Behind the Scenes of the Greening the Desert Project

On the second floor of the main building, accommodations are now available, done in Jordanian style with first-world comfort. There are six bedrooms constructed of mudbrick and straw bale, and from the windows, there are nice views of the project and surrounding area. These are now available on AirBnB and available to interns who don’t want to camp.

Due to an overwhelming turnout (60 people) for courses this past year, the classroom is in the process of being upgraded and enlarged. A wall has been taken down. Within the same space, a sewing workshop has been added, and there is storage for products local participants are making on and from the site, including wax candles, soaps, natural preserves, honey, pickles, olives, and spices. There are even service trays made from repurposed pallet wood.

Downstairs, the wicking beds are nicely dressed up in tile. There is a new four-bath reedbed system on the western wall to clean up greywater from the organic café’s sinks and water the vine crop that shades the western wall. The beds ultimately feed a newly installed banana circle. The worm farms are being taken down and replaced with a new system, and the old space is going to be a nice sitting area.

Also funded by MAA and HolisticSD, there is an outdoor sitting courtyard for the café, and inside, the ceiling is being insulated and lined with timber. New electricity for lights is going in, as well as power points for the internet. Sitting amongst it all is a beautiful new solar dehydrator built by the interns this year.

There is a new storeroom for carpentry tools and recycled/repurposed materials, including a functioning compressor and solar lights.

From the streetscape, the entrance to organic garden café is stunning. Inside, it is beautifully equipped and replete with first-world comforts. Organic coffee is available, and the project’s products mentioned earlier are available for sale. A Greening the Desert organic tea has also made the scene. In the garden courtyard behind the café, pigeon pots for roosting pigeons are waiting to be installed directly into the straw bale wall of the building.

2019 has been a success, a decade in the making.

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[jamesoliver]

Geoff Lawton does more fr extending the Peace and Grace of God unintentionally than a hundred preachers on purpose ! I think he is totally unaware of it! Just loves the work and the Results and is Passionate about passing it on to others ! Thats Awesome !

[johnmcginnis]

Geoff and the team should be proud. A lot of work that has paid off.

[sarahflanagan]

Geoff, I am hoping that if you can't make it to Jordan this winter (2020-21) because of covid-19, that the staff there could post some new videos on any new projects at this wonderful inspiring garden in the Jordan desert. I always look forward to your yearly visit and new videos you generously share with us.

[coffeebuzzz]

If you can grow a garden on a pile of rock in the Jordanian desert, you can grow one anywhere.

[farisasmith]

The area is so much greener now. Your neighbors are really taking on permaculture techniques. And the site is so beautiful. Always improving on itself.

[jhosk]

Absolutely adore what y'all are doing, all it takes is one person to start and others will follow

[louisegogel]

This is such an awesome behind the scenes view of Greening the Desert! So so impressive everything is: the lush garden from pure baren rock, the wonderful functional building with such great sleeping quarters and teaching room.

So much more to list on what it impressive…. and perhaps the very pinnacle of impressive is local people taking on Permaculture!! Professionals in the making, hurrah!

[farishope]

Honestly sire, I feel that your green missionary is getting you much closer to God than many other missionaries.

[cognito]

Just great work from your Palestinian and Jordanian team! Much respect.
Peace upon you.

[SoilHealthpk]

Learning Permaculture in PAKISTAN, with many enthusiast here in Karachi
Mr. Geoff Lawton, Thank you for sharing and giving us the opportunity to learn from your expertise
#Gratitude

[stevecampkin]

Good luck in Australia, it needs you right now.

[simplestir]

What an amazing job Geoff. Bless you. There’s nothing more important than what you are doing.

[saucywench]

Yeah, New reed beds! Geoff, I love how you geeked out over the tool room. You we're so excited. Sad to see you leave Jordan, the Greening the Desert project is my favorite and it is beautiful! Hats off to all of the workers and congratulations.

[futurecaredesign]

18:19 - I can really relate to having an organized workspace.

In Dutch we have a saying: "A good start, is half the work done."
Nothing is more draining than a disorganized workshop / storage area.

[cleoxo]

Thanks Geoff for posting this video!! happy to see this project moving along!!!

[mickusachus]

Ur a legend mate. These updates are gold. Awesome that so many people are doing your PDC there. Good on em very encouraging.

[bismillahrabbani]

What a wonderful, productive and worthwhile place to live a Blessed life.
Thank you for sharing this. I've thoroughly enjoyed watching and learning.

[deborahheritage]

How absolutely beautiful! What an amazing place you have created.

[gutersteinker]

I am so proud of what you and your team had achieved!

[JBFromOZ]

simply brilliant! PDC alumni from 2013, our little home urban garden is such peace and happiness every day for us, thank you