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Permaculture
July 23, 2005 - 5:47am
I'm interested in the design aspect and philosophy behind it.
I don't have any land and not much skills about managing it, but someday I'd really like to.
That it originated in Australia I guess goes some way to explaining its relative popularity here. I don't know how widespread it is elsewhere, but I'm quite sure that you'll be able to find some devotees not too far from where ever you are.
PERMACULTURE: A Designers' Manual is the absolute bible of the movement. It's been a few years since I've pored over its pages, but I recall it as being a friendly and inspiring read. The author, Bill Mollison, is largely credited with being the father of the philosophy, and is charmingly down-to-earth and practical. He also declines to wear shoes, of which I wholly approve. [img]smile.gif" border="0[/img]
There's also a great series that aired on television here, Global Gardener, which is hosted by the man himself, that gives a good overview of the philosophy and looks at some of the results of the practice in the tropics, arid regions, cool climates and urban areas.
On your comment about not having any land: permaculture can be utilised by anyone in any situation. It's not just a land-management system, but (dare I say it) a way of life that embraces reduced consumption, caring for ourselves and others and sharing resources. It sounds like it's in the same postcode as crystal-healing and dolphin spirit guides* but while it does have a large cross-over audience with those pasttimes it's actually very much grounded in practical reality. Having said that I should warn you that I've seen a good few individuals and organisations that claim to be permaculturalists but are doing it in a very half-assed way and giving the whole movement a bad reputation. If you're looking to make contact with or visit a permaculture set-up, you could do worse than finding them through an organisation such as Permaculture International or Crystal Waters. Both are Australian-based, but I'm sure would be able to refer you to organisations in your area. (I don't know a great deal about the first organisation, but I know that Crystal Waters has a very good reputation in this part of the world.)
I hope this helps a little. Feel free to PM me if you'd like any more information. Always happy to help spread the good word. [img]biggrin.gif" border="0[/img]
*If this is your thing, that's fine by me. I just needed to make the distinction. [img]wink.gif" border="0[/img]
edited to add something of no interest to anyone but myself: I browsed the Crystal Waters site after I posted this. I was looking at the courses they offer and was pleasantly surprised to notice that one of the teachers is someone from my class at school who I haven't heard anything of since we all left. I had the biggest crush on him. [img]biggrin.gif" border="0[/img]
[ 23 July 2005: Message edited by: Suzette ]
[ 23 July 2005: Message edited by: Suzette ]
In any case, I just reserved the book you mentioend from the library. Not surprisingly, both copies are out.
Ah, the World Wide Web -- bringing people together since 19?? [img]biggrin.gif" border="0[/img]
Abso-freakin'-lutely!!
This is one local example, but it gets even smaller-scale than this. A small balcony. A window ledge. An attitude. Seriously, permaculture can be implemented in as simple a way as our own behaviour. Land in the permaculture philosophy is divided into zones which radiate out from the dwelling, the house itself being Zone 1, and so on. This was modified later to make ourselves Zone 0. So even by adopting permaculture principles such as sharing resources and reducing consumption we can adopt the practice into our lives. (I'm conscious of sounding preachy here, but I was kind of given permission, I suppose...) Enjoy the book, by the way. Love to hear what you make of it when you're done.
skdadl: I'd be very surprised if that particular door didn't slam shut some time ago -- I was far from being the only one with her eye on it. [img]wink.gif" border="0[/img]
Strawberry plants are also a good idea: small, and they spread, but controllably.
Worm farming, as they say in the classics, rocks!
Hey neeuqdrazil, how's the vermicomposting going, anyhow? (She's got my old bin. [img]smile.gif" border="0[/img] )
So you have council composting? That is just so damn cool! I've never heard of that (apart from the pig feed bins on the Home Front, anyway). Anything we don't compost at home here ourselves goes into landfill, which is clever. So, can you then get compost in return, or does it go into the civic gardens and whatnot?
http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/greenbin/background.htm
I find that, being kitty-free now, I only have one grocery bag full of stuff for the bin, depending on how much I've been cooking that week. I find the kitchen bin so handy, and surprisingly, it's not so terrible when you open it on garbage day and tie it up, even if there's meat in it (my kid's here for the summer, so I've been buying meat lately, which I normally don't do). I am just loving this composting program. It makes up for the dismal recycling program.
What I'm finding to be a bit of a pain, though, is that now that I've been recycling and composting so much, I have only maybe a grocery bag full of garbage-garbage every two weeks. But they say they don't want people to put out kitchen catchers or grocery bags for garbage pick-up. I wonder if they make an exception if you only have one bag, as opposed to 10 grocery bags piled up? I used a large garbage bag last week, but felt guilty because it was only a quarter full. Seems like such a waste.
On the other hand, I lived in a 10 or 12 storey building in Kingston where they had a really great garbage room, with a decent recycling area that everyone respected and used properly. I think that, given the opportunity, people will do it right.
[ 23 July 2005: Message edited by: Michelle ]
and
this one from British Columbia:
http://www3.telus.net/permaculture/
and this in Ontario:
http://www.everdale.org/
and in New Brunswick:
http://www.fallsbrookcentre.ca/
[img]biggrin.gif" border="0[/img] Haha! Thats exactly what I thought when a friend (who actually believes in crystal-healing) said "you've never heard of permaculture?!" and invited me to a farm where they practice it. They had chickens, citrus trees, tea, and rice around a little cozy wooden house on a relatively small plot (on a bamboo covered hill overlooking a valley of rice fields). The owner explained how it all worked, without special fertilizer or pumping water, and everything was set up in a clean organic cycle where waste is directly recycled into the system. It seemed almost "too sensible" [img]redface.gif" border="0[/img] . I couldn't believe how neatly it worked. Surely such a system can't be as perfect as it seems. It couldn't last long without a lot of maintenance, I thought. Yet apparently it worked as simply and naturally as it was designed to be. and now I'm wondering why isn't this way of working not done everywhere?
I think I'll order "The Designer's Manual". Lots of sites I've seen recommend it but I've been hestitant as its seems like a heavy tome and I was wondering if I could find something lighter and handier (and less expensive).
I didn't know permaculture could be applied without land. This Zone 0, Zone 1 stuff is covered in the manual? Right now I'm living in an apartment with no balconey, just a pot of mint I have on a window ledge. All I was hoping for was more information about the idea of permaculture from people outside my circle of friends.
Now I'm really interested in trying it myself.
Thanks heaps Suzette! and welcome B. Ewing!
[ 24 July 2005: Message edited by: satana ]
Try Gaia's garden by Toby Hemenway or the earth User's guide to Permaculture by Rosemary Morrow, first. Permaculture One and Two or the Introduction to Permaculture are also informative.
The Beginner's Guide to Permaculture by Graham Burnnet is another great place to begin.
bob
Two physicians have to declare you a danger to yourself or to others. [img]smile.gif" border="0[/img]
[ 24 July 2005: Message edited by: Michelle ]
But actually, you're right, one thing I didn't realize was the output-input part of it when I was reading those links yesterday. It didn't come clear to me until I read satana's description of the farm he visited.
I should find a book on the subject for my mom. It would make a good gift - sounds like the type of thing she'd like.