The last week or two, I’ve encountered a few people who’ve claimed that Permaculture promotes invasive plants and causes ecosystem damage. As a Permaculture Designer, that would indeed be alarming to me if it were true! Fortunately, I see very … Continue reading Does Permaculture “Promote Invasive Plants?”
I thought I’d share what my idea of a good, happy life is, because I think these are the same things our society needs on the whole. And since and good Permaculture design process or Transformative Adventure begins with a deep look at our goals, this is one of our central question. How will we get where we want to be if we don’t even know where we’re going? Continue reading The Map to a Happy Life
Who invented “permaculture?” The conventional answer is probably the most accurate and helpful one. Bill Mollison and David Holmgren “invented” or better yet “created” permaculture, coined the word, and then evolved it into a complete design system with an ever-growing community of teachers and practitioners. Continue reading Why I can’t say “indigenous people invented permaculture.”
And the current political divide in permaculture continues, as Richard Perkin’s shares his appreciation of Jordan Peterson on Instagram. It looks like some folks are using this moment as an opportunity to divide Permaculture along culture war lines. Curtis Stone … Continue reading Jordan Peterson Vs. Permaculture
The Transformative Landscape Initiative seeks to help people create truly regenerative and societally impactful landscapes through a number of support tools, including information, sample letters, promotional materials, yard signs, AND recognition from an organization including thousands of members. If you … Continue reading Endorse the Transformative Landscape Criteria
For a better future, the greatest change we need to make is from consumption to production. Continue reading The 10 Percent Pledge for a Better Future
(These are the shocking “pest” that cause problems, especially weeds in native gardens. Recognize them?) Last Spring, I went out to visit a large local “native prairie” garden around town and found landscapers there getting ready to till … Continue reading The #1 Most Shocking Reason for Weeds in Native Gardens:
Whenever there’s a completely failed, overgrown weedy tangle of an abandoned garden, I know I’ve discovered a gifted high value gardener with true natural intelligence, just waiting to flower. It’s the surest sign there is. As I am a natural gardening teacher and Permaculture designer, these poor discouraged gardeners frequently seek me out at social gatherings for a sort of gardening confession and penance. If you listen carefully, you can hear keen insights and clever observations through their exasperated sighs, gnashing of teeth, wails of garden guilt: “It’s been two seasons since my last confession…” “I just couldn’t keep up … Continue reading Why Completely Failing at Gardening is a Sure Sign of a Great Gardener – Transformative Gardening, Part 1
“You can solve all the world’s problems in a garden.” – Geoff Lawton, The Permaculture Research Institute RELATED VIDEO: Permaculture ideas for positive direct action! Hot enough for ya? If not, just wait: According to NASA 2014, 2015, and 2016 were each consecutively the hottest years on record globally, and 2017 was the hottest year on record without an El Nino, coming in second after 2016. Already, 2018 is looking like it will be a contender. This next couple of paragraphs are the bummer part, so first: LOOK! A BUNNY! Of course, it would be nice if heat was the … Continue reading Gardening Against Climate Change – 10 Tips and Techniques
(Edible Forest Garden at Lillie House, filled with food, flowers and medicinal and culinary herbs.) Nature is calling us home, and people all over the world feel it, the urge to reconnect with their landscapes in a more meaningful way than the endless struggle against lawn and weeds. And the forest garden – a designed ecosystem filled with ripe fruits, lush vegetables, craft materials and medicine that integrates native plants and wildlife habitat – is the ideal representation of our rightful human relationship with the world, cultivating the wild, working with ecosystems to meet our needs instead of reaping them … Continue reading The Era of Edible Forest Gardening has Arrived