permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <london@metalab.unc.edu>]

On Tue, 8 Feb 2000 17:13:53 +1030, "Wesley
Trotman" <trotmanw@camtech.net.au> wrote:

>I skated around this one a while back, that as Permaculture we seek to
copy
>nature, and we need to set in place closed loop systems for minerals and
>nutrients as well as water and air which often happen without much input
>from us.
<...>
>The quesion is how much can be exported off a farm before the cyles are
>impovrished to the point they shut down?

I know that is what we need to do. I was interested in hearing about ways
to accomplish it. How to implement systems of food production on property
managed through the use of permaculture principles and practices. 

I am thinking of mandala-shaped raised bed gardens linked to one another
in a design similar, visually, to a fractal. This suggests a flow of some
sort, perhaps imitating nature. The energy flows in adjoining, connected
mandala gardens allow throughput of 
nutrients, microorganisms, earthworms and insects, some beneficial.
Cycling of nutrients and water occurs. So it would seem that we may
have accomplished in some part what you are proposing above in
this simple garden. Enter grassways, cover crops, perennials, shrubs,
trees of all sorts and the system becomes much more complex and 
more capable of capturing and recycling nutrients, water and energy.

Putting real effort into designing and building these mandala beds
could make them more productive and more capable of sustaining their
fertility, tilth and soillife. Schemes that use nitrogen fixing plants
extensively throughout, thoroughly integrated with the production beds,
would reduce or nearly eliminate the need for external nitrogen
input. Build plantings utilizing full sun, shade, part shade, filtered
light to create favorable environments for a wide variety of plants
and wildlife; utilize woodland and water impoundment, aquaculture and
aquaponic systems. Thousands of components and possibilities for
creating sustained yields and sustained health of existing and changing
ecosystems. Diversity leads to greater opportunities for
gleaning needed inputs that can originate from within ecosystems.
Red clover planted on compost & rock dust - covered raised beds
can stimulate certain soil fungi to release extra plant-available
nutrients. A keen observer could uncover many more marvels
of this sort to replicate throughout some permaculture systems.

What do you think?

LL

>Ancient farmers made clearing in the forrests, burnt the felled trees and
>planted a crop for one or so years and then moved on. On return many
years
>later regeneration had occurred.

>perhaps this is the only sustainable farming method.

I think we can improve on that.

>Lawrence F. London, Jr. <lflondon@mindspring.com> wrote in message

>> I need to write a mini-FAQ on the topic dealing with the many uses of
>> permaculture principles, concepts and methods in market farming and
>> urban and rural homestead gardening (for self sufficiency). Can anyone
>> offer any information or resources on this topic.


Lawrence F. London, Jr.  Venaura Farm
metalab.unc.edu/intergarden InterGarden
metalab.unc.edu/permaculture PermaSphere
metalab.unc.edu/intergarden/orgfarm AGINFO
metalab.unc.edu/market-farming Market Farming
lflondon@mindspring.com  london@metalab.unc.edu