Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>]

Understood. But I have to say, the part about giving students a short
course - mostly city kids who never got their hands dirty - and sending
them out to teach the world is beyond outrageous. Lecturing "backward"
people on things they have no experience with whatsoever is insulting.
Considering the rest of the world has grown food and fed itself for
milennia, it's the kind of arrogance that got us into the mess we're in and
will never get out. Karma's a bitch.

paul tradingpost@lobo.net

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 3/7/2007 at 10:02 AM Mike E wrote:

>Thanks for the clarification Paul. Even Mollison and Holmgren don't 
>claim that permaculture is anything new. Mollison goes to length to 
>explain that all he has done is put together what works in different 
>parts of the world. When he presents a Permaculture Design Course his 
>emphasis is on saving the world and he asks his students to go back home 
>and present a course as soon as possible - or go to somewhere on earth 
>that is in deep trouble to pass along the message.
>
>Given that his requirements for the course are that everything in the 
>manual gets covered there is little likelihood that any course will be 
>presented by a person having experience in everything they lecture on. 
>(I would venture to suggest that most of doesn't even get taught). So 
>his request is not unreasonable. And if the student does go to a new 
>country, his experience will soon outweigh those who practice in their 
>own backyard.
>
>Mollison himself is quite disdainful of the way permaculture is 
>presented and commercialised in the US. And I imagine that his 
>complaints would be much the same as those who complain on this list and 
>other lists I have visited.
>
>As a comparison, Permaculture Design Courses in my part of the world 
>cost about $NZ1200, which is about $US850, and generally include 
>accommodation (at least a campsite, if not a shared room) and meals. For 
>two weeks. Very good value in my opinion.
>
>Mike
>