permaculture

[mIEKAL aND <dtv@mwt.net>]

We have a number of small lawns on our various properties, and I'm  
not at all opposed to small green areas that are also social  
gathering spaces.  For many years we even used pygmy goats to keep  
one of the lawns somewhat managed tho it never replaced the need for  
mowing.  However I live in a dairy farming state, where a 2-5 acre  
front lawn is common, a sign of status (along with having the newest  
biggest fleet of pickups).  Often these monstrous lawns will have one  
or two trophy trees planted in them because anything more would  
hinder efficient mowing.  Not only that but they seem to have to be  
mowed weekly to make sure everything is perfectly manicured.

When I oversaw the landscape design for the Organic Valley building  
mentioned in the wolf spider thread, they were originally thinking of  
having about an 8 acre lawn in front of the building, but I & a  
couple others convinced the powers that be to put in 5 acres of  
native prairie & a paradise garden with about 30 species of edibles.   
There is still quite a bit of green space around the building to make  
the farmers (who are the owners of the coop) happy.

~mIEKAL


On Jun 1, 2007, at 12:10 AM, Lawrence F. London, Jr. wrote:

> mIEKAL aND wrote:
>
> > http://www.foodnotlawns.com/
>
> What about a nice lawn in the clearing out in your forest garden;
> could be fescue or a variety of wild grasses with all sorts of  
> herbs and wildflowers and perennials, plantain, clovers,
> etc. Mow, to maintain vigor and accessability, with scythe, edge  
> with sickle.