Hope in a Changing Climate

This documentary shows a range of Permaculture Projects in Ethiopia, Rwanda and China  and the amazing and positive differences that can be made whether a community is dealing with the challenges of drought or flooding.

I have watched a great many documentaries and read a great deal about permaculture, and indeed we use the principles in our own home and garden as we are so impressed with the success of this system, and the way it cares for the earth and all of its inhabitants too.

Snails, Mathematics and Permaculture

We grow a great deal of food in our garden and are often asked what we snail poison we use. Our answer is that we don't kill them and nor do we have a problem with them eating everything. Because we grow using permaculture practices we also have lots of lizards, frogs and birds that visit our garden. So our snail population lives within that and is part of the healthy eco-system that we have created. Indeed, watching a snail move gently across the landscape is a fascinating and calming experience, each is unique and the shape of the shell, a logarithmic spiral, can even be used to teach Maths.

Source

For more information on the wonder of snails you can click on this link. For more information on how to use snails when teaching/learning Mathematics you can click on this link. For more information on patterns in Permaculture you can click on this link.

Source

Permaculture in Konzo, Ethiopia

The Garden at the End of the World

First Layer - Herb Spiral

After doing some research I have decided that a herb spiral would be a good use of the stack of pavers that we have on the concrete area that I would like to get rid of. It took a few goes to work out the right way to  lay the pavers that we have and the size of the spiral. But that is okay as the permaculture method means that you should look at the resources that you have, including the area and building material, and use and consider those first. After reviewing this plan I did change the layout of the spiral as it is open ended and this is probably not the bets option on a concrete base.

Kwinana Community Share

Have just found out about this permaculture group that meets nearby, will have to look into this!

Permaculture Paradise: Val at Armstrong Farm!

Farmin' in The Hood 2

New No Dig Garden - Update Three

 

This is the second of the new no dig gardens that we recently built and it is doing better than the first, we think due to the different layers  used, the watering system and the amount of sunshine that it receives.  This has also impacted on the development of the corn which are much taller at the end of the garden that get the most sun, something to remember for next time.

We are really enjoying having food crops growing in easy view and such an easily accessible spot and can understand now why in permaculture this is recommended.

Permaculture Ethics and Principles

You Tube Inspired!

Our apple trees are looking better and better. I have been watching lots of You Tube gardening shows, including 'Know Your Garden' which have inspired me to keep looking at how the garden is working. The whole series is great and you cannt fail to feel enthused to get out in the garden and be creative and productive.

Another series , now on You Tube is the 'Edible Garden' series, again lots and lots of ideas about creating a beautiful and edible garden.  Here you can see bananas, sweet potatoes and grapes.

Whilst I enjoy these two shows, they do still dig the garden and till the earth, which we do not want to do. So it was great to watch some permaculutre videos too that  reminded me how important mulching and layering are and how beneficial it is to try and recreate a forest garden. Val and Eli's  garden was a great reminder and an inspiration about what can be done.

Watching permaculute clips has also reminded me how useful comfrey is, I was lucky enough to pick some up at the Grower's Green  Farmer's Market yesterday and have planted them next to fruit trees today. I also bought a thai coriander and New Zealand spinach.

Whilst this is only an average suburban lot, walls, plants etc create micro climates, here are the large ferns under a grapevine.

We have now completed mulching all of the areas of the front garden that we are going to. The next step will be to get manure to put on the new no - dig garden. Watching other gardens and gardeners provides so many ideas, it is always interesting to see other productive gardens around the world.

The importance of growing plants that can be used in multiple ways, shade, food amd mulch, like this grape vine. Here is a great garden in Melbourne that is growing lots of food.

There are also  lots of clips about holding moisture, mulching and no digging, this one concentrates on micro - organizms, remember to chop and drop too!

Finding Sustainability

Click here for  more information on  Permaculture Projects around the world, well worth a read!

Lounging Lizard

Love the way that this photo of the lizard looks like he is admiring the garden, he/she will certainly be able to find lots of food and water available in there.

I also love the way that having an organic permaculture style  garden means that we have attract a hugely diverse range of  insects, animals, reptiles and birds.

Lounging Lizards

We have allowed bushes to grow up in front of the lounge room window  to shade the window and this afternoon noticed a Lizard  resting on it.

The benefits of a Permaculture style of garden means that wildlife is encouraged by the diversity of plants', the wild areas' and the lack of chemicals.It gives us great pleasure to be so close to nature in an ordinary suburban block.

The Permaculture Song

Sustainable Sisters-Getting Started

It has been over 18 months since I started gradually transforming a normal suburban garden into a Permaculture garden. Herbs were the first adventure and a few vegies in a no dig garden made out of an old basketball backboard and scraps by my daughter.

There are wonderful cooks in this family and the lure of freshly grown herbs has been an incentive, each small success leading to yet another growing attempt. A desire to do something for the environment, and the excitement of learning more and more, particularly about Permaculture, working with nature rather than against, feels much more comfortable than the poisoning and chopping that more traditional gardeners often use.

Finding a wonderful local nursery with owners who are knowledgeable and happy to share their expertise has also been really important, I would never have attempted to grow the number of fruit trees in pots without that support, and am thrilled with the results. We also have two ducks, Indian Runners, we had to exchange the Pekin ducks, wonderful producers and great characters but too loud for an average suburban block.




Recently my sister in law and her husband visited us and spent time in the garden, they have returned home and Deb and I have now become Sustainable Sisters, as she has been inspired to start her own food garden. So this space is for us to share our progress, share photos and info and keep a record of our progress in improving the quality of our lives and the planet the small part of the planet that we inhabit.