Today we are continuing our look into permaculture. Most of the time, at least for me< it is viewed as a system for gardening and recycling. Turns out, it's about more than just gardening.
Many practitioners look at the word and come up with PERMAnent AgriCULTURE, what if we look at it like PERMAnent CULTURE and look at how we can apply the principles- Care for the Earth, Care for People and Fair Share and apply it to our entire life.
In that respect, so many more systems can come into play. Our electric power, our water resources, our financial resources, etc.
When I first heard about permaculture and applying it to agriculture, I became excited for the opportunity to learn and apply it. I love learning and applying new things and spend 3-4 hours reading and learning.
My initial assumption (and we all know what happens when we ass u me things) was that it was about closed systems that become sustainable and work in a symbiotic manner. My plan was to have a compost bin, take the chicken poop and soiled deep litter (I use alfalfa) and let it decompose. Take the beautiful compost and add it to the garden. When done harvesting my veggies feed the plant remnants and damaged fruit and veggie to the chickens to make more poop and soiled litter.
Now my goal is to have the compost bins inside or alongside the chicken coop so the girls can get into it and root around the compost pile, turning it for me and adding their poop directly into the manure pile (less cleaning for me right?), then add their soiled litter. That way I can add the veggie scraps, spent plants and damaged fruits and veggies right into the compost pile. I can then take that compost move it into the next bin until it reached the 3rd and final compartment which will have the rabbit hutch over the top of it adding the rabbit pellets and urine into the final compost. I will then take that finished compost and add it into the raised beds. By taking a different look at the same processes I am able to reduce my effort and add a more integrated approach.
Well if we look at solar or wind power and apply the same ethics to it, we become more sustainable humans and contribute less waste to the planet, reducing carbon emissions and our footprints on the planet.
Now, I do not envision becoming totally dependant on solar or wind power as the City forbids being off grid. I do envy those who have that option as it is roughly $45 just to be hooked up to the grid with surcharges and taxes before I even consume a Kilowatt of power. Same with those who have a well for their water supply. I have to pay $50 before a drop of water is consumed.
So by using all natural, biodegradable soaps, cleaners, laundry detergent and personal hygiene products I will be able to use that grey water to water the fruit and vegetables with. That completes another loop for me.
A lot of you are much further ahead of me in many areas of self- sufficiency and I learn so much from you. I appreciate reading your facebook posts and blogs and am grateful for the knowledge that you share!! I still have a long list of things I want to learn- canning, pickling, fermenting, jams and jelly making, homebrewing (I have just bought several varities of hop seeds and rhizomes to start this process), using and building solar panels and pv systems and rain/grey water harvesting just to name a few.
So I thank you again for sharing your knowledge and dropping by to read the blog. Stay with me today as we look at some more aspects of permaculture and natural living!
In that respect, so many more systems can come into play. Our electric power, our water resources, our financial resources, etc.
When I first heard about permaculture and applying it to agriculture, I became excited for the opportunity to learn and apply it. I love learning and applying new things and spend 3-4 hours reading and learning.
My initial assumption (and we all know what happens when we ass u me things) was that it was about closed systems that become sustainable and work in a symbiotic manner. My plan was to have a compost bin, take the chicken poop and soiled deep litter (I use alfalfa) and let it decompose. Take the beautiful compost and add it to the garden. When done harvesting my veggies feed the plant remnants and damaged fruit and veggie to the chickens to make more poop and soiled litter.
Now my goal is to have the compost bins inside or alongside the chicken coop so the girls can get into it and root around the compost pile, turning it for me and adding their poop directly into the manure pile (less cleaning for me right?), then add their soiled litter. That way I can add the veggie scraps, spent plants and damaged fruits and veggies right into the compost pile. I can then take that compost move it into the next bin until it reached the 3rd and final compartment which will have the rabbit hutch over the top of it adding the rabbit pellets and urine into the final compost. I will then take that finished compost and add it into the raised beds. By taking a different look at the same processes I am able to reduce my effort and add a more integrated approach.
Well if we look at solar or wind power and apply the same ethics to it, we become more sustainable humans and contribute less waste to the planet, reducing carbon emissions and our footprints on the planet.
Now, I do not envision becoming totally dependant on solar or wind power as the City forbids being off grid. I do envy those who have that option as it is roughly $45 just to be hooked up to the grid with surcharges and taxes before I even consume a Kilowatt of power. Same with those who have a well for their water supply. I have to pay $50 before a drop of water is consumed.
So by using all natural, biodegradable soaps, cleaners, laundry detergent and personal hygiene products I will be able to use that grey water to water the fruit and vegetables with. That completes another loop for me.
A lot of you are much further ahead of me in many areas of self- sufficiency and I learn so much from you. I appreciate reading your facebook posts and blogs and am grateful for the knowledge that you share!! I still have a long list of things I want to learn- canning, pickling, fermenting, jams and jelly making, homebrewing (I have just bought several varities of hop seeds and rhizomes to start this process), using and building solar panels and pv systems and rain/grey water harvesting just to name a few.
So I thank you again for sharing your knowledge and dropping by to read the blog. Stay with me today as we look at some more aspects of permaculture and natural living!
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