able to prove these designs truly are a regenerative solution to housing.

All the while, we will continue to build Community and OpenSource Technology, looking forward to the BioRegional Network of Healing Villages we can see in our hearts.

In addition to being BioHarmony’s Creative Director, an amazing wife and mother, Victoria has also been writing her next book. It is a truly unique and impactful work — blending vigilante thriller with trauma-informed reflections on the failures of the justice system. You can read the first draft for free on her Substack.

Supporting her there will help get the final draft edited and published. It is a much-needed and quite enjoyable story, calling out the failures of the U.S. “justice system” while subtly teaching coping and self-protection techniques.

Gratitude

Thank you to all of you following along. Just knowing there are thousands of people who are interested in our journey is encouraging.

Many thanks to our few loyal paid subscribers who hang in there even when our online updates are sparse. Rest assured that your contributions are appreciated supporting continual healing, growing, and building.

If you would like to see more frequent or detailed updates, please comment with what you want to see and consider supporting us. If you prefer to support us outside of Substack, our Crowdfunding Campaign is another option.

In service to God and the whole of Creation!

Thank you for your comment on the last article! It really got me thinking.

BioRegional Data Centers

I propose that we host our digital identities on a federated network of OpenSource software servers, hosted in data centers with BioRegional awareness and Permaculture ethics.

We have everything we need.

Ozarks, Cascadia, are you ready?

Or perhaps, Indigenous Tribes are ready?

Cosmogram’s Substack

The Urgency of Indigenous Data Sovereignty

photo: downtown Bella Coola, British Columbia- Unceded Nuxalk territory, 2022…

Read more

a year ago · 4 likes · Cosmogram

We can take back our digital sovereignty as a BioRegion — as a Tribe.

We can own the full stack, all the way to a local sustainable microgrid.

I touched on this topic before in other posts, but more details are bubbling up now.

Now is the time

I’ve seen the whole stack of web development, from the underground server room to the frontend web client. I’ve seen a huge range of development styles, from rigid corporate sprints to vibe-coded passion projects.

We have everything we need.

OpenSource is winning.

Love is winning.

Would you move your digital identity to one of these if they existed? How much would you be able to pay to help with the hosting costs? I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas in the comments!

And now it is time to tackle the beast that is Google.

Google has such a vast ecosystem of applications. They lured us into their web with search and Gmail — and just kept adding on more and more apps. Docs, Draw, Meet, Sheets, Photos… even buying up YouTube. Now, many of us can’t imagine digital life without Google.

But if you are here on BioHarmony, you understand that we can’t keep feeding the Tech Oligarchy. With our time, our information, our money… We are fighting our way out of C@pItali$m, and that means getting off of Google, too.

I have been working with Arye on EarthCare Network to build a bridge between the Regenerative movement and OpenSource Software.

To get the organization set up, we searched for the tools we would use ourselves to organize ideas and collaborate.

What we found was the “Swiss Army Knife” of OpenSource cloud hosting.

Hello NextCloud

Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Chat, Notes, Meetings, Documents, Pictures, Cospending, Collectives… And an OpenSource EcoSystem of installable applications and extensions. All customizable with flexible theming and permissions.

Our small team of four started running on a simple 18$/month hosting plan (2 vCPUs, 2GiB memory). That is plenty for most applications, but it was not quite enough resources for video calls or AI features. Upgrading to a $48/month plan was enough to make video calls smooth (while recording them to the server) and start playing with their built-in AI features.

All of the applications are accessible via a simple, familiar, and customizable web interface. Most of the core applications also have clean and simple mobile apps.

The NextCloud Community has given us the tool to reclaim our Digital Sovereignty!

You can run a server for your family, your friend group, your community, your collective… I suppose you could host one for just yourself as well. But we’re all about community building and collaboration!

We at the EarthCare Network are so excited about this tech that we are sharing it and encouraging more Regenerative Organizations to make the switch to OpenSource solutions. You can read more about that over on the EarthCare Network Blog.

Deployment Options

Digital Ocean Droplet

One of the fastest ways to get up and running with a NextCloud instance is launching it on a DigitalOcean droplet using their pre-made template. With just a few clicks, you can have your own private cloud. This method also gives you full control — the ability to upgrade your resources and SSH into the server if needed.

The biggest caveat we encountered with DigitalOcean Droplets is using NextCloud for Email. DigitalOcean droplets block the standard SMTP ports to prevent spam/abuse. So you have to use a service like Forward Email that supports non-standard SMTP ports.

Federated Computer

We also came across Federated Computer, which bundles NextCloud with several other pieces of software, including email, and somehow manages to keep the price very low. We met with them, and it sounded like they are doing that by making deals with hosting partners that are cheaper than DigitalOcean droplets, passing those savings on to their customers. While they host OpenSource tools, they have not open-sourced their DevOps code, so I can’t be too sure — but I find it likely that you are sharing compute resources with other tenants (though I’m sure your data is still segregated and safe).

CoOp Cloud

CoOp Cloud is another potential tool, especially if you want to host other apps alongside NextCloud. They have an expansive and growing list of cloud recipes. I haven’t explored this solution in-depth yet, but I am looking forward to the opportunity. They are part of a beautiful community with an aligned vision. This requires a bit more technical knowledge, and you still have to pick a hosting provider.

Notes

You can mix and match parts of NextCloud with other OpenSource solutions, much like Federated Computer has done. It is very extensible and integrates with other popular solutions. For example, if you find their video calls lacking, you could instead integrate the NextCloud instance with Jitsi.

When hosting on a single server, pick a location that is central to your team. We have a team member in the Philippines who experienced lag when using our US-hosted server. If you have a global team, check out NextCloud’s Global Scale Architecture.

There are other hosting options available. It is OpenSource after all! These are just the ones we found during our exploration of NextCloud.

While NextCloud can certainly host your personal or internal video files, it is not a replacement for YouTube. As discussed in our OS Social Media article, you should check out PeerTube for that.

Gratitude

Everything is being open-sourced, and it is an exciting time to be alive. It is such an honor to be here at the edge of a shift, putting digital sovereignty back into the hands of the people.

My heart swells with appreciation for our latest paid subscribers!

Gregg Galbraith, Founder of Ozarks Land Trust is a local trusted partner in Regeneration, with an aligned vision for building healing sanctuaries. We connected through OLT and their presence at OACC.

is coming in after finding SolarPunk, an activist craving community.

I want to help facilitate change and hope I can by helping you!

Yes, Elijah! Supporting BioHarmony is supporting change. Every paid subscription gets us more time to focus on OpenSourcing solutions for the Regeneration!

I am looking forward to your questions, additions, and experiences in the comments!

In service to God, the Regeneration, and OpenSourcing Everything!

The Great Severance

Before the fall, the Creation story depicts perfect harmony: humanity walking with the Divine in the cool of the day, naked yet unashamed, living in effortless abundance. In this blissful state of Eden and uncorrupted Creation, there was no separation between Self and God, Self and Other, Self and Nature.

The moment our ancestors chose the knowledge of "good and evil," they introduced duality into their experience. Where there was once seamless oneness, now there were divisions, comparisons, and the painful awareness of separation.

