Pursuing Permaculture

Introducing the Permaculture Designers Manual, Chapter 2: Concepts and Themes in Design

2010-09-21T08:13:00.001+10:00

This is the second in a series of fourteen introductory articles about permaculture — one for each chapter of Bill Mollison’s “Permaculture: A Designers’ Manual.” The series was originally initiated back in March of 2010. I only managed to finish and post the first before the Canadian PDC teaching season swept me away. With the fall slow down I am at the computer again and will get through as many of the remaining chapters as I can between now November 21st when I start teaching a two week Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) I will be teaching at Zaytuna Farm this coming November. Through this series I will connect theory with practice, and share practical examples of permaculture in action.

As we understand from Chapter 1, permaculture is an ethical system of design that produces a stable and secure place for humans and all other living things. Chapter two is about what inspires us and how the functions of natural systems inform the design process.

What are the principles of natural systems? What are our design directives for sustainable systems? What is a working definition of SUSTAINABLE?

Sustainable: Is Any system which produces and stores enough energy and resources to provide for its ongoing maintenance and reproduction.

Sustainability is about energy and how it is captured, stored, and cycled within a system. Energy is in constant flow and flux moving from one place to another. Energy is always on the move. Energy is all things, continually changing from one form into another: heat, light, water, people, soil, trees, animals, wind, electricity, fuel, sound, cash…et cetera.

In the development of sustainable systems, we almost always need to make a significant investment of energy upfront. Particularly when working in degraded places such as our cities, agricultural lands and clear-cut forests. Permaculture is the design and implementation of systems that produce more resources and energy over their lifetime than was originally expended in their implementation.

This diagram illustrates the basic pattern of the industrial system. It is in constant need of resources and energy input, necessitated by the constant flow of energy and resources out. The waste stream, the net loss, is the most critical component of this system. Without this constant loss there would be no need for a continued consumption and nobody would be making any money.

In the words of Albert Einstein, “we cannot solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” While there are many great and beneficial things that have come out of the industrial pattern, it is not and never will be a pattern for sustainable society. The concept of the consumer is not part of a sustainable future. We need a different model.

There are no evil doers in this system, it’s just the way it has been designed. By our participation we continue to support this self destructive pattern. The challenge we face is the wholesale re-design of systems with out the necessity of wholesale revolution. We have experimented with bloody revolution in the past and it is not a viable option for the present.

How do we make the shift with elegance and grace?

Ecosystems

This diagram outlining the basic pattern of an ecosystem. Ecosystems use the basic energy inputs of the sun, climate and soil. So long as the sun shines this system will continue to function.

The connections between the elements of the system are both direct and indirect exchange of service. There is no free lunch–everything returns. Everything gardens, all species, ourselves included, have an impact. All species play a role in the evolution of the system. We all have a function.

Permaculture focuses on function. It is not diversity alone that generates stability and resilience. There must be functional diversity, a diversity of connections. In truth, the long term survival of a species has nothing to do with competition and brutality. Long term survival is for species that place themselves in most service to the whole. As a species of choice and innovation, we have the unique opportunity to design ourselves into a position of service to all of the natural world. In return we can expect clean air, clean food, clean water, clean communities and long term survival. We may restate the problem as follows:

How do we best become of service to each other and all other things in the biosphere?

Permaculture draws on the themes and principles of ecosystems to assemble endlessly productive and absolutely abundant human habitat. Following the ecosystem model, we have all the information required to design and implement sustainable human habitat.

Permaculture Best Practices:

Design patterns to details.

All we need is to understand the basic patterns of natural systems.

Principles of Natural systems:

•    everything is connected to everything else
•    every function is supported by many elements
•    every element serves many functions

Simple yet profound. Are these principles useful? No. Principles are not very useful. Principles are little more than passive observation. Being people of action, we need directives. We must translate principles into directives.

Permaculture directives for real world design:

•    The needs of one element must be met by the yields of another.
•    Every critical function must be supported by multiple elements.
•    Every element must serve multiple needs.

Our definition of sustainable made use of the term ‘resources.’ Design requires a sound understanding of what a ‘resource’ is and how it functions.

Resources fall into 5 broad categories:

1. Those which increase with modest use (pastures, wood coppice systems)
2. Those unaffected by use (the wind, a view, water used to turn a water wheel)
3. Those that degrade if not used (an annual vegetable crop, information)
4. Those that are reduced by use (fossil fuels, deep aquifers)
5. Those that degrade other resources if used (nuclear power, herbicide, insecticides, artificial fertilizers, weapons)

Design Directives for ethical and sustainable real world design:

•    The majority of resources used must come from categories 1, 2 and 3.
•    Use category 4 resources modestly to develop resources in categories 1, 2 and 3.
•    Avoid category 5 resources at all costs.

Our design implementation options are limited by our current resource set. We cannot spend money we don’t have and we cannot eat food we have not grown. When making decisions about how to invest our resources we must have a very clear path forward. Below is a set of directives that have never let me down. Of course in the world of debt based currency and centralized global distribution networks, we can spend money we do not have and eat food we have not grown. That is why permaculture starts with the ethic. A conscious choice to divest ourselves from a destructive system, while simultaneously investing in the design of productive systems.

Directives for order of Investment :

•    First, invest in elements that produce energy and resources
•    Second, invest in elements that save on energy and resources
•    Third, invest in elements that consume energy and resources

Water is the foundational energy system for all life on the planet. Knowing that fact, as permaculture designers we can follow a very simple set of design priorities.

Directive of Real World Design Priority:
•    water
•    access
•    structures

At the very least follow this progression and you will not go wrong. It does not matter what scale, location, or climate. Always think “water, access, structures”. Water and where it is coming from and where it is going are the most important energy consideration of any design. As much as 40% of all the energy consumed by cities is used to move around water.

To sum it all up, permaculture is really about our first step. If our first move is towards the benefit of living systems, which we are all a part of, all subsequent steps will follow along the same path. With clients it is often the case that they need help knowing where to start. “Here’s our 10 acres… what do we do with it?”

My duty as a permaculture designer is to give the project sustainable direction–a starting point for sustainable and emergent design as the user’s needs, experience and skill set change and develop through time. What it boils down to is energy and how it flows through the design. By examining and understanding the basic patterns of how energy and resources move through an ecosystem we gain the insight and knowledge needed to design sustainable human systems that harmonize with the natural world.

Be sure to check back for the Chapter 3 ‘Methods of Design.’

Re syndicated Aricle from The Time Colonist, Victoria BC

2010-05-03T15:01:00.008+10:00

How green does your garden grow?

Re syndicate Article of an Interview with Jesse.
By Steve Carey, Times Colonist

Permaculture

Applying permaculture principles in your yard and home is a great way of creating self-sufficient ecosystems. Permaculture is a design system based around three concepts: people care, earth care and the return of surplus to the land.

"One of the big misconceptions about permaculture is that it's just a way of gardening. That's not entirely true," says Jesse Lemieux of Pacific Permaculture, a consulting and education business. "Permaculture is not the roof, the gutter and the garden. It's the connection that we make so that every time it rains, water flows down the gutter into the garden, passively watering the garden without us ever having to turn on a valve."

The Potato Patch Redux

2010-04-14T08:47:00.007+10:00

Where do our carbohydrates come from? What is the ethical implications of grain culture?
The picture above says it all.

I have reduced my fossil fuel consumption as practically possible at this time, I minimize my use of paper products, and avoid heavily packaged products and I have an overly productive greens gardens in a region of Canada that has surplus apples and shell fish. By most accounts I live a relatively sustainable lifestyle. Or do I?

I still rely on the tillage agriculture, organic or otherwise, for my supply of bulk carbohydrates. And when it really comes down to it deforestation and industry are a bad second and third place in environmental damage when stacked up beside tillage grain and grain legume production.

By all accounts the soil loss and desertification created by tillage grain culture are the most destructive activities on the planet.

My next personal ethical frontier is extricating myself from the need for tillage grain culture.

So after the sad little failure in an attempt to attain carbohydrate sovereignty. We went back to the drawing board and to our closest permaculture colleagues for advice on a not so labour intensive method of getting a great yield of potatoes. A lot of the old timers suggest digging down to plant and hilling soil up twice through the growing season. This would be great if we had some space already prepared.
All we have is lawn and after last years painful experience we did not want to dig for potatoes this year. What we want to demonstrate is that our bulk supply of carbohydrates can be gotten with a minor amount of physical input, while simultaneously building a healthy soil system. It is an easy thing to grow enough salad greens and tomatoes. It is a whole other project to provision ourselves with enough raw carbohydrate energy.

We have also heard great things about potatoes in mulch beds and mixed reviews on the potato mulch tower. So we with that we have chosen to go with a potato sheet mulch over some old sod on some rough soil and see what happens.
We are working with the strip of sod located between the two garden beds in the photo. Not only are we trying to grow potatoes, we are using this planting approach to pioneering the system out of grass and into fertile loose garden beds with health soil structure. A Much better approach than digging, if it works.

We recently cut down a few fir trees that where to close to the house. Not wanting to burn the branches and slash from the trees, we processed it up with a machete and used it as our bottom layer in the sheet mulch along with kitchen scraps, last year 'scompost pile and a heap of well composted horse manure.

The next layer to go down was, of course, cardboard we did our best to soak this down. It is really important to soak the cardboard well, as it will suck moisture our of the soil if it dries out. I find that it works best to be able to dunk it and let it sit in water. A near by ditch pond or small kiddie pool will work well. In this case we where without those features, fortunately it was still March on the west coast of Canada so rain is great supply. The night we did this it rained about 3omm so the cardboard got a good soaking. It is also critical to keep the cardboard under at least 15cm of mulch to avoid having it dry out.

Next came the potatoes. Nothing fancy here just place them at recommended spacing right on top of the cardboard. the roots know what to do. As long as the bed stays, moist the plants will find what they need, easily penetrating the cardboard down to the soil.

A thick layer of moldy hay and a finishing layer of fir branchlets and we have a finished sheet mulch potato bed. All told it was about 6 hours of people power and not a sing scoop of soil was turned over. My back didn't even know it had done any work. As the potatoes grow we will add more mulch, it is the same as hilling your potatoes in a bare soil bed. The idea being that in the extra mulch depth the potatoes will grow more tubers. Even if we get poor yields, comparable to last years crop, this sure beats the 4 days of back breaking hand tilling we did for last years meager crop. We will keep you posted as it turns out.

Trouble in the Potato Patch

2010-04-01T14:31:00.009+10:00

To me there is no better opportunity for learning than a big fat mistake. And a big fat mistake is the only way to describe my experiment with potatoes last growing season. I also think that learning increases exponentially with pain association. As my potato experiment resulted in a very sore and tired lower back, producing a less than satisfactory yield of potatoes I learned a lesson I will not soon forget.

Here's how it all went down.

What you are looking at here is the 7 year old sod that is to be turned into a potato bed. I do mean turned. All told it was about 20 hours of back breaking mattock and spade work to dig these large on contour potato beds. Below you see the sequence of how things took shape.

Digging finished, beds shaped and pathways to a precise level end to end; leveling of the pathway function to distribute water and nutrient evenly along the bed; also acting as water harvesting during big rain events.
We seed with a legume cover crop and planted our potatoes. Then spread a thin mulch of grass and comfrey over top, just thick enough to help with germination.
Several weeks later the beds where nice and green with cover crop.
At this stage things where looking good and potatoes where growing well in with the cover crop. As the season progressed we chopped down the cover crop and mulched the potatoes with it. We had beautiful top growth on the potatoes. Unfortunately when it came time to harvest actual potatoes they where few and far between. We got less that 100 pounds for all of the space you see planted above. A very poor return for a large effort up front. I think that it was the nitrogen of the legume cover crop that encourage lots of top growth but little tuber production. Needless to say this approach is not being used for potatoes this season. We already have a patch planted that is at least as big and we did it all in about three hours and didn't turn soil once. I will fill you in on my next posting "The Potato Patch Redux" sometime next week. Until then...

Permaculture In The Kootenays

2010-04-01T09:38:00.003+10:00

If you are looking for a great learning opportunity in a beautiful setting here it is....

This May 23rd-June 4th, Rob Avis, my good friend and respected college, is teaching a full length "Permaculture Design Certficiate." Hosted by "Mountain Waters" retreat in the heart of the Kootenays, this course will be the experience of a life time. I wish that I was going to be there, but commitments I have in Idaho make that impossible.

I have always admired Rob's enthusiasm attention to detail and passion he has for the discipline of permaculture. The student will be in good hands with Rob as there instructor and will come out of this course with a fully functional knowledge base and workable skill set in permaculture design.

Right now Rob is in Australia learning from the best of the best, Geoff Lawton, at the "Permaculture Research Institute of Australia", and recently made a blog posting about what he is learning there. Rob will be back on home soil just in time for the Nelson course and fully charged up to share what has been gained during his time down under.

Resyndcated Article on Pacific Permaculture in The Prairies

2010-03-24T04:39:00.003+10:00

Permaculture on the Prairies
by Jenn Hardy
THE SASQUATCH

Jesse Lemieux, who started Pacific Permaculture with his wife Tanya in 2008, taught the two-day introductory class at the University of Saskatchewan. As part of a prairie workshop series, he also taught two-day courses in Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer throughout January. The course was a warm-up to a 72-hour intensive course that will run over a two-week period in August in Saskatoon...

To read the full article click HERE

Introduction To Permaculture

2010-03-22T13:23:00.003+10:00

Chapter 1: Introduction to Permaculture
by Jesse Lemieux
This is the first in a series of fourteen introductory articles about permaculture — one for each chapter of Bill Mollison's “Permaculture: A Designers' Manual.” Through this series I will connect theory with practice, and share practical examples of permaculture in action.
Chapter One: “Introduction to Permaculture”
Permaculture design is a system of assembling conceptual, material and strategic components in a pattern which functions to benefit life in all its forms. It provides a sustainable and secure place for living things on earth. While each components is important, permaculture is less about the things themselves and more about how the things fit together.
Permaculture does not dwell on the negative. While we maintain a healthy awareness of present day problems, we are more focused on the positive, continually asking the question "what do we want?".
Few people would argue that our global and local environments are on the down-hill slide, but it is important that we cut clearly through the mass of misinformation and half-truths that exist. Only by getting to the heart of the matter can we reasonably design a plan to change things.
Just the other day I was reading an article in The Province, which took the position that we need to start investing in natural systems if we are going to maintain our precious existence on this planet. The article stated that 60 countries have lost nearly all their forests, and that 1/3 of all fish stocks, food for two billion people, were on the brink of collapse. Furthermore, due to soil erosion,we can no longer farm 30% of all agricultural land on the planet.
How did we get here? We rely on a system of economic and social organization that has seen us become less and less responsible for our own basic needs. By supporting and expanding this system, we have come to rely more and more on distant lands and resources.
Agriculture is particularly grim and is responsible for more deforestation, CO2 production, chemical pollution and soil erosion than any other activity on the planet. The sad part is we have been convinced that the only way to feed ourselves is through the destructive and highly centralized system of plow-based agriculture. This is just plain false.
Consider the following statistics.
One billion people on the planet, 80% of whom are involved in agriculture, are malnourished and hungry.[1]
US agricultural production produces $300/acre [2]
Home gardeners produce over $42,000/acre, with an average of 5 hours work per week [3]
Just take a quick look around your neighborhood and you can see that home gardening gets far better production per acre than any other agricultural system.
The largest and most energy intensive agriculture on the planet is the lawn. It uses more fossil fuel, human energy and chemical fertilizer than most other forms of agriculture. What does it produce? Polluted watersheds, polluted oceans, health problems and lawn trimmings for the garbage dump.
By turning our lawns into food systems, we can immediately remove ourselves from two of the most destructive systems on the face of the planet: the lawn and plow-based agriculture.
This brings us to the “Prime Directive of Permaculture”: to take responsibility for our own existence and that of our children. In other words, we need to get our house and garden in order, so that they feed and shelter us.
Very few of us living in urban areas produce enough food to meet our own basic needs. We can all use permaculture to overcome this fundamental disconnect in contemporary urban life.
When making decisions within the permaculture framework, we rely on the permaculture ethic as a tool for conflict resolution and benchmarks to measure success in our design. This ethic is simple:
Earth Care: living, growing and promoting the function of living systems. Building biomass (capturing CO2 in living systems) is good.
People Care: providing clean water, food and shelter, and strong communities that do not enslave people.
Return of Surplus: all surplus generated by these systems is returned back into earth care and people care, not into the generation of more surplus for the sake of surplus. Growth is not endless, since we live on a single planet with finite resources.
Permaculture is an ethical system stressing positivism and cooperation. We use this ethic in all aspects of the design process. It is a value set that guides us. It is the ethic that makes some design strategies available to us and others not, as any design we produce must fit within the ethical criteria.
Implicit in this ethic is the Life Ethic: all living organisms are not only means but ends in themselves. In addition to having value to the human species and other living organisms, they have an intrinsic worth. All life is good.
Even though the ethic is well-reasoned, it is still somewhat subjective. It's important to be aware of my personal biases. We are all on a continuum of understanding, and it's not my duty to pass judgement or convince anybody of how wrong they are and how right I am. My only responsibility is to take care of my needs and be sure that my activities fall within the permaculture ethic. As I move further along the road to a sustainable lifestyle I generate a surplus of resources and information that I willingly share with others who are working towards a right-livelihood themselves. Information is often the first resource in surplus.
So, how do we design lives to become ones of net production as opposed to ones of net consumption?
A practical application:
Earth Care: a well mulched home garden builds soil faster than any other system. This reduces our need for plow agriculture and takes kitchen waste, paper waste and all other compostable materials out of our land fills.
People Care: the garden provides local, clean and healthy food to the gardener, as well as a source of relaxation and contemplation.
Return of Surplus: home gardens are usually over-productive and surplus is shared with neighbors and friends, or left to compost back into the soil.
In the words of my friend and mentor, Geoff Lawton: “All the problems of the world can be solved in a garden.” It does not stop at the garden. Permaculture is such a good-sense approach to design and problem solving that it can be applied to many other facets of human life. This is not a move backwards to feudalism and peasantry, it is an evolution towards a society and planet of absolute abundance.
Over the next thirteen months I will cover each chapter in the Permaculture Design Certificate and explore many ways to use this revolutionary system of design. I believe you will be inspired by the simplicity and the commonplace nature of the solutions to our incredibly complex set of political and environmental problems.
Check in again next month when I will cover chapter two “Concepts and Themes in Design.” This chapter looks into the nature of sustainable system, their principles and our directives as designers for positive change.
Footnotes/Sources:
[1] Panel on food security, World Economic Forum, 2009
[2] US Agricultural census, 2007
[3] National Gardening Association, 2009

The Permaculture Design Certificate

2010-02-22T09:02:00.004+10:00

The Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC)
by Jesse Lemieux

What is needed to design a sustainable human society full of abundance and security for all living systems? Information, empowerment and ethics.

The Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) teaches students how to use information, resources and ethics to meet local needs on a limited land base.

There are no "bad guys" and nothing is inherently evil. It is the designs of the systems we use that are the problem. A large machine can be use to bring down a forest, or it can be used to repair damage and degraded landscapes. In the same way, I can either use a hammer as weapon, or to build a house for a friend. The difference in outcome is one of intention and design.

The fact is that we are working with a system that was never designed to provide a sustainable or secure place for life on this planet. The system we are working with was designed to concentrate wealth, resources and power into the hands of a few. This system produces elite classes, sickness and environmental degradation.

The justification for such destructive ways was one of service to the larger whole. In other words, we tell ourselves that while the present way of doing things does not provide all people in all places with a secure livelihood, it can maximize happiness for a maximum number of people.

A great many good things have come out of this system, like this computer I type with. But it is obvious that the time for change has come. The planet is raising alarm bells. Fancy technological adaptations may give us some extra time, but if we are concerned with the long term survival of the human species, then we had better start evolving and designing our systems using more sustainable models.

At the very core of our problems are the assumptions we make regarding human nature. We design and build our systems with the underlying belief that human nature is dominated by greed. As a result, we see human interaction with other humans and the environment as brutal struggle, domination and conquest.

Nothing could be further from the truth. What makes us human is not how savagely we can treat each other. What makes us human is our large brain, and our capacity for abstract thinking and creative problem solving. Human nature is one of choice. We as a species and as individuals are capable of just as much positive action as we are negative. In my experience, 99 out of 100 people have good intentions and want to do the right thing.

So what is the issue? The issue is design. The Permaculture Design Certificate teaches how we can utilize today's tools and technology to shape a more sustainable and equitable world for all species. Permaculture is more than just planting a garden. It is a sustainable design approach that is applicable to all human activities. An organic garden is one element in a total design. Permaculture is about where we place the garden in relation to the house, site topography, climate, water run off, capabilities of the users, where money comes from to finance it ...ect. Using a designed approach place the organic garden in space, time and form so as to gain the highest output for lowest input.

The PDC is an intensive 72-hour study in all things sustainable. It uses the 14-chapter text book "Permaculture, A Designers Manual" as its reference and works through the following topics: Introduction to Permaculture
Concepts and Themes in Design
Methods of Design
Pattern Understanding
Climatic Factors
Trees and their Energy Transactions
Water
Soils
Earthworks and Earth Resources
The Humid Tropics
Dryland Strategies
Humid Cool to Cold Climates
Aquaculture
The Strategies of an Alternative Global Nation

As you can see from the above list, permaculture covers all aspects of human life. It is grounded in practical real world design and extends into the complex realm of sustainable social design. It extends further into the invisible design of organizing energy exchange between people and communities.
The PDC empowers, informs and trains people to be effective designers and agents of active change in their homes and communities. The PDC endeavors to teach teachers, in order to spread and localize this important information. Following this strategy, permaculture has spread rapidly to all corners of the globe without any form of centralized administration or governing body. As a result, there are many collectives and collaborations between different permaculture teachers and institutes, but all operate as independent entities. The permaculture community is unified by the common ethic of earth care, people care and return of surplus.

Permaculture does not ignore the massive challenges we face today. We maintain a healthy of the challenges and difficulties of the modern world. We choose to focus our time and energy on a positive and active approach. Rather than spending a Saturday at a rally protesting something I don't want, I would rather spend the day with a group of friends and strangers installing a food garden in the community. In this way we actively change the world one garden at a time.

Many of my students quickly move on to be involved in all levels of change from local to global some as private business others for NGOs.

Adrian Buckley of Calgary took his PDC in August 2009. This course was taught by Pacific Permaculture on behalf of Ravis Sustainable. Since that time, Adrian has started a small permaculture business called Big Sky Permaculture, which recently hosted its first Introduction to Permaculture Workshop this past January. He is a great example of how quickly a PDC can change the direction of one's life.

Angela Gentili of Toronto attended the Pacific Permaculture part time PDC in Vancouver in the spring of 2009. She has recently co-founded a non-profit community organization in Toronto known as Reseed.ca. They are involved in all kinds of great community agriculture initiatives using permaculture in their work.

Aaron Elton of Vancouver is yet another student of ours, from the PDC course that Pacific Permaculture hosted last summer on Denman Island. Aaron has initiated a permaculture aid project known as Our Mother Earth Villages, which will be operating in Uganda and teaching its first PDC to local and international students in late 2010.

There is no doubt in my mind that a full education in permaculture design is a positive experience. It's an investment that anybody can make regardless of profession, background or age.

Pacific Permaculture is offering a second annual installment of a Vancouver part time course starting April 3. If you are interested in the 2-week intensive format, we are hosting a course on Denman Island July 4-17, and teaching another in Saskatoon in the middle of August.
Please visit our website www.pacificpermaculture.ca for more info.

We are not the only group that is offering the PDC in western Canada. Below is a list of other groups and organizations that regularly teach the 72-hour PDC.
Ravis Sustainable (Calgary) http://bit.ly/coY5tM
Urban Farmer (Edmonton) http://bit.ly/bviP9U
OUR Ecovillage (Shanigan Lake) http://bit.ly/9sITrx
Blue Raven Permaculture (Salt Spring Island)
Kootaneey Permaculture (Winlaw BC) http://bit.ly/abXHUS

The term "permaculture" was coined by Bill Mollison and gifted to the college of graduates of the Permaculture Design Certificate. As teachers, we all agree to adhere to the design curriculum as laid out in the 14 chapters of the permaculture designer's manual. Only graduates of this curriculum may refer to themselves as permaculture designers and permaculture teachers. However, anyone engaging in activities which relate the ethics and principles of permaculture may refer to their work as permaculture.

Before attending a PDC be sure that the whole 14 chapter curriculum from "Permaculture A Designers Manual" is being presented. The course must cover all the material over 72 hours. and should not have extra material included. Good luck and we will see you out there.

Permaculture: Important Positive Change

2009-11-21T12:55:00.004+10:00

I am excited to be stretching into some relatively unknown areas of my ability, by taking on the role of a bi-weekly columnist for a new free paper in Vancouver known as "The Agora." Look for it the next time you are out and about. Below is my submission for this weeks issue. As each article is produced I will continue to post here on Pursuing Permaculture. Since Tanya and I started this blogspot two years ago neither of us have been able to give it the attention it deserves, now that we are moving off of the orchard, we will be able to engage our permaculture activities full time and that includes this space. Please stay in touch and let us know how we are doing, share with you friends.

Regards Jesse

Permaculture: Important Positive Change 
By Jesse Lemieux

Like most important activities on the planet, permaculture has very little recognition in the main stream media. Consequently, only a few people know what permaculture is and the role it is playing in the dramatically changing physical, political, cultural and social climates. Even fewer people understand or are aware of what impact permaculture is having locally. In actual fact, permaculture practitioners are active, and determined to be a positive and functioning part of the design overhaul that global society is presently undergoing.

I have been involved with the global permaculture community for a little longer than three years now. In late 2006 I went on a three month trip to Australia seeking an education in permaculture design. I really didn’t know what I was getting into. After my design class, for the first time in my life I felt empowered to make a difference on what ever scale I could. Rather than a world of scarcity I began seeing endless opportunities and abundance amongst all the chaos. I arrived home and immediately started to share with any one who would listen. In late 2007, my wife Tanya and I left Canada to build our practical permaculture experience Down-Under. Our journey lead all over eastern Australia to the Middle East and finally landed us on Denman Island, BC in September of 2008. We have settled here, managing an apple orchard and running our young permaculture education and consultancy, Pacific Permaculture. In this time we have encountered all edges of the permaculture movement, from the global to the local.

In the Beginning there was Bill Mollison, a disgruntled and brilliant academic. In the early 80‘s and the twilight of his life and career, he composed the Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) curriculum and travelled the world teaching to all who wanted change. He knew that the only way to catalyze truly positive change was to teach more teachers. The message he taught was “earth care, people care and return of surplus.” During its first two decades permaculture was taken up by little more than a fringe few in the developed world and a handful of aid projects in less fortunate places. More recently, as the design system produces more and more credible results, permaculture has seen an explosion in popularity and growth. In Australia, Mollison’s country of origin, permaculture has entered the curriculum at all levels of institutional education and still maintains its strongest presence in the grassroots. Permaculture can not be brought under copy write and controlled by a central authority, as the term “permaculture” was gifted to all graduates of the (PDC), a clever strategic play by Mollison. This open source character has kept permaculture widely accessible and truly democratic. In this merit-based teaching system, good teachers have students and poor teachers don’t. Credibility can only be built upon ones results in the field, not locked up behind the walls of a large organization. Mollison’s efforts produced the first generation of permaculture educators and designers. That generation has done its job well, as it is not uncommon to come across a fifth or sixth generation PDC student. In 2006 I was lucky enough to have been trained by Mollison himself.

The average permaculturalist is just that: average. Permaculture is such a straightforward and practical approach to designing human habitat and settlement that anybody who is interested in positive action can easily understand the basic principles. The inherent simplicity and elegance of permaculture design, the common sense solutions and the lack of glamour makes permaculture the effective agent of change it has become. Boil down the movement and most permaculturalists, if any, have little interest in making a name for themselves. They measure success less by fame and reputation and more by the results they get in the field.

Permaculture designers relish a challenge, pitting their design skills against the most difficult of climates and landscapes. As a result, permaculture is most well known for its application in aid projects and grassroots development activities in the world’s most impoverished regions. The most well known example to date is Geoff Lawton’s hyper-arid design installation in the Dead Sea Valley of Jordan. A student of Mollison’s, Lawton used elegant earth shaping design to fully utilize all available rain water. With the help of hardy pioneering tree species Lawton transformed the dead and salted desert land into a permanent, self-watering and self-sustaining forestry and crop agricultural system. This seminal work has been well documented in video. Check out the following two websites: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ8pjOG4pXI&feature=related and http://permaculture.org.au/2009/11/17/greening-the-desert-ii-video-greening-the-middle-east/, for a full synopsis.

This important work by Lawton has inspired thousands globally, myself included, to take up training in permaculture design and get active in their communities. An excellent local example is Permaculture Vancouver. Permaculture Vancouver is a local group that meets once per month to share experience and inspiration in permaculture design. Only 7 months old and 165 members strong, many have taken a permaculture design certificate but most haven’t. This group is fully open to all levels of understanding and interest. They are moving fast and have already been seen with a booth at the PNE and doing urban permaculture makeovers in yards throughout Vancouver. If you want to get hands on experience and learn more about permaculture I encourage you to head out to one of the monthly meetings. You can contact this group at: http://www.meetup.com/The-Vancouver-Permaculture-Meetup-Group/.

Monolithic governments and universities, and those entrenched in such institutions, will still be talking about how to manipulate “sustainable consumer” behavior, long after permaculture teachers have empowered and educated society in the art and design of a local production culture. I do not understate the complexity and scale of the problems we face, some days it can feel daunting. The potential solutions can seem just as overwhelming. I do concede that the change required on a global scale is truly staggering. However that change is massive only for the the shear number of small scale and local initiatives required. I do not faithfully and blindly believe that “everything little thing is gona be alright.” I do, however, know that if we choose to, each and every one of us can initiate and sustain significant and positive change. The first step is to stop complaining about what we don’t want, and ask the question: What do we want? From that all important question we can take steps towards a different world. This is exactly what permaculture designers and educators are doing. They both empower with information and implement appropriate small scale solutions wherever they go.

What has happened to Tanya and Jesse?

2009-09-24T01:55:00.005+10:00

So here we are...over five months and not a peep on this blog from either Tanya or my self.
What have we been up to?

In short...
Teaching.
Pacific Permaculture has wrapped up a most successful first season, as a permaculture education service. Our first season of teaching services have been immediately responsible for unleashing 60 new permaculture designers into the world. I doubt a virus would be so luck as to get as many subsequent infections from one host.

Here is hoping that we have "terminally infected" some of those bright students of ours with the permaculture bug. We are now re-grouping and planning for the 2010 season. It is going to be a big one with lots of exciting twist and turns.

Before we get into that I would like to do a quick recap on the past five months...

Permaculture Design Certificate number one Part time course, Vancouver BC, March 2009
Our first full length PDC. thank you to the 15 brave souls who attend. Your support, enthusiasm and continued good work in Vancouver, Permaculture Vancouver, is truly humbling keep it up. You make a "permaculture father and mother" proud.

I really enjoyed teaching this group of people. I learned more about permaculture than I ever though possible. My only hope is that they got as much from this experience as I did. We will surely be running another course like this in the not so distant future. The part time format is a great way to make permaculture accessible to urban dweller, whom does not have two weeks to spare for a residential course out in the boonies.

This course finished the last weekend of April and we used our time to prep for...

Permaculture Design Certificate number two, Full time Residential Course, Denman Island BC, July 2009

For two weeks Tanya and I hosted 24 people including ourselves. The end result being...19 new permaculturalists out into the world. While the part-time format is a great way to run a PDC, as it allows better access for time strapped people in cities, there are certain aspects of the 2 week residential format that can't be beat. The immersion of it all as well as access to out door labs, as shown above, really help to drive key concepts home. More and more we are finding that direct experience and reflection on lessons learned are a crucial part of the active learning process.

Permaculture Design Certificate number three, Full time Residential Course, Gull Lake Alberta, August 2009

Look out Oil Sands, here comes the Alberta permaculture movement. Rob and Michelle, of Ravis Sustainable, put together a fantastic PDC with field trips and outdoor hands projects to spare. I got it easy with this course, as all I had to do was teach and drink coffee. Since this course, local permaculture community groups are starting to pop up all over the prairies. I just can't get enough of Alberta and we are going to kick off our 2010 season with several Intro to Permaculture courses this coming January.

Stay tuned for more.
I promise!

Compost, Snakes and Dams

2009-04-09T08:10:00.019+10:00

Spring has sprung and we are busy as the bees. Here on Denman there is plenty to do on the farm; and course and consultancy have us in Vancouver on a weekly basis.
It's compost mania and we are having a lot of fun putting together different composts with different combinations of material. First, on Denman we had our lovely guest Jill from Green Temple Design helped us gather seaweed, leaves and other compostable materials and put it together. It was heaps of hard work but we gathered enough to make a go of it. We mixed the compost by measuring in big buckets ratios of Carbon and Nitrogen. We then used a bit of blood and bone left over from the garden construction and of course the magic ingredient of urine. On top of all that we put some comfrey tea that we've been brewing for the last few months and it only added to the already powerful odor. We decided to put in a chimney because we were sure that it was going to get very hot. We've used this method before, it keeps the pile from getting too hot and it worked well by allowing some of the heat to escape. The next day Jill and Jesse headed back to Vancouver to make more compost and I prepared seedlings and worked on the orchard. In Vancouver the permaculture design group put together their own compost pile using different materials not the least of them being several dead pigeons. The loft in the barn where Jesse gathered some hay had dead pigeons and owls and well... why not? The pile was made in our friend Jared's back yard in east Vancouver. I was not there for the initial turning but didn't have to be to know that this was one spicy hot concoction. When given some time and flipping around by Jared this pile evened out nicely. No more pigeon evident.
Back on the Island things are doing very well. The weather is beautiful, although, it may be leaving us soon. That is fine with us as some very vigorous planting has gone on and we would love to have it rain now. Only one of our gardens was ready and organized for a planting blitz but we took to it as soon as we had a chance. I went a little crazy and got a lot of my seeds started many weeks ago so it was definitely time to set some out. While planting we discovered a small colony of snakes living in our garden. At first I was concerned that there were so many but then I found out they eat slugs. I had not thought of snakes when it came to controlling those who wish to eat my greens. So we took a picture of one of the more friendly snakes and he/or she was very compliant and very beautiful. Off to the town of Mission now to put in preliminary markers for some dam and swale systems for two lovely part-time homesteaders. Maybe we'll do some composting there as well. The well turned compost pile will be our cairn. Rather than leaving behind a pile of ruble to mark our place we will leave a piled humus cairn.

Permaculture in the fast lane

2009-03-15T12:10:00.028+10:00

In the past three months, every time I have tried to sit in front of this machine and tell a tale I find myself pulled away by other things. In order to catch up I will be light on words, and heavy on pictures. Do not mistake a lack of words, for little to say. More likely I have too much to say, I just wish to get up to speed and on to new things, as we have a lot happening this coming season.In January we taught two Introduction to Permaculture workshops. One was held in Calgary and the other in Canmore. We had a really great time and met some wonderful individuals, doing amazing things for the world. We made some new friends, Rob and Michelle Avis, and had a great exchange of information and ideas in regards to permaculture in BC and Alberta. We took the opportunity to visit some family and friends, while in Alberta, and were able to get to some pretty spots. When we arrived it was around -20 degrees in Calgary and two days later we went to Edmonton where it was -39 degrees. I have never been so cold before, but there is a special kind of beauty in a landscape so stark.
Permaculture is going wild and spreading across the province of Alberta at a blistering pace. With the energetic and dedicated contributions of Rob and Michelle, permaculture is gaining ground in the prairies. If you are interested in more courses being held there this summer check out Ravis Sustainable. While in Alberta, we had the honor of hosting our first children in an Intro class. Despite our hesitations, these to young eco-warriors exceeded expectations and added immensely to the experience.
We returned from Alberta at the beginning of February. Once back on the coast Jesse gave a series of talks and seminars in and around Vancouver. They all went very well and, while Jesse was a sharing our experiences with others, I was back on the farm pruning the apple orchard. In order to stay where we are and do what we do there is a certain amount of work that has to be done, on the farm. In between the work on the farm we surveyed our garden site to render a design and plan for the coming season.
At the end of February it was off to Kelowna, for the Building Sustainable Communities Conference put on by the Fresh Outlook Foundation. We were excited about this conference, as it was the very first invitation we received when our web site was launched in May of 2008. It was a great opportunity to share permaculture and our experience with members of the private, academic, and government sectors. The response was fantastic.
A day after the conference we were back on the coast to teach an Introduction to Permaculture workshop in Vancouver. With a full house and a lovely group of people it went very. Several of our students from that course have since enrolled in full length PDC course with us, it gives us a great sense of accomplishment to have such positive feed back. Hopefully we can assist some of these active and inspired people get on their feet, as teachers in the coming months. It is only through empowering local teachers and designers that we are going to turn the environmental boat around.
At the beginning of March we are back on Denman Island. For the next few days we worked hard to get our garden prepared for the coming growing season. We continued on from the surveying and planning phase into implementation. It took about one day of hard work to get most of the garden in place. This is the before picture, as we are trying to fix a gutter for rain water to flow into the garden off the roof.
We made on contour level pathways and used the rock that we pulled out of the site to help prop up three beds. We cover cropped and planted some mint and strawberry, both great crawling perennials, to help keep back the grass and weeds along the edges. This is to be an annual greens garden with a strong edge of perennials to help fill the space nature would otherwise fill for us. Below is a picture of the end product shaped, seeded and mulched.
I started my seedling early so that I can have nice strong plants to put in the garden this year. I was also a bit too excited and hopefully I am not too far ahead of the game. Gardening in a more northern area is going to be interesting but it is going very well so far.

And in our spare time...... well there is not much of it around but we do like to enjoy the island now and again. A few weeks ago we went out and dug a few dozen clams for Manhattan clam chowder. Even when we are playing we are working, we always try to come home with wild harvest food from our days off!!!
So here we are, garden planted, rain falling, seedlings growing, part time PDC starting on March 21st and now we have a crab trap out in Baynes Sound filling with food as I write. Busy, busy, busy and I haven't even mentioned what is on the horizon...another aid project?

Permaculture....more than organic gardening!!! Part 2

2008-12-11T02:05:00.015+10:00

Energy Components
Technologies, Connection, Structures, Sources

When designing and establishing systems we must prioritize our investments first in structures and technologies that create energy, second that save energy and last that consume energy. It is inevitable that we will spend energy to initially establish our habitat. This is not a problem, so long as the designed habitat produces more energy over its lifetime than was initially spent. All systems should provide their own energy needs and remove themselves as much as possible from a dependence on distant sources. “When the needs of a system are not met from within, we pay the price in energy and pollution.” (Mollison)

When designing to the site-specific components the first priority is water, as water is an energy that can be put to great use. Higher elevation rainwater storage (earth dams and tanks) should be designed into a landscape whenever possible. This is done to provide gravity fed water for crops houses and other uses at lower elevations. Swales are always planted to trees. They are tree-growing systems. The trees use water harvested by swales to turn the suns energy into wood and foods, like nuts and fruit. The wood can be used to build and maintain structures, provide fiber and heat, for solar efficient homes, in high efficiency stoves. By first investing in the water structures we have created numerous energy storage in our settlement.

Social Components
People, Culture, Trade, Finance

Cooperation not competition is the key. Presently my wife and I live on an apple orchard, together we contribute 40-50hr/week of our time and energy to the orchard. We are not the owners. In exchange for our efforts, we get a roof over our heads, clean and healthful food from the garden, access to land for our own food production and a good community. Assessing this arrangement from a purely financial perspective would neglect all other levels of wealth that we obtain from the relationship. Further more we can be assured that a significant proportion of our time and energy will stay within the systems on the farm. If we were to have regular jobs, within the formalized economic system of distant capital and finance, most of our time and energy would inevitably by exported out of the local environment and economy. By working to keep our time and energy cycling in the local economy through a non formalized system of exchange: trade barter and cooperation, we work to ensure our efforts go towards building the health and security of our community. We reduce our need for monetary gain, as our basic needs of clean food, clean water, clean shelter and healthy community are produced through our basic day-to-day interactions.

Abstract Components
Timing, information, ethics

Without an ethic or belief structure and actions in relation to survival on our planet, permaculture has no starting point. The basic permaculture ethic is as follows:
Care of the earth
Care of People
Return of Surplus to the above two ends (can also be understood as setting limits to growth)
With the ethic as our sounding board, we can use all available information to design healthy communities and provide for those communities without degrading local and distant ecology. In order to spread good design we must spread information to where it is needed and assist others who are trying to learn. As much as we need to combat against a lack of information, we should guard against an over abundance of data. “Information is only a resource if acted upon.” (Mollison) At some point we need to take a step forward and get our hands dirty.

It is only through the functioning connections between components that a complete whole system design can be achieved. The designed systems must maintain and build the health of the local environment and work for its occupants, not distant sources of capital, if it is to be sustainable. This can only be achieved by analyzing the needs and products of various components and placing those components where they supply each others needs and best utilize the inherent energy flows of the landscape and climate. Organic gardening is vital to any sound design, as we all have a right to clean food, but it must be placed appropriately within the context of the whole systems design that is known as permaculture.

Permaculture....more than organic gardening!!! Part 1

2008-11-22T00:36:00.027+10:00

It is often the case that permaculture is mistaken for being just another form of organic gardening. This description is seriously lacking when considering permaculture and the influence it is having, and can have, in our rapidly changing world. “Permaculture is a design system for the harmonious integration of landscape and human habitat” (Mollison) An organic garden is only one element, an important element, but only one in an infinite number of different elements that might make up appropriately designed human systems. At the heart of good design are the functional relationships between elements and how they support each other. Permaculture is not about finding new and complicated high tech ways to support our present culture of waste and "protracted thoughtless labor". It is about integrating: site, energy, social, and abstract components to provide for human needs by creating and recycling resources and energy without degrading local and distant environments.
In the next few months we will be developing our own water, food, and animal systems here on Denman Island. Our system will be designed to provide for more than our own personal needs, as we are offering permaculture design courses and bringing in many people. As we go through the design process we will write about our efforts to implement permaculture design. Win , lose or draw we will reveal how easy or difficult it is to design a 1/4 acre lot starting from our front door. Through the process we will demonstrate how permaculture design is so much more than organic gardening.
Permaculture is not a hippie movement or a religion. Permaculture is a practical ethical way to move forward in a world of uncertain futures. The more we take responsibility for the cycle of resources around us, the richer and more abundant day to day life will be. The more connected we become to our community the more it will be there for us in the future.

Site Components
Water, earth, landscape, climate, plants

An appropriate design first considers local conditions and then harmonizes developed systems with those conditions to achieve that highest level of energy conservation possible.

Water, Access, Structures

This is the priority sequence of permaculture site design. By first designing water infrastructure (swales, dams, irrigation lines, diversion drains, irrigation ditches…) to harvest rainwater and store it passively throughout the landscape, we insure the fertility of the land and soil into the future. By storing, soaking and spreading water throughout the landscape we have preserved and even increased the health of the local ecology.
With the water system designed we can now turn our attention to accesses. The roads and trails must harmonize with the water system. All run off from roads and trails is directed passively to water harvesting structures like swales and dams. The compacted and sealed nature of access features results in flash run off during rain events. In a standard civil enegeneering situation this run off is a problem resulting in numerous logistical and environmental problems. In a harmonized permaculture design the run off from roads and trails are resources easily put to use in the whole system.
The final step in design, structures, is now easy, as building sites will become obvious against the backdrop of designed access and water. All water runoff from house and building sites is easily directed to the water systems.
The pattern of settlement development described above enriches the local environment through increased year round moisture, increasing the productivity of local soil conditions, often resulting in a surplus of usable energy as water stored in small earth dams up slope. The inceased moisture in the environment produces an ecology that supports and provides for the local inhabitant. Residents are required to use only enivronmentally safe products and activities, as any pollution produced is not carried away with the rain water but stays on site in the water harvesting structures. This is the ultimate feedback loop! In a permaculture design if we posion our environment we directly poison ourselves!!!

We have more to come in Part 2 "Energy Components" be sure to check back next week...

Harvest time and Hibernation

2008-10-31T01:13:00.018+10:00

Halloween is here and the harvest of the apples is nearly over. Since our return to Canada things have been non-stop. I have had some spare time here and there, between bags of apples, I have be teaching myself the basics of home food preservation. So far I have been met with little success. I have managed to ruin twelve jars of yummy blackberry apple sauce because I did not process them correctly. I nearly cried when I saw the white fuzz on the inside of a jar I opened. I have learned my lesson, though and am thankful that I live in where there are no penalties for such error, only opportunities to learn.
Besides, there are heaps of apples left to experiment with and I'll be sure not to make the same mistake .....more than twice at least !! There will be time for all the indoor stuff as it cools and there is less to do outside.
West coast Canadian weather is just how I remembered it, a wacky mix of teasingly warm and sunny then incredibly wet and dreary. Just three days ago I was in a Tee shirt wondering if I should take a jump in the lake. Now, it hasn't stopped raining since yesterday afternoon and its tough to keep the chill away. I often have my nose pressed to the glass door window in amazement watching the rain fall all day long. I go to bed expecting it to have stopped, but it's still raining in morning. I thought that it would be a cleaver idea to water our indoor herb garden whenever it is raining in an effort to mimic the rain. But now I worry that I may drown our plants. I'll use a different method to remember watering them from now on. Other than my over zealous liquid sunshine our indoor pot garden, which is in the main kitchen window, is doing great. I went to the main garden a couple weeks ago and started potting up parsley, marjoram, oregano, chives, mint and purchased a rosemary plant. While I was doing that, at the markets, Jesse met a lady selling little stevia and gotu kola plants and bought one of each. So now we have the beginning of a mini jungle on the inside and it is starting to produce modestly.
It is important to us to have that fresh nutrition available when the winter comes and extend our season.
As we are drawing inwards, so to are other creatures we share space with. When we arrived here at the farm we noticed ladybugs were everywhere. In the orchard they fly everywhere often crashing into my face and ears. Now that the weather is cool they have done a little ladybug march into our house. At first we would just see them on the walls and one or two flying about. Then we realized that they were congregating by the main door. A little pile of ladybugs all squished together. Jesse reckoned they would just die there and that would be that. I was convinced something more complicated was at work.
So... I googled it!
And this is what I found out....
Ladybugs live off of their stored fat during hibernation, which is why I don't see them moving much. So, now when I get a lad bug flying on my arm I take them over to hotel hibernation and I see a few more have found their way to this spot on there own. Each female is capable of producing 10,000 eggs a year and they can live for two or more years. So in short these Ladybugs spending the winter in our house will be a big help to the gardens and orchards next year.

Food out our front door

2008-10-14T23:13:00.012+10:00

Time is moving by quickly here on Denman Island. It seems like only yesterday that we we arrived; the trees were loaded with apples and they were dropping into our hands faster than we could catch them. We are nearing the end of the picking season now and most of the apples are off the tree, one more week or so and all will be picked. It has been a long and busy couple of months, I get Sundays off but unfortunately for Jesse he goes to the weekend markets in Vancouver. He hasn't had a day off since we moved here.
He doesn't seem to mind much though, and always comes back with a good story or two. He is also making some good connection with people he meets at the market. It feels good to be striking some more permanent roots in stable ground, and start connecting with the local community.
I dearly miss our friends in Australia, but I know they are only an e-mail or SKYPE call away and it gives me strength to know how much they care for us and wish to see us to succeed.
It has really been pouring here recently, and when the rain is really coming down I think of Jordan and I imagine the thirsty landscape. I remember those that who make their life in the dead sea valley and other places like it. Then I do a little rain dance in my heart for them. I get tired and cold in the rain but I will not complain!!! It is truly a gift.
In all of this surplus moisture, I am inundated, even in the cooling weather of fall, life abounds. There are sources of food all around us. Everyday I go to the forest and pick mushrooms to eat. I don't even need to go that far. Sometimes the field mushrooms are growing just out the front door. Near by Chickadee lake is full of tasty trout, and about once a week Jesse goes to catch one or two for the dinner table. Recently, I collect and dried a some rosehips. They have a subtle acidic flavor and are jam packed with vitamin C. Honestly, I used to think oranges where they only good source of Vitamin C on the planet. It is only recently that I have known the power packed punch of rosehips. Deer inhabit Denman Island, they are healthy, well fed, and abundant. There is a designated hunting season, though I am unsure if anyone shoots and eats the deer here, as they seem very bold and unafraid of humans. It is surely a stable source of local protein.
We live on an apple orchard so we do not hunt down feral fruit at the moment, but I have seen it out there. In the past Denman Island was well known for it's apple growing so there are feral trees everywhere. There could also be plum trees and pear trees as well, not just apples. It is entirely possible to find or produce 90% or more of ones food needs, within the confines of this island. After growing food on dust and rock in Jordan and Australia, we look forward to planting a large garden here next spring. It really has helped to be away from all the comforts of home. The time away as allowed us to view native soil through a lenses of immense gratitude.

Life on Denman so Far

2008-09-26T09:43:00.011+10:00

We are well into our third week here on Denman Island, and there is absolutely no way that we ever want to leave this amazing place. We could not ask for a better situation or place to be. Though the work is physical and often heavy, our life on the orchard flows with ease and consitency. We're enjoying ourselves amongst the general beauty and relaxed way of life and it has helped us recover from our year abroad. A sense of place, that has been missing in us, is now starting to take hold. After being away for so long we had started to forget the comfort of home.
As our new surroundings make their impressions, the lessons learned while in Australia and Jordan confront us with regularity. We have a new eye for the pattern and characteristics of our native landscape. Everyday I am more excited about what Permaculture has to offer, and how it can help people confront the issues of our changing world.
We work hard getting the apples sorted out during the course of a day. Its tough work with a 20kg bag hanging off you whilst climbing and picking. Keeping the effort to a couple hours at a time with lots of little breaks helps to stave off fatigue and injury. Wild life abounds here, and there is always something to see while out in the orchard. There are raccoons, bald eagles, kingfisher, deer, green tree frogs and little snakes everywhere. The insect life is phenomenal, and I love watching the dragonflys skim over the lake and do their dance. It surprises me how many spiders there are too. Bigger than I remember, which is not a problem now that I have seen the Huntsman and Redbacks of Australia or the scorpions of Jordan.
The first two weeks were full of apples, swimming and fishing. Now that it's a lot cooler it's kayaking, fishing, mushroom picking and of course apples. We take the apples to farmers markets on the weekends, which are a lot of fun, and it is great to see so many conscientious vendors. Busy markets at the end of busy picking weeks makes for some long hours, but at the end of the day in the crowds I feel charged up with plenty of zing left over. Life is good here and we can't wait to share it with our friends when they are ready to visit us.

- Tanya

Our recon mission to Denman

2008-09-11T03:06:00.018+10:00

Back in Canada and hitting the ground running!

We were into our second week home and there was already heaps to do. One of the main things on our list was a trip to Denman Island. We needed to meet the owners of Apple Lane Orchard. We have moved to the orchard to help with the harvest, as well as start striking some firm roots of our own.
Gregg (Jesse's Brother) came along for the ride, to check out our new home and offer a keen eye to the situation. It was a quick trip, exciting and absolutely beautiful because the weather held up nicely.

I think that the Island life will suit us just fine!!!
There is a lot of rain in the winter here but that is made easier with good surroundings; a clean lake stocked with trout, the ocean in all directions and a lack of hustle and bustle. The gulf Islands of BC our know for there natural beauty and laid back culture. There are several other islands near by. such as Hornby and Lasqueti and Vancouver Island is only a very short "fairy" ride.
There are 1000 residents on Denman and we hope to meet like minded people who are supportive of the work we do. This coming weekend there is a local strawbale work party that I plan on attending. It is going to be a great way to meet some locals and learn some new skills.
The apple orchard is very pretty and one really could not ask for a better work environment. What we might be loosing in the exceitment of city living we will gain in the strong community relationships that can be built in a place like Denman Island. In the last year I have learned that a true measure of wealth is found in the richness of diverse community relationships.

It's another beginning and it is going to be a fantastic journey. An apple a day keeps the doctor at bay!

I will keep you posted!

What is at the end of the journey?

2008-08-30T00:16:00.022+10:00

Been out of touch for a while!! We spent the last two months in a remote region of Australia, near Mudgee, NSW. We are now home in Canada and getting back on our feet after the plane flight.
While in the Australian bush, we lived with some good friends of ours, Nick and Kirsten, whom have a little homestead called Milkwood. They are in the beginning stages of their great adventure and it was wonderful to help get things going. Milkwood is a great example of permaculture design in action.

We planted trees, planted a small garden, took down old fences and helped out where ever we could. Near the end of our stay we helped in the construction of their Humanure Hacienda, poo compost system.

Poo is a touchy subject!
Everyone we've meet has a different approach to handling poo. Some send it to a septic system others use various forms of composting, all avoid sending it to municipal systems and try to recycle or reuse.
The system being used at Milkwood is one of many techniques out there and it fits well with Nick and Kirsten's comfort zone and circumstance.
Milkwood is located in a remote area and piles of composting Humanure will not draw much attention. Not everyone is in this situation so other options have to be explored. It is great to see how simple it could be to handle poo. Composting poo is safe, practical, efficient and cost effective. The biggest obstacle is getting over any unwarranted fears of poo, one might have.

The Humanure Hacienda is a beautifully simple two structure system.
1. A manure and urine capture.
Basically this structure is an outhouse with a bucket or bin to catch deposits. After a deposit is made the user covers the poop with some sawdust. When the catching bin becomes full it is time to make a trip to the second structure.

2. The three bin composting system, "Humanure Hacienda,"one roof covered for dry straw and two for poo composing piles.

For the average family two composting bays is enough. When a bucket from the outhouse is delivered it is added to the compost pile and covered with straw. The layers of poo and straw build over the course of a year and fill one composting bay. It is then time to start filling the empty composting bay. At the end of the second year the first pile has completely composted and is ready for use in the garden. The designer of this system reckons that the compost is safe for use in the veggie patch!!! Very much up to the individual on this one.
To get a more complete understand of this system you can read The Humanure Handbook. I highly recommend it, whether you live urban, suburban or rural. It is an eye opening read.

Rather than treating poo as waste, it easily turned it a high value product for a fraction of the cost associated with septic and municipal treatment systems.

Composting is a responsible practical and safe way of handling human manure and more of us need to be doing it. We commend Nick and Kirsten for there efforts and thank them for sharing this experience with us. What away to end our year abroad.

An interesting note...
Before all other structures the Humanure Hacienda was the first structure to be raised at Milkwood. Even before a house has been built, Nick and Kirsten have taken responsibility for the most fundamental aspect of human nature.

Keep charging team!!!

Rest and Relaxation in Noosa?

2008-07-18T13:51:00.021+10:00

By Tanya Booth:

By the time we had departed Jordan we were a bit tired and weary so we made our way to Noosa QLD, Australia, for some much needed R&R. It was a nice couple weeks of relaxation and surf. Our friends, and fellow Permies, in Noosa (The Gemmells) have always been very supportive of us and there is always a warm welcome and good food to be had. The pursuit of permaculture has been made much easier by friends like these. We could never express enough graditude for the hospitality they have shown us. The picture above is of Jesse and a couple of the Gemmelle boys enjoying a beautiful Noosa evening.

While we were staying in Noosa, a neighbour, Deb, needed some help putting together her garden. Deb decided to follow a no-dig garden recipe from a magazine with step by step instructions. All that was need was few hands to help.
A no dig garden is similar to the process of making our compost piles. However, the ingredients are not piled in a heap but layered out over a large area and there is no need for turning.

In a no-dig garden the materials are layered one on top of the other and allowed to decomposed at their own rate. This type of garden is a great way to start off a new bed. The big effort is having patience, allowing the ingredients time to develop into nice soil. There are numerous different formulas for making ‘no dig’ gardens but the main idea is to let nature do the work. As the ingredients breakdown, worms will move in and do the important work of soil aeration. The materials used will depend on what is available or what you can afford. The no-dig method is great for those who have marginal soil or wish
to turn a lawn into something useful.

There are numerous recipes available on-line, and it can make for a fun afternoon with a few friends. It is not complicated at all, but it does require accumulating the right stuff and taking a survey of what is available in your own backyard.
Take a look at these plans and give it a go!!
No Dig Recipe

The above picture is Deb with her newly finished no-dig garden ready for planting. It took a total of about 2hrs to put it all together and about $200 worth or materials. Within a few months this garden will be producing more veggies than Deb can eat and continue to produce well for many months to come. A worth while investment!

While in Noosa we also recieved a bit of press check it out by clicking the following link!
Noosa News

Permaculture in Palestine

2008-06-02T19:57:00.011+10:00

Introduction Course in Palestine
Originally uploaded by Jesse and Tanya

Our time here in Jordan is coming to a close. We will be departing back to Australia on the tenth of June for the remainder of our one year tour. At this time we find ourselves very reflective of the past 15 weeks. We have had and shared many moving experiences, far more than we could ever hope to write about. However a span of 7 days at the beginning of April continues to be at the front of our thoughts and the topic of much conversation and meditation...

Part way through March we received an e-mail calling out for help. A Permaculture workshop was to be held in Marda, Palestine and an instructor was needed. The original instructor, Starhawk, had been deported for involvement with human rights organizations operating in occupied Palestine. We did not want to see the workshop fold because of such an unfortunate turn of events so we offered to fill in. For our first teaching job, this was an amazing opportunity. We never could have guessed that the pursuit of Permaculture would take us into the heart of the occupied Palestine. An unparalled opportunity to learn first hand the reality of such a difficult geopolitical region.

Permaculture has a long history in Marda dating back to the early 90's, with some impressive programs and design implemented by Julie Firth of Perth, Australia. Unfortunately the funding for these programs dried up some years ago and the system that were installed are no longer being maintained. They are still growing though, and it was great to see the positive effects of Permaculture design going strong in a land of so much hardship and difficulty. Further confirmation to us that Permaculture design can achieve its goals.

Marda is a beautiful old village during the month of April, looking very lush with many flowers in bloom. The temperature was superb and a nice relief from the heat of the Dead Sea Valley. We arrived in Marda a day before the course was to start, we greeted by a gentlemen named Murad Al Khufash. Murad is the lasting impression made by the Permaculture activities of years gone by. With a family history dating back hundreds of years in Marda, he is the pioneering force behind the continuation of Permaculture in the region. It was through his initiative and education centre that facilitated our teaching of this course.

Marda
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

The next day we participated in a small tour of the site. We discussed the possibilities of Permaculture in the future of villages like Marda. Murad's plans to make a centre are just in the beginning phase. How to sustain such efforts in the face of difficulties created by the occupation is a challenge. Despite all of the turmoil and risk Murad pushes on and much good is coming from his work. He would like to see the local people re-establish a relationship with there land through the positive Permaculture principles. It can take some time to develop a relationship of understanding between Permaculture and the traditional cultural methods. Murad takes it step by step introducing hands on practical techniques that help the community. By hosting this course he has made a big statement to his village.

Crops
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

This picture, which is close to the Permaculture demonstration site, is an example of traditional Palestinian farming practices and village organization. The crops that are seen in the foreground are broad beans,and chick peas and in the distance to the left is wheat. On the slopes behind the village off the the left are very old olive terraces. This village is lucky enough to have two sources of flowing spring water. Unfortunately both springs are not being used to their full potential and are presently contaminated with wastes and garbage.

Old olive grove in Marda
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

Tour of Site
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

In the valley below the village the land is divided up by families owning small terrace fields. The soil appears to be a chocolate colour clay-loam with numerous pieces of limestone. The stone is moved out of the fields and used for the terraces that mark parcel boundaries.

The traditional agricultural system appears to be one of rotational tillage production, though many practitioners are using arogcheimicals. There are productive trees of olive, almonds, apples and stone fruits on the edges. All of the basics are there. This system of agriculture is ripe for redesign. It would not be much work design some hard wear to access the springs, some earth works for better water soakage; and diversifying the edge forest system to increase fertility, products, reduce the amount of area in tillage, and increase the amount of permanent pasture. These lands have been under intensive cultivation for many thousands of years. It is only by virtue of the rich subsoil and abundant water that they have held up for so long. Soil organic matter is marginal at best. From a design stand point Marda is on pretty good footing with tree production on the upper slopes, housing in the mid-slopes and broad scale cropping on the flatter lands below. With near 600mm of rain per year and two perennial springs there is more than enough water to go around.

The course went off well with good attendance and the local community well represented by young people employed in various agricultural activities. Unfortunately the practical component of the course was not well developed, due to a lack of prep time on our part. It was a big enough job as it was to work out lecture material for each day.

Sharing a meal
Originally uploaded by Jesse and Tanya

Within the context of a military occupation, from check points to a mid-day curfew, this Permaculture experience is one that we will never forget nor fully understand. It will be given its rightful place amongst our collection of stories. We are grateful too Murad for providing this opportunity and keeping us safe. Thank you for sharing with us!!!

Through the positive outlook of Permaculture we were able to share ideas and dreams of the future. The enthusiasim of the local students made the course that much richer. It is gives us strength to connect with others of our generation actively working to make a difference in their communities. This is a thread of consistency we have seen everywhere we have been. We are blown away by the overwhelming co-operative and positive action going on even in the face of so much difficulty.

If you would like to read more about this event please check out an article written by Tami Brunk.

Planting the Trees

2008-05-12T03:08:00.025+10:00

The Plan
Originally uploaded by Jesse and Tanya

The compost is still quiet warm, and loosing value as a blog topic so we will change things up a bit....

About two weeks ago, we finished the planting of the first trees for Permaculture Research Institute Jordan Valley. We dug 87 holes about .5m deep, 1m wide and 3m apart above and below the three rock walls. A few of the trees are closer that 3m, because of large rocks that would often get in the way during digging. It took just over one week to get all the holes finished. During this time things really started to heat up down here in the Jordan valley. Work was confined to the morning and evening. The site is on a very degraded piece of land and the soil is hard and compact with almost no organic matter. Digging the holes was hard work, and we often found ourselves using a pick axe to chop through a calcified layer of soil. This calcified layer of soil is commonly known as a concretion. When planting trees in such conditions it is very important to get through this layer, as the trees have difficult time pushing roots through on their own.

Tree Planting
Originally uploaded by Jesse and Tanya

In preparing for the planting of trees we lined the holes with a thick layer of cardboard and bucketed water into each hole back filling with a mixture of soil and mulch. It is important that the mulch:soil in the be high, as the mulch will increase the water holding capacity of the planting hole. The mulch will also work like compost to increase the soil biology. This new soil biology we help the young trees to grow and thrive.

The cardboard in the hole also works to hold water and act as a fungal food. Many types of fungi are important to the growth and healthy development of young trees.

Once we planted a tree a thick layer of mulch was piled around it. The whole planting process was very labour intensive. We often put more that 40 minutes into the planting of each tree, and this is still not taking into account all of the hours spent getting materials together. It is a massive investment of time and energy into just a few trees. However, the shade that these trees will offer in five years will more than amortize our efforts.

Mulch
Originally uploaded by Jesse and Tanya

As a matter of common sense, one wouldn't expect that banana leaves be a major source of mulch in one of the driest countries on the planet. However, At great expense to the local environment and population, banana farming is an important part of the local economy. Usually the surplus organic matter from the farms is seen as a problem and often gets burned. In this case we have managed to put the banana leaves to good use, as they provided the bulk of our mulch material for planting the trees. We had some help collecting the mulch from a few friends we have made locally, it turned out to be a fun couple of afternoons.

Mulch can reduce water demand to one fifth what it might be without mulch. It also keeps the root zone of the plants cool and provides habitat for all kinds of beneficial organisms.

Under very difficult circumstances, we have only lost about 20% of the trees we planted. The weather is getting very hot and dry and we where about 2 months behind on the planting season. We planted only hardy pioneer trees and, all that are still alive, shouldn't have much trouble getting establish. For the moment we are hand watering once every week, and the moisture seems to be holding. Before we leave, next month, it is important that a drip irrigation system be installed so the plantings can be easily water by one person. The really challenge to the survival of these trees will be goats. At the moment the site is not entirely secure and small goats seem to come and go as they please. While on the site, the goats provided us with unnecessary pruning services. Unfortunately the project does not yet have any real budget and it cannot afford to build a new fence or wall. All we can do is patch up holes and hope for the best.

Nothing is easy 400m below sea level!!!

The compost at 26 days

2008-05-08T20:22:00.004+10:00

The compost at 26 days
Originally uploaded by Jesse and Tanya

We have been turning the pile religiously for the last 11 days. Everyday the pile was steaming, and looking as though it would never cool down. Today it happened, no steam and a lower temperature. The pile is evolving out of the thermophilic stage and into the curing stage. We will still turn it, as it is a bit warm and will still be consuming its fair share of oxygen. The product is looking great with a nice dark brown colour, good diverse structure and a clean smell. We have already started to use some small amounts in the garden to help establish new seedlings and germinate seeds. The pile will only get better with age now.

Based on how things went the, C:N ratio was a bit low in this pile. If it was higher the thermophilic stage may have ended sooner. If we had not turned the pile every day would have been anaerobic with a poor end product. We will let you know when it is well and truly cold and curing.
that's all for now.

Look at this beautiful Pile!

2008-04-27T23:17:00.002+10:00

15 day old compost
Originally uploaded by Jesse and Tanya

15 days and still going strong. The shape of this pile is just about ideal. When we turn a pile we try and build the new pile it a nice uniform conical shape. In our experience this shape seems to get the best results. It has also been shown that this shape allows for better oxygenation of the pile. We have found that a lower rounder shape produces more heat and is more likely to turn anaerobic.
Like all aspects of assembling and producing compost achieving an nice shape takes practice, luckily one gets to practice on every turn. We are meticulous about every aspect of making compost. Some days it can take more than 30 mins to turn the pile because we are being very careful to mix and aerate the with each pitch fork and trying to build a nice shape.

Q an A
Some question sent to us via e-mail.

How long can something compost for and produce heat days, weeks or forever if you kept feeding it?

Our pile is still producing a lot of heat. We try to keep the temperate low by turning it every day. If it gets too hot many of the beneficial microbes will be killed off. We expect that it will be starting to cool off in the next few days. It is possible to keep a producing heat by adding more material. Brush turkeys in Australia us a compost heap as a nest. The male bird maintains a constant 30 degree temperature by adding an removing material through the whole incubation period.

Does the composting produce harmful gases?

Most of the gas that is produced by a compost pile is CO2. The C:N of the pile at the start should be about 30:1 by the end of the process it will be something like 10:1. the reduction in C is gassed off as CO2. It is also possible for a pile that has too much N that ammonia be gassed off the pile. We have also noticed a rotten egg smell around composts that are anaerobic, this is likely from a sulphur gas of some kind.

The smells from a compost are excellent patterns to use when working with your pile. One can learn a lot by smelling the pile. If a problem is noticed early enough a pile can be pushed in the right direction.
In order to experience these patterns you have got to turn your pile!!!!

Compost moisture

2008-04-24T19:00:00.004+10:00

compost moisture
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

And the compost marches on. Actually the compost marches back and forth with each turn. It has been developing for about 12 days now and some big changes have taken place. For one it is getting easy to turn as the big banana leaves have broken down into smaller pieces and are no longer getting caught together. We only saw the wool twice on this mornings turn( we put a whole sheep's worth of wool into the pile). The material has a nice dark brown colour to it, not black. Black would indicate an anaerobic compost. There is no offensive smell. The pile seems to be maintaining its initial volume. Often when a pile is too hot it will shrink in size. In all compost piles bulk carbon is gassed off, however, this lost volume can be replaced by air space and structure if the pile is well turned and oxygenated.

Today we also performed a quick check to ensure proper moisture content.
1. Take a handful of compost.
2. Squeeze as hard as you can.

If water drips out of the compost and off of your hand the pile is too wet.
If no water appears the pile is too dry.
If water just appears, but does not drip, between your fingers and on the surface of the compost the moisture content is just right.

Notice in the picture the moisture between the pinky and ring fingers and below the tip of the middle finger. This pile seems to have just the right amount of moisture content.

In the next post we cover pile shape and its effects on the composting process.

Turning the pile on day eight

2008-04-21T17:09:00.002+10:00

turning the pile on day eight
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

Ok so the pile has been going through its own evolutions. Luckily for us we have been there to push that evolution in the direction we want it to go. Everybody remembers the stinky mess when we first turned it. On the second turn it was going well but a bit too hot. We decided to turn it every day to keep things oxygenated. Now on day eight, the sixth turn, it appears our strategy is working, as there are few signs that the pile is ever getting anaerobic. It is uniformly moist and hot. On day two, when we first turned it the heat and moisture were patchy. It is only by turning the pile that we spread out these patches of activity to the rest of the pile. We have been adding one watering can of water to the outside before each turn to keep things moist. We also keep the pile covered with plastic between turns. If we allowed the pile to be exposed to the air it would dry out in no time.
It looks as though we are on track to be finished with this pile in about 10 to 15 more days.
This is with out a doubt our most successful composting effort. It has been a fairly intensive job, but it will be worth all of the good soil biology in the end.

5th day of compost

2008-04-17T19:42:00.002+10:00

5th day of compost
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

We turned the compost for a second time on the afternoon of the 16th. We where a bit worried about what we might find, as it was so stinky on the first turn. We where happy to find that the compost was quite hot. It actually produced steam in 40 degree weather. It did not have much smell either. One part was a bit stinky, because it was too dry and not decomposing properly, we added a bit more water here. In fact the pile is composting a bit too quickly now. Notice the white residue in the middle of the picture. This indicates the presence of anaerobic bacteria, meaning the pile is using more oxygen than is present. If we do not address this problem the final product will be low quality. We are working to maximize the amount of aerobic life in the pile not anaerobic.
It is likely that the nitrogen ratio of the pile is a little bit high. As a first measure, the pile will be turned everyday. Hopeful turning the pile everyday will bring more oxygen into the system and fix the problem. If this does not work we may need to add a sparing amount of high carbon material such as shredded paper or cardboard. The addition of more material is a last resort. Adding more material after the composting process has started will increase the amount of time required to finish the pile off.

The pile on April 14th

2008-04-14T19:36:00.001+10:00

The pile on April 14th
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

Looking good on the outside and showing signs of internal heat, we made the choice to turn the pile after only two days. It might have been a better idea to turn it after four. On the inside the pile was only just starting to heat up. Once we got into the middle things weren't really happening yet and it was all a bit stinky. It was also quite dry so we really needed to add water. It is likely that we will need to add water on the next couple of turns before we get it right. This is really only the fifth or sixth pile that we have made, it will probable take a few dozen more before we really get it right.

Day one: Assembling the elements

2008-04-14T03:11:00.013+10:00

A close up of the ingredients
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

This is the first post of series that will be published over the next few weeks. If all goes well it should be approximately 18 days long. If we have not been that good it could take much longer. On April 12 we assembled a compost pile in the front yard of our residence in Jordan. It would be difficult to list all of the different materials that went into the building of the pile, because we don't really know ourselves. The rule of thumb - "If it was alive once, it can be composted". We do know that banana leaves, mesquite leaves, goat manure, dried up old bread, sheep's wool, guava leaves, wood ash, chicken poop, sticks and stones, kitchen scraps, snails and bugs went in. It is likely that some plastic made its way into the pile as well, this will be removed as it goes. We hope that countless species of microscopic life made it in as well. It is the diversity of the life in a finished compost that makes it so valuable to a garden. It is the flourishing of microscopic life that we are trying to encourage by assembling a compost. All of the fungi and bacteria found in a good finished compost are around us at all times. When building a compost we bring the elements together and allow life to do the rest.

Watering the pile
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

Water is the "keystone" element of any compost pile, as it is the keystone element of any life system. Life uses water to conduct its interactions. It is the interactions in a compost pile that we wish to encourage. A lot of water is used to start a compost pile, as most of the materials are usually quite dry. A healthy pile will have moisture content of about 50%. This might seem a wasteful use of resources in a region such as the Jordan valley. However, the value of compost in a garden can be seen within a few months. This compost pile will also be used at the project site to help build soil biology around trees that will be planted in the coming weeks.

We are following a composting technique known as the “Berkley Method.” It is a labour intensive method, but it can yield a reasonable product in short period of time. If all is going well we will be making the first turn on April 16th and every second day to follow until the compost is relatively cool and finished. The plan is to blog a picture and some observation at every turn.

Right now the pile is covered with a plastic sheet and holding its moisture so things are looking good thus far.

One Month in Jordan

2008-04-07T00:42:00.011+10:00

The Land
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

When it comes to water, Jordan is one of the poorest countries on the planet, consuming an average of only 200m3 /person/year. The global average is approximately 7,700 m3 and the North American average is on the order of 110,000 m3 .

Al Jufah is located in the Dead Sea Valley several hundred meters below sea level. The average rainfall for the area is 100-150mm per year which usually falls in just one or two rain events. The summer temperature often exceeds 40°C and the defining characteristic of this bioregion, as with all arid regions, is an average evaporation exceeding precipitation. Water is a major issue for the region, and water harvesting design will be vital to success under these conditions.

During a visit to Jordan in Late 2007 Nadia, Abu Yahai, Lawton designed and implemented three on-contour rock walls (swale walls) on the site, one of which can be seen in the photo above. The walls were back filled and covered with a layer of topsoil.

Rock Wall October 2007
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

These walls will function as soakage water harvesting features and planting sites. Other site infrastructure includes a gravity fed drip irrigation system, small holding tank, low perimeter fence and a small concrete block structure.

The long-term goals of PRI Jordan are to establish sustainable arid land living systems, which can be affordably replicated by members of the local community. The primary short term objective for the coming months will be planting and maintaining perennial plant systems along all three swale walls and fence lines. These guilds will included both support and crop species. Plantings regimes will resemble those established by Geoff during Greening the desert, 2001. In the future these perennial systems will provide micro-climatic stability on the site, giving shade and wind protection, holding soil moisture and building organic matter. As the system develops the site will become a more comfortable living environment for human habitation.

All plantings will need to be in the ground by the end of April, as the weather is too hot and dry after this time. Through the course of the summer months it will be crucial to keep the plants irrigated and well mulched to survive the season. The summer construction of a straw bale house may take place if more funding for the project can be sourced.

Raising local awareness and empowerment will be the most important aspect of PRI Jordan. It is important to demonstrate practical solutions for local difficulties involving water, food (nutrition), fuel, housing and waste management. Empowerment of the local population is vital to the maintenance of local stability and sustainable long-term success of any community. There is a strong historical presence of efficient water use and water harvesting design throughout the region. The Nabetean culture was second to none when it comes to dry land agricultural design and many aspects of permaculture design take a page directly out of this cultural history.

It is the hope of PRI Jordan to rekindle the success of these traditional systems, reducing the dependence on modernization and industrialized systems.

Farm Life

2007-12-16T17:52:00.001+10:00

Freddy the Fab Fence Maker
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

As always, we are busy and made more pressed for time with a four day Christmas vacation coming quick. We could just stick around the farm and keep working, but we are getting a little worn out. Time for the beach!
There are many different projects going, at various stages of development. The following is a run down of some of what we've done within the last month.

Our Captain Mr. Freddy the fencer headed the fence project up. It took a while to complete as none of us had ever built a rabbit and roo proof fence. Is there such a thing??? A combination of home milled, courtesy of Fred, and locally milled wood was used in construction. It would have been ideal to use only home milled wood but this was not possible, as time and effort is spread out amongst several different projects on any given day. If the time had been taken to home mill the entire fence it would have taken far too long to erect, and the garden would soon become Le plat du jour for roo and rabbit alike.

Nice to have an extra pair of hands
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

In November Owen, a friend of Jesse and Freddy from California, showed up to lend a hand for a couple weeks. It made all the difference in the world to have an extra pair of hands around. An added bonus was a fresh face offering tons of encouragement and support. It takes a very special person to put up with Jesse and I and we give much thanks to Owen and his fantastic attitude. Get Crackin!!!

Gravel pad for garden access
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

The garden area expanded a bit to include a gravel pad that will give access to farm vehicles. This area will be the multi use working space for washing up veggie's and any other activities involved in gardening and harvest. This was another 'wheelbarrow project' involving lots of hard work spread out over several days. The whole garden area is very large. In the coming months many hours will be dedicated to refining the system and planning for the future.

Cover Crop Trials Daikon and Mustard
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

It is commonly suggested that diakon radish and mustard are both excellent cover crops to repair damaged soils and building soil structure. An added benefit is the ability of the plant flowers to attract beneficial insects into the garden. These plants have both been broadcast seeded throughout several systems on the farm site as well as being trialed in these two plots.

Daikon and Mustard going well
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

These two plants have worked very well under various conditions and soil types. They both exhibit great germination rates and vigorous growth giving good soil coverage. Several species of beneficial insects have been observed on and around these plants. Weather was a huge factor for us too. Nothing seems to replace that natural rain that comes down nearly daily on the farm. In fact, just today a thick fog rolled in followed shortly by rain.

Owen building a spillway
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

In mid November 760 tree seedlings arrived at the farm and planting became priority. These trees were a free subsidy from the local land care group and all are hardy native species several of which produce very useful timber wood. Most of the trees were planted as wind breaks. This is Owen helping us prepare a windbreak composed of 33 individual swale mounds down the length of a treeless ridge. At this point in time Martina, from Italy, had just arrived which was great, as the job of planting these trees is challenging. It was really nice to have everyone planting trees and four countries being represented all learning a bit about Permaculture. We were busy with planting for a long time and still have some to do. A total of 48 swales were constructed and there are about 150 trees left over.

Windbreak
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

This is one of the main windbreaks where we planted a combination of trees and shrubs. We received Acacia melanoxylon, Grevillea robusta, Lophostemon confertus ,which are all great timber trees, with several varieties of Eucalyptus. Tagastase and Pigeon Pea have been interplanted and of course a mix of herbaceous cover crop, which is coming up nicely.

A little rain.....82mm
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

For the last month rain has become common and Jesse and I feel right at home, being from Vancouver and all. One morning the rain gauge registered 82mm over night, a real cracker!!!

The first swale we made flowing from our 82mm
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

The swale filled up with water that morning. The swales are working very well with no damage since the 70mm event a while back. The timing of the rain could not have been more perfect with most of the trees in the ground and a garden planted.

Legumes

2007-11-15T05:49:00.001+10:00

Universe in a raindrop
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

The rainy season has started with one big event this year and 70mm of rain came down in a couple of hours. You can see the power of water flow over the land here when you get so much water at one time.
I attempted to get a picture the rain and this is what I ended up with. Not really what I wanted to show but you get the idea.

Roots of a vetch plant
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

This rainfall was very much appreciated because of the recent seeding and a heap of trees to be planted in the near future. The swale and the garden are now fully charged with moisture and will be good for the next couple of weeks until it rains again. In fact it was a bit too much rain for the swale and it broke the wall in one weak spot where not as much soil was avalible. No big deal just a 30-minute patch job with shovels and it was back to normal.
All of the seeds were legumes sown as a cover crop after the land had been disturbed by machinery in the garden, on the swale and the area surrounding the house site. This land has had cattle on it for many years and most of the soil is depleted of nutrient and badly compacted. The cover crop will help to fix nitrogen in the soil, break up the compaction with deep roots; crowd out uninvited plants (“weeds”) in favor of our own dynamic accumulators; and act as a living mulch to maintain soil moisture and biology.

Perennial garden
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

Fortunately there is an abundance of dam water irrigation and some areas didn’t have to wait for the rain. Though, the seeds never really started to go until the big rain. Something special is carried on the clouds.

Our mix
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

The seed was sown by hand ‘broadcast style’ and was either raked in, as on the swale, or mulched with cane straw, as in the garden. Mulching is the preferred technique, however it is relatively expensive making it impractical for a large area like the swale.

Covercrop coming up in garden
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

This is a before and after shot of the garden. The after shot shows the garden with about 3 weeks worth of growth on it. Once the fence is up around the garden will can start planting veggies until then the cover crop will be allowed to do its job. This season’s veggie crop maybe a little behind. No worries though, time building soil is never wasted time!

Vetch, Lupin, Pea
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

Garden Construction

2007-11-02T07:54:00.001+10:00

It is one thing to grow a small veggy patch out the front door of a rental house add a bit of mulch, some manure, a few plants, seeds, water and enjoy. The evolution of a large permanent garden is a whole other exercise in muscles, machines (if you have them), planning and time. The garden at the Rivertree homestead is located approximately six meters to the down slope side of the swale( that was established several weeks ago). The hope is that the garden will benefit from being on the down slope of the swale. This is an account of the design and implementation of the Rivertree veggy garden.

Garden location
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

The line of string on the right indicates the placement of a future fence to keep out the local rabbit and Kangaroo/Wallaby population. Using a laser level it is pegged to the natural contour of the land the remainder of the garden was designed square to this line. The garden covers an area of approximately 240 square meters, of which 70 are dedicated to pathways.

Lining up pathways
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

First, a string was placed to mark the edges of a pathway. In the proccess of this type of garden construction, material is removed from between the two lines and placed on either side to form the raised beds. Second, there is an application of blood and bone meal fertilizer that provides a young garden with vital nutrients and helps kick start soil biology. It is applied before the beds are dug, and is incorported as the digging takes place.

Tools of the trade
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

These tools would find themselves permanently glued to our hands for many days. We did use the excavator to do the bulky rough work, but the majority of the effort was spent on more deatailed work that only hand tools could do. When we started, Jesse and I did not fully realize how much we were in for physically.

Jesse digging paths
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

The initial dig, with the excavator, is to an average depth of .5m. On either side of the trench the beds begin to form with the excess material. As with most water efficient design, it is important to keep pathways and beds dead level. We should have been checking the trench for level as we went along but we didn't. The paths were dug to a consistent average depth, but they were not marked on contour and therefore it produced a 20cm difference in elevation from one end of the garden to the other. With that much elevation change in the pathways water will collect at the low end creating a soggy area and at the high end the garden beds would be dry making it difficult to water consitently. Obviously this was a really big mistake and by the time we had noticed all the trenches had been dug.

Leveling off and measuring path
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

We have a bit of a melt down at this point, because we have recognized our mistake and we are already very tired. In order to correct the problem we had to move around a lot of extra material by hand meaning the lessons of this experience will not soon be forgotten.

Tip
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

To lift our spirits we went to the Tip and did some garbage picking. Notice the giant bird net in the background. We were on a hunt for cardboard and other resources to be rescued from the Tip and used to help create a bountiful garden.

Our haul
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

This is the first time in our lives we went home from the garbage dump with more than when we arrived.

Crushed limestone
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

In the distance rests 30 cubic meters of crushed limestone. Behind the photographer is the garden for which it was destine.

Gravel and cardboard
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

The paths were lined with a thick layer of cardboard and filled with the crushed limestone hauled wheelbarrow by wheelbarrow up the hill. The gravel filled pathways will function as both drainage and water catchment systems. In theory, these beds will be both moist and well drained using this pathway design.

Path construction
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

As the pathways were filled, a width of .80m was maintained using a measured length of wood, and the laser was used to ensure that dead level was maintained.

Soil over cardboard
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

The cardboard is used as a biodegradable weed barrier at the edge of the garden pathways. Persistent weed problems always occur at the edges, like the base of a fence post or crack in the sidewalk. The buried cardboard will prevent weeds for several weeks, but not permanently. It is important to plant something in this part of the bed soon. Pennyroyal is a favorite for its pleasing smell and ability to distract pests.

Finished
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

There it is!!! The completed garden. We are very happy with our effort and persistence and the garden is going to be very productive in the future. All we need now is a few thousand plants!

Where some of our food comes from

2007-10-23T07:40:00.001+10:00

For the past few weeks, here at Rivertree, Jesse and I have been working really hard on puttting in part of a permanent food production system (big garden) that has taken much of our energy. During this process, which is near completion, we have had lots of opportunities to practice skills in growing and catching our own food. It can be a bit of work ,in the begining, learning how to eat really well but for us there is no better feeling than knowing where our food comes from. Our dream, is that one day we have an established living system, outside our home, that provides us with all of our most basic needs. For now we settle for whatever we can get.

The following is a summary of our efforts at outsourcing the grocery store in the past weeks. It hasn't been all that much so far but the potatoes are coming along and new veggies are planted everyday. Jesse spends about 4-8 hours a week in the garden which, he claims it's the best part of his day.

WARNING FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T EAT ANY MEAT THERE ARE PICTURES OF BUTCHERING.

Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

Jesse's first rabbit caught using a wire trap that goes over the head when they come out of the hole. They are a many, and we like to eat meat so it is a useful experience in learning to catch them. As a young boy Jesse's Grandfather taught him catch gofers using a wire trap. The wire trap is a low cost low effort technology and a dozen traps can be set in less than half an hour. With a quick check a couple times a day there are no guns and no sitting and waiting.

seasoned and ready for the oven
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

The rabbit turned out really well. It was totally free tasty and healthy. We have not tried to catch another since, as we have had a freezer full of kangaroo meat.

Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

One morning while Jesse and Freddy were driving home they hit a Roo or Walabee?? We call him a Roo. You really have to pay attention out here when you drive because the Roos cross the road in front of you very suddenly. Usually it is impossible or dangerous to stop. Most people have a large bar across the front of the vehicle in order to deal with this situation and it is very common where we are to see dead Roos on he side of the road because sometimes they are really big.

The Roo was still alive with both or one of the legs broken. Jesse did the best he could to bring the animal to peace quickly. Leaving Roo on the side of the road to rot was not an option (although you drive by a lot of that) because he was not too banged up so definitely edible. This is Jesse and Fredrik tying up Roo, like we had seen in pictures on the net.

Skinning/Gutting
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

It is what it is...skinnig and gutting. They are doing the best they can, because neither has worked with a large carcass before. They mention that having the experience with the rabbit, also a first, helped. Baby steps!!!

Gutting
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

Figuring out where or how to take the guts out was interesting....but it all fell out in the end. I think at this point they were trying not to hit the bladder. This was really hard to watch. however, it was really important to participate as much as I was capable. Having this intimate connection with my future food was a new and difficult experience for me but I feel lucky to have had an opportunity to learn.

Butchering
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

Jesse and Freddy trying to work it all out and I am on the sidelines with a piece of paper from the interent helping them find the different cuts on the carcass. In the end they improvised.

Good Cuts
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

We were not sure how to butcher up the meat and the directions from the internet weren't really helping out so Freddy and Jesse cut what they thought was edible nice undamaged meat. We all thought it looked like stuff we had seen at one point in life and then we proceeded to wash and freeze it. We covered all the meat in olive oil and lemon juice then packaged for use in future meals. The meat was still really warm when I was handling it and I felt a little strange about it. I also felt pretty excited when I thought about how healthy and beautiful the meat looked. This meat has given us great tasty dinners such as two very good stews, tacos, sheppards pie, steaks and given much to cutting meat costs. We find it is best in a stew or simmered for a while for flavor and tenderness.

Dinner
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

This is all the meat together before we separated it and it is quite a bit of food. We have not hit a Roo since and definitely work to avoid it, but if it happens again this is what we will do. It was really hard the first time, because we had no previous experience.

Agapanthus, lavander and "weeds"
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

This is the garden at the front of the house we are living in, it is only a temporary living quarters, as we wait for the house on the land to be completed. When we arrived, the garden was mosty "weeds" some lavader bushes and a few agapanthus plants. The soil was a sad sight of decade granite sand. The house at the land was still months from completion and no location had yet been selected for the garden. We could not really say that we where pursuing permaculture without a veggi garden. We planned to make this little dust hole into our garden straight away. Jesse has done a couple gardens in the past and I have had little experience with any and this looked like a real challenge. Nothing like the rich black soils of the Fraser Valley.

Lavander, salad greens and mulch
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

Jesse did a fantastic job in coverting our dry little sandy space into a productive plethora of greens to eat. It is challenging with, little water and basically sand as your soil. Heavy mulching was required and regular fertilizing with a diluted manure tea. The garden has required a modest level of outside resource, but we need a quick result at this temporary location. He did a really good job and at this point we don't need to buy too many greens. With three people to feed it takes a bit of time and practice to get it right. The price of vegi's is a lot higher here than back home, but the most important thing is that we are getting nutrition not normally found in store bought veggies. We have heard that the sure fire best way to live a long and health life is to eat as much food from your yard as possible.

The harvest on this day was good
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

We put all the food out to give an idea of what we are able to harvest from the garden on a regular basis. It is not an everyday thing but a few times a week we can have a really nice salad with heaps of goodness. This is chard, three types of letucce, beet tops, cabbage and broccoli leaves, dill, basil and sage. Tasty treat!!

Off to catch breakfast
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

Whenever we have had a couple of days off we have taken the opportunity to go to the coast and do some surf fishing. It is a lot differrent than any kind of fishing we have back home and a bit of relax vacation time from the farm.
Whiting are one of the fish that you can catch at this time of year as well as bream and flatheads. Compared to fish caught commercial offshore these fish are extremly low effort sources of protein. We are told by locals that winter is the main fishing season and we are at the beginnning of spring heading into summer. They are still around but it takes a bit more time, standing on the beach. Well worth the wait though, this morning Jesse caught two Whiting that were as awesome tasting as any we have had. Other than bait and a licence (which are both cheap )you can fish to your hearts content. The only thing you have to look out for is the sun because if you are out there all day it can take its toll.

Just want to highlight the website http://www.pfaf.org/ fantastic resource for some quality info about plants...permaculture perspective of course.

River Tree Gabion and Swale Design

2007-10-07T22:21:00.001+10:00

Gabion System
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

At the top of the picture is me (Jesse). To the right of me is a culvert that runs under the main driveway. In a heavy storm a significant amount of rain water can be expect to coming rushing out of that culvert.

The assembly of small rock walls coming to the foreground is a gabion system that Tanya and I designed and constructed using rocks from the site.

Without the gabions, water would likely rush down hill causing erosion and damage to the surrounding area. With the gabions in place water is slowed and soaked into the soil giving us an opportunity to assemble a productive ecosystem of useful plants.

Gabions first slow the water down and secondly collect sediment and other materials behind them. The top edge of the gabion is roughly level from end to end, pacifiying the flow of water down hill. As material builds up behind the gabion, a level area of moist soil is built up. This becomes an excellent area for growing plants.

Gabions are a desing feature often used in deserts, fequently measureing meters in height. In this case a smaller scaled down version is most appropriate.

Survey stakes for swale
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

Little more than sticks in the ground these are the survey markers of a swale that Tanya, Fredrik and I have designed here at River Tree. It follows a contour line from the bottom of the gabion system over 200m to the edge of the property.

A swale is an on contour water harvesting foresty system. Swales intercept and hold water running down slope. Once in a swale water has an opportunity to soak into the soil and move into the root zones of the plants in the swale mound and in pastures below.

Tanya checking her level
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

This is Tanya using the laser level to check that the swale is not falling or rising too much. Differnces off dead level within 20mm or so are acceptable. This kind of variation will self level over time.

The laser level is a great tool, as it requires only one person to use efficiently. However, the laser level is battery operated and cannot be looked through like a dumpy (transit) level.

Tanya digging the swale
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

After she has checked her work it's back on the machine to further demonstrate her proficiency.

Leveling out the swale
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

Lucky me, taking this picture from the machine, as Tanya toils away to fix my mistakes. A professional operator would do such an accurate job that this hand work leveling would not be required.

The level sill spill way
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

The gap in the swale mound (center of picture) is the level sill spill way for our swale. This is a very important feature of any swale and must be constructed with great care. As Tanya, Fedrik and I are all new at operating the machine, we opted to use hand tools for this job. The edge of the level sill was set at 10 cm above the bottom of the swale, using the laser level. This means that the swale will fill, to a depth of 10cm along its entire 200 meters, before the excess spills over the level sill. When the water does spill over it will do so evenly without causing much erosion or damage to the slope below.

The tree that had to go
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

Unfornuately a medium sized tree had to be removed, as it was growing on the conture line of the swale. This was my first time taking down a tree with the machine and I did it safely. The useable parts of the tree will be milled into fence posts, and the remainder will be fuel and mulch wood.

Jesse resting on the edge of the swale
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

There's me, taking a break on the batter (up slope edge) of the swale. This part of the swale is usually graded at 2:1. We did this work by hand, hence the resting. Across the bottom of the swale is dead level and is flexible in its width. We designed this one to be used as a track for an ATV or small tractor. The wider the swale the more water it can hold. The bottom of the swale can become quite compacted over time. The hump of the swale is made of the material removed from the slope in creating the level track. The size of the mound is dependent on the slope of the hill and the width of the swale. A swale mound is never compacted, hooved animals and machines must never be allowed onto a swale mound or it will not be able to soak up water. Planting is also another important aspect of a swale. In the application of permaculture design a swale will have trees planted in the mound.

For now we have seeded this swale heavily with 5 different legume seeds: clover, lucerne (alf alfa), vetch, peas, and lupin. We made sure that all seeds were innoculated with the appropriate nitrogen fixing bacteria and then they were well raked in. Its an experiment! In about a months time we will begin to plant trees into the swale mound. We do not have the trees, or we would have planted now.

water moving through gabion system towards the swale
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

Fortunately for us, we have access to water that can be used to flood our swale. A dam on the property is going to be cleaned out and the water level must be lowered. Rather than wasting the water we can pump it up hill to the culvert above the gabion system and use it to flood the swale. This picture shows the water moving down the gabion towards the swale in the back ground. In most situations we would have to wait for rain to soak the swale. By pumping water now, we can help to germinate all the seeds we have put on the swale and prepare it for trees in the coming weeks.

Flooding finished swale
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

After the water has moved through the gabion system it enters the swale. Remember that a swale is on level. The water moves along the swale realatively harmlessly, like a spilt drink across a table, spreading equally in all directions. Erosion is not a concern in a swale. The only time a swale can be damaged is if it overflows its bank. That won't happen to ours, because we did such a good job on the level sill spill way. That's Fredrik in the picture looking quite proud of the job we have done. We all watch the water move along the swale until the sun went down.

Flooded swale
Originally uploaded by tlbaraka

There it is, our first swale seeded flooded and ready for action! All we need now is some rain and we won't require the pumped water any more. Notice in the middle of the picture that water has already saturated the swale mound and is now leaking through onto the grass down slope. Unfortunately this area is badly compacted and the water is not saoking as it should. Once we have the right equipment we will deep rip this area. Deep ripping opens compacted land and the water that soaks through the swale will move into the soil and not run across the surface. The best place to have water on a farm is the root zone of the plants!

Transition to Australia

2007-09-17T11:51:00.000+10:00

This is the first of what we hope will be many posts chronicalling our pursuite of Permaculture. We do not claim to be experts on Permaculture and we have yet to teach a course. This is why we have choosen 'pursuing permaculture', for us this title represents a constant state of learning and exploration. We have heard it stated; that the futher one moves down the path of Permaculture the less one truly understands the details of Permaculture. A little bit cliche but it works.

From here on out to the end of our lives we are committed to providing an ever growing amount of our needs in a way that enriches, rather than destroys, the living systems of the planet. We are also committed to sharing in this experience with any others who are interested.

For us, Permaculture is a multidimensional perspective rather than a specific technique or strategy. Coming from a Permaculture perspective it is possible to work around any adverse conditions and achieve human needs while enriching the global ecosystems.

Australia is the birthplace of the Permaculture movement and after careful research decided that this would be the best place to learn. With careful management of our limited financial resources we sent Jesse on a two month trip to Australia in late 2006. While in Australia, Jesse attended two different Permaculture Designing Courses, one taught be Geoff Lawton and one taught by Bill Molison and Geoff Lawton. In between he spent several weeks training at the Permaculture Research Institute in sub-tropical New South Wales. At the end of his trip he was offered an opportunity to help with the design and implemtation of 480 acre system in September 2007.

The Plan...

Buy two plane tickets for Australia. Pack away and give away all of our unnessceary worldy possesions. Leave our two great jobs, loved ones, and everything familiar behind for a six month volunteer positions on the other side of the world. Cross our fingers and hope for the best!

The last few days before we left on our journey to purse permaculture in Australia were very busy, but we were able to squeeze in a nice evening with some great friends. The support that we received was such a boost to both of our spirits considering the huge leap we were making. Words could never express what the support of friends and family has meant to us. We know that we have made the right choice but it is not enough just to know, without the support we could not feel that this was right.

Life was really full-on in the days leading up to our departure. We were Pretty tired and nervous by this point but we managed to pull it together and spiffy up. Unsure of what was to come, we flew out on the 27th of September and landed in Australia on the 29th. We lost a whole two days and it is a wierd thing flying so far. It is almost as if you don't really exist during the flight and also a bit of a time warp.

In Australia...

Fredrik picked us up from the airport and took us straight to the land. The care and cultivation of this land will consume most of our efforts in the next six months.

We used an ATV to cover all 500 acres. We caught a glimpse or two of some Roos but they were to quick for my camera.

Jesse and Fredrik looking at one of the dams on site. Most of the earth works on site are going to need some repair. Jesse was feeling really overwhelmed at this point, 500 acres is a lot of land to try and envision especially after the flight. Most of our work will be concentrated on a small segment of the land near the new house site.

My PDC at the Permaculture Research Institute...

Three days after our arrival I went to the PRI and attended a 2 week PDC course, with Geoff Lawton. It was a lot of information to take in but I felt that it was the perfect length of time for me. I feel inspired to test all that I have learned but nervous too. After the PDC there was a dam and swale system being built at one of Geoff's student's place in Woolgoolga, NSW. Jesse, Fredrick and I went to watch and help. It was an extremly useful experience to be involved in. We got an opportunity to observe Geoff giving a consultation and to help with some of the surveying for the earth works. It took almost two full days to clear the site and dig the dam. We couldn't really help with the construction because there are certain things only a machine can do, not much need for muscle power during our time there. A fellow named EJ and his family are in possession of this land and have decided to take more resonsiblity for the food they eat. In order to have a food forest and increase the food they produce more water is needed. Hence the dam.

Geoff (Left) talking with EJ (right) about his vision and future plans for the site. EJ is trying to move away from working at his job and concentrate his time on growing for his family, using their six acre block of sub-tropical land. This earthworks project is his families big leap. EJ was really excited and happy about the whole thing. It was a great experince to give support to EJ and his family as they work towards their dreams.

The earth mover (in the distance) has arrived and Geoff is giving him directions on what will happen. You can see the dam area staked out in this picture. Most of the people in view are students from my PDC here to help and learn.

Jesse standing in the bottom of the completed dam. It is over 4m deep in the middle aproximatley 400,000l in capacity, and took a 15ton excavator 18 hours to complete. Once it is filled with rain water and had a season or two worth of growth it will be a beautiful little spot for EJ and his family. It is possible for an experineced aquaculturalist to grow 1kg of fish per litre of water at any given time. EJ could easily produce 100 kg of fish protien a year with this dam.