permaculture

[rick valley <bamboogrove@cmug.com>]

Judith Hanna wrote-
>I recognised from normal Australian farming practice (or at
>least recommended practice --- my father was the first in our area to put
>in Yeoman's 'keyline' contours), from my mothers and grandfathers way of
>gardening, and from anthropology (where they were mentioned as asides) and
>living in New Guinea.
I heard Bill say in '86 that Yeomans was his primary, positive inspiration;
Bill has a zillion stories of traditional Celtic/European gardening- and New
Guinea has a longer agricultural history than Europe- among others, the
Tylers in NZ got inspired there- and returned from Ag aid work in PNG to
'permutate' NZ. Yeah! good examples are everywhere.
The problem that I have seen, is that some people start using "permaculture"
as a way to get business or students or recognition or? but they didn't get
the idea- and they cause more harm than good. By and large these people
haven't done a design course, (with a few VERY troubling exceptions.) How to
keep things on track? Bill sees the copyright thing as part of it, I think. I
certainly see the bad examples, the coopting, the misuse of pc as a label
that many mention.
Better ways to keep it on track? My only solution has been to do it! I began
teaching pc after seeing what a guy in Portland Oregon was teaching as pc: 10
sessions of detailing the coming ecological/social collapse and a brief piece
in the last session on moving to the Gila country in New Mexico and living
like the native Americans did. Generally left the course participants
depressed and immobile.
Can you teach pc in a University- under florescent lights for 1 hour of
lecture a day?
Is Bill directing us wisely in telling us we must teach his curriculum?
(I think my job is to "teach" what works in my place & culture while
"teaching" how to use Bill's works as a study guide)
I want some better ideas on how to keep things positive; copyright won't do
it all, and being an example, doing the work- doesn't feel fast enough!
-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"