The Curses as Fractured Relationships

Each curse represents a specific dimension of our oneness that became fractured:

Separation from Earth

cursed [is] the ground on your account; in sorrow you eat of it [for] all days of your life,

and it brings forth thorn and bramble for you, and you have eaten the herb of the field;

by the sweat of your face you eat bread until your return to the ground, for you have been taken out of it, for dust you [are], and to dust you return

GEN 3:17-19 LSV

What was once an effortless partnership with the earth became a struggle. The soil that had willingly yielded its abundance now resists. This curse reveals our separation from the natural world. We went from being earth-tenders in harmony with creation to laborers fighting against it. The very ground that should nourish us becomes a source of frustration and exhaustion.

And YHWH God says to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed [are] you above all the livestock, and above every beast of the field: on your belly you go, and dust you eat, [for] all days of your life;

and I put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He bruises your head, and you bruise His heel.”

GEN 3:14-15

Not only are we separated from the Earth, but also the other living things that share it with us. The snake takes the fall, but is also a symbol for other animals. Instead of a peaceful and symbiotic existence, we now live in relationships of fear and control with so many of our animal friends.

Separation of the Masculine and Feminine

your desire [is] toward your Man, and He will rule over you.

GEN 3:16 LSV

The perfect unity between partners fractures into dynamics of control and submission. Where there was once mutual delight and equal partnership, there are now power struggles. Eve longs for the oneness she had come to know. But she lost Adam’s trust when she led him to eat the fruit. Now we have a power-over dynamic where men lead with control and fear, rather than trust and a strong example.

Separation from God

The ultimate consequence is banishment from the garden. We are separated from direct, intimate communion with the Divine and eternal life. The tree of life becomes forbidden, and cherubim guard the way back to our original home.

The Path of Return

Understanding these curses through the lens of separation offers hope. If the fall represents a movement away from oneness, then healing must involve a return to unity consciousness. This doesn't mean returning to naive innocence, but rather integrating the knowledge gained through separation while reclaiming our fundamental interconnectedness.

The curses show us exactly where the healing work needs to happen:

• Rebuilding a sacred relationship with the earth

• Moving towards symbiotic relationships with our co-habitants

• Cultivating true partnership beyond dominance

• Remembering our unbreakable connection to Source

In this light, the Genesis story becomes not just an ancient tale of loss, but a map for restoration. If we allow it, it can help guide us back from the fragments of separation toward the wholeness that was, is, and always will be our deepest truth.

It is time to restore Eden. Time to build gardens of abundance and peace, where fear and control have no place.

In service to Elyon and the wholeness of Creation, in the name of the Light of the World.

Seeing some of the things that have been done in the name of the “Christian” Church — I no longer identify with that label. Instead, I am trying on “Jesus Freak.”

This blog section is new, and likely to be a bit all over the place as I find my voice here. I purposefully split up the BioHarmony blog into separate newsletters so that you can opt out of this one at any time and continue to receive our content about Domesteading or OpenSourcing Everything.

The first series is going to dive into Moses’ Creation Story. I find the image of Eden fascinating, and I really want to take a fresh look at the curses we enacted when we disobeyed and ate of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

I don’t know where it will go from there.

Let Spirit flow.

In Gratitude to the Creator of All.

In Love for the Light of the World.

Recently, we have been focusing on the software side of that initiative. But I mean it when I say we need to OpenSource EVERYTHING. Our Domesteading project is an effort to OpenSource Home.

We have been building up the vision for years.

The latest iteration of our designs is a Studio layout.

This design has the widest range of applications. It is perfect for getting Land Regeneration Pioneers (homesteaders, village builders, retreat centers) started with a balance of affordability, speed, and comfort.

We are on some land, the spot is ready, and we have about half of the tools and materials that we need.

Now it is time to engage our community and get it built!

To do that, we have launched a Kickstarter!

This project is not just a cool home for our family. It is a learning journey for all of us. It is a test bed for more SolarPunk architecture experiments. It is a seed of Regeneration that will give us the stability and opportunities to help build the Ark, lifting us all out of the rising tide of C@pItali$m!

For those of you who are local or can make the trip to the Ozarks, we would love to have you join us for a workshop or a stay in the dome for a night or two!

If you are unable to participate in person, we still welcome your support. For $7, you can join the mailing list to receive updates on our progress and get early access to the OpenSource Blueprints. If you don’t mind waiting a little longer for updates and our public release of the plans — or simply believe in our vision, just $3 from each of our subscribers would get this built!

I understand being tight on money. If you’re currently running on empty — a like on this post, a re-stack, or sharing our Kickstarter link with someone you think might like it — would be incredibly helpful. We are not spending any money on marketing and are relying on the Regenerative Web Mycelium to help get this in front of the right people.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jacob-foster/bioharmonic-domestead-offgrid-solarpunk-living-pods

Gratitude

We are so thankful for all of our subscribers. Your belief in what we’re doing keeps us going, even when the fears and doubts try to sneak in. Knowing that over 10k people believe in the better world we are trying to build is wonderfully encouraging.

In service to God, The Regennaisance, and OpenSourcing Everything!

Thanks to all who participated in the poll from our OpenSource Everything intro post!

We have tackled the SmartPhone.

We have Abandoned Amazon.

Now, as promised, we are taking a look at OpenSource Social Media.

Social Media is an important tool. It helps us stay connected to loved ones. It helps us educate, spread awareness, and fight misinformation. It is also a valuable weapon in our fight to build dual power and resist the control of those puppeteering C@pItali$m.

For Social Media to fully meet these needs, we need to own it ourselves. It cannot be owned by the Tech Oligarchy, whose interests are tainted by greed and power. It needs to be Open Source. Better yet, it needs to be decentralized and federated.

Decentralized/Federated

We’ve explained “OpenSource” in our intro post. But what are these new words, “decentralized” and “federated?”

They both break the typical centralized models of the Tech Oligarchy. As with any words, there can be nuance depending on the application. But in general terms:

Decentralized means that there is no central authority or host. This ensures that no wealth or power can be accumulated in any single entity.

Federation adds a layer of standardization and cooperation. This allows decentralized applications to talk to each other in a shared language (open protocols).

With that, here are my favorite OpenSource Social Media options.

Mastodon

Mastodon has been building for almost a decade now. It is an answer to “micro-blogging” sites with features similar to Twitter/X/Threads/Bluesky/Substack Notes.

You can post plain text or enrich the posts with links, mentions, emojis, audio, video, or other attachments. The default character limit per post is 500 characters, but can be configured per server.

It has all the features you’d expect — replying, sharing, favoriting, bookmarking, boosting, and moderating.

The first step in joining the Mastodon Fediverse is picking your “host server” from the available servers. You can choose one based on geographical region or shared interests. There is also the default mastodon.social server if you don’t see one that speaks to you.

Don’t stress too much about which server to choose. Federation allows you to migrate your profile to another server if you wish. Each server in the network communicates via the ActivityPub protocol, so you can subscribe to anyone on any instance and still get their posts to your feed.

I joined defcon.social a few years ago. I have admittedly neglected that account since then, but gave it a refresh as part of researching for this article.

https://defcon.social/@jacobfoster

Friendica

Friendica is an answer to Facebook, having familiar features like Groups and Events.

Here is their server directory.

PeerTube

PeerTube is an answer to Google-owned YouTube. It follows the Federation blueprint but focuses on long-form video content.

As our project progresses and creates more video content, we will be utilizing PeerTube. We hope to share a self-hosted server with a mission-aligned group of change-makers.

