Hi Eric - I made a pledge and I am a member of permies.com but I don't think I went through this site to make the pledge. Would permies get credit for that?
Man, I would so like to do this but I admit I do have that "thing" about using some kind of surfactant in my daily ablutions. (How do you like them big words?)
There was discussion in the podcast about a transition period but am I understanding that you just stop using soap/shampoo cold turkey? So you are basically, what we in the conventional world would consider, just rinsing off? I avoid shampooing every day because it dries out my hair but when I go an extra day or two it just doesn't feel clean. I never thought about just rinsing it! Ha! I would like to hear more people's experience and thoughts on this. I would so like to stop putting soap out there.
I got so excited by both your (Maddy & Paul) descriptions of the articles that I went ahead and ordered a subscription while I was still listening to the podcast. Impulsive? Maybe, but the articles all sounded like stuff I needed to know about. (Except the hay burners.) Good job!
I could have all kinds of advice for you but # 1 is do your research. This is a living creature you are going to be taking responsibility for and thus you need to be aware of it's need. As I said previously, one acre can support 1000 pounds of animal. Dexters are on the smaller side, mature weight being between 700 - 1000 pounds. Perhaps you need one acre for summer and one acre for winter. Not sure about that part.
I had understood that one acre could accommodate 1000 pounds of animal. What I don't know is under what system. Was that assuming hay would be fed in the winter? It follows then that how much land you had would determine how many animals you could run.
This would be problematic for me since I have alpacas and thus far they have refused to come out of the barn once it starts snowing. Perhaps they can be encouraged but that remains to be seen.
I am trying to imagine what a solar water heater would look like. Are there different styles for different applications? How would one choose? Would it matter if one were totally off grid?
I have heard a lot of arguments about how the further north one gets the less practical solar energy becomes. Bob, seeing that you are from Wisconsin, could you give us your take on that?
Thanks!
Would you say you have developed a "signature" salad mix or you give your customers choices between what greens you have chosen to grow?
Are saying you use a combination of direct sales as well as CSA? Do you also attend farmers markets or have a farm based market?
I haven't read your book yet (I hope to win one!) and perhaps this is covered there, but I am interested in learning how one goes about determining markets and choosing what products to offer. What adaptations have you had to make in order to meet your market?
Thanks!
Has any one seen this movie yet? Just saw it today. It's one of those with some disturbing footage (not the worst I've seen) of what all is wrong with civilization. Strongly inspired by Derrick Jensen, author of "End Game". I have to take issue with the theme of the movie advocating the only real way to change what is wrong is by brute force. Sure, there is a lot of stuff that is, in my personal humble opinion, really &%$*-ed up and we seem to be heading off the deep end but - well, isn't that what permaculture is trying to avoid? Both the world ending as we know it and the violence. I believe it has been proven over and over again that we are a compassionate species. It has even been proven that we are not the only compassionate species. And we are all in this together. I think this last is the most important part.
[quote/] Permies tend to be self-starting, can-do types, but is this individualistic philosophy hindering us in attaining our common goals?
So, I'd like to ask a new question, with the theme of my original post in mind.
Among the world's intentional communities, does anyone know of any that are founded on, or reaping the benefits of, permaculture?
How wonderful it would be if the folks who are qualified practitioners of permaculture would form communities around themselves, not only for WWOOFing and other forms of teaching, but for intensifying the evolution of permaculture as a discipline.
I agree with Elia, and am also in the northeast. Sure would like to learn some more about this great way to heat and cook. I'll be watching here for developments.
Thanks for getting this together!
My local university just added a 'sustainability' minor. I have my PDC and have attended Dave Jacke's Teaching Permaculture Creatively seminar. I have given a few talks locally and co-taught at another design course. Any suggestions on drawing up a syllabus to present to the school to add a class?
I thought this podcast was very inspiring. While he might have been answering Paul's questions, I thought he did get to talk about what he wanted to talk about as well. Really appreciated hearing his take on true wealth - clean & abundant soil, food, air, water, family, community. And that was so wonderful to hear him say the measure of a teacher is how many teachers better than one's self you can produce. We need to breed permaculture. Also, that we need people in order to reverse the damage done to the earth. Am eagerly awaiting part 2!
Rose, I am also a newb in New York. I have my land and really need to get a house built. My issue is I can't decide what technique/s to use. Do you know anything about building codes? Are they the same all over the state? I don't have an abundance of trees on my land so was thinking more toward using earth. Folks had been suggesting yurts to me, too, but, I'm with Joe. It gets really cold up here! Anyone know any natural builders in Upstate New York?
I like the idea in theory and it seems it would accomplish it's stated purpose -- in our understanding of our current economy. But what about those who are striving toward a gift economy and would like to see people motivated for the intrinsic value of their actions? That's why people have started blogs anyway. While I believe I will try it, I don't see this as moving away from a defunct economical system.
I am accepting apprentices on my small farm in upstate New York - one half mile from Lake Ontario. It is permaculture based, lots to be learned here. For more details, message me.
Very short article but the interesting part was the end where the researcher had observed a shortened life span that had a devastating cascade effect on the hive.
If you haven't found it already, Richard Wiswall's "The Organic Farmer's Business Handbook" is a wealth of those kind of figures for which you are searching. Also, I would recommend Joel Salatin's "You Can Farm, The Entrepreneur's Guide to Start and $ucceed in a Farming Enterprise" for livestock based numbers. I, too, am now in the process of writing a farm business plan and since I am collecting unemployment insurance I should check with our local office and see if there might be some kind of assistance with this. I am also studying Holistic Management which is heavy on the financial planning end. (Sometimes more than I can grasp in a day ) But I would recommend looking up any of their materials, too. holisticmanagement.org Good luck! Do keep us apprised. Once I get mine completed - soon, I hope - I will share it. It may be too large for the forum, though...
I think we all need to be concerned because so much pollen is carried by the wind. I am down wind from Lake Ontario and I know that pollen even drifts across that lake.
Welcome, MsMinuette. May I suggest to begin by using the principle of small and slow solutions. Start a little garden. Here is one source to help you find your hardiness zone -- http://www.garden.org/zipzone/ You will find a wealth of information right here at this forum.
No one yet has mentioned it, so I am feeling a need to throw in here that concrete buildings were what killed a large majority of the Haitians in that last earthquake. I am not in an quake prone area but we do get some tremblers, and I would be uneasy living under a concrete roof.
Oops! You're right! I read it too fast. I was excited to see they have surpassed their original goal and are now shooting for the "fully funded" goal. Go Mark and Dave!
I expect this to be another awesome and highly useful book. I respect that they have decided to self publish. I think we should try to support this work. Even just 5 or ten dollars would be a big help for them. I plan to do so with my next payday. -And, no, I'm not related to either of them.
I look forward to your video.
) But I would recommend looking up any of their materials, too. holisticmanagement.org 