Background
Over the last few years I have been increasingly interested in the role of permaculture in solving problems globally and for me. Did you know the world had not produced enough food in the last 7 of 9 years and most of the words food comes from…… subsistence farmers.
Many people are trying many many different approaches to that of the industrial agriculture I am interested in using a variety of different approaches to allow me to create a system that produces things for me.
I got interested in permaculture a few years ago after watching this video which explains how an arid area of the dessert near the dead sea in Jordon was transformed into productive food production using permaculture techniques.
The word Permaculture was first coined by Bill Molleson (originally from Tasmania in Australia).
“Permaculture (permanent agriculture) is the conscious design and maintenance of agriculturally productive ecosystems which have the diversity, stability and resilience of natural ecosystems.It is the harmonious integration of landscape and people providing their food,energy,shelter and other material and non-material needs in a sustainable way. Without permanent agriculture there is no possibility of social order.” Bill Mollison.
I keep a blog of the progress I am making with my garden to help me to improve and share with others
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Well my front gardens look rather lovely at the moment things are stepping. I have probably about 20 tomoato plants 20 beans and all manner of greens and flowers growing is rather nice. At our house in Melbourne we have an apple,plum,apricot,olive,peach and lemon tree. We have masses of lemons and recoently the plum and apricot trees and been producing fruit.
Meanwhile at the estate the 6 yabbie traps that I bought have come in useful and we dinned on yabbie for the first time the other week, I also have been very busy trying to make the area more green. (I’m not sure if its working) but I have dug a pretty long swale so its now “permaculture” ;-). I also have probably about 30-40 potato plants growing at the moment. See pics below
I have been busy recently. We have recently moved and the last couple of week I went mad put in a spring / summer garden. I have also made some significant progress at the estate. The contrast is amazing at the home the soil is dark a loamy and full of worms at the estate if I want to grow anything I have to dig a hole first with a pick axe (and it takes a long time).
I have setup automated irrigation in both places – set to go off every 3 days. Like anything its not to hard once you work out how to do it. The timer cost $30 from bunnings. At the estate I also needed to put in a filter ($80). I also needed piping (although theres quite a bit at the estate allready)
Below is a sideshow of my new garden / house in Melbourne
Please do not watch the video below if you are offended by foul language! When I am not swearing about the irrigation I am showing whats going on at the Estate lots of “big potatoes!”
Politicians (both labour and opposition) have been talking about immigration policies that would see the Australian population to almost double from 22 to 36million by 2050. Australia currently has the fastest growing population in the world.
The Australian citizens have never been asked about this.
Yesterday I watched a video from Dick Smith that basically debunked most of the widely used reasons for a “Large Australia”. He is campaigning to have the politicians actually consult the the people about the population strategy and come up with a sensible plan.
Intro Video
Long Video
“Dick Smith is one of Australia’s most recognised individuals. After a successful business career in retailing and publishing, Dick has become well known as a restless adventurer, making many pioneering and record breaking flights by helicopter, aeroplane and balloon.” More info and complete text on Dick Smiths full website here.
World Growth
Dick also broaches the subject of world population growth and the predicted increase in population from 6.7 to just over 9 billion by 2050. World food production over the last 9 years has remained flat and is looking likely to decrease as more soil becomes infertile. Concern about food availability in the future is one of the drivers that got me interested in permaculture. To see more about me and permaculture go to my permaculture page.
Just listening to the podcast by the North Carolina University and they are talking about huge earthworms that live in East Gippsland (SE of Melbourne!). Wow ! I could do with a few of them in the garden!
I am currently listening to a free podcast on that I got on itunesU where they video’d all their lectures from North State University Introduction to Permaculture. I am onto lecture 13 out of 36 1 hour lecture series. Amazing what you can get for free nowadays.
I came accross this article that rates vegetables by the most pesticides to the least. Its pretty useful – seemingly apples are the worst along with celery, peppers and nectarines. The best include onions peas and mango. Interesting see full article.
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