Hylo

Hylo is a special type of “Social Media.” It isn’t a federated answer to an existing platform, but is geared towards pro-social coordination. The BioRegional crowd seems to be finding a home here, and much of their feature development and discussions are leaning towards enabling BioRegional coordination.

It is an OpenSource project, but has yet to mature to the point of decentralization and federation. I know those features will come in time as they continue to gain support. If I gain enough support for my OpenSource work, I might even get to help implement those features!

I highly encourage hopping in and checking it out.

Other Notable Projects

I don’t have first-hand experience with these, but they look great and are worth researching more.

Diaspora — similar to Mastodon and Friendica

Lemmy — An answer to Reddit

Pixelfed — An answer to Instagram

Which one do I choose?!

One fantastic feature of the Fediverse is that PeerTube, Friendica, and Mastodon (as well as many other Federated apps) support the same underlying open protocols. This allows you to connect with users on other platforms that support the same protocols.

This takes decentralization to a whole new level. Not only are there federated servers for each platform, but different platforms are communicating via open protocols! It is a beautiful contrast to the “walled gardens” of the platforms we are moving away from.

With the Fediverse, we no longer have to worry about “all my friends are on [Z app]!” Friendica doesn’t need to “dominate the market” for it to be useful. As long as we are increasing adoption of the open protocols, all of these platforms will benefit and be able to work together!

Village Servers

The OpenSource, Distributed, and Federated nature of these solutions means that each community will be able to easily host their own instances of these applications. I see this as an important building block for the Network of OpenSource Regenerative Communities. It gives us the sovereignty we deserve without sacrificing connectivity.

SubStack?

What about SubStack, the platform I’m currently writing on?

Right now, SubStack is not OpenSource, Decentralized, or Federated. It also doesn’t appear to be evil — yet. I am going to give them a little more time to reveal their true colors and enjoy the free hosting and audience building. There is currently a great group of people here, and I’m not quite ready to jump ship. They have an opportunity to OpenSource and remain a positive and relevant platform. We will see.

If and when we do jump, it will be over to Ghost — who has announced their support for the Fediverse.

Apologies

Dearest subscribers, I am sorry for the “Seeking Investors” post last week. That post was not fully aligned with our mission. It was a reaction to fear and anxiety. I was unable to sleep that night, grasping for answers and control. It was an attempt to regain stability, but it ultimately did not manifest.

There is still a lot of uncertainty in this void between the safety and comfort of contract work and finding support for our true mission. Any path that involves “ROI” or wealthy investors (mission-aligned or not) is not for us. Your time and attention is valuable, and I should not have published that to your inbox. Thank you to all who are still on this journey with us.

I still want to share parts of that post with you. Many of you have hopped in since our OpenSource Everything series, and I want to make sure you see our broader vision and purpose. It won’t be framed in investment from the wealthy but in participation and cooperation from the community. That will be our next post.

Gratitude

Many thanks to , our latest paid subscriber!

If you have supported us but haven’t been tagged in one of our Gratitude sections yet, please check Substack Messages. I always ask permission before tagging our paid subscribers.

The support from our paid subscribers helped us buy the materials to build a new rainwater collection tank for our Domestead! I will make a full instructional post on that solution once we’ve tested and verified that it is all working. So far, it is looking great!

Every paid subscriber brings our BioHarmonic Dreams into reality! I can feel the Network of OpenSource Regenerative Villages getting closer every day. If you would like to join us in one of those villages, your support now will help us build them.

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In service to God, the Regennaisance, and OpenSourcing Everything!

Thanks to all who participated in our poll from the OpenSource Everything intro post!

We have already tackled the Smart Phone.

So now, as promised, we’re taking a look at Amazon.

None of these lists or suggestions claim to be comprehensive. Please feel free to drop additional resources and ideas in the comments!

Amazon Shopping

Amazon’s online marketplace provides unprecedented selection and convenience. You can get just about any product you can imagine, shipped to your door in a matter of days.

We know that energy is never created or destroyed, so what is the real cost? How are they able to offer all of this convenience and still make so much money?

Like most C@pItalist endeavors, Amazon does not shy away from extorting people and planet. But I’m not here to dig into that, I’m here to provide alternatives. Because we’re done funding the Tech Oligarchy and making the rich richer while they drain the planet and our fellow people.

My first set of suggestions have nothing to do with software or the internet. Rather, staying local and consuming less.

• Farmer/Artisan Markets

• Libraries

• Makerspaces

• Buy-nothing groups

• Grocery CoOperatives

• Gifting Circles

All of these community-oriented solutions already exist, and have OpenSource blueprints (linked above) if you want to get one started in your community. Not only do these solutions keep resources local and out of the Tech Oligarchy’s pockets, they foster real connection and community, waste less resources, and move us towards a fully circular economy.

That said, let’s see what technology does have to offer in this space.

Olio is a cool app that operates in a similar space as buy-nothing groups. It focuses on reducing waste and fostering community.

FarmFresh 24/7 is a virtual farmers market.

LittleFarmStore has created a digital bridge for Community-Sourced Agriculture.

OfferUp is similar to Facebook Marketplace.

Amazon Music

Right there with the many other music streaming providers, it has extorted artists and their beautiful creations to make a profit.

For the past couple of months, I have been helping to lead the engineering of the Sacred Sound App. Right now, the focus is bringing a vision to life for the Florestral community. They have recording studios, host concerts, and promote the creation and enjoyment of Sacred Music.

Since I have come on board, my OpenSource Everything approach has also been embraced. So now, our long-term goal is to build the app in such a way that we create the Internet of Music. It builds on top of the existing OpenSource Music project, Funkwhale. Once we get Sacred Sound fully launched, we will be contributing any of the new features we have created (custom metadata, music videos, live-streamed concerts, paid subscriptions, artist payouts, easy UI theming, etc) to the upstream Funkwhale project that are welcome.

Then we will begin implementing more Artist collectives on this platform, effectively creating the OpenSource Internet of Music. No Corporations, no ads, no middlemen. Just you, the artists, and Gratitude.

Amazon Video

Matching their streaming video selection and convenience is a similar story to their shopping experience. You simply can’t match it while also caring for people and planet.

And let’s be honest, a gigantic library of video for your streaming entertainment isn’t a need. This is one of those times when we need to acknowledge that Revolution won’t always be comfortable. Getting off the couch and doing something productive is the only way we’re going to plant enough gardens and build enough community resilience to be able to fully step away from C@pItalist systems.

Sharing video in general though — is a very useful tool for us to have. We need to keep building our collective OpenSource information pool. And to that end, I love PeerTube. More details coming on that in our next OpenSource Social Media Post.

Kindle

Books are amazing! Being able to access them quickly with a digital device could be such a boon towards our dream of OpenSourcing Everything. But how to do it without supporting Amazon?

Calibre is an OpenSource E-reader software project. They have options for multiple platforms, and even plugins to help you remove the DRM from books purchased on platforms like Kindle.

Also, make sure to check out your local library. Many of them now have digital apps where you can check out e-versions of many resources.

Amazon Web Services

AWS is a beast all its own and is big enough to require a devoted article looking at OpenSource Cloud hosting options. But you can get a preview of my thoughts in our prior article.

Gratitude

Thank you all for hopping in and following along. We are excited to be on this journey to OpenSource Everything with you. We have been blessed with an explosion of free subscribers these last few months!

As I said I would, I have made the jump from contract work, and am falling towards a dark sea of the unknown.

