OP wrote:Hey everyone we just purchased a 5 acre lot in MO (Zone 6) and are VERY new to the idea of permaculture..I've tried many gardens in the last several years and have had little to no yield. is there a beginner garden plan that someone can point me to? I'm started to get seeds and plants and all the things..but I would like a very basic overview of how t put them all together and if there are any very specific ones I'll for sure need... I've seen comfrey as being a good herb to have around..do I pair it with the fruit trees? haha I am just SO new to this. thanks everyone!!
Welcome to the forum! I'm excited for you and congrats on your new lot!
I've heard it said (I think it was David The Good who relayed it) that the difference between
beginning gardeners and
experienced gardeners, is just that experienced gardeners have
killed more plants! And anyone with less than 5 years of gardening experience is still considered a beginner, so it will take time.
To me, permaculture is very much about thinking in "systems", and systems are about simple and complex relationships. Every element (plant, animal, person, structure, soil particle, machine, etc.) has its own:
1. Needs / desires / inputs
2. Characteristics / intrinsic behaviors
3. Outputs / products / yields
And permaculture happens when elements of all kinds are thoughtfully -- or even accidentally! -- placed in
just the right pattern so that they can build productive relationships with other elements. The placement isn't just a location like a puzzle board, but it is also in time too. (For example: A houseplant needs water, but too much or too frequently and the soil won't have enough air. And one of the "needs" of healthy soil is air.)
So I guess we could think of permaculture as a big ecological dance party, with
you as the choreographer.
And since you and your family and friends are a part of the dance, too, you will have your own unique needs, characteristics, and capabilities to think about.
So a good place to begin is...
1. Think about what it is
you really desire from your new lot.
2. Observe, and try to understand what
your land, with all its flora and fauna and minerals, needs to flourish.
3. Think about ways to
marry up 1 and 2, so you are meeting your needs, as well as the land's needs, in a wholesome pattern.
To discuss your own region's characteristics and needs, check out the regional forums. Here's one for the midwest:
https://permies.com/f/31/midwest-usa
As far as plants go, and pairing things up, you mention comfrey; and comfrey is a great ecological "dance partner"!
With the soil: It digs roots down and pulls up nutrientsWith insects: It gives a hiding place for bugs to restWith fruit trees: Its leaves can be chopped and dropped nearby to "feed" to the tree's soil, without being too greedy and sprawling aboutWith animals: The leaves can be fed as forage to helpful crittersWith you: It can help as a medicinal poultice if you get injured working on your land, Lord forbid it!
There are numerous methods of design we could talk about, but basically, stability happens when the output or yields of one element or system, are the inputs and needs of another. Permaculture design is super fun!
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