The 26-week schedule
Week by week, from 15 March to 12 September: activities, plantings, harvests.
Bioterra · Residence of Action and Meaning
March · Weeks 1–4
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01
Arrival
Activities
Living together, BRAS. Welcoming the eight ambassadors. A round of introductions. The first talking circle. Co-creating the rules of living. Launching Donkeys — the first collective proposal: the house rules. A guided tour of the land, the house and the fledgling garden.
Plantings
No planting this week. We observe before we touch.
Harvests
No harvest. The garden is a blank slate.
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02
Observation
Activities
Grow, Build. Module 1 — reading the land. A freehand map of the garden. A soil test. Identifying the sun and shade zones. Starting to prepare the beds. A theory introduction to the ogival arches — technical drawing, working out the spacings.
Plantings
Indoor sowing under cover: heirloom tomatoes, peppers, aubergines. Early sowings on a sunny windowsill, in individual pots.
Harvests
No harvest. Observation: edible wild plants already in the garden (nettle, plantain, dandelion).
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03
Soil & structure
Activities
Grow, Build. Preparing the beds — no-dig, in lasagna layers. Laying the mulch. Assembling the first ogival arches in 80×40×3 mm steel. Working in pairs — building in the morning, garden in the afternoon.
Plantings
In the open ground (frost permitting): spinach, lamb's lettuce, garlic (cloves), white onions. Indoors: keep on with tomatoes and peppers.
Harvests
Wild plants: nettles (soup, pesto), dandelions (salad). The first meal 100% from the wild garden.
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04
First arch
Activities
Build, Living together. Finishing and raising the first complete ogival arch. A powerful symbolic moment — a group photo. Donkeys vote: what this space becomes (greenhouse, workshop, meditation?). Introducing the Cook module: the philosophy of four ingredients.
Plantings
Terrace (boxes): rocket, radish (fast varieties), chives, flat-leaf parsley. Indoors: pot the tomatoes on into larger pots.
Harvests
Lamb's lettuce (if sown in W3), spinach (young leaves), dandelions. Recipe: lamb's lettuce salad with walnut oil.
April · Weeks 5–8
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05
Reeds
Activities
Build, Grow. Fixing 40×50 mm wooden battens to the arches. A thatching introduction — angles, direction, fixing. Building in the morning, garden in the afternoon. Module 2: feeding the soil, the first compost bin started.
Plantings
Potatoes (heeled in), peas, broad beans, lettuces (several varieties), basil (indoor sowing). Terrace: 2nd rocket cycle plus radish.
Harvests
Rocket (1st terrace cycle), radish (if W4 was early), chives (cut). Recipe: Rocket Queen — the essentials.
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06
Cover
Activities
Build, Living together. Laying the reeds on the arches — the full technique. A waterproofing test. Living-together module: the first collective review in circle. Donkeys: assessing the first six weeks, a vote on improvements to shared life.
Plantings
Carrots (direct sowing), beetroot, turnips, sunflowers (edging), nasturtiums (edible, edging), French marigolds (pest control).
Harvests
Radish (2nd harvest), lettuces (first leaves), spinach, parsley and chives. Recipe: radishes with whipped browned butter.
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07
Inhabited structure
Activities
Build, Grow. Finishing the arch — the interior fitted out. A celebration: the first meal UNDER the structure the group built. Permaculture design of the 300 m² garden — Module 4. Each ambassador takes charge of a zone.
Plantings
Green beans (full sun, far end of the garden), climbing beans, courgettes (indoor sowing), cucumbers (indoor sowing), basil (transplanted to the terrace).
Harvests
Peas (the first), broad beans (young pods), lettuces (heads), rocket (a continuous cycle on the terrace). Recipe: The Garden on a Plate.
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08
Guilds
Activities
Grow, Cook. Setting up the plant guilds — tomato/basil/marigold/garlic/lettuce. Cook module in depth: vegetarian chef technique. Each ambassador cooks a dish from what the garden gives that day. A composting workshop.
Plantings
Full guilds: tomatoes (transplanted in full sun), interplanted garlic, lettuce as ground cover, parsley as an edging, mint (in a pot — invasive).
Harvests
Peas in abundance, broad beans, lettuces, radish (3rd cycle), basil (first leaves).
May · Weeks 9–12
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09
Soil self-sufficiency
Activities
Grow, Cook. Module 5: maintaining without exhausting yourself. Installing the ollas (buried irrigation). A thick general mulch. Setting up the away protocol. Cooking workshop: spring preserves. A collective logbook — a photographic review.
Plantings
Courgettes (transplanting in full sun), cucumbers (transplanting), winter squash (far end of the garden), leeks (transplanting), celery.
Harvests
Peas (full harvest), broad beans, a steady supply of lettuces, chives, parsley and basil, nasturtiums (edible flowers).