I have created a vacuum, trusting a siphon of abundance to flow. The bills are coming in, and I am doing my best to hold this trust. I would prefer to not go crawling back to working for C@pItali$ts, pulling my time away from working for all of us.

We now have enough free subscribers (and have lowered our living expenses enough) that I only need 10% of you to support us with a paid subscription to have our basic needs met. If you like the world we’re building towards — An OpenSource Network of Regenerative Communities — I am asking for your support.

Subscribe now

In service to God, the Regenerative Renaissance, and OpenSourcing Everything.

There’s nothing wrong with Technology, with SmartPhones, with the Internet. But there is something wrong with the way they are being used. They were built to be tools, to improve our lives and help us work together to build a better world. But C@pItali$m has allowed them to be used to extort People and Planet, and line the pockets of the already wealthy.

It is time to reclaim our digital sovereignty.

Time to OpenSource Everything.

So, I’m starting with myself. I’m moving all of my digital presence to OpenSource alternatives, one piece at a time. This is the first installment in a series, focusing on one that should resonate with a lot of people.

The Smart Phone.

After sending it off to repairs, and attempting repairs of my own, it was time for a replacement. I wanted to do it right this time. I wanted to get a phone that I can keep for at least a decade. I like being able to do most repairs myself. Ideally, it would be OpenSource with sustainable manufacturing practices.

The timing has been great with this OpenSource Everything initiative, so I decided to document and share my journey so that you all can see just how easy it is to leave behind the Tech Oligarchy (Appistocracy, Broligarchy, whatever you want to call it).

My research led me to the Fair Phone running e/OS through Murena. The rest of the post is going to break down the components and share other similar alternatives.

FairPhone

It is a beautiful phone, packaged in a lot of words that resonate. I can replace any physical parts on it myself with a single little screwdriver.

You can technically buy it or run it on the same old Google-fied version of Android that we’re all used to. But we’re done with that, so I bought mine pre-loaded with e/OS.

e/OS

So far, it has been a very enjoyable experience. It feels very familiar since it is still based on the OpenSource roots of Android. They have de-Googled Android, and swapped in a lot of OpenSource alternatives for default apps.

For anything they don’t provide out of the box, there is a light wrapper on the Google Play Store called “App Lounge” that provides anonymity, tags for “OpenSource”, and privacy ratings.

If you do install apps that might have trackers or privacy concerns, at least now you have visibility and control. They provide metrics and monitors for all tracking and privacy-related functions. They also give you the option to trackers and pieces of functionality while still maintaining the rest of the app’s utility.

The e/OS community is thriving and positive. I have explored their site, read through a few forum posts, and hopped into their Telegram group. There is so much great documentation and support. I trust them way more than I trust Google.

Good news! You don’t have to buy a new phone to use it! If you already have a phone running the Google-fied Android, there’s a good chance you migrate to e/OS right away! Check out their installation documentation to learn more!

My wife is now curious about doing this with her phone. If we do, I’ll make a separate article and share our experience with that process as well.

Murena (US T-Mobile)

Murena is an OpenSource service provider. I am currently only utilizing them for their mobile service plan. But they also offer privacy-focused cloud services that pair perfectly with e/OS. I will be giving it a try and reporting my experience with that in another article.

I did run into a little hiccup getting onto the Murena/T-Mobile network. However, the resolution process was pleasant and encouraging.

I had opted for their “eSim” option to get connected to the T-Mobile network. Just a few months before, there was an issue that popped up just for FairPhones on e/OS with eSims. But by the time I ran into it, the code had already been patched, tested, and merged into the latest release. So all I had to do to resolve it was update e/OS on my device (one click in the settings), reset my eSim (self-service option in the Murena portal), and set the APN information for the T-Mobile network.

It did take a little digging to get there. A few internet searches to find the related forum posts, and a little chat on the e/OS Telegram landed me with a direct connection to a member of Murena’s support staff. I learned that they have a small but helpful support team for paying customers to supplement the OpenSource community. I ended up connecting directly, but they also have a support ticket intake form.

Overall, I am impressed their work. They have figured out how to monetize and support the adoption of OpenSource projects at scale. I will be learning more about their successes and shortcomings as we look to do similar things with the OpenSource Everything Guild.

Other Alternatives

While I am pleased with this setup, it is encouraging to know that this isn’t the ONLY OpenSource solution. One of the best things about OpenSource is the interoperability with open technical standards and specifications, and varying layers of platforms.

Shift Phone looks like a decent FairPhone alternative.

Lineage OS and Graphene OS were recommended by fellow subscribers as an e/OS alternative.

Here’s a list on Wikipedia of other Custom Android Forks.

Conclusion

Even if you aren’t ready to hop in just yet — I hope this has armed you with hope in the OpenSource Everything movement, seeing some of the momentum in the Smart Phone space alone.

Thank you to all who voted in the Polls from our last article. “Replacing Amazon” and “OpenSource Social Media” were the winners! So that’s what you can look forward to next on BioHarmony.

Gratitude

Many thanks to () and () — our latest paid subscribers. Your support means a lot and helps us be free to put more time and energy into this work.

If you are enjoying our work and where we’re heading, we are open and receptive to any support you want to send our way. Together, we can do this!

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The support and response to this has been overwhelming! Thank you to all who responded and restacked! I did my best to respond to questions in that thread and give thanks to those who are already doing the work. My apologies if I missed your comment.

I will now address some of the most common questions with a detailed introduction post to the OpenSource Everything initiative, and outline where we are going from here.

The note resonated with a huge audience, so first we need to lay some foundations.

“What is OpenSource?”

A quick search will mostly bring up results related to Software. Understandably so, as Software has a very prominent role in the OpenSource ecosystem. You use OpenSource software all the time, whether you know it or not. Recent estimates put us well over 90% of all software relying on OpenSource foundations.

In fact, the proprietary and extortive software created by the Tech Oligarchy is built ON TOP OF free and open foundations. They are using decades of work by millions of OpenSource engineers from all over the world, slapping a few shiny features on top, and making you pay for it (paywalls, badges, advertisements, and/or using or selling your data) so they can buy a yacht. All the while, OpenSource engineers often work for free, or on a limited budget.

However, OpenSource is not limited to Software. Any time you find a free recipe or set of DIY instructions, you can consider that OpenSource too. Several of my favorite OpenSource organizations are geared toward creating solutions beyond software.

• One Community Global (Building Physical Communities)

• Open Source Ecology (Village Construction Set)

So to put it simply, “Open Source” means free, open, editable, and shareable instructions. It means built by community for community. It means Information Sovereignty.

If you want to read more, this article from opensource.com is great. I have also previously written about OpenSource and its potential applications:

“What is the Tech Oligarchy?”

When I use that term, I am referring to the giant Tech Corporations that control so many aspects of our modern digital life. The companies listed at the top of the post are some examples, but it doesn’t stop there. I could have also included Microsoft, TikTok, Netflix… Any sufficiently large Corporation that builds on top of OpenSource foundations, but adds a proprietary layer of secrecy and control to monetize us, our time, our attention, and our data.

I also heard a new term “Appistocracy” — which seeks to replace the word “Oligarchy” and its connotations with something more specific. I’m still trying it on. Maybe it’ll stick?

