Permaculture is a holistic land management approach designed to raise crops in a manner patterned after natural ecosystems.
Merriam-Webster defines permaculture as "an agricultural system or method that seeks to integrate human activity with natural surroundings so as to create highly efficient self-sustaining ecosystems." Its name was derived from an amalgamation of "permanent" and "agriculture," Permaculture integrates the land and resources to allow the permaculturist to raise food in harmony with nature while making use of available resources.
The philosophy behind permaculture is to grow food while working with nature rather than against it. While most agricultural methods take nutrients from the soil, which have to be added in order for the soil to remain fertile, permaculture is designed to sustain the plants that are part of the permaculture environment. In practice, permaculture raises food in a sustainable, non-destructive manner in which the environment supports itself.
Some of the concepts in permaculture involve the integration of sustainable architecture and agroforestry with garden planning that includes both companion and succession planting, the monitoring of soil fertility, rotational grazing, and the use of renewable resources.
For example, chickens provide eggs and meat but also contribute to the environment. Chickens dig, scratch, and till the soil, while eating many insects that may be pests to food crops. Their excrement fertilizes the soil, as it is an excellent nitrogen source.
Permaculture is a sustainable approach to land use, whatever the size. The system encourages landowners to view their land from a new perspective. Unlike conventional agriculture, permaculture is all about collaborating with nature rather than fighting it.
In nature, dead plants decompose, adding nutrients that form the basis for new growth, while animals consume food and excrete wastes that act as fertilizer for the soil. Recreating this symbiotic relationship is what permaculture is all about, and human beings can fit into it.
Permaculture gardens serve multiple purposes, providing food for human beings while serving as a habitat for wildlife.
A consideration in permaculture is the encouragement of guilds. This is a mutually beneficial group of species that are part of the larger ecosystem, such as compatible animals, insects, and plants that form symbiotic relationships. Don't restrict your permaculture to food crops. Using native plants as much as possible, seek plants that balance nitrogen levels in the soil, as well as attract beneficial insects while discouraging harmful ones. Empty spaces in your garden will attract undesirable weeds, so fill these spaces with desirable vegetation.
If you are considering a permacultural garden around your home, learn about the edge effect. You can also create garden zones around your house, plan your crops in concentric circles, planting the crops that need the most attention in the zone nearest the house. This might include herbs or soft fruits. Zone two might be reserved for perennials that require less maintenance, while zone three is where the main crops are grown. Zone four would be a semi-wild area, used largely for forage, and zone five would be a wilderness area.
Landowners with woodlands might consider creating forest gardens. Agroforestry is a form of permaculture that combines trees, shrubs, crops, and livestock in a symbiotic relationship to create a healthy and sustainable system. Forest gardens are designed to mimic natural forests. Trees can provide a significant source of perennial food while providing a protective environment for other food crops and beneficial vegetation.
As an example, a tomato plant will provide about twenty pounds of food, at best, and new tomato plants will have to be planted each growing season. Conversely, the average apple tree will produce about two hundred pounds of fruit and will do so year after year. In a forest garden, you can have both apple trees and tomato plants, as well as many others. Blackberry and raspberry plants produce roughly the same amount of fruit as tomato plants, but they do so year after year.
As in any other permaculture garden, a forest garden is designed so that the components work together in the same manner as a natural forest ecosystem takes care of itself, except that humans interfere only so that, here and there, the forest gives us more of what we want - fruit, nuts, vegetables, and so on.
Unlike traditional gardens and farm fields, forest gardens work on behalf of wildlife. As they do in the wild, plants and animals help one another, each providing value. Animals spread seeds, fertilize the soil, pollinate the fruit, and till the soil, while the plants provide food and a habitat for the animals. In a properly designed forest garden, human beings are not outside of the system.
Recommended Resources
The ART is a British charitable incorporated organization that conducts research into temperature agroforestry and all aspects of plant cropping and uses, with a focus on trees, shrubs, and perennial crops. Managed by Martin Crawford, who has a two-acre forest garden, the Trust publishes several publications and a quarterly journal. Its publications and website publishes information about agroforestry and perennial crops, and includes an online shopping site with plants, seeds, and books.
https://www.agroforestry.co.uk/
National Forest Gardening Scheme
The membership organization views itself as part of, and supportive of the wider movement towards agroforestry and agroecology, and is made up of planners, ecologists, educators, researchers, engineers, artists, systemic thinkers, and forest gardeners. Member benefits are listed, along with its business model, board, and practitioners. A brief history and description of forest gardening are set forth, with a focus on its benefits. Suggestions of videos, books, and other resources are included.
https://nationalforestgardening.org/
Off Grid Permaculture is an educational project intended to provide assistance to those seeking a more sustainable and self-sufficient lifestyle, particularly those who are interested in living off-grid, offering informational articles, videos, and other educational resources. Contacts are provided, along with articles on such topics as beginners, homesteading, finding land, healthy food, off-grid energy, permaculture, sustainable housing, and water systems. Book suggestions are included.
https://offgridpermaculture.com/
Available in print and digital format, or digital only, the magazine is focused on permaculture, a framework for creating sustainable ways of living. Subscriptions are available online, along with back issues, and its site presents an introduction to the gardening system, the ways in which it can be used, as well as select articles from the magazine, videos, and reviews. Permaculture courses in the United Kingdom may be listed free for three months, with additional information described.
https://www.permaculture.co.uk/
Created by William Horvath, the site offers information and suggestions for getting started with a permaculture farm, growing productive, low-maintenance food forests, field crops, and annual gardens, as well as making money from a permaculture farm, and transitioning from a job to working full time on the farm. Available courses are described, along with prices and other details. A free e-book may also be downloaded, and links to other online resources are included.
https://permacultureapprentice.com/
Originally known as the Permaculture Activist, the magazine receives no public funding and is available through a one-year, three-year, or lifetime subscription, with print copies mailed to addresses in the United States or Canada. Digital-only subscriptions are also available, including a free digital sample copy. Its site features a North American directory of permaculture resources, a calendar of courses and events, permaculture news, and an informational blog.
https://www.permaculturedesignmagazine.com/
Founded by Scott Pittman and Bill Mollison in 1997, the non-profit organization offers permaculture design courses, teacher training retreats, and The Peoples Diploma, a form of continuing education after completion of the Permaculture Design Course. The history of the Institute is told, and its courses are highlighted, with schedules, program structure, fields of practice, contacts, and fees. Teacher and student resources are provided, and an informational blog is included.
https://permaculture.org/
Permaculture Institute of North America
PINA is a professional association of permaculture practitioners across North America and Hawaii that promotes professional development in the field, facilitates networking among practitioners, grants diplomas for excellence and achievements, proposes permaculture solutions to the problems of social justice, land regeneration, and climate change, preserves the integrity of the Permaculture Design Course, and works to influence public policy as it relates to permaculture.
https://pina.in/
Created by Amy Stross, author of "The Suburban Micro-Farm: Modern Solutions for Busy People," the site offers plans and tips for bringing permaculture to suburban backyards, front yards, and other small outdoor spaces. Modeled on her first micro-farm in Cincinnati, Ohio, the site includes step-by-step plans, informational articles, and other resources, such as a free 10-day mini-course on permaculture, and premium courses on designing a permaculture garden, and books on the subject.
https://www.tenthacrefarm.com/