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10
Visitors
Activities
Radiate, Living together. The first outside visitors — a one-day garden workshop. The ambassadors pass on what they know for the first time. Donkeys used to organise the day together. An evening debrief in circle. A W10 review on Donkeys.
Plantings
Sweetcorn (full sun), sunflowers (2nd row), fennel, broccoli (sown for autumn), 4th rocket cycle on the terrace.
Harvests
Garlic (green stems, like wild garlic), abundant lettuces, radishes, spinach (the last cycle before the heat). Recipe: chilled lettuce-and-basil soup.
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11
Biodiversity
Activities
Grow, Tiger's Awakening. Observing biodiversity — pollinators, beneficial insects. A bug-hotel workshop. Introducing The Tiger's Awakening: the first reconnection session — walking barefoot in the garden, 30 minutes of silent observation. A screen-free day.
Plantings
Climbing beans (2nd row), basil in quantity (terrace and garden), coriander, dill, savory.
Harvests
Peas (end of cycle), lettuces, all culinary herbs, nasturtium flowers (for plating), the first strawberries (if planted).
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12
Three-month review
Activities
Living together, BRAS. A full collective review of the twelve weeks. Talking circle: what has worked well, what is stuck. A Donkeys vote on adjustments to the W13–W26 programme. A photo workshop — documenting the transformed garden. A video call with Olivier.
Plantings
Peppers (final transplanting), aubergines (transplanting), sweet potatoes (if there is a warm microclimate), 5th rocket cycle, summer radish (heat-resistant varieties).
Harvests
The first courgettes, cucumbers (starting), lettuces, culinary herbs in abundance. Recipe: the grand review meal — every vegetable from the garden.
June · Weeks 13–16
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13
Full sun
Activities
Grow, Cook. Intensive upkeep — staking tomatoes, pruning courgettes. A fine-cooking workshop: three Bioterra recipes from the day's harvest. Introducing lacto-fermentation. The first paid weekend workshops prepared for W14.
Plantings
Autumn sowings in pots (cabbages, broccoli), lamb's lettuce (early sowing), chicory, perennial herbs: thyme, rosemary, sage, 6th rocket cycle.
Harvests
Courgettes (regularly), cucumbers, small onions, garlic (starting), all herbs, the first cherry tomatoes.
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14
First public workshop
Activities
Radiate, Cook. A paid public workshop on Saturday: a garden tour and collective cooking (10–15 people). Sunday workshop: an introduction to permaculture. The ambassadors lead. A Sunday-evening debrief. The takings go back into shared costs.
Plantings
Beans (3rd row, to spread the harvest), basil in quantity (as replacements), summer spinach (heat-resistant), pumpkins (if there is room).
Harvests
Garlic (main harvest), courgettes in abundance, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, green beans (starting). Recipe: public-workshop meal — the garden on a plate.
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15
Managing abundance
Activities
Cook, Living together. Managing the abundance: preserves, freezing, gifts to the neighbours. Workshop: infused oils, flavoured vinegars, pesto in jars. Donkeys: planning the July trip. A vote on destination and dates.
Plantings
Beetroot (2nd cycle), carrots (2nd row), autumn radish (large), cauliflower (in pots), Brussels sprouts.
Harvests
Tomatoes (building up), green beans, courgettes and cucumbers, fennel, the first beetroot, sunflowers (edible flower buds).
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16
60% self-sufficient
Activities
Grow, Tiger's Awakening. The garden covers about 60% of meals. A measurement and a celebration. Tiger's Awakening workshop: working on life patterns, on blocks. Trip logistics. A protocol to keep the garden self-sufficient during a 4-day absence.
Plantings
Summer lettuces (bolt-resistant), 7th rocket cycle, coriander (resown), parsley (2nd row), New Zealand spinach.
Harvests
Tomatoes (in abundance), peppers (starting), courgettes and cucumbers, beans, the first potatoes, carrots.
July · Weeks 17–20
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17
The trip
Activities
Travel, Tiger's Awakening. A 4–5 day trip: visiting a permaculture project in Europe (France, the Netherlands or Germany). Meeting other communities. A collective travel journal. 1–2 ambassadors stay for the garden (on rotation). Back on Friday — a shared meal.
Plantings
Before leaving: lamb's lettuce (autumn sowing), autumn spinach, autumn lettuces. Ollas refilled, mulch reinforced.
Harvests
Before leaving: tomatoes, courgettes, cucumbers, beans, herbs. The harvest given to neighbours during the absence.
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18
Return & intensity
Activities
Cook, Radiate. Sharing the trip back in circle. What we learned, what we want to adapt. Public weekend workshop no. 2 — larger (20 people). The ambassadors lead on their own. A vegetarian fine-dining menu, 100% from the garden.