Creative Destruction

Rabbit Holes 🕳️ #107

Hello! A little update before we get into this week’s Rabbit Holes issue…

Read more

2 years ago · 10 likes · 1 comment · Thomas Klaffke

"How?”

Great question. How in the world can we OpenSource EVERYTHING? Well, to clarify a little — we aren’t OpenSourcing “EVERYTHING” — just everything that is truly valuable to people and planet.

So no, we aren’t making “FaceBook” OpenSource. Though it would be pretty cool if this movement gained enough traction that it forced them to. Then we could clean up their ads and algorithms and let people stay there. I wouldn’t hold my breath for that, though.

Instead, we are highlighting existing OpenSource alternatives and then finding and filling the gaps.

This is a complicated problem, so it will have a multi-faceted solution. Here are the solutions we are contributing to.

1. There are already so many great OpenSource alternatives out there. We need to help raise awareness and adoption. The more people hop into these alternatives, the more resources they have to compete with the big commercial players.

2. This blog is shifting focus to documenting existing OpenSource alternatives that don’t require a technical background.

3. A few friends and I are forming the “OpenSource Everything Guild” — a DAO that will collect and distribute funds to steward projects that help fill gaps in existing OpenSource alternatives.

4. I am a Senior Software Engineer with over a decade of experience. I am winding down my contract work to give that experience exclusively to the OpenSource world, trusting in natural abundance and reciprocity to support my family.

What’s next?

The next article we publish will be a review of the FairPhone 4 with Murena and e/OS — along with links to other alternatives for re-claiming sovereignty over your SmartPhone. I just made the switch myself, so it is fresh on my mind.

After that, we are crowd-sourceing which alternatives you want us to explore next. We can either approach this by “Replacing [Tech Giant]” or “OpenSource [Tool].” Cast your votes! (Substack limits to 5 options, so I went with the most popular from the post. Once one is done, we’ll add another to the list and keep moving forward.)

Gratitude

Many thanks to , our latest paid subscriber! Your support means we can devote less time to contract work, and more time to exploring, documenting, sharing, and building OpenSource solutions for all!

With this recent surge of subscribers, the potential to be completely supported by this blog is a real possibility.

We’ve been working to reduce our living expenses and build towards our dreams.

We are going to continue documenting our journey here. All of our content will always be free. This is our life calling, so we’ll do it with or without support. But if you believe in the world we’re building, your support will get it built faster.

Subscribe now

In service to God, the Regenerative Rennaisance, and the OpenSource Revolution.

I had several requests for more information and elaboration on this post. Please note that none of these lists are exhaustive. They are simply what I have explored so far. If you know of any resources that I should add, please let me know in the comments. Here we go!

We

Who are “we?” Well, it certainly isn’t just us here at BioHarmony. “We” are several movements and communities overlapping and working together. There are the wider Regenerative, SolarPunk, and Web3 movements that are building tools and networks that will apply to many solutions. And then there are those honing in on the idea of Networking Regenerative Communities.

• Terrenity

• Sunshine and Seedlings

• GeoShip

• GaiaNet

• Global EcoVillage Network

• Regen Tribe

Ark

What is the “Ark?”

It is not a literal boat. It is so much bigger than that. We are scooping up land that has been (or is about to be) ravaged by C@pItali$m, and turning it into Regenerative Sanctuaries. Safe places for all life to flourish.

• Living the OffGrid Dream

• New Earth Development

Regenerative

What is “Regenerative?”

Short answer: A paradigm shift away from extortion, beyond “sustainability”, into healing and abundance.

It encapsulates and overlaps with a lot of other ideas. Here are some examples.

Replacing the industrial food system that depletes soil and biodiversity, disconnects us from the nature of our food, and fills us with poison — with Permaculture that builds the soil and biodiversity, connects us back to our food, and heals us.

Replacing closed-source software that benefits the Tech Oligarchy, fills our minds with ads and negativity, and tries to immerse us in the digital world — with OpenSource software that benefits us all and connects us to create positivity in the real world.

Replacing extortive hierarchical models that allow power and greed to run rampant — with Holacracies, DAOs, and CoOperatives that ensure fair energy compensation and democratic representation.

The list goes on, but I hope those examples are enough to get you interested in Regenerating.

Network State

What is a “Network State?”

I am NOT referring to the “Network State” being proposed by the Tech Oligarchy.

I am talking about a layer of technology that connects all of these blossoming regenerative communities. It is Open, CoOperative, Distributed, and Federated. Built entirely on OpenSource software. It brings our collaboration and resiliency to a point where we can opt out of our surrounding C@pItali$t systems.

It ties into much of the work being done in the Web3 space. However, it is important to note that not everything claiming the Web3 label fits here. This is where the Web3 and Regenerative circles overlap.

• SEEDS

• Hypha

• Closer

• Hylo

BioHarmony

I hope the above sections answer some of your questions, spark your curiosity, and give you some resources to dig deeper.

All of those links weren’t BioHarmony. So, what is BioHarmony’s role in building the Ark?

OpenSource EVERYTHING

I have a decade of experience in the software industry, where the OpenSource movement is quite popular. I will continue to contribute to OpenSource software, but am also looking at organizations like One Community Global and Open Source Ecology to make sure everything we need to build the Ark is Open Source.

Part of this journey is an article series I’m working on — “OpenSource Yourself” — starting with an unboxing/review of the FairPhone 4.

Domesteading

We are taking EarthShip principles, SolarPunk aesthetics, and BioRegional resources to create affordable, DIY-able, OpenSource, off-grid designs.

Local Communities

Once those aspects have been developed, it all comes together to build the network of healing villages that our BioRegion needs.

Gratitude

Thank you for reading. I pray you found hope or inspiration in this post. There is a lot of work to do. I am so thankful that we aren’t doing it alone.

This is the last month that I am allowing myself to rely on contract work to “keep the bills paid.” I don’t know all the details about how, but BioHarmony has to support us — because it has to be built. We are jumping — trusting in God’s abundance and provision to make sure we have what we need while we build. Any sharing, support, connections, resources, or questions are welcome.

Subscribe now

In service to God and the Regenerative Rennaisance.

7h00: Time to brew some tea. What do I cook it with?

RocketMass Heater? In July? I guess if you want to turn the whole dome into a sauna? No thanks.

BioGas StoveTop? Maybe, but that would also create excess atmospheric heat.

GoSun Solar Oven? Not for tea, that’s a mess. But once your tea is brewing, you’ll get some breakfast burritos going in it.

GoSun Brew? Yeah, I think so. We have plenty of power in our solar batteries this time of year. I don’t have to hassle with a pot or move the hot water from pot to mug. Win-win-win!

7h05 Wrap some eggs from our chickens, and veggies from our soil into a tortilla, lightly greased with goat butter from our goats, and get it cooking in the Solar Oven.

7h15 Pop into the Tech Hub.

1. Review the dashboard to confirm that all systems are operational. One solar panel is reporting suboptimal performance. Add an entry to our task app to clean and check it for damage.

2. Check my email. Oooh, a retreat center in Northwest Arkansas wants our help building a Domestead Studio! Get them an estimate!

3. Stay connected to the global Regenerative movement.

4. Grab my phone off the charger.

8h00 Take a jog around the property, checking for any major plant, animal, or infrastructure disruptions. It looks like a recent storm brought down a tree. Add an entry to our task management app to harvest the fallen tree.

8h35 Stop at the tree-mounted aerial yoga silk hammock for a good morning stretch.

