Home
Welcome to the Permastead wiki!
Getting Started:
-
For Developers: Clone the project in either Visual Studio or Rider for Windows, or Rider on Mac/Linux. When you run the project for the first time, it will create an initial SQLite database in your home folder (.config/Permastead/permastead.db).
-
For Users: Download the latest release - binaries are available for Windows, Mac and Linux.
It can be used in a few ways. From my point of view, there are a few ways a homesteader could use the application. One would be to track your observations and actions on your property (another way to express that would be a journal/TODO list). A second way that could be used alone or in conjunction with the first is tracking your plantings and seeds. The seeds are attached to a planting, and you can record observations on plants as well as see when their projected harvest date would be. This has been my experience in using the application in 2023 for my own property. I like the workflow of doing some work outside, then later updating things with the application inside (marking TODOs as complete, entering my observations for the day (ex: "the basil has taken off and should be trimmed", "the dandelions are in bloom" or "I saw a toad and a snake near the pond").
As far as the problems it solves, I would say it helps you not forget things, like where you planted your sage seeds, or when the rhubarb should be harvested. It also allows you to look back on mistakes you made, or things you did in previous growing years. You can add an annual event like "Currants starting to flower" and have them pop up on your Dashboard view next year at the same time. As such, you build up a history of the property and this would be very useful to pass down to children or another steward of the property. So I see it solving some short and some longer term issues. Most of the software used in permaculture that I have seen focuses on the land itself (mapping, contours, plotting, etc). Permastead takes a different path and focuses more on the administrative side of running a homestead.
After you have downloaded the application, run it for the first time. Your initial database will be created for you and you will be viewing the Home view. From here, trying clicking the Planting icon to bring you to that view - this is where you will start documenting your property. To get started, grab your seed collection and add the vendors.
Next, add some plant locations. These can be garden beds, rows, guilds, or even pots if you want that level of detail. Next up, take a look at the default plant list and see if there is anything you'd like to add. You can see the default plant list by double-clicking on "Plants" in the browser. After adding any plants missing, you can now add your plantings - these are the actual instances of plants. They have a location, plant and seed packet as properties. You're off and running! If you're not ready to start planting, that's OK too, just click the Observations icon to start making observations about your property or the Actions icon to start making TODOs.
There are a number of views in the application, they are listed and described below:
Shows an inspirational daily quote along with any upcoming ToDos or events. Also has various statistics on your application usage like a ratio of your observations to actions, number of plants, plantings, inventory items and seed packets. This view also shows your “score”, which is derived from your usage of the application. For example, you get points for adding observations, but the number of points awarded drops the more records you add. If you have entered a city and country in Settings, this view will attempt to get the current weather for your area.
This view lets you keep a journal related of what you see on and around your property. For example, you could document things like the wildlife you see or note places where water pools. These observations could then be reviewed over time.
The Actions view is essentially a ToDo list that lets you know what you need to do and when.
Events are recurring things and can be created to also trigger actions if you like. For example, an event could be created for your partner’s birthday with a yearly cycle. As the event gets close, an action is generated telling you to get a gift before the date. This can also be used to track phenology events like when certain plants bloom in your area.