permaculture

[Allan Balliett <igg@igg.com>]

Whole Earth took a stand against homeopathy a few years back, 
pronouncing as being so intrinsicly foolish in concept that no 
testing to refute it is actually necessary. I don't think that hurt 
homeopathy one iota.

Who that matters doesn't see HortIdeas for what it really is 
(SHALLOW/UNIMAGINATIVE/SELFISH).

Let's not spend our energy trying to be more like these people.

-Allan



> The problem is, it's hard to find data to refute his claims (I did 
> my best, but to an insider, there may be a faint whiff of the 
> barnyard about some of my reply). We just don't collect data. What 
> do we answer when a farmer asks, "How much more money or produce, or 
> less erosion, will your system get me?" That we just know it works 
> better? Does anyone have any numbers? I've looked at a lot of Pc 
> sites in North America, and I haven't seen one where people are 
> measuring yields.
>
> So are we justified in saying that this stuff works? Or is 
> permaculture just for those, as Williams says, "who do not require 
> optimal solutions to pressing agricultural and ecological problems"?
>
> If anyone's got any hard numbers, or other reputable data, please 
> share them. If not, it points to a huge lack in permaculture, and we 
> should get busy setting up trials and getting reliable data instead 
> of just banking on Bill's wild claims. Without data, more folks like 
> Williams will erode permaculture's credibility.
>
> I've also had inquiries from a researcher who wants yield data from 
> permaculture farms for a thesis. If anyone has these, let me know.
>
> Toby
> _____________________________________________
> For a look at my new book on ecological gardening,
> Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, visit
> http://www.chelseagreen.com/Garden/GaiasGarden.htm
>
>
>
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