9h00 Pray, read, meditate.

9h30 Join my wife and kids for that tasty, sun-cooked, home-grown breakfast.

10h00 Get some work done outside before the day gets too hot. We’re preparing the ground for our next build, the Domestead Kitchen.

12h00 Eat a fresh summer salad with goat cheese and a honey vinaigrette.

12h30 Work in the shaded, earth-bermed Tech Hub while the sun is high. Collaborate on OpenSource Projects for the Regenerative Rennaisance.

14h00 Take a break from the computer, walk around the property, and check on family and animals.

14h11 Dang it, the goats found a hole in the fence. Gotta wrangle them back in before they wander to a neighbor’s property. I hate fences, but this “private property” thing makes them mandatory. While I herd them back in and patch up the fence, I daydream about the EcoCenter we’re planning where this won’t be a recurring issue.

15h00 Another round of work in the tech hub. The KickStarter for Regenerate.Earth took off! Spend some quality time stewarding that project in collaboration with the OpenSourceEverything Guild.

16h00 It has cooled down enough to make more progress on the Kitchen dome. Drive some Earth Screws to ground the dome into the Earth.

17h00 Time to start cleaning up and winding down. Shed my work clothes, rinse off the nasties in the rainwater shower, soak in a warm bath heated by the sun, and change into comfy clothes.

18h00 Eat whatever plant-based, locally sourced foodstuffs my amazing wife, has whipped up for us today.

18h30 Clean up after dinner. (Household rule, whoever cooks can’t clean too)

19h00 Family time! Cooperative board game, or a dance party?!

20h00 Guide the kids toward bedtime. Read a good book and tuck them in.

21h00 Settle back into our Domestead Studio for candle-lit 1-1 de-compression and relaxation with my wife. She was working hard on the Kitchen Dome, and had a client come out for a photo shoot. Get her on the massage table and remind her what an honor it is to be her husband.

22h00 Get some rest under the stars, dreaming and scheming about tomorrow.

Gratitude

Many thanks to Arye with Giving Back Studios. He has not only subscribed as a founding member, but has seen my potential and brought me into his projects as a lead engineer. He has shown me that this future really is possible, and that I will be supported to do the work I am called to do.

Thank you, Elisa Schmitz, for a founding member subscription as well. I have been doing contract work for the 30Seconds website, and she has been the most understanding and generous contract employer I have had.

Thank you, , for a founding member subscription. Your support and solidarity means a lot. That Game B video you linked is epic!

Thank you to all who have signed up to follow along. BioHarmony has seen a huge explosion of followers in the past month, and it is very exciting to see our content resonating with so many people.

If this manifestation of a day soon-to-come sounds like a day you’d like to have too, your support can make it happen. We aren’t just building this for ourselves, but documenting our journey and OpenSourcing everything we build and learn so that we can use it to help build the Network State of Regenerative Communities. Every paid subscription means more time building towards this future, and less time doing contract work.

In service to God and the Regenerative Rennaisance!

Tonight, my mind decided to start planning the physical infrastructure to make them a reality.

We start with a clean used shipping container. Whatever size you can get your hands on that will fit your project.

10ft: Homestead

20ft: Smart Farm

40ft: EcoVillage

There’s a ton of them lying around, and they’re pretty cheap. We need to clean them up and put them to good use.

1. Pick a spot.

   1. If possible, an existing concrete foundation or gravel pad.

   2. If a new slab is needed, use scrap concrete and local gravel.

   3. Orient one long side of the container towards the sun.

2. Set the container on the pad.

3. Cut holes for sunlight and ventilation in the roof.

4. Cut holes for ventilation and cables in the sides.

5. Run ventilation and cable piping.

6. Set up 4x4s for Solar Panel mounts on your sunny side.

7. Bury the container.

   1. Wrap three sides of the container with scrap concrete, stone, and gravel.

   2. Round it out with a Hügelkultur mound.

8. Plant low-maintenance local wildflowers around the solar panel mounts.

9. Install Solar Panels, batteries, fans, and lights.

10. If you want an external internet connection, install StarLink (or whatever wireless internet is best in your region).

11. Fill it with whatever (OpenSource!) tools you need.

Now you’ve got energy and a connection to your Global Regenerative Rennasaince Community. You could theoretically fit a cot in there if needed. But I don’t recommend sleeping in the tech hub for long. Just long enough to build your Habitation Pod.

If you’ve read the last post, you know that I’m “healing my relationship with money” (selling out) and turning this thing into a “business.” I could theoretically skip the bureaucracy and investors if I had the support of my community.

I’ve reached over 1k followers and over 700 subscribers here on Substack. I currently have 6 who believe in what I’m doing enough to show their support with a paid subscription.

If all of my followers paid the minimum of $5/mo, I would have more than enough to cover our bills and basic needs.

Then all of my time could go towards building the SolarPunk future out of the crumbling remnants of C@pItali$m. Is a coffee per month now worth a Network of BioRegional Regenerative Communities in 5 years?

I sure think so. But I’m a bit biased, I suppose. It is my Dream. But maybe, now that you’ve seen what’s possible… it’s your dream too?

Gratitude

I am grateful for all the new followers coming in on recommendations from (Beneath The Pavement). I am delighted to have you along for the ride!

Beneath the Pavement

Parenting Was Meant To Take a Village

I’m at that age now. You know the one. The one where your friend circle newsfeed transforms overnight to a carousel of baby photos and marriage proposals. Where conversations at dinner parties inevitably veer towards the merits of various preschools and the challenges of sleep training. Where friends who once raved until dawn now yawn their way through 9 PM Netflix sessions, dark circles under their eyes testifying to nights spent soothing colicky infants…

Read more

2 years ago · 98 likes · 27 comments · Antonio Melonio

With love, in service to God and the Regenerative Rennaisance.

Then the pandemic hit. I was already working remotely, so money was still fine. But the cracks in the system started growing, our family relationships were strained, tech worker burnout turned up the heat, and I realized how empty and broken “the American Dream” was.

So I moved my kids back here to the Ozarks to be close to family. I sold my stocks, cashed out my retirement funds early, and took about 6 months away from work to heal myself and my children.

All the while, the inspiration for BioHarmony started making its way into my consciousness.

I started picking at the cracks in our systems, and got a glimpse of what lies Beneath the Pavement.

  Everyone deserves health and wellness
                 CoOperation is so much better than competition
     We are too detached from nature
           My heart breaks for our marginalized communities
                       Domes are awesome

And somehow, I landed on Regenerative Intentional Communities

In my youth, I ran away from masculinity in fear of the toxic masculine traits I saw embodied by my peers. In recent years, I have had to re-balance and embrace the healthy aspects of my masculinity so that I can lead, heal, and teach my family.

In much the same way, I ran away from money in fear of the toxic traits it was attached to in our C@pItali$t systems. I have been using private software contracting to make just enough money to meet our basic needs. With the time I don’t spend working, I have been healing my family, growing dreams of BioHarmony, networking with the Regenerative movement, building Open-Source tools, and investing in my community.

The minimal contract work hasn’t kept up with long-term expenses like medical bills and transportation costs. I have not pursued monetizing BioHarmony besides being open to donations. But it isn’t working. We now have thousands of dollars in debt, are co-living with family, and feel so far away from having the resources to make our BioHarmonic dreams come true. It is time to re-balance again. This time, my relationship with money.

