Permaculture - PermaWiki Permaculture is a design system which aims to create sustainable human habitats by following nature's patterns. The word 'permaculture', coined by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren during the 1970s, is derived as a contraction of permanent agriculture, or permanent culture. The idea of permaculture is considered among the most significant innovations developed by Australians in the century since Australian federation [1]. However like "nature", the permaculture concept evolves with time making its definition difficult. I guess I would know more about permaculture than most people, and I can't define it. ... Nevertheless, today permaculture can best be described as an ethical design system applicable to food production and land use, as well as community building. Origins Edit In the mid 1970s, two Australians, Dr. By the mid 1980s, many of the students had become successful practitioners and had themselves begun teaching the techniques they had learned. Influences Edit Core values
Chapter 2: Design Principles | A Permaculture Design Course Handbook The principles above are laid out in Bill Mollison’s later book “Introduction to Permaculture”. There he presented a concise form of the concepts he laid out in the Chapters 2 & 3 in Permaculture: A Designer’s Manual. A summary of them can be seen below and even downloaded here: BM PC Principles summary. The principles seem to be patterns laid out on how nature’s inherent intelligence is formed in time and space. Summary of Permaculture Principles from TreeYo Permaculture (click on each Principle for further pics and explanation, more coming) from Introduction to Permaculture by Bill Mollison 1. Functional Analysis: is a tool to realize the full potential of each element by examining products and behaviors, needs, and intrinsic characteristics. 2. 3. 4. Zone Planning refers to the placement of elements based on their intensity of use and management. 5. 6. A schematic of coppice off-site and instead turn them into cycles. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Like this: Like Loading...
GAIA CREATIONS: Urban Permaculture Project -2 years in progress My husband and I have been actively working on an urban 2/3 acre permaculture project for 2 years this month. We began the design and subsequent installation at a residence in October of 2009 and it continues in multiple phases today. As we complete the swimming pool to aquaculture pond conversion and reflect upon our progress thus far we would like to share our experiences -the trials, corrections and successes made along the way and to basically let more people know about this Mediterranean climate permaculture project. One thing to note about our ability to share this project: we will not be able to give tours to the local public. Respecting our Clients wish for privacy is very important to us so we will not be naming our Clients or where it is located. We could look at this as an unfortunate situation, having restrictions placed on the sharing of resources and information (especially when when we feel a project is important to local food security).
James Wong's Homegrown Revolution: Amazon.co.uk: James Wong: Books If you want to grow something different or even discover what's edible amongst the plants that might already be in your garden, then I thoroughly recommend this book. It's easy to read and is well laid out. I found some of the photos had an annoying lack of depth of field, sometimes leaving the front of a plant out of focus, and would like to have seen some sort of legend for the full page illustrations. I bought James Wong's book at a talk he gave last night at Writtle College as part of the "Edible Essex" campaign, part of the Rural Community Council of Essex and sponsored by the Big Lottery Local Food Scheme and Essex County Council. To a certain extent, James was preaching to the semi-converted in me. I haven't read every word yet, but I've had a good skim through and I'm delighted with this book. James Wong's book is full of revelations about what is edible, and how to use them, even in a small space like a balcony or a window sill. Dahlias. Wasabi.
James Wong's Homegrown Revolution Blog cktail Kiwis - How to grow & eat nature's haribo Mega sweet, fuzz-free mini kiwis that hail from the frozen wastes of Siberia? No I’m not making it up. Intensely sugary, super easy-to-grow and even hardy down to -35C, if haribo reinvented the kiwi this would be it! Coming into season in mid-late September, the deliciously sweet, tangy berries of cocktail kiwis (Actinidia arguta) are summer’s last gasp of glory. Growing on little bunches, much like a grape, they are far softer and sugarier than the regular giant fuzzy type & without that nasty acidity. These guys don’t just look like kiwis, they are simply a different species (closely related the to fuzzy supermarket kind) that hails from far further north, right up into Siberia. In fact of all the 9o different species of kiwis, the conventional kind is probably the least flavourful, hardy and nutritious! Don’t believe they will grow in the UK? Want to know where you can get your hands on one? Now here comes the good part! Tags: Chilean Guavas, Cocktail Kiwis, Inca Berries
Seed Savers Exchange Showcase: Container Gardening! | Seedsavers Blog | Rare garden seeds, heirloom seeds, seed saving. Are you an apartment dweller with a green thumb? Or a novice who’s daunted by the thought of a full-blown garden? Well, don’t fear because we’re here with a list of lovely varieties that thrive in containers. And we’re here to tell you that you don’t need a yard to be a seed saver. Why Container Gardening? Container gardening is a great solution for gardeners who lack space. Tom Thumb Pea- This dwarf pea variety has been in America since the mid-nineteenth century. Paris Market Carrot- This French heirloom yields sweet carrots only one to two inches in diameter. Round Mauve Eggplant- This variety originally hails from China. Red Cap Mushroom Pepper- These squat, bell-shaped fruits are ideal for pickling or drying. Mexican Sour Gherkin Cucumber- These adorable fruits are truly a wildcard! Container Gardening Pointers One key to success is plenty of water. Minnesota Midget Melon- When growing these, expect vines around 3 feet long with 4 inch wide fruits. Design Ideas
Experimenting with Dig and No-Dig Beds Charles Dowding shares his experiments with no-dig vegetable beds and sowing plants in relation to the moon phases. In one area of his market garden Charles is experimenting with three different beds - dig with no compost, no-dig with no compost and no-dig with compost. He's even added rock dust to a strip in each bed as an extra experiment. In his raised beds, Charles explains how the no-dig bed is more efficient than the dig bed, taking a lot less energy and time to create a similar amount of food. For more information on Charles Dowding, visit www.charlesdowding.co.uk Charles Dowding has written a number of informative books, including Organic Gardening, The Natural No-Dig Way and How to Grow Winter Vegetables. Further resources Soil experiments: how no-dig systems prevent soil erosion No-dig gardening Editor Maddy Harland visit Charles' no-dig garden and learns: Heating a greenhouse with compost and manure How to create a productive no-dig garden in under a year
Hugel kultur | Glengall Wharf Garden As a permaculture Land Centre we need to demonstrate permaculture techniques. One we are trialling are the growing mounds. We’ll observe and record their progress and hopefully we’ll be able to share our expertise and experience with others over time. Hugel kultur or mound culture. How they are made. How do they work? What not to do….. Year 1. Year 2. As the season goes on we’ll plant potatoes, squash, different leafy greens, beets, edible wild plants such as chicory, korean mint and savoury. June hugel mound, looking good… September 2013 Lower end of hugel mounds where slope is less inclined has covered well with lush herbaceous vegetation including rhubarb, clovers, hollyhock. Like this: Like Loading...
Ecological Principles ecoliteracy.org Ecological Principles Creating communities that are compatible with nature's processes for sustaining life requires basic ecological knowledge. We need, says Center for Ecoliteracy cofounder Fritjof Capra, to teach our children — and our political and corporate leaders — fundamental facts of life: Matter cycles continually through the web of life.Most of the energy driving the ecological cycles flows from the sun.Diversity assures resilience.One species' waste is another species' food.Life did not take over the planet by combat but by networking. Understanding these facts arises from understanding the patterns and processes by which nature sustains life. They include networks, nested systems, cycles, flows, development, and dynamic balance. NetworksAll living things in an ecosystem are interconnected through networks of relationship. Nested SystemsNature is made up of systems that are nested within systems. FlowsEach organism needs a continual flow of energy to stay alive.