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My SOLVIVA home turned out to exceed my highest hopes and dreams, and by the time I had lived in it for 2 years, I was ecstatically inspired to go further in my quest to find ever better methods, ever less polluting and harmful ways, for us to keep warm, cool, clean, and well fed, all year-round, without needing any fossil or nuclear fuels, without any toxic pesticides or other substances, aiming to reduce over-all harm to near-zero. Thus I channeled and designed the SOLVIVA WINTER GARDEN greenhouse in 1983, and sent out invitations to come live with me and help construct this game-changing food production system. A dozen Miraculous Angels came streaming in from near and far, who not only joined to construct the greenhouse, but also produced food in the garden, and vied for their turn to cook yet another memorable meal. Amid digging, cutting, fitting, hammering, lifting and planting, we shared stories and information, and we laughed, danced, meditated and laughed some more. It truly was a spectacular time of positive vibes and creativity. And it was a most spectacularly positive project – which turned out to way way exceed even my own wildest dreams – way beyond the highest hopes I could have ever imagined.
By early 1984, the SOLVIVA WINTER GARDEN was pretty much completed, and a hundred tomato plants (what I thought would be the primary crop) were producing thousands of tomatoes. I also planted some 50 different varieties of salad and cooking greens, plus herbs and flowers.
The first organic, vine-ripened tomatoes to ever appear in winter-time New England hit the markets in early 1984, and sold out instantly, among rave reviews. BUT – most of the tomato plants turned out to be troublesome (diseases, pest insects, constant up-keep with pollinating, tie-up and and pruning – and they were not fun to deal with, leaving us dirty and itchy). As I was deflating by the failing tomato plants, I got inspired by the salad greens! – WOW! they were so way way WAY more tasty than any of the heads of this and bunches of that, which, at that time, 1984, was the only salad greens available in markets or restaurants. Out of my re-inspired mind came an idea for something really new, really good, really nutritious, really beautiful – easy to buy, no fuss or mess – just grab a handful of clean, perfect, superb salad greens, and a few edible flowers – and, voila! – the best salad ever! And the bag would stay beautifully fresh for a week or more!
Thus, I launched a brand new product, SOLVIVA SALAD – and it took off like a rocket. Boston’s finest chefs were stunned by the flavors, textures and beauty – and the shelf life! They wanted more and more, and in response I rapidly increased the production capacity of the greenhouse. In fact, by strategically hanging 8 levels of grow-tubes above the raised beds, the production rate probably quadrupled. Soon the harvests were up to 1280 ounces of SOLVIVA SALAD per week – that’s five servings weekly for 256 people! And I know it could have gone so much higher. And this was produced in a greenhouse of just 3000 square feet, in the middle of a brutally cold winter, without any heating fuel whatsoever, and without any pesticides or other toxic substances. This was way beyond what had ever been achieved before anywhere on this planet. Soon the whole world knew about SOLVIVA, as CNN, ABC, NPR, the NY Times, Organic Gardening etc etc reported the really Good News about these amazing new energy-efficient organic Solviva methods for food production, heating, cooling, and wastewater management – and soon thousands of people wanted to know how to do it.
Read all about it in: SOLVIVA (1998) and Green Light at the End of the Tunnel (2014).
One copy: $35 2-5 copies: 20% discount, 6 copies: 30%, whole box of 12 copies: 50% Further discounts may be available. Plus shipping: $5 for 1-2 books. For multiple copies, please contact me at solviva@vineyard.net – or: (508) 693-3341
To order and pay through PayPal: go to bottom of page.
To pay with check or direct by credit card, please contact me at: solviva@vineyard.net, or 18 Solviva Road, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568, or (508) 693-3341
In the meantime, click on the images below, and rejoice in the fact that we now know how to reduce pollution, depletion and other harm to near-zero, and to cut thousands off our cost of living, while enabling us to live very well indeed, with our gadgets, appliances and cars, and with improved health, security and freedom. May you be inspired to take whatever action you feel is best for you, yours and everyone and everything else.
