Paul Wheaton's Farm

Hi Paul,

I find your site of Permies is very informative and a great resource for permaculture. I'm sure this question must have been asked before on this massive forum, but I'm having a little trouble finding it. Do you have any images of your land and what you've been creating?

Thanks,
Elia

Ha ha ha.

Don't understand what is so funny about my question.

I'm new to the form, but have been a lurker for awhile, however, I have listened to ALL of Paul's Podcasts. I think "Farm" and "Permaculture" are looked at here as oxymorons. Paul seems to not like anything remotely associated with "human intervention". I agree with his "don't make nature your bitch" philosophy. I just wish that 10 years ago, when I bought a "food forest" in the middle of my city, I had known about Paul. It took me six months, but I was able to destroy that forest and now I've spent the last couple of years trying to get it back. Believe me, that takes longer than you would think. Of course I blame Paul, he should have started his world domination empire sooner.
Dan

I am a new comer to this site (not to permaculture/ organic lifestyle) and am getting the impression that there are all different levels of knowledge/interest and actual practice of permaculture among the members here. Brainstorming is good, as is teaching and so is stumbling along in the woods trying to live it. (and I can't answer your question.)

Elia Charalambides wrote:Don't understand what is so funny about my question.

As far as I know: Paul is still in search of his perfect piece of land. His knowledge base is incredible and while he travels, teaches and visits farms, homesteads and ecovillages, he's yet to begin HIS project. He's got a lofty goal and from what I know, he's waiting until a piece of land speaks to him before he shells out the dough. He's talked about what he wants extensively in the forums and podcasts.

I think the humor is in the irony of it.

As far as I know: Paul is still in search of his perfect piece of land. His knowledge base is incredible and while he travels, teaches and visits farms, homesteads and ecovillages, he's yet to begin HIS project. He's got a lofty goal and from what I know, he's waiting until a piece of land speaks to him before he shells out the dough. He's talked about what he wants extensively in the forums and podcasts.

I can understand that.

I was just curious to see what this person that talks so much about all these topics is actually up to. What has he done...that is his? Or is it all consultation for other people? If it is then are then any photos of that?

Not that I am skeptical of his abilities to do what he talks about, I am just curious to see it. Call it an artist curiosity of anothers technique. Like Mollison and Holtzer do similar things but they have different techniques in execution.

Elia Paul will come here and tell you all about it at some point. He is a Sepp Holzer fan but has plenty of his
own ideas. He has had land in the past and no doubt has photos of what he did there. Maybe he can tell you briefly
what he thinks perfection is in the world of permaculture. He has another thing to be aware of and that is he
prefers cold weather, perhaps because he is a physical giant. I don't think he knows a great deal about hot, humid
areas because he is not going there.

Elia Charalambides wrote:What has [Paul] done...that is his?

Hi Elia, glad to have you on this site. There can be value in determining the real-world versus theoretical knowledge of those you listen to, and I think it is safe to say that in Paul's case it is many years of hands-on experience combined with the theory of why the practice works. While I am not remotely qualified to answer that question, there are a couple of quick things I can point you to that show he has, at least, some practical experience:

When I met Paul (many years ago), he was temporarily in an urban environment. It was easy to find his house - it was the one with the raised beds out the front. You can see some of his raised beds here. If you would like a little more specificity, then the urban ones are the ones here (and they produced wonderful vegetables).

Prior to that, I know Paul used to have a farm. There are some pictures of the chickens he used to have, that were completely free to roam anywhere and everywhere.

There are many other things that I know Paul has had hands-on experience with, before, during, and after those two small examples. I suspect the best thing to do though, is to look at what he has written / the podcasts he has made, and see if it makes sense.

Paul has a new thread where he is talking about looking for new land to purchase..believe he is getting ready to make the plunge soon..if he finds the right land.

I know he's mentioned before about being torn between how to spend his time. On one hand, he could start up his own amazing piece of permaculture food yielding land to call 'his own'. On the other, he's has this amazing opportunity to spread the 'good word' so to speak about permaculture. His empire here really has grown and opened a lot of people up to sustainability and permaculture (myself included).