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  • From: marie walker <marie.psycat@gmail.com>
  • To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [permaculture] Beginner Permaculture Urban Farm
  • Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 02:32:11 -0400

Hello everyone!

My name is Marie, I am living in Detroit. We are setting up a community
garden- Garden of Hope. I am working with Ryan Rowinski, founder of
Innovative Urban Agriculture. We are teaming up to create a semi large scale
organic garden on 5 lots in the city of Detroit. We applied to the Garden
Recource Program of Detroit for soil testing and providing seeds and
transplants. Our goal is to become a food production farm in a very blighted

area of Detroit. Our goals are to demonstrate to residents that they can
sustain themselves and renew community involvement.

Ryan is a graduate of Michigan State University - b.s. Crop & Soil Science
(minor in plant breeding and genetics) has trained in Organic Farming,
Biodynamic Farming, Hydroponic Farming, Human Nutrition, Organic Plant
Nutrition. The description he gives about IUA is " to establish a network of
local, sustainable, High output, Nutrient Dense food production Farms in
order to address the social issues of food security, health / nutrition,
economic growth, sustainable urban development, and basic re-naturalization
of human existence."

Ryan's FB profile: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/UrbanAg?sk=info

I am a beginner at permaculture design. I took a intro PDC in Dec 2010 in
Detroit. I want to further my education. This will be my first attempt to
design a permaculture landscape. I will be referring to my notes, I have the
Bill Mollison Designer's Manual, as well as works from Hemenway, and many
others.

Ryan is very open to suggestion, but he will go by what has worked in his
years of practice. He jokes that permaculture is a lot of "hippie theory".
He says this very lightly so please don't be offended, or do. I watched his
videos to get a better understanding of his operation and results at the MI
state fair.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH3TVOS7QT4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtix0E_jGcw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIS19BFKDo8&feature=related



I made a few observations related to permaculture:

Instead of area-intensive crops like wheat and corn- nut trees would be nice
(make breads, get carbohydrates, etc). What types will grow in Detroit? Any
other substitutes for wheat and corn that benefit an ecological garden?
Verticle growth- permaculture principle stacking. I wonder- can we create a
more natural system? Looking at his system, I think "Using poles and
string... ok, cheap and simple. But what are the alternatives?" Note that we
will have many beds and not enough fencing to climb. There are materials to
create fencing. but there is the labor...
There is a lot of space in this model not utilized. I would suggest keyhole
garden design to conserve area.
Where he talks about pruning, he states- get rid of infected leaves and
pruned parts. I am certain these are still ok for compost? I have a feeling
he may say toss it or burn it- but can we reserve these for compost and cure
the compost on some way by bioremediation?
Also I noted his trellis canopy for keeping cucumbers separate, vertical,
and allows airflow. Can we find a solution like this in natural systems?


I am confident in his knowledge and commitment to Garden of Hope. He is open
to learning about permaculture and I am trying my best to teach him all that
I know, but I am very inexperienced.


I'd like to ask you all, what are your thoughts on the model on these
videos? Also open to comments, advice, alternatives, and any material that
can help our design.


Thank you! Love and light.

Marie W.



  • [permaculture] Beginner Permaculture Urban Farm, marie walker, 03/21/2011

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