Things Permaculture

New W-brace Low Frame Repurposed Barrel Raised Planter Bed – July 2019

Distress Paint Look for the W-brace Motif

Single Barrel Stand Install at my Taoist Tai Chi Instructor’s house in Scarborough – June 2019

X-wing Bracing Repurposed Barrel Raised Planter Bed using mostly Ikea Baby Bed Slats (27.5″ long 2.75×0.75″ members) – June 2019

UofT St. George Student Community Gardens Double Barrel Stands Install with Dig_In Regensis Student Environmental Group

U of T St. George Dig_In Regenesis Campus Agriculture Facbook Page on The Rain Barrel Build

Lotus Flower Sub-irrigated Planter Pot using Repurposed Yogurt Tubs and Pop Bottles

The light gray blue paint submerged in water and pebbles is an all natural linseed oil paint by Sage Restoration from Kingston Ontario

Food Grade Barrel made in the UK is raised and held in place by the Demountable and Stackable Wooden Barrel Stand which lifts the Barrel off Ground by 11″

All Natural Linseed Oil Varnish from Sweden sold by Sage Restoration of Kingston Ontario

The Double Stacked Stand for U of T St. George Campus Student Community Garden (with Dig_In Re-genesis) on Spadina Ave.

Demountable Caged Frames Installation in progress at residence in Ward 21 (April 2019)

The Re-purposed Barrel Grow-light Lantern Furniture Stand with Strip LED purple lights (constructed at Makerspace 192 Spadina Ave. Spring 2019)

Decorative Butterfly and Constellation Motif Drilled for Air Ventilation. (accompanied by a new karaoke speaker from a Markham store)

Seedy Saturday Scarborough April 2019

2019 Seedy Saturday at Toronto Botanical Gardens

A Double Stacked Stand shown that will lift a rain-barrel above ground by 22 inches which will then create more water pressure for attaching watering hose to water planter beds directly

Commissioned Canvas Banner for Transition Toronto with biased tape edging sewn on by repairathon.com

Painted Canvas Banners for Zero Waste Hub Toronto (Dec 2018) & Green 11 (part of Green Neighbours Network Toronto) (May 2019)

Carving Motifs Decorated Base Rain-barrel Stand

Red Cardinal Nature Scene Motif for the Stackable version Rain-barrel Stand

Painted Nature Vignettes Inspired by the Iconic Paintings of Tom Thomson

Painted Art Nouveau Inspired Florals

“Starry Night Toronto” Theme Decorated Double Rain-barrel Stand at the office

Version 2 Growlight Stand with LED lights (Oct 2018 Harvest Party at 4100 Lawrence Ave. Apartments Community Garden)

T-Configuration Double Rain-barrel Stand (Sept 2018) C:UsersOwnerDocumentsMy Dropbox#projectsLOWELL LO DESIGN I

Also assisting Assistant/Intern Architect Insiya (recent Masters Grad from India) working at Senior Gardener Dave Jone’s Storage/Workshop unit.

Rain-barrel and Sub-irrigation Beds install in East Scarborough (July 2018)

The home owner fenced off her backyard last year to grow food this year. We connected with her at just the right time when she was looking for garden help this year. Dave created sandbox using scrap pieces of cedar wood from another client’s rear deck project

Showing start of abundant growth in Aug 2018

Poster Showing Rain Barrel and Planter Bed Initiative Installs in East York and in East Scarborough (2018)

Demountable Raised Sub-irrigated Planter Bed by Dave Jones of East Scarborough Community Gardens (Tabling at Kilbourne Park United Church Permaculture Garden Opening Day 2018, East York)

East York Rain Barrel and Sub-irrigated Planter Bed Installation in East York (Spring 2018)

Tabling at Seedy Saturday with Dave Jones with our design products of wooden rainbarrel stands and sub-irrigated planter beds at GEBIS in Concord Ontario

THE DEMOUNT-ABLE AND STACK-ABLE WOODEN RAIN-BARREL STAND

The six-legged design allows the cross pieces to be demountable into 2 hand-held pieces for easy storage and strong enough to hold a 50 gallon barrel full of water – made with Pressure Treated Lumber or Natural Cedar using only 2″x4″ members. The current design has a 2′-0″ diameter clearance for fitting the barrels.

Food Grade Plastic Transport Barrel on an older Version 3 barrel stand. (Note: The white barrel shown will let in ultra-violet light so it is not recommended for use as rain cisterns/barrels)

Current Version 3 lifts the barrels off the ground by 11″ so a watering can can be placed under the barrel. The double outer Legs eliminated the need for complex wood joinery. The whole assembly is held together using ceramic deck screws and carpenter’s glue at the double leg connection.

Version 4 – The outer double legs are shifted to grab hold of the barrel above more. By shifting up the outer legs, it allowed the stands to be stack-able.

The Triple Stacked Stand for greater water pressure to planting beds via gravity if required – 2 Version 4 barrels over Version 3 as base.

It is recommended by other gardeners to place the Wooden Stand on top of 2′x2′ concrete pavers so the weight of the barrel will be spread across the concrete paver.

*Interesting fact about wood’s carbon sequestration ability: Throughout the life of a tree, it continually absorbs carbon from its environment. All the carbon absorbed throughout its life is stored in its wood fibre even after it is up-rooted from the ground. All of this stored carbon is kept in its fibre only to be released back into the atmosphere when it is burnt.

To Order:

-Email Lowell Lo at: llo@lowelllodesign.com for notification of subsequent payment via e-transfer and to specify order for Version 3 or Version 4 stands
-Allow at least 2 weeks for Assembly and Delivery Time if within 1 hour drive within Ontario
-$79.10 for 1 Pressure Treated Wood Stand (includes HST)
-$113.00 for 1 Cedar Wood Stand (includes HST)
-Delivery charge within 1 hour drive from North York (Victoria Park Ave. & Sheppard Ave) is $16.95 (includes HST)
-If place of delivery is more than 1 hour drive then professional courier will be used (additionally charged)
-Please also specify if your would prefer the clearance space for fitting the barrel to be smaller than 2′-0″ wide; provide width of the rain-barrel you will be using if possible

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Rain Barrel and Planter Bed - Nov 2, 2016

Planter Bed Enclosure Structure Design for Protection from Wind, Sun, Rain and Critters

Dave Jone’s Sub-irrigated Planter/Grow Frame Design

Article published in The 2015 Members Directory Magazine from the Ontario Association of Architects about my volunteer work in the Permaculture community in Toronto.

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Bulletin Board Structure for the Centre for Immigrant and Community Services

Demountable Condiments Shelves

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Grow Light Stand

Rain-barrel stand using 1×4″s IKEA baby bed slats deocorated with Native American motifs

Magazine stand using bed mattress slats designed and built at Permaculture Living Convergence Fall 2013 in Toronto.

Nelson Wong Architect’s Office Vegetable Greenhouse Garden

: Old storm window screens recycled as protection from animals.

: The veggie garden is sub-irrigated via rain barrels and underground weeping tiles

“Permablitz” – based on the principles of Permaculture (permanent agriculture) which arose during the 1970s in response to Peak Oil is when people come together to achieve the following:Create or add to edible gardens where someone lives,Share skills related to permaculture and sustainable living, Build community networks and have fun

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