permaculture

["Steve Bonney" <sustainableearth.steve@verizon.net>]

Rich said  > OK here's an easier question: give me an example of
permaculture
> which is working. Give me something which I can hold up to the
> world and say "look at this, you can see for yourself that its  good".

There are many, many examples of farm features that embrace the principles
of
permaculture. Even in Indiana, we have good examples: constructed wetlands
cleaning
wastewater from a milkhouse, alleycropping of agronomic crops between rows
of
black walnut trees, managed intensive grazing systems that maintain a
permanent
crop cover on the soil and increase water infiltration instead of runoff.
These are all
features of permaculture, or rather, demonstrate principles of permaculture.

There are many striking examples of  permaculture that have been developed
by
listmembers. I don't want to slight anyone, but what Robyn Francis has built
upon
the principles of permaculture in a short time is truly amazing to me.

Far too many people only recognize permaculture by stereotyped features:
herb
spirals, swales, sheet composting, etc. These early examples  were overused
because they were the best examples at the time to illustrate permaculture
principles.

It is not so much a matter of  accepting or rejecting science; rather,
identifying enough
key indicators of ecosystem health to be able to monitor this over time.
Quite often this
takes us out of the realm of parameters that can be easily measured and
patterns that
are easily recognized. We must all share knowledge that we gain through
observation
of managed ecosystems and standardize this knowledge sufficiently to
communicate
the information. A plant database is a great example of this. A phenological
database
would be another.

The challenge is really to spread nature's bounty to all parts of the farm
or homestead
through all seasons in a way that enhances the farm or homestead ecosystem,
reduces the
heavyhandedness of human cleverness, and optimizes quality of life for the
family.
IMHO, that's permaculture.
Steve


Steve Bonney
Sustainable Earth
  a not-for-profit membership organization dedicated to the
  development of sustainable family farming systems
  and local food systems
100 Georgton Ct.
W. Lafayette, IN 47906
(765) 463-9366