permaculture

[Michael Carpenter <kerter@rocketmail.com>]

Hi Heide and everyone. As I recall, the ban in
Victoria excluded hand-watering your garden and
washing your car. Just thought people on this list
might appreciate the priorities of a first world
nation and how politicians appease the masses. 

I'll introduce myself: My name is Michael and I live
100km north of Victoria in Nanaimo - the great void of
progressive thinking on the Island ;) I work at the
College here as a Web Developer but recently graduated
from the University of Northern British Columbia with
a degree in Environmental Planning. We have been
incorporating permaculture into our 0.09Ha rental
property - reintroducing salal, oregon grape,
thimbleberry, bracken fern on the shaded moist
NorthEast side of the house where some large cedars
currently grow, uncovered an herb garden and have
added alot to that, pruned the apple and pear trees,
uncovered the previous overgrown garden, overturned a
large portion of the lawn and planted potatoes and
beans, converted another large section into garden
beds and erected a small 8'X8' greenhouse for peppers
and eggplant. We've just been here since February so
have alot to go, but it's been a great summer for
growing so far. We've started some fall planting and
have alot more to do but it's been alot of fun. 

I have also been in contact with the City Planning
Dept. as current zoning does not permit me to keep a
single chicken or rabbit on a property under 1
acre(although there are provisions for up to 50 racing
pigeons) (?) I'm trying to make a case for hens and
poultry for sustenance. In Victoria there are only
limits on roosters within the city.

Regards,
Michael

> In addition the shade created by trees prevents the
> evaporation of water 
> from soil and grass landscapes.  We could see this
> clearly here in 
> Victoria, Canada last year, when we had a total
> watering ban on lawn 
> areas due to a water shortage: 

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