Plantings
Autumn cabbages (transplanting), cauliflower, broccoli, leeks (final transplanting), 8th rocket cycle, green manure (in the cleared areas).
Harvests
Tomatoes in full production, peppers and aubergines, cucumbers, corn (starting), potatoes, a steady supply of beans, squash (the first).
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19
80% self-sufficient
Activities
Grow, Tiger's Awakening. The garden covers 80% of meals. A solemn measurement — a celebration. Intensive Tiger's Awakening workshop: working on bodily patterns, sensory reconnection. Each ambassador defines their post-BRAS personal project. Donkeys: a vote on the format of the closing ceremony.
Plantings
General green-manure sowing, watercress, autumn turnips, winter radish (large), parsley for the winter.
Harvests
Peak tomato production, squash, sweetcorn, aubergines, fennel, every summer vegetable at once. Recipe: BRAS ratatouille — 100% from the garden.
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20
Passing it on
Activities
Radiate, Living together. Each ambassador prepares their signature workshop (the one they will run in W23). Public workshop no. 3 — open to families and children. Giving surplus food to local charities or social groceries.
Plantings
Lamb's lettuce (2nd row), autumn spinach (2nd row), autumn lettuces, coriander (fresh sowing), dill for preserving.
Harvests
Tomatoes (preserves, sauces), beans (frozen), winter squash (stored), dried garlic, dried herbs, onions (braided).
August · Weeks 21–24
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21
Tiger's Awakening
Activities
Tiger's Awakening, Living together. An intensive week of personal development. Working on deep-seated blocks. Daily talking circles. A day of silence and solitary work in the garden. A collective reading — passages from The Tiger's Awakening. The garden runs on its own.
Plantings
Savoy cabbages (transplanting), the last leeks, autumn beetroot, watercress (in a box), mustard (green manure).
Harvests
Tomatoes (maximum production), peppers in abundance, aubergines, cucumbers, squash, corn, potatoes (2nd harvest).
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22
Preserves
Activities
Cook, Tiger's Awakening. A big preserving week — jars, lacto-fermentation, drying, jams. What the garden has produced will see the winter through. Tiger's Awakening workshop: looking ahead, a letter to yourself to open in a year. Preparing the W23 signature workshops.
Plantings
9th rocket cycle (the last), lamb's lettuce (for winter), winter lettuces (frost-hardy varieties), winter spinach, autumn garlic (for June 2028).
Harvests
Tomatoes (mass preserving), roasted peppers in jars, lacto-fermented gherkins, canned beans, dried herbs and oils. Recipe: BRAS tomato sauce — 100 jars.
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23
Signature workshops
Activities
Radiate, Tiger's Awakening. Each ambassador runs their full signature workshop before the group and guests. Six workshops over four days. Garden, building, cooking, collective life, inner journey, preserving. Kind peer feedback.
Plantings
Winter plantings completed, autumn onions, shallots, perennial bulbs (edible tulips), full ground cover.
Harvests
Tomatoes (end of cycle), winter squash (cellar storage), celery, fennel, beetroot, carrots (2nd cycle).
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24
Personal project
Activities
Tiger's Awakening, Living together. Each ambassador presents their post-BRAS project to the group. Kind collective feedback via Donkeys. Connections between projects — who can help whom. Preparing the W26 ceremony. Planning the closing logistics.
Plantings
Planting an edible hedge (shrubs), currant and blackcurrant bushes, everbearing strawberries, perennial edibles, dwarf fruit trees (budget permitting).
Harvests
Apples (if there is a tree), the last tomatoes, squash and pumpkins, leeks (starting), cabbages (starting), autumn rocket.
September · Weeks 25–26
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25
Final review
Activities
BRAS, Living together. The final collective review — the garden in before-and-after photos. The total produced across 26 weeks. Talking circle: who were you in March, who are you today? Preparing the grand closing meal in W26. Inviting families and friends.
Plantings
Plantings for the next cycle: autumn garlic (a long row), winter onions, a full green-manure cover, complete winter mulching. We plant for those who come after.
Harvests
The last summer harvests, pumpkins and squash, leeks and cabbages, beetroot, carrots, herbs for dried bouquets garnis, autumn rocket.
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26
Ceremony
Activities
★ BRAS Cook. Monday–Thursday: final tidying, closing documentation, letters of recommendation. Friday–Saturday: a grand closing meal cooked entirely by the ambassadors (families and friends). Speeches, testimonies. Saturday evening: the BRAS certification ceremony. Sunday: departures.
Plantings
A gift to the next cycle: spring bulbs (tulips, daffodils), garlic and onions well established, the garden covered and protected. The next group will find a living garden.
Harvests
The final harvest: every available vegetable for the grand meal, preserves given to the ambassadors, seeds saved for the next cycle, eight BRAS certificates, and a network for life.