permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lfl@intrex.net>]

GlobalCirclenet wrote:

> I do think your Gaia's Garden book is helpful. However, backyard gardens
> that "combine low environmental impact, low maintenance once established,
> and high yields with elegant aesthetics" may attract those who can afford
> "elegant esthetics"

Weeds provide elegant aesthetics, weeds alone. Revel in the diversity of weed 
and other wildlife they may attract
and the effect they have on the soil and surrounding ecosystems. A backyard 
garden is a magnificent microcosm
elegant aesthetics on the cheap.

> , but doesn't reach the broader potential of
> permaculture to alter industrial agriculture. That may be a difficult and

Certainly it does; how about 30 million backyard gardens in the US; think of 
the
potantial to alter industrial agriculture if they were done naturally within 
permaculture systems.

> elusive goal for any author.  On a more positive note, I'm encouraged to
> see interest in " free peer to peer open source system of permaculture
> training, knowledge base, & access to resources" from "mIEKAL".

That will happen.

> My own gardens are already organic simply because I won't pay for
> chemicals, and all the critters are welcome because I won't pay for sprays
> and such.

It goes without saying that you wouldn't want those chemicals on your property
or near you.

 Herbs, veggies, and flowers all grow together, not because I read
> it somewhere but because I had to plant where I had room. But there is a
> method in my madness, I'm trying to develop a reproducible food production
> system for local profitability and sustainability, in a hostile climate
> suited only to cattle and elk. The irony here is, ranchers with thousands

Great. Tell us more about your gardens as they progress.

> of acres can barely afford to eat.  In my view, sustainability includes
> sustaining the people who do the growing, sustaining farm families, and
> maybe revitalizing rural America. Using permaculture to move in that
> direction is my concern. Permaculture has a big toolbox, but it needs to be
> even bigger.

Wise words. I am with you on this full tilt. I live in a farming region: 
dairy and hay mostly.
Its interesting to see thoughts of natural farming practices creeping into 
the minds of these
farmers. The old timers in my neighborhood knew nothing else and have a real 
feeling for working the land.

--
L.F.London
lfl@intrex.net
http://market-farming.com
http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech