Last week during our practicum time, we got an introduction to permaculture from Mike. This week during classroom time, we will be visiting Mike's permaculture homestead called Lillie House, which actually has it's own blog site and can be accessed here. I'd suggest reading a bit about the project before we head out there so we have some familiarity with it!
For this week's class, I would like us to continue thinking about permaculture as well as sustainability, and also feasibility. First, these are some of Mike's top-recommended videos on forest gardening and permaculture. They provide a basis for the tour we will be getting from Mike on Thursday.
1. A modern urban Permaculturist- Rob Finely - planted 20 urban parkway forest gardens in L.A.
https://youtu.be/7t-NbF77ceM
2. E.F. schumacher's Forest Garden in England
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FA5PxInWg84
3. A case study of one of the traditional systems that Permaculturists and forest gardeners are drawing inspiration from (presented by Permaculture designer Geoff Lawton)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZO0Nco2t5g
Mike also wanted to add this as a "footnote" to add academic rigor to our discussion-- he says:
Learning about the theoretical groundwork for permaculture as framed by Mike really got me thinking, curious, excited and hopeful. I was specifically attracted to the idea of us as human beings learning from the natural world and indigenous societies, to work with rather than against nature.
The whole idea of this just makes so much sense to me... I began to wonder, why isn't this being done everywhere? Why is it that I heard the term "permaculture" for the first time just in the past 2 years? Why aren't we doing more of this?
So, as I do some more independent study on permaculture on the inter webs, I come across a couple things that give me a better understanding of permaculture and that really get me thinking...
(suggested by Mike), for those who want additional exploration, here is a site that introduces the Permaculture Design System
An ecological framework of permaculture
Urban Permaculture
Population/Consumption issue and its relation to permaculture
I began to be curious about the native Kalamazoo Potawatomi tribe's farming and food culture was; one site said "The Potawatomi Indians were farming people. Potawatomi women planted and harvested corn, beans, squash, and tobacco, as well as gathering wild rice and berries. The men hunted deer, elk, and wild birds and caught fish. The Potawatomis also tapped trees for maple syrup as Michigan people do today. Here is a website with more information about Native American food"
So, what are your thoughts about all permaculture in general, and permaculture as a sustainable agricultural practice? What are some of your biological, social, spiritual, economical and/or logical opinions about permaculture? What do you think are some types of challenges that we face in implementing permaculture/towards it in our everyday lives? In relation to learning from the people before us who had a smaller scale and more "sustainable" farming system, does anyone know anything about their techniques?
I hope this helps us think a bit more deeply about permaculture if it is something new to us and also sets a foundation for our understanding of it!
For this week's class, I would like us to continue thinking about permaculture as well as sustainability, and also feasibility. First, these are some of Mike's top-recommended videos on forest gardening and permaculture. They provide a basis for the tour we will be getting from Mike on Thursday.
1. A modern urban Permaculturist- Rob Finely - planted 20 urban parkway forest gardens in L.A.
https://youtu.be/7t-NbF77ceM
2. E.F. schumacher's Forest Garden in England
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FA5PxInWg84
3. A case study of one of the traditional systems that Permaculturists and forest gardeners are drawing inspiration from (presented by Permaculture designer Geoff Lawton)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZO0Nco2t5g
Mike also wanted to add this as a "footnote" to add academic rigor to our discussion-- he says:
"much of the study and information about these traditional systems is being done by academics across many disciplines to demonstrate the function and value, as well as the need to protect these traditional lifeways. These systems are being found and studied world-wide, including in traditional Europe and North America. This work is very needed! This is one example of a high-quality study which documents some of the forms and practices as well as the societal value in Nepal: http://www.bioversityinternational.org/uploads/tx_news/Home_Gardens_in_Nepal_1166.pdf
The attached image from that study shows the typical form of the "home garden" systems as it is found around the world, which you will see replicated in detail at Lillie House! "
Learning about the theoretical groundwork for permaculture as framed by Mike really got me thinking, curious, excited and hopeful. I was specifically attracted to the idea of us as human beings learning from the natural world and indigenous societies, to work with rather than against nature.
The whole idea of this just makes so much sense to me... I began to wonder, why isn't this being done everywhere? Why is it that I heard the term "permaculture" for the first time just in the past 2 years? Why aren't we doing more of this?
So, as I do some more independent study on permaculture on the inter webs, I come across a couple things that give me a better understanding of permaculture and that really get me thinking...
(suggested by Mike), for those who want additional exploration, here is a site that introduces the Permaculture Design System
An ecological framework of permaculture
Urban Permaculture
Population/Consumption issue and its relation to permaculture
I began to be curious about the native Kalamazoo Potawatomi tribe's farming and food culture was; one site said "The Potawatomi Indians were farming people. Potawatomi women planted and harvested corn, beans, squash, and tobacco, as well as gathering wild rice and berries. The men hunted deer, elk, and wild birds and caught fish. The Potawatomis also tapped trees for maple syrup as Michigan people do today. Here is a website with more information about Native American food"
So, what are your thoughts about all permaculture in general, and permaculture as a sustainable agricultural practice? What are some of your biological, social, spiritual, economical and/or logical opinions about permaculture? What do you think are some types of challenges that we face in implementing permaculture/towards it in our everyday lives? In relation to learning from the people before us who had a smaller scale and more "sustainable" farming system, does anyone know anything about their techniques?
I hope this helps us think a bit more deeply about permaculture if it is something new to us and also sets a foundation for our understanding of it!
