The Permaculture Orchard : Beyond Organic is an upcoming full-length educational film that will teach you how to set up your own permaculture orchard at any scale. We recognize the limitations of the organic model as a substitute to conventional fruit growing, and want to propose a more holistic, regenerative approach based on permaculture principles. Based on 20 years of applied theory and trial and error, biologist and educator Stefan Sobkowiak will share his experience transforming a conventional apple orchard into an abundance of biodiversity that virtually takes care of itself. The concepts, techniques and tips presented in this film will help you with your own project, whether it is just a few fruit trees in your urban backyard, or a full-scale multi-acre commercial orchard.

We just launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise the funds that will allow us to complete and distribute the film. This is not only a pre-sale, where our backers will be the first to receive the film when it's released in May/June 2014, but also a way to get the concepts and principles known to as many people as possible.

Please share with your networks, and thanks in advance for your support!

If you want to learn more about Miracle Farms, the orchard where this film was shot and which served as an inspiration for the project, you can watch this 9-minute video shot in September :

Cool videos, what aspects will be covered in the movie? How to start the plants, what guilds, the waterscape?

Some of the topics we'll cover include (in no specific order) :

- creating habitat for birds / pollinators
- natural pest control techniques
- the trio system / plant combinations
- the shrub + herbaceous layers
- seed planting of annuals
- planting fruit trees / drainage considerations
- tree training vs. pruning
- grafting / overgrafting
- starting your own trees vs. buying trees
- mulch options with a focus on plastic mulch and why/how
- drip irrigation
- the importance of cultivar selection
- the grocery aisle concept
- spraying / fungi control
- tree protection
- frost protection

I have just been told ..... if $4000 or more is raised through




this link




Then the movie will list me as "Supreme Executive Producer with Bacon, Cheese and Sparkles"! Oh, how I want that title. Please support this project through this link!

Full-length documentary. Is that 60 minutes, 90 minutes? There is so much to cover just in listening to his video. Can he really cover it all? I WANT all of that knowledge!!

I LOVE his attitude about insects and birds. Love it. I want the abundance that he's talking about!

Good stuff! I'm in for the $25 CAD digital download. Thanks!!!

paul wheaton wrote: […] Then the movie will list me as "Supreme Executive Producer with Bacon, Cheese and Sparkles"! Oh, how I want that title. Please support this project through this link!

Okay, I'll indulge you in that title - donated .

Backed! Hope it makes it, I really enjoyed watching the video, a movie would be like a massive bowl of ice cream

I believe this video clip, and better yet, a full-length documentary may be pivotal in convincing my family to move our commercial operation in a polyculture/permaculture direction. A most worthy of causes! There's nothing like solid evidence to make a case. Please support this thing errbody!

Wonderful!! So worthy of support. This is very inspiring and completely speaks to the vision I have for my piece of disturbed land.
Since ancient times in the Middle East, an orchard was simply a bunch of native trees growing together: fig, pomegranate and olive, with vining grapes. I have seen and been inspired by such 'orchards' growing in the wild.

I'm in. Thanks!

I found the video through your posting and liked them on Facebook so receved the notice of Kickstarter and was the first contributor with $75 for video and book. So if Olivier will understand how much I want the title of "Supreme Executive Producer with Bacon, Cheese and Sparkles" to go to Paul and will see what he can do to help Paul get his SEP with BCS clusters by adding my pledge value.... I would appreciate it.

Funny how Kickstarter would not let me change my default CDN address for shipping in my profile to a US one for the Permie Cards and now it wanted to add $5 for this project as it has switched my default address to the US... sigh... it will all work out. I resent being put into default boxes. I know my issue, I will roll with it.

ahhh, who can resist such a heartfelt plea for a truly fabulous title! I'm in.

I've been sharing your previous thread with the preview clip, to great reviews - I'll update my link to include the kickstarter - via the big THIS LINK above, of course.

looks like you'll need to think up some more funding prizes Olivier, you're almost halfway to funded with 28 days to go - awesome! let's make it happen.

An awesome teaser video.
I pledged!

I'm in! It is so refreshing to see a positive approach to the challenges facing agriculture right now. I'm also very excited to learn more about what he's done. I've read many other great things about permaculture, but not for this climate. Hats off to these guys for an inspired project!!!

