Food and Permaculture by David Blume Food and Permaculture by David Blume I wrote this in response to post to the bioregional listserve from a woman at ATTRA who said something like "Of course you couldn't feed the world with such a hippy-dippy, hunter-gatherer, landscape system like permaculture." Well that got me a little steamed so this is what I wrote. Dear Folks, I would like to inject some real world experience into this otherwise abstract discussion of food and permaculture. In addition to being an ecological biologist, a permaculture production food farmer for 9 years, and an expert on biomass fuels, I have also been teaching permaculture since 1997 and have worked in many countries on food/energy production design issues. So in light of my experience I have a couple of things to say. As far as I know I was one of the only farmers fully utilizing permaculture to produce surplus food for sale in the US as a full time occupation. The math is easy. Can't do this on a commercial scale?
20 Practical Uses for Coca Cola… Proof That Coke Does Not Belong In the Human Body - Thought Pursuits Coke is the most valuable brand in history, and “Coca-Cola” is the world’s second-most recognized word after “hello.” However, the beverage itself is an absolute poison to the human metabolism. Coke is very close to the acidity level of battery acid and consequently it can clean surfaces equivalent to and often better than many toxic household cleaners. It’s cheaper and easier to buy Coke in some third world countries than it is to access clean water. Coke uses “public relations propaganda” to convince consumers and entire nations that it is an “environmental company” when really it is linked to pollution, water shortages, and disease. People who consume soft drinks such as Coke have a 48% increase in heart attack and stroke risk, compared to people who did not drink the sodas at all or did not drink them every day. The carbonation in Coke causes calcium loss in the bones through a 3-stage process: But, the story doesn’t end there. Coke acts as an acidic cleaner. Enjoy Thought Pursuits?
The 7 Deadly Homemade Weed Killers “And the weeds of the garden shall be visited upon the gardener.” I can certainly think of the 7+ weedy sins of the garden but knowing how to cleanse my garden of these weeds is even better. Especially if it can be done cheaply and with household items. So, for your reading enjoyment, here are The 7 Deadly Homemade Weed Killers, guaranteed to help you eradicate the weeds you find in your garden. Boiling Water – Yep, that’s right. As an added bonus, many of these 7 homemade weed killers can be combined to produce super results. You can also add a few drops of liquid dish soap to the liquid homemade weed killers for added effectiveness. Since most of these homemade weed killers are all-or-nothing weed killers, you may want to use a weed killer shield with them to prevent sprays and splashes on desirable plants. So, go forth and cleanse thy garden of its weedy sins.
100 Best Permaculture & Homesteading Books: The Ultimate Reading List for Sustainable Living If you've ever considered getting into Permaculture, or if you're a veteran Permaculturist who's looking for a new skill to master, the following resources are the absolute best places for you to get started. Each of these books has the potential to introduce you to a whole new skill that you can enjoy for literally the rest of your life! You will find here links to over 60 Free eBook previews and full eBooks! Feel free to post down at the bottom if there are other books you would include on this list. Enjoy and Share with Your friends! Sophia Permaculture - Introductions to the Subject Gaia's Garden, Second Edition: A Guide To Home-Scale Permaculture by Toby Hemenway - The first edition of Gaia’s Garden sparked the imagination of America’s home gardeners, introducing permaculture’s central message: Working with Nature, not against her, results in more beautiful, abundant, and forgiving gardens. eBook preview: Gaia's Garden, Second Edition Permaculture - More in depth Forest Gardening
Soap Making 101 - How To Make Cold Process Soap Soap Making 101 – How To Make Cold Process Soap Please be sure to Join our email list and receive all our latest and best tutorials daily – free! 8K+ Background image – thenerdyfarmwife.com Have you ever wanted to make your own “personalized” soap using your favorite herbs? We’ve just discovered a great tutorial! There are a few methods of making soap and this one is called “cold process” – meaning, obviously, that no heat is required. It’s important to note that soap making is not the easiest DIY recipe out there. The tutorial is really well put together and includes the essential safety tips. One of the great benefits of making your own soap is that you can use your favorite essential oils and skin oils. Here, then is the full tutorial:
Top 10 Most Dangerous Plants in the World 1. Most likely to eat a rat Giant Pitcher Plant: Nepenthes attenboroughii Discovered more than 5000 feet above sea level on Mount Victoria in the Philippines, the giant, carnivorous pitcher plant secretes a nectar-like substance to lure unsuspecting prey into a pool of enzymes and acid. 2. Castor Bean Plant: Ricinus communis Castor-bean plants can be purchased at just about any garden center, despite containing the deadly poison ricin. 3. Western Water Hemlock: Cicuta douglasii Deemed the most "violently toxic plant that grows in North America" by the USDA, the water hemlock contains the toxin cicutoxin, which wreaks havoc on the central nervous system, causing grand mal seizures--which include loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions--and eventually death, if ingested. 4. White snakeroot: Eupatorium rugosum Drinking milk from a cow that decided to chow down on white snakeroot could lead to deadly milk sickness, as was the case with Abraham Lincoln's mother Nancy Hanks. 5. 6.
