Permaculture Farming

Posts Tagged ‘Permaculture Farming’

The concept of Permaculture Farming is still somewhat new but is growing in popularity. More and more people want to know what Permaculture Farming is and how to do it. Permaculture is a combination of techniques and strategies to enhance the results of farming as well as reducing inputs, therefore saving energy and natural resources.

Permaculture Farming vs modern farming

While modern farming includes a lot of additives and pesticides, there are also organic farming and whole foods alternatives but most of then still contain impurities and they are more expensive. In Permaculture Farming, it is all about developing a sustainable agriculture that are both healthy and do not harm the environment.

Whatever you want to plant or farm, the Permaculture way teaches you how to create fruit, vegetables or herbs that are rich with minerals and natural resources with less work input. Permaculture teaches farmers to work smart and is the future of agriculture.

Understanding Permaculture Farming

In Permaculture Farming, similar to in a no dig gardening, you will use methods that rely on nature for the cultivation process. Permacuture farming results in healthier soil and crops. With Permaculture Farming you will have fewer pests and diseases because Permaculture Farming restores balance to the soil and the environment.

Question: Are there any dung beetles native to the Pacific Northwest?

Specifically any native to Western Washington state? Any links/pictures of them would be greatly appreciated.

I’m a Permaculture farmer, and dung beetles are something I’d very much love to have on my farm.

Because so much of Washington state was covered by glaciers during the ice age, I kind of doubt we have native dung beetles. Most of that type of insect life (like worms) were scraped away, by the weight of the glaciers.

Answer: not that many

Farming With Nature – Permaculture with Sepp Holzer

Question: How does Permaculture compare to other types of Land Management?

I’m in the odd position of knowing a fair bit about Permaculture, as we use it in our design and management of the farm, but have very little idea about other design principles and how they stack up against Permaculture, so how does it compare?

Answer: Special K – Excellent, Edible Forest Gardening is Part of Permaculture you were right to associate the two.

I have spent all day and most of the night thinking about this question and you have me stumped. The conclusion I have come to is there is no other designed system to compare Permaculture with.

Other types of land management? This too is a red herring. The other ‘practices’ I came up with today, and hey, I have come up with many, it has been a long day …. the other practices have the sole aim of growing crops.

This is where Permaculture differs, IF it is a land management system at all, I could argue that it is not, but it will be very lengthy so won’t bother here.

So my thoughts, Permaculture has:

A strong ethical basis: Earth Care, People Care, Fair Shares, that are underpinned by the notion of the key Permaculture Ethic of PERMANENT AGRICULTURE. An explanation of this key ethic is essential so that readers can really understand why Permaculture is a unique way of dealing with human need.

Going back to my comments about land management I stated
‘The other practices have the sole aim of growing crops’. That is it, they plant to take the crop. From organic production to commercial farming, the crop or continuing to take a crop the next year is the sole aim.

In Permaculture we do take a yield but the whole point is we are providing and enriching ecosystems for ourselves and for FUTURE generations, we are PROTECTING the wildneress/natural environment for future generations by meeting our own needs for fuel, food and dealing with our outputs. So many Permies will plant trees knowing that they will not get the most benefit from them, it will be future generations that do. Permies are investing in the future but having their needs met as ethically as possible whilst providing a legacy for future generations.

Our ethics inform our action. So HOW Permaculturists’ design and manage land is also key to the differences between it and other agricultural methods.
In order to live ethically and sustainably we have to understand that we are a single system; not separate. Whatever we do locally affects other people and the environment globally. Local solutions provide the best answers, we have different climates, soils, flora and fauna. Different needs, wants, tradition and cultures. But by acting locally we must keep an eye on the Horizon by limiting the damage on the environment and people globally.

By being as self reliant as possible we do not exploit others, nor the land. Permaculture seeks to provide Permanent Agriculture. One earth it is socially just to share with everyone, all other living things and with future generations.

By limiting our consumption of everything including family size it supports the needs of everyone throughout the world to have access to clean water, clean air, food, shelter, fair and living wage, community etc.

So all the design principles are based on the above, that is what makes Permaculture different. It is DESIGNED with the ethics being central to the practice. So each part of the design stems from these ethics from Relative location, to Multiple functions for each element, from using the most efficient methods to using Existing Energy Flows From natural succession to stacking.

In Permaculture Information and Observation replaces Energy and the key is maximum observation and minimum interference in any natural system including those designed to meet man’s needs.

PEACH Permaculture Farm News – May 6, 2009 – #06