THE UTOPIAN
MANUAL
In 2050 the world population will reach 9 billion, because of this a big food-scarcity will arise. Aside of a scarcity of food we will have to deal with the fact that we are running out of raw materials, the plastic pollution problem, overfishing, obesity, the lack of animal welfare, the potential dangers of genetically modified food, the large-scale food waste, the lack of sustainability concerning the production of food, unfair trading practices, the fibbing on food packages and many other issues. In short, the food industry will have to and shall adapt itself. How the food industry will look in ten or twenty years remains unknown and is probably still undecided, yet that is the question the utopian handbook tries to answer.
The utopian handbook will constantly be replenished with new recipes, articles and DIY instructions. It will be available online, travel around as a pop-up installation and it will be possible to order a printed version.
The costumer can him or herself choose the content of their printed version. They can choose which articles, recipes or instructions they find interesting enough. They also choose which cover they want; carrots or tomatoes. In the end the costumer pays a price based upon the weight of the book. For this printed version the articles will be printed upon recycled compost-paper with eco-friendly ink. The cover will contain seeds, because of this the utopian manual can be planted after it has been used. Within time a small vegetable garden will arise, doing so the utopian manual will give a little back to nature of what it has taken from it.
DISCLAIMER
A large amount of the content of the utopian handbook is speculative, because of this it can not be guaranteed that the given facts will become reality. The content can change with time or lose its value.
All images that are being shown in the utopian handbook are licensed as creative commons or exist in the public domain. In exceptional cases, the images are made on commission, when this is the case it is mentioned.
The utopian manual can only be planted in the manner prescribed in the instructions below. If this does not happen, it can have harmful consequences for men and the environment.
The utopian manual and all the materials from which it has been made have been tested on efficiency, taste and quality. However, given the utopian manual is a natural product, no guarantee can be given on the final result of your vegetable garden.
MANUAL
To convert the utopian manual into a vegetable garden, compost is needed in addition to the seeds from the cover. This can be obtained with the help of a 'wormhotel'. These are available via the internet but can also be built yourself. Below you find an explanation of how you make one yourself.
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Remove the cover from the utopian manual and store it separately in a dry and dark place.
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Give the rest of the utopian handbook, torn into small pieces, as food to the bookworms.
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When compost is obtained from the worm hotel, the compost can be processed. Mix 3-5 kg. compost per m2 through the ground. Then cover the bottom with half a centimeter of compost.
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Moisten the cover. Put the cover inside a pot or outside in the earth. Cover the cover with about 2 cm of earth.
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Give it some water on a daily basis and than the first plants will germinate about a week later.
The best time to plant the utopian handbook outside is from the middle of may until october. Inside you can plant it in a jar throughout the entire year. Always ensure it gets enough light, heat and water.
HOW DO I BUILD A WORMHOTEL?
A wormhotel consists of an accumulation of compost bins with a drip tray at the bottom. The liquid compost ends up in this drip tray. To build a wormhotel yourself, you need the following materials: at least 3 watertight bins or buckets (which fit well together) with a well-fitting cover on the top tray, strips of old paper and fine cardboard chips, dry leaves or straw and compost or some organic potting soil and two hands of special compost worms (tiger worms).
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The bottom bin should be left empty, this becomes the drip tray. There must be something in that keeps the next bin at a distance. For example: a block of wood or an flower pot put upside down.
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Drill holes of approximately 10 mm in the bottom of the compost bins. This allows the worms to crawl from one tray to the other whilst looking for food. On the top tray you place a lid to prevent the worms from drowning when it rains.
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Fill the first compost bin with a layer of shredded cardboard and paper, plus a layer of compost or soil. Then you can add the worms and slowly start feeding them.
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When the first bin is full, fill the next bin. Make sure you put the container directly on the previous container filled with compostable material, then the worms will automatically crawl to the food. When your worms start to feel at home, you can slowly give more food.
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Probably the bottom bin is full of compost after about three months (until that time you can continue adding new containers). Empty the container, take out any large pieces and let the compost dry for about a day. Now the compost is ready for your vegetable garden! You can add the empty bin again at the top.
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Empty the drip tray regularly. This liquid compost can be diluted 1:10 and than be used as a natural power supply for your plants.
The wormhotel should not become too wet or too dry; you make it drier by adding paper shreds, straw or sawdust, adding fruit waste or water makes the tank more humid.
The wormhotel should not be located in an environment colder than 4 ̊ or warmer than 27 ̊, preferably between 15 ̊ and 20 ̊. It is also important that the bin stays in the shade.
The worms like to eat the following: fruit and vegetable residues, tea bags, coffee grounds, eggshells, straw, leaves, discarded garden waste, egg cartons, chips of unbleached cardboard / paper (if it has been printed, this is only possible when eco-friendly ink was used).
The worms do not like to eat the following: bread and pastries, fatty substances such as oil and sauces, cooked food, dog or cat feces, big pieces of garden waste, dairy, onion, hot peppers, garlic, citrus fruit, eucalyptus leaf, meat or fish.