Milkwood: permaculture farming and living How To Make All-Natural Non-Toxic Herbal Citrus Cleaners Please Share This Page: Google + stumbleupon tumblr reddit If you are a first-time visitor, please be sure to like us on Facebook and receive our exciting and innovative tutorials on herbs and natural health topics! Image – TheYummyLife.com Just discovered this recipe for all-natural cleaners using citrus peels, vinegar and herbs. One of the reasons why this is actually quite an important thing to learn about is that the quality of indoor air has now been recognized as a serious health hazard. Another thing that is great about these cleaners is the saving in cost compared to regular cleaners. There are several possibilities as far as scent is concerned – orange cinnamon, lemon rosemary, lime thyme, grapefruit mint… another idea that came to mind was to use pine needles – as pine is so commonly used in cleaning products due to its fresh scent. Here, then, is the link to the full tutorial with lots more details and tips:
Using Milk As A Natural, Homemade Pesticide Spraying your plants with milk won't drive bugs away from your garden, but the dairy product can be used to culture Bacillus thuriugiensis Berliner, a well-known bacterial pesticide sold under such brand names as Dipel, Thuricide and Biotrol. The agent is quite effective in controlling — among a number of insect problems — infestations of loopers, which are those pesky little worms (they're actually moth larvae) that attack broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and other members of the cole family. Once eaten, the bacteria paralyze the larvae's intestinal tracts and bring about their death in two to four days.Before you spray your garden with thuringiensis, though, be aware that this bacterial-warfare weapon is fatal to the caterpillars of all Lepidoptera (an order of insects that includes many lovely, and relatively harmless, moths and butterflies) . . . so please don't employ the remedy in cases where simply handpicking the loopers off your plants will do the job. Using Milk as a Pesticide
Permaculture Plants: Oak The majestic Oak. Common Name: OakScientific Name: Quercus speciesFamily: Fagaceae (the Beech family) Ariundle Oakwood, Scotland. One of the last surviving old-growth oak forests in the Scottish Highlands. Angel Oak Tree, outside of Charleston, South Carolina, is over 1,500 years old. Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) Description: The Oaks are a large family of shrubs and trees, about 600 species, which produce acorns. English or Pedunculate Oak (Quercus robur) Watercolor by Ruth de Monchaux History: Native to the northern hemisphere, oaks are found from tropical to cold climates. Trivia: Oak trees can be deciduous or evergreen (a.k.a. Acorns can feed wildlife, domesticated life, and human life alike. Red Oak (Quercus rubra) Oak leaf and acorn variety. 5 oak leaves and 6 acorns found by Coniston Water by Eileen Postlethwaite USING THIS PLANTPrimary Uses: Nut - the "acorn" is typically dried and ground as "meal" or "flour".
How to Use Lemon Juice to Replace Toxic Chemicals in Your Home You don’t have to waste money on toxic chemicals to clean your home, treat a cold, or pamper your skin. Lemon juice is a simple, natural alternative that can replace countless bottles of over-priced chemicals. 10 creative ways to use lemon juice 1.Grease removal-A mixture of plain water and lemon juice is tough enough to bust through any grease on your kitchen appliances and counter tops. 2.Disinfect and deodorize your kitchen- Is your refrigerator or cutting boardreallyclean? 3.Sooth a cough- Mix some raw honey with an equal amount of lemon juice to ease your coughing. 4.Enhance digestion- Fresh lemon juice in water can aid digestion during meals. 5.Tone your skin- Use a cotton ball to apply a light layer of diluted lemon juice to your skin. 6.Clean glass- Lemon juice is just what you need to bring the sparkle back to that dull vase, coffee pot or decanter. 7.Clean and soften your hands- Lemon juice is excellent for removing stains and odors left on your hands. www.greenlivingtips.com
82 Sustainable Gardening Tips - Organic Gardening Most gardeners have sustainability on their minds. After all, growing your own food is a huge step toward leading a sustainable lifestyle. Organic, chemical-free methods are inherently more sustainable — for human health, wildlife, the soil and the water supply — than non-organic techniques. But sustainable gardening goes beyond just using organic methods. To find out what’s going on in sustainable gardens across the United States and Canada, we surveyed the thousands of members of MOTHER’s Garden Advisory Group. Reusing and Recycling Materials in the Garden 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Saving Water and Conserving Energy 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. Zero-Waste Gardening 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. Integrating Livestock in Your Gardening 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. (For more on the many ways animals can help in your garden and other areas of your property, see Homestead Helpers: Sheep, Cattle, Pigs and Poultry. — MOTHER) Sustainable Gardening Tools, Supplies and Amendments 34. 35.