permaculture

[Steve Hart <stevenlawrencehart@gmail.com>]

Darren Toby's comment far from sums anything up but does highlight the
concern I have been expressing of a growing weaknening in Permaculture.
When exponents especially  highly respected ones support artificial systems
calling them very good examples of Permaculture Design then even these
people Don't Get It. Or is this an American problem ? which is the home of
obesity and many other ills of artificial systems that are seemingly taken
as norms of every day life. Where the difference can be seen or even
intellectually understood ?

This is no summary it is the beginning of a debate that needs attention to
how the entire teaching can be strengthened. Perhaps again...where is the
solution to this problem ?...The European Teachers Network is presently
answering it. Perhaps we could all learn of this....and get some delegation
to their next conferences....Steve Hart


On 3 January 2014 15:59, Heenan Doherty <heenandoherty@gmail.com> wrote:

> Thanks Toby for summing things up so well as you so often do. Cheers,
> Darren
>
>
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> On 4 January 2014 05:51, Toby Hemenway <toby@patternliteracy.com> wrote:
>
> > I get that Steve believes that aquaponics can't be permaculture because
> it
> > is artificial. But that's not an argument, that's asserting an opinion.
> > This is important because it gets to what permaculture is and isn't. What
> > makes something part of permaculture?
> >
> > Yes, to me, too, "natural" is more desirable than "artificial" (tho I
> > usually prefer drinking from a cup to lapping from a puddle). But the
> > comparison of McDonalds to aquaponics is specious. McDonalds uses highly
> > processed, chemically synthesized additives, non-organic, refined GMO
> > grains, and hormone and antibiotic-laced, CAFO beef fed on poisonous,
> > stripped distillers grain by-products, whose detrimental effect on health
> > is well documented. Aquaponics provides whole plants grown organically,
> in
> > natural rock, water, and manure, with no processing or additives. Why
> would
> > those plants be less nutritious than the cattails and watercress from my
> > neighbor's pond? I need to see data. We'll always disagree on that one.
> >
> > But natural and artificial are completely subjective terms—is a designed
> > guild natural or artificial?--and that makes the artificial/natural
> divide
> > useless as a permaculture criteria. What determines inclusion in
> > permaculture is not where a process falls on some subjective
> > natural/artificial opinion scale, but whether it follows the ethics and
> > principles, and is arrived at by the design methods of permaculture.
> > Otherwise, permaculture is nothing but opinions.
> >
> > When David Holmgren stayed in my house about 10 years ago, we had a long
> > talk about the natural vs artificial distinction, and David didn't think
> it
> > was a meaningful one. And from Bill's writings and the PDC I took from
> him,
> > he doesn't use it as a criteria to define permaculture, but rather uses
> > metrics like "does it damage or preserve ecosystems? and "does it mimic
> > natural cycles?" I'm going to side with the masters here.
> >
> > All agriculture is artificial. To me, "natural" means without
> > technological intervention, and humans went "synthetic" as soon as we
> > starting watering plants and selecting fat seeds 10,000 years ago. Some
> > people argue that all farming is natural, others that only certain
> farming
> > is natural, others that no farming is natural, and they are all correct,
> > because "natural" is not a definable word. It's a soothing but sloppy
> term
> > subject to opinion, not definition.
> >
> > When used as a basis for deciding if something is permaculture or not,
> > opinions like "artificial" take us into cultism and the worst of hippie
> > permaculture, where we believe our assumptions must be true because we
> call
> > something "natural," so we don't need to test, prove, or demonstrate
> their
> > accuracy. We can just say, it's natural, so it's clearly more nutritious
> > and earth-friendly and astrally aligned than some "artificial" and
> > therefore bad thing, a priori in a circular argument, without bothering
> > with data. This is why permaculture has such a low regard in the
> academic,
> > scientific, and policy communities. Assertions about "artificial"
> > aquaponics are a perfect example: opinion with no argument, criteria, or
> > proof. When I argue that aquaponics is a closed-loop system that mimics
> an
> > estuary, Steve just counters with, you don't get it, it's artificial and
> > permaculture is natural. That's a noble sentiment, but it's not an
> > argument. Water from a metal rain tank is permaculture and natural, but a
> > plant grown in a metal tank is not? Come on.
> >
> > Instead of vague opinions like "natural," we need clear, measurable
> > criteria for describing permaculture, and we have them: Does it mimic
> > ecosystem processes, fill important needs, and improve ecosystem health?
> We
> > have excellent tools for measuring all of those. We have no metric for
> > "natural," which is why corporate capitalists have seized happily on the
> > word, just as they like "no artificial ingredients," which allows MSG and
> > preservatives. Those words can mean anything. Saying that permaculture
> > excludes "artificial" things (and only certain artificial things;
> cisterns
> > and keyline plows are okay) takes us into muddiness and away from a
> useful
> > description.
> >
> > We need working, definable terms backed by data, not shiftable opinions
> > that just have to be right because they seem more "natural" than others.
> >
> > Toby
> > http://patternliteracy.com
> >
> >
> > On Jan 2, 2014, at 2:52 PM, Steve Hart wrote:
> >
> > > Hi Toby et al...a point of clarification... you suggest
> > >
> > > "First, I'd avoid arguing that people who disagree with you don't "get
> > > it."
> > >
> > > It is not a matter of agreeing with me at all. After all many do not in
> > > many arguments I offer to many forums. I am presenting an argument to
> > agree
> > > with or not. It is not about agreeing with me or not, it is the
> argument,
> > > or the point I'm raising. . Clearly you don't get it either and still
> > want
> > > to argue that imitation systems like A&H are great models of
> Permaculture
> > > Design. I argue that they are clearly synthetic and imitation and an
> > > example of the weakening of Permaculture.
> > >
> > > I am also more than aware that through Permaculture we learn a lot from
> > > nature and do mimic many elements viz worm farms, hot composting,
> swales
> > > etc etc etc. I am also very much aware of the myriad of foods and
> plants
> > > that live naturally in water. I have also become aware of the values of
> > > micro-nutrients and different energy fields to our own personal health.
> > > Many which can not mimic or be imitated.
> > >
> > > Our impoverished communities do have great challenges. But I do not see
> > > offering them artificial systems as their solutions to the crap they
> have
> > > available in their stores. MacDonalds probably uses this argument to.
> We
> > > need to go beyond that. CSA is one fine example.
> > >
> > > As for weak PDCs this probably is the root cause to an unenlightened
> > > collective global family we have. Probably through a result of too
> great
> > a
> > > demand and not enough supply. So untrained uneducated inexperienced
> > > teachers have stood up. So our challenge for the years ahead is to
> > consider
> > > ways of strengthening the whole dynamic of Permaculture teaching.  But
> > > suggesting artificial systems are organic and great design models I'm
> > > afraid is not the avenue to address such. We need to strive for greater
> > > solutions and seek greater models while constantly challenging all
> > systems
> > > especially the weaknesses and discarding them.
> > > Steve Hart
> > >
> > >
> > > On 2 January 2014 13:00, <permaculture-request@lists.ibiblio.org>
> wrote:
> > >
> > >> Send permaculture mailing list submissions to
> > >>        permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
> > >>
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> > >>
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> > >>
> > >> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
> > >> than "Re: Contents of permaculture digest..."
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Today's Topics:
> > >>
> > >>   1. Re: The weakening of Permaculture. (Toby Hemenway)
> > >>   2. Watch Vanishing of the Bees online | Free | Hulu (Lawrence
> London)
> > >>   3. Re: Aquaponics: artificial? (georg parlow)
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >>
> > >> Message: 1
> > >> Date: Wed, 1 Jan 2014 21:33:30 -0800
> > >> From: Toby Hemenway <toby@patternliteracy.com>
> > >> Subject: Re: [permaculture] The weakening of Permaculture.
> > >> To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
> > >> Message-ID: <B3E5259C-0F21-4714-8719-E5D97085D5B3@patternliteracy.com
> >
> > >> Content-Type: text/plain;       charset=us-ascii
> > >>
> > >> First, I'd avoid arguing that people who disagree with you don't "get
> > it."
> > >> It's tempting to retort that someone who dogmatically says that
> > aquaponics
> > >> isn't permaculture needs a remedial PDC, too, but that's too rude for
> > me to
> > >> ever say!  The points Steve is making are elementary permaculture:
> mimic
> > >> nature and don't work against it, avoid "artificial" systems, grow
> > healthy
> > >> food. I think we here are all smart enough to get them. And I agree
> with
> > >> all of them. We just see their application differently.
> > >>
> > >> This is why I am continuing with this thread. Steve seems to be saying
> > >> that it's only permaculture if it's made in the same form nature uses,
> > and
> > >> I think we are better guided by the processes, principles, and systems
> > of
> > >> nature rather than by whether a plant grows in dirt or not,  and
> that's
> > a
> > >> critical distinction (how amended can soil be before it's not
> "natural,"
> > >> anyway? 2% peat moss? 50%?). I don't think of permaculture as a thing,
> > as
> > >> something you can point to and say "This is (or is not) permaculture."
> > If a
> > >> permaculture design process was used to arrive at a decision, then
> that
> > is
> > >> a permacultural application. And I have seen excellent design
> processes
> > >> that arrive at aquaponics as part of a permaculture system.
> > >>
> > >> I need to see data showing that aquaponics food is less nutritious
> than
> > >> soil-grown. I see no basis. Nature grows many plants in water. In
> fact,
> > the
> > >> controlled conditions of aquaponics should give superb nutrient
> uptake.
> > >> Plants stressed by the vagaries of soil and weather usually have fewer
> > >> nutrients than crops that grow evenly and quickly via ample access to
> > food,
> > >> water, and warmth.
> > >>
> > >> If permaculture is about mimicking nature in the way Steve suggests,
> we
> > >> are doing it all wrong. Nature does not do keyline plowing, or
> planting
> > on
> > >> contour, or zoning by frequency of use, or grafting, or hot
> composting,
> > or
> > >> worm bins, nor does it build earthworks in rational ways. Few of our
> > >> methods mimic the form of nature.
> > >>
> > >> That's because we're designing, which is something nature does not do.
> > >> Permaculture mimics nature's processes and systems, not the form or
> > >> objects, so we will often arrive at forms (like aquaponics or a swale)
> > that
> > >> don't look like nature's form, but the processes are. Aquaponics is a
> > >> superb mimic of an estuarine ecosystem, using the same natural
> processes
> > >> and nutrients.
> > >>
> > >> A basic tenet is that permaculturists design for specific sites and
> > >> conditions. Do I want to see aquaponics supplant soil-based systems?
> Of
> > >> course not; I'm not an idiot. In most cases, soil-based growing is
> more
> > >> appropriate than aquaponics. Do I see specific conditions when
> > aquaponics
> > >> fits all the criteria of permaculture design as the best method to
> fill
> > >> important needs? Absolutely.
> > >>
> > >> A perfect role for aquaponics in permaculture design is an urban
> setting
> > >> where soil is toxic or absent, land is too dear for food growing,
> where
> > >> animals can't be raised for food, in "food deserts" where all food
> sold
> > in
> > >> a region is junk (it is a privilege to be able to choose, or afford,
> or
> > >> grow healthy food, one denied to many urbanites).
> > >>
> > >> I've seen several great examples of this. One is the aquaponics
> systems
> > in
> > >> Will Allen's Growing Power site in Milwaukee, another the GrowHaus in
> > >> Denver. Both of these are in impoverished areas; the GrowHaus is in a
> > food
> > >> desert, a polluted industrial area of low-income people of color.
> Their
> > >> large aquaponics systems provide not just fresh organic food in place
> of
> > >> the poisonous crap in local stores, but income opportunities for the
> > >> locals, a social nexus, business experience, farm training, and
> > education
> > >> around food, agricultural traditions, social justice, whole systems,
> and
> > >> community activism.
> > >>
> > >> If that's a "weakening" of permaculture rather than one of the best
> > >> examples in the world of deep permaculture, I'm a monkey's uncle. And
> > that
> > >> is why I would never be dogmatic about whether an object is or is not
> > >> permaculture. It is about where it fits in the system, and very little
> > >> about what it is made of.
> > >>
> > >> And I love what Steve Waldron wrote:
> > >>
> > >>> The great strength of the aquaponics system is that it really grabs
> > >>> people's attention and gets them interested in feedback loops and
> > >>> plant/animal synergies.  It's subversive eco-pedagogy at its best.
> > >>
> > >> That is great permaculture design.
> > >>
> > >> Happy New Year to all,
> > >>
> > >> Toby
> > >> http://patternliteracy.com
> > >>
> > >>
> >
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-- 
Kia ora

[image: Picture]
*Steve Hart*
Ecology Architect
skype: stevenlawrencehart