permaculture

[Claude Genest <genest@together.net>]

If one is of the analytical/literal bent, one might try this suggestion backwards i.e. start with listening for the booming voice of God, let that germinate ( form your own opinions, intuitions, hypotheses etc.) and THEN do the quantifications.....


On Friday, November 8, 2002, at 01:55 PM, Mark wrote:

> Please do not take this as discounting the value of long term observation.  Certainly that has great value, especially in the context of a developing PC planting.  I do think one can come to some pretty rapid guesses on how things have developed once one sees a few similar  landscapes.  One of the best ways to learn how a place can develop is to tour the neighborhood and meet the neighbors.  Most landscapes are not unique, getting a look at developed landscapes and speaking with those who have been on that land can give one a real head start.  A tromp through local natural areas and a chat with their mangers is also helpful.  Most areas have historians, official and unofficial, finding these folks can give one an excellent incite on how the land was used.  Ideally you get to walk the place with the former owner(s), solving many mysterys and avoiding mistakes others have made before you got there.
>
> The rest is more conventional.  Grab a shovel and note book, then take a walk.   Observe slope and aspect, noting possible microclimates, check soil depth and type (see my paper on Reading the Landscape in the midwest PC file for tips on evaluating soils).  Note wet areas and rocky spots.  Look for clues in the vegetation.  One should also keep distance to roads and buildings in mind, I've seen some really dumb driveways  built so one can put a house in a pretty spot.  Do the same walk at different times of the day, note especially the influence hills and trees have on your daylight and keep the seasonal changes in solar angle in mind.  Wait for a heavy rain, do the walk again, note where the water moves and ponds.
>
> Now take these two sources of information and use them as a base for preliminary design work.  Let that design sit for a week, then do the walk again with your design ideas in hand.  This is the time to listen for those little voices (or the booming voice of God if that's your thing).
>
> Mark P. Ludwig
> Poultry Research Lab
> University of Wisconsin -Madison
> 608-262-1730 WK
> 608-846-7125 HM
>
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