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Questions for Willie Smits

paul wheaton

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Location: missoula, montana (zone 4)

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posted 9 years ago

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I'm not sure how long he will be here or if we will have time to record a podcast, but it is possible.

So if the opportunity presents itself, anybody have any questions for him?

My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!

duane hennon

gardener

Posts: 842

Location: western pennsylvania zone 5/a

posted 9 years ago

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hi Paul,

I don't have a specific question
but would like him to discuss his "rainforest"
and his current views on "getting things done"

Q Kealoha

Posts: 5

posted 9 years ago

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I live in Hawaii in a zone 12b, on the eastern side of the island of Oahu.

- soil sucks here; pure adobe with top soil nonexistent due to severe run off and lock of organic material. currently attempting a back to Eden Garden approach. your recommendations for best way to build the soil?

- so far, 6 cover crops have failed ( white and red clover, sweet clover, buckwheat, cow peas) likely due to soil conditions and intense Sun during the summer and sometimes spring months. will be attempting to use Sun hemp. your recommendation for a hardy tropical brown cover/biomass accumulator?

- currently using a model similar to yours to rebuild the forest using breadfruit trees. Forest in my area is dominated by leucaena leucocephala, and currently cutting and dropping this material as tree slash to help build the soil and water soluble aggregates. plan is to attempt to build a sustainable food forest that the ancient hawaiians had on several islands using the breadfruit tree. Given soil conditions, heat and limited rainfall during late spring and summer months, do you think it is a good approach to try and rebuild a forest like this or would it be better to incorporate various other crops, and if so which trees and that life do you recommend for this area?

- finally, when are you and Paul coming to Hawaii to do a seminar?

Thanks Paul and Willie.

bob day

pollinator

Posts: 812

Location: Central Virginia USA

posted 9 years ago

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This is about the rainforest/ orangutan sanctuary, and it's current status. Just generally how close it is to becoming self sustaining
And if you have any other projects going on at this time

Diego Footer

Posts: 183

Location: San Diego, CA

posted 9 years ago

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Here is one of Willie's talks from PV1.
I will open this up for the weekend in case people want to get a better pulse on what sort of epicness Willie is up to.
Enjoy...

Hundreds of shows to listen to here on The Permaculture Voices Podcast Page

Jackie Neufeld

Posts: 23

posted 9 years ago

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Hi Paul and Willie.

My husband and I are skyping someone in the Phillipines who's garden gets flooded by monsoon rains right now. He's wanting to make a raised bed with cement blocks. These cinder blocks are expensive for them. The land is flat where they live. Do you have any suggestions?

They have been quite active in helping rebuild homes and providing food for people impacted by the typhoon. I'd love to be able to offer them something as they will pass on what they learn to other villages.

So far this is the best I have found. Just started looking yesterday. http://treeyopermacultureedu.wordpress.com/chapter-10-the-humid-tropics/

Jackie.

paul wheaton

author and steward

Posts: 50662

Location: missoula, montana (zone 4)

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We will record a podcast tonight.

My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!

Aaron Neville

pollinator

Posts: 436

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posted 9 years ago

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I'd be interested in knowing what can be done to really push his work forward, and what opportunities exist for people to get involved, either on-site or remotely.

Check out my newest project at http://www.stadtfarm.com http://www.twitter.com/stadtfarms or https://www.facebook.com/StadtFarm/

Burra Maluca

out to pasture

Posts: 12321

Location: Portugal

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posted 9 years ago

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If ever I had a hero, it was Wil Smits (sorry Paul...). What he has done is truly inspirational.

On the Wheaton Eco Scale, I put him all the way up to eleven.

I'd like to know his thoughts on what the rest of us could be doing. What problems does he see in other parts of the world that we could address using permaculture principles? Where are we slacking? What does he dream that he could inspire by making this podcast?

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Grant Shadden

Posts: 5

Location: Hamilton, MT and Uganda

posted 9 years ago

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First heard of Willie Smits from Paul's permaculture playing cards, and was impressed by the facts on the card. Then, I was truly inspired by the presentations Willie Smits gave at PV1 last March. There, he spoke of the relatively replicable nature of the sugar palm silviculture system to other regions, as well as the potential of being able to ship Masarang's Village Hub energy factories elsewhere. I do PDC teaching in Africa, mainly Uganda thus far, and would be interested to know the cost of such a Village Hub system, as well as the estimated payoff period if the system is fully utilized. Also, where is a good seed source for the sugar palm tree Masarang is using (Arenga Pinnata, I think)? Does Masarang sell the seeds internationally?

Thanks Willie Smits for all you do! You too Paul and Jocelyn!

bob day

pollinator

Posts: 812

Location: Central Virginia USA

posted 9 years ago

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seems the video answered my questions pretty well

how about a different question on any ideas he might have for a solution to fracking and pipelines

Paul Miller

Posts: 14

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posted 9 years ago

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Hi Paul & Willie.
I know Bill Mollison was very involved with wildfire planning and action in Australia where the fire frequency is very high. We are experiencing the 'King fire', the worst wildfire in the 40 years I have lived in the Sierra foothills. Fire Safe clearing is credited with saving numerous homes.

Having lost two homes to fire in other areas, I know the awful feeling people are going through. I would appreciate learning what can be done to reduce the chance of catastrophic wildfire and limit the damage. I am pretty sure there are folks around me that feel the same way. What can you teach us and how do we organize to spread the teaching?

I am inspired by both you guys!

Jocelyn Campbell

steward

Posts: 6586

Location: Everett, WA (Western Washington State / Cascadia / Pacific NW)

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posted 9 years ago

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The podcast was recorded last night! I'm not sure when it will be released, but just thought I'd let you all know.

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Dominik Riva

Posts: 65

Location: Haut-Rhin, France

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posted 9 years ago

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I would like to know more about the use of GIS in Permaculture.

How to get started and what programs to use?
Are there other useful strategies for Permaculture besides the mentioned mapping of possible habitat for species and places of likely high production?

Carolyn Redmond

Posts: 11

Location: Northern Nevada zone 5b

posted 9 years ago

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I've never even heard of Willie Smits! However, I would like to watch the video posted above but it says I need a password. Is there one floating around that I can enter to watch this video please?

Burra Maluca

out to pasture

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Location: Portugal

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Carolyn Redmond wrote:I've never even heard of Willie Smits! However, I would like to watch the video posted above but it says I need a password. Is there one floating around that I can enter to watch this video please?

The video above was only made available to the public for the weekend, which is now over.

I've posted his TED talk below.

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Carolyn Redmond

Posts: 11

Location: Northern Nevada zone 5b

posted 9 years ago

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Burra Maluca wrote:

Carolyn Redmond wrote:I've never even heard