One of BioHarmony’s tag-lines has been to “Escape from C@pItali$m.” I haven’t figured it out yet. There are days when our van breaks down, or unexpected medical expenses hit when I still feel trapped.

I see a future state where we’re free, living in a regenerative community overflowing with natural abundance and utilizing co-operative social structures. As much as I have tried to avoid it, that future state requires money to be built on time.

At one point, I ran across the quote:

At the time, I thought it meant that we can’t use corporations, business, or money if we want to tear down the oppressive C@pItali$t institutions. But I hadn’t read the source material myself, and now I have a new understanding of this quote.

The “master’s tools” are not money and business structures. The “master’s tools” are oppression and extortion.

I don’t need to dismantle the master’s house. I need to build a house for his slaves so that they can be free, and the master’s house can be left to rot.

Building a house is expensive. While I am aiming to reduce those costs with our Domesteading experiments, it is still not cheap.

And in this analogy, the “house” we’re building for the master’s slaves is actually a network of villages. It is going to require money.

So, this is me — opening back up to money. It is not evil. It is a tool. It allows us to move energy and build beautiful things.

We have created an LLC. We will be putting together a business plan and sharing it here. Then we’ll be looking for investors. I am going to try using Kiva — a platform to crowdfund 0% interest loans for purpose-driven projects.

I’ve never done this before, but it feels like what needs to be done if we’re going to out-build the collapse. I am also open to other ideas. Feel free to drop a comment if you have suggestions.

If you like what we’re trying to build, and don’t want to wait for the Kiva investment round, we are still accepting support here on Substack, GoFundMe, and GitHub Sponsors.

Subscribe now

And of course, sharing any part of our blog or journey with others who might resonate is a great way to help us too.

I am praying for 2025 to be a year full of Joy and Abundance for all who are living in love. I’m pretty sure it’s safe to say that covers all of my subscribers.

For all who are not living in love, a year of introspection and transformation. The rest of us are eagerly awaiting your arrival.

With unexpected vehicle repairs, medical expenses, and difficulty arranging child care, the travel expenses were out of reach.

Instead, we celebrated our first anniversary with a date night, and a kid-free weekend camping out at the Domesteading Site.

We were admittedly disappointed to miss out on the community engagement at TGOT. Instead, we fulfilled that longing by attending our local Ozarks Area Community Congress.

Ozarks Area Community Congress

This was my fourth year attending OACC, third year co-sponsoring, and second year bringing the whole family.

I never would have known about this beautiful event, had it not been for a chance encounter on the internet while looking for local Intentional Communities when we moved back to Missouri. While I did not find an existing land-based IC that fit us at the time, finding OACC has been a core inspiration for my thinking ever since. It was my first introduction to BioRegionalism.

The first thing I noticed about this gathering was the common thread that builds trust and peace. Everyone there is there because they CARE. They care about our BioRegion, and are active and passionate in their work to heal, steward, and stand up for the environment and the people that dwell in it.

The peace was so strong that my wife and I (relatively anxious and protective parents) could relax our energetic ties to our children in that space. Our children merged so easily into the (affectionately named) “feral” OACC pack of children. They formed new friendships, engaged with nature, and learned new skills.

That peace enabled my wife and I to thoroughly enjoy the gathering. We also made new friends, enjoyed nature, and learned so much.

Local Action

It was encouraging to witness the beautiful work other attendees and cosponsors have done over the past year and to see where they are heading. I am sure I will miss many, but here are the highlights that have stuck with me:

The Little Farm Association is blending the convenience of delivered groceries with the seasonality and locality of BioRegional producers.

Karst in the Ozarks is producing fantastic educational resources about the history of our BioRegion and the challenges we face. We got to watch a screening of their documentary, “Ozarks Karst Dramas”.

Stan Slaughter is all about composting, working with schools and municipalities to teach and scale composting practices.

The Center For AgroForestry at the University of Missouri is researching, educating, and funding the practice of integrating native trees and shrubs into agricultural landscapes.

ScumSucker LLC brought a cool tool that they created that helps clean up aquatic environments and repurpose the “waste.”

And so many more…

BioRegional Financing Facilities

Samantha Power, author of BioRegional Financing Facilities and co-founder of BioFi came to us from the West Coast to share her ideas.

I had seen part of an interview with her and several posts about her book. I had not yet carved out the time to fully understand the concepts she was presenting. But now, I am very excited about the possibilities.

BioRegional Financing Facilities are a bridge between our current systems and a Regenerative Network State. I won’t do the ideas justice here, so check out her work with the links above.

Intentional Community

While short-lived, OACC is a form of Intentional Community.

• We share the camp space and the duties of setting up, cooking food, and cleaning up after ourselves.

• We create the “Open Space” agenda as a group, immediately after Opening Circle.

• We share our musical/poetic/comedic talents on Saturday Night

• We hold a Plenary meeting at the end to wrap up and start planning for next year.

When it comes time to leave, I long to re-create the energy and community at this event in my day-to-day life. We are working towards that with our family.

In the long term, I am even more energized and inspired to build Healing Communities in our BioRegion.

The first is the Ozarks BioRegional EcoCenter.

Ozarks BioRegional EcoCenter

I dream of hosting OACC (and other orgs/workshops) here once it is built. The current venue works but doesn’t fully embody OACC’s ecological lifestyle preferences, or allow for more in-depth hands-on workshops and demonstrations.

I have started introducing this idea at OACC, and have found some interest. I will continue developing this idea and sharing it at OACC until it is ready to be real.

Find Your BioRegional Community

If you happen to live with us in the Ozarks, please come and join us next year! If you don’t, I highly encourage you to seek out local BioRegional gatherings. If you can’t find any, but can travel and want to experience a BioRegional gathering, we’d love to have you join us.

BioRegional Organization is a critical path out of our extraction-based systems and into regenerative systems!

[open on gorgeous nature shot]

We were given this world, our home, Earth. And what a beautiful gift she is. It is our collective responsibility as humans to take care of her, and she is asking for our help.

[images showing smog, acid rains, forest fires, ocean pollution, etc]

It is no secret that the Earth is in danger and that a lot of our wrongs need to be righted. Long-term solutions to these problems require us to think outside the box. Modern society has managed to put us firmly inside so many boxes.

[images of Home, suburb, apartment complex, city, skyscraper, cubicle, laptop, phone overlay until they cover entire image of nature]

But we are done living in boxes.

[previous overlaid images explode to reveal a goofy, bearded, white-Jesus-looking man standing in a field]

We have everything we need to help regenerate the earth and help return it to the beautiful sanctuary it was meant to be.

We have each other.

[possible other people enter frame and come together, hold hands, move together]

We have the Earth.

[motion towards dome building site/empty field]

We have the ultimate tool to connect us.

[overlay of different websites used with OpenSource / Regen movement]

And the more we connect with others, the more we realize how many of us have this same desire for Regeneration.

[possible overlay of various blogs/profiles of people we have networked with so far]

But where do we start?

[another explosion of the data on the screen to return to the goofy beard-man, standing alone]

There are all sorts of games and tools like the Sims and Rollercoaster Tycoon that help to encourage building with tools and materials that can be harmful to our planet.

[overlays of concrete factories, deforestation, other factories?]

I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if we built something similar, using more natural and environmentally-friendly materials and designs. Building BioRegional EarthShips, planting BioRegional Food Forests, connecting the BioRegional pioneers with the people who want to work for a better future.

Looking at all these questions, it is easy to become overwhelmed. But one thing did become very clear, the further I dove into this vision.

We need a plan. We need Regenerate.Earth.

Regenerate.Earth is an OpenSource tool that will allow us to plan out projects like family Homesteads, EcoResorts, EcoVillages, OffGrid Settlements, and Healing Regenerative Communities. There will be gaming aspects similar to that of Sims and Rollercoaster Tycoon. But instead of focusing on profits and the “boxed-in” life, we track things like:

• habitation capacity

• food production

• energy production

• trash

• recycling

• emissions

[video of land import process]

Import the project’s land by simply drawing on a map. We import the topography and terrain from satellite imagery, and present you with a Sims-like interface, full of guidance and options tailored to your BioRegion.

[Indigenous Information, EarthShips, Food Forests, OffGrid Utilities, Circular Systems, GeoShip, EkoDome, HomeBioGas]

There is a rich Library of OpenSource, DIY-able projects for those with the time and energy to do it yourself. There is a network of local educators, workshop hosts, and other BioRegional Resources to learn the skills you need. And for those privileged with more money than time, the option to purchase EcoProducts from Regenerative Enterprises.

[Back to the goofy dude in the field]

I will be using Regenerate.Earth myself as I work towards building a network of Healing Regenerative Communities in my own BioRegion.

[Eden’esque images]

Have you ever dreamed of living in an EcoVillage, running an EcoResort, or just getting your family off the Grid?

Do you have sustainable skills to share with others, or Regenerative Products to sell?

Do you simply see the dire state of the world and understand the need for change?

If so, then I humbly ask for your support on this KickStarter.

We can do this. And we can do it better and faster by working together.

Thank you.

Here are the current backing levels I am considering.

I’m open to suggestions and feedback. Thank you!

Our move out to the land is complete. We took the last month of the kids’ summer vacation to move and settle in.

We got all of our containerized plants into the ground, made some solid progress on the treehouse, fixed the rainwater collection experiment, started cleaning out the shop/garage for some Tool Library/Makerspace/Vehicle CoOp experiments, and got our hosts on board with recycling and composting systems.

We also took space to enjoy some of the pleasures of summer. Helping run a VBS at our church, local fairs, swimming, lots of family time…

It has been a great month. We are very blessed.

Taking the first step

“Don’t let perfection be the enemy of progress.”

“Anything worth doing, is worth doing poorly.”

“Slow progress is still progress.”

“Do it, do it right, do it better.”

This theme has been showing up for me a lot recently. We can’t let the fear of failure or the image of perfection keep us from starting something and making progress. Just like when teaching children, we have to welcome failures as part of our own learning and growing process.

Here are a few examples of things we’ve done less-than-perfect the first time, improved on, and will keep aiming for better.

Lifestyle Changes

I quit my corporate Software job and left our bougie life in Olympia, WA back in 2021. I knew something wasn’t right, but I didn’t yet know what it was. We moved back to the Ozarks to be closer to family and I took a break to heal myself and my kids.

Still relying on C@pItali$t systems to support my family, I had to get back to work. But this time, doing independent contract work so that I could control my time and start re-balancing and shifting away from consumerist behaviors. The shift allowed me to start digging into the vision of BioHarmony that I have been gifted, and shifting my network from corporate software to all things Regenerative.

Now we’re living on some land that we can work with, we’ve drastically reduced our living expenses, and I have continued to reduce my time doing consulting work so that I can spend more time pursuing BioHarmony.

I’m going to keep moving that direction. Once all of our debts are paid off, I will be able to keep cutting consulting hours, and be able to focus more on OpenSource Tools for Village Building.

Growing Food

When we were living in our rental, we started container gardening and a simple compost pile. We took seeds from our purchased food and volunteers from our compost pile and planted them in non-recyclable containers from purchased goods. The containers were okay to start the plants, but we could tell they weren’t thriving because of their limited space. Much like people, plants don’t thrive in boxes.

Now on some land, we transplanted the container starts into the ground. With more space, soil, and sun, it has been so much fun to watch them grow.

Next year, we’ll have a little greenhouse space to get plants started in late winter. We’ll get things in the ground in the spring instead of summer. We’ll have chickens to help tend to our compost pile. We’ll start a perennial food forest.

When we get to village building, we’ll do it with local Heirloom Indigenous seeds, BioRegionally Native Food Forests, calling in a Permaculture Expert, BioRegional Expert, and Indigenous Wisdom Keeper to lead workshops and help inform the village food system design.

Rainwater Catchment System

We used recycled materials to build a Rainwater Collection system. It had leaks, the barrels were warping, and the first-flush tank didn’t flush very well.

I added some more support under the barrels, tightened up the leaky spots, and re-made the first flush tank. It’s working great now, and it will help water plants and animals at our OffGrid Domesteading site.

Connecting 3 50-gallon barrels was interesting. And I suppose if someone is ever in a spot where that’s all they have to work with, it might be useful. But next time, I’ll just use a single 275-gallon ICB tote and avoid all the extra connectors. I’ll put it up on a platform (with some tool storage underneath) so that it can simply gravity-feed the RV’s fresh-water tank.

With the first Spa Dome, we are going to also use a large ICB tote as the primary incoming rainwater storage, but will have secondary water storage throughout the interior, holding solar-heated water in 50-gallon barrels.

Just DO IT

I could probably whip out more examples, but hopefully you get the idea. You don’t have to know everything do start doing something.

I often get impatient with myself, seeing my long-term goals and feeling so far away from them. But on a recent call getting enrolled in GeoShip’s Ambassador program, some words popped out of my subconscious that I really needed to hear. I am just a small part of this huge movement — and in the grand scheme of things, everything is happening at just the right time. There are so many wonderful people working towards similar goals, so I don’t have to do it all alone. And I have plenty of lessons to learn on the journey there.

Speaking of lessons to learn, here are some of my musings about “appropriate technology” and how we interact with the nature we are supposed to be stewarding.

WE can do this

I feel like I know next to nothing about living a Regenerative life. Society groomed me to be a cog in the C@pItali$t machine. But I have the internet, an open global network of people who are trying to Regenerate this planet, a local community that loves and supports me, and a loving God who wants to see their children and creation heal.

If you are reading this, you have the internet too. The network of Regenerators is open to you, too. If you don’t have a local community, I encourage you to find one — at your local library, church, farmers market (bonus points if you can find an aligned intentional community to live in!) — wherever people who might share your desire to live Regeneratively could be. If you don’t have a relationship with the Divine, I highly encourage that too, and am more than happy to share what I believe with anyone who wants to hear it.

Together, we can DO THIS!

Ozarks Area Community Congress

Speaking of Community… If you happen to be in the Ozarks BioRegion with us, or have the ability to travel and want to experience a BioRegional Gathering, I want to extend an invitation to the Ozarks Area Community Congress. It is a wonderful group of people who care about the Ozarks and meet once per year to share progress, perspective, peace, and hope. This will be my fourth year attending, third year co-sponsoring, and second year bringing our whole family. I’d love the chance to meet some of you in-person, and this is a great place to do it!

If you’re new here, thanks for subscribing! If you haven’t already, I highly encourage you to read these two key posts to make sure you know who we are, where we’re heading, and what inspires us.

Thanks for being on this journey with us!