permaculture

[rick valley <bamboogrove@cmug.com>]

>>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.
There is an assumption here that the land was not producing anything in
between annual cropping phases, which is not at all the case in the slash and
burn\fallow systems I have seen. There's always the possibility to work more
and increase yields- ie as population increases in areas practicing slash and
burn, they can shift to an (apparently) more intense "agroforestry"or "analog
forestry" style of agriculture; ya do what ya gotta do.

Mandala Market Gardens:
>How to implement systems of food production on
>property managed through the use of permaculture principles and
>practices. 
I have great respect for everyone of my friends earning their living by
growing food; however! So many who do so partially are making the thing pay
by growing flowers, seeds, or as I do, nursery stock- why buck the system?
Don't try to do just food- grow lots of  *your own* food,(which is relatively
easy) and don't worry *too much* about whether your cash crop is directly
food. Certainly it's appropriate to have a cashcrop of genetic info, shelter,
or "food for the soul".
>A keen observer could uncover many more marvels
>of this sort to replicate throughout some permaculture systems.
>
>What do you think?
It all sounds marvelous; good to remember though, that it is a *market
garden* you're talking about; you'll need to plan the marketing into it too,
and look at the transport aspects in yer fractal pattern. In a Nepali mini
farm they can minimize paths because the farmer is willing to carry
everything in, out and through. Most 'mericans have not grown their bodies
for this beast of burden function; the "classic" Pc mandala is more of a
kitchen garden size thing- you could, say, use "mandalas" as "keyholes" in a
market garden scale design with paths sized for garden carts and access in
some part of it for trucks to pickup or dump; if you can do it all with wheel
barrows and bicycles, hey, go for it!
BTW, I make my living (and support a family sometimes) with less than 2
acres, a 1/4ton pickup, and a fleet of garden carts and wheelbarrows. I am
also almost 50, and did not grow up doing farm labor. I do accept deliveries
via dumptruck of both bought and free materials like treechips and container
mix ingredients, but the pickup is my main power tool- no tiller, weed
wacker, etc. So while I can wax theoretical about it all, I am grounded, so
to speak.
-Rick 


Rick Valley Northern Groves 
PO Box 1236, Philomath, OR 97370 
Mobile-(541)602-1315, hm.& msg. (541)929-7152  Bamboo catalog $3 or at 
<http://www.teleport.com/~dbrooks/bamboo.html>
"Useful Bamboos and other plants‹ Permaculture education‹ Ecological design &
consultation centering on water,landform and horticultural systems"