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I am new to the tribe and am very interested in the permaculture experience. I am interested in reading an learning as much as I can and eventually I would like to take some permaculture design certification classes. What would be your best advice on how to begin on a small scale with your own land/property? Over the last few years, my husband and I have brought the land where we live back to its natural habitat. We began that process by cleaning it up and healing much of the scarring and abuse it took from former residents. At this point we have many of the indigenous plant life back, which we let grow as it needs to.
any pointers on how to do more to really get it going? Next year I am thinking about "food not lawns" concept, but may have to do that with raised beds. We live in a small town which has blood trauma on the land, in general...feel like raised beds are the way to go, as the soil seems "tainted", so to speak...almost anything we have already tried to grow...eventually ends up dying off or tasting bitter....incredibly bitter, despite our attempts to balance the soil...I swear it's the blood trauma that this town endured!!!
any pointers on how to do more to really get it going? Next year I am thinking about "food not lawns" concept, but may have to do that with raised beds. We live in a small town which has blood trauma on the land, in general...feel like raised beds are the way to go, as the soil seems "tainted", so to speak...almost anything we have already tried to grow...eventually ends up dying off or tasting bitter....incredibly bitter, despite our attempts to balance the soil...I swear it's the blood trauma that this town endured!!!
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Springfield
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Re: How?
Mon, July 20, 2009 - 7:09 AMI built raised beds this past spring. It was definately worth the work. I got 1 X 12 X 8 cedar boards. I'm told that 2 X 12 would be better but its not available here in gooberville. The beds are 8 ft long by 30" wide. I dug down 3" to sink the beds, covered the ground in weed barrier cloth ( the good stuff, don't bother with cheap plastic), and set the wooden frames down in the trench. Because my beds are so long I put a 2 X 4 brace at the center point. Filled with clean topsoil + 40 lb organic humus, 20 lb composted manure and 25 lb sharp builders sand (we get these amazing heavy rains here and I wanted good drainage). I also added a lot of pulverized egg shells and top dressed with compost. I know next year will be better as I'll have more time to build good soil but this year's crop is better than I dared hope for.
Good luck in your endeavors, you're gonna love this stuff.
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Re: How?
Mon, July 20, 2009 - 8:47 AMStart reading!
I liked Gaia's Garden for an easy overview. It's like Permaculture Lite.
Permaculture: A Designers Manual is great if you're into persnickity all-encompassing details. Written by the Grandpa of Permaculture. It's dense but very thorough. The plant index is awesome, (but not really worth the cost of the books.) Check the library for this one.
The best resource I've found is Permaculture Activist magazine. I buy back issues as they cost about the same as getting them subscription and I don't want some issues. Lots of terrific information!
www.permacultureactivist.net/
Personally, I don't see the need for a course or 'certification'. Gardening should be free... Unless you're into it for the money (ie, teaching and selling certs to other folks) or a client wants to see some piece of paper. Educate yourself and let yourself fly! In either Mollison's book or PActivist, I was freed of the idea of needing that piece of paper when they said something like, "You can't really do permaculture wrong. It's a process. A work of art. It will be different for every person on every different piece of land. Get started and change what isn't working until it does work."
Enjoy your burgeoning garden!!
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Re: How?
Fri, July 31, 2009 - 4:25 PMI am a big fan of sheet-mulching.
www.youtube.com/watch
www.youtube.com/watch
There are lots of good videos on Permaculture! I also recommend the book Perennial Vegetables and Edible Forest Gardens.