There are a lot of others using polyculture methods in the orchard setting already- Michael Phillips who wrote "The Holistic Orchard" (which is an AWESOME book) just came out with a 5 hour long DVD!! His website is groworganicapples.com. I have not seen the DVD yet, but just from reading the book I am sure it will be awesome. Also, there are a few hour + videos of him giving some weekend talks on youtube- if you search for Michael Phillips they are on the DAcres of New Hampshire channel. I have watched every single one (because I am obsessed haha) and they are all very informative and encouraging for the beginning fruit grower. Also, the new Fedco trees catalog has an entire section on companion plants for the orchard, attracting native pollinators, etc.(catalog is free btw- just request it on their website!!) These are just some examples of awesome resources that are already out which (I think) include a lot of permaculture principles already in case you guys want to learn more right away! But that is awesome that Stefan is coming out with a video! The more people that share that it IS possible to grow fruit without toxic chemicals, the better!!

I backed the film. Can't wait to see it!

And backed!

And backed, again!

I love that he starts by acknowledging the problems with "organic," that it just equals conventional ag with a few fewer toxins and therefore retains all of the inherent problems and limitations associated with monoculture. People need to understand that. They need to realize that "organic" does not get us to sustainability.

I also love that his own example is one of adapted permaculture. Which is to say that he started with a conventional orchard and converted it bit by bit until it functions as a food forest, even if it still exhibits straight rows and such. Is it a slight compromise compared to the ideal method for structuring and establishing a food forest? No doubt, but I like it all the more for that reason because it makes it that much easier for conventional growers to envision what is possible with their own existing orchards. Besides, there are already good examples of doing it the other way, such as Geoff Lawton's excellent videos.

BackEd.

Though I lack the funds to donate, please know that my love for mother earth is generating, right now, at Light speed across the Universe to see this through.
What could be more perfect than such a garden of pure natural abundance? How about a thousand or more such orchards.
Here's 100% of my positive energy in the grid towards success with this. On all levels.

Donated, I'm in. Bacon is yummy...

Backed - can't wait for the DVD!

I like how Stefan Sobkowiak explains things. He's almost as charismatic as someone else I know.

Backed it!

Backed! Loved the 9 minutes. Cant wait for the rest.. Enjoy your sparkles

Backed. I am in like Flynn (whoever that Flynn guy is)

There, some Swedish backing added

Johan

Done! Awesome project!

I'm in.

Those are the types of trees I want to grow too!

I got word that as of this morning, I am now the official "Supreme Executive Producer with Bacon, Cheese and Sparkles" !!

And, it looks like the kickstarter is almost funded!

So very excellent!

Looks great. Done!

I backed it last night. Thanks for presenting this to us, Paul.

I got word that as of this morning, I am now the official "Supreme Executive Producer with Bacon, Cheese and Sparkles" !!

For the last $3k ish finish to the project funding, any overage to the $4k the link garners, should get you the "Suprême producteur exécutif avec bacon, du fromage et Sprinkles" on the French version, IMO.

After all your mission is devious plots of "world" domination ....

Oh the French equivalent comes automatically along with the English title, don't worry!

Is is sprinkles or sparkles though.... ?

Is is sprinkles or sparkles though.... ?

I cheated as could not think what sparkles in French was...I switched to Latin in Grade 13 so clearly missed " the sparkle's" year. I looked it up and "étincelles" rings no bells with me and I am usually good with vocab. My closest "shopping" island is a French territory so will practice "étincelles" on my produce guy, though his name is not Guy. What fruit sparkles? Hmmm a fish yes but a fruit or veg??

Brian Henry wrote:What fruit sparkles?

How about this one - Pollia condensata

I would be interested to know a little more about marketing changes due to the extreme variance of product and the obvious limitations regarding amount of harvest of any one product as compared to a mono-culture or near mono-culture. This sounds very exciting, but the economic viability has to come into play or it isn't sustainable in my opinion. I'm certainly not advocating profits over stewardship but the economics have to be there as well.

Olivier, thank you both for doing this, I am really REALLY REEEEEEEEEAAAALLY looking forward to the release of the video!

Any prediction as to when it might be available? Hopefully before Christmas?


Thanks again, I have a feeling I will be watching it over and over, just like I've been watching the clip over and over!

Awesome! I donated and hope to see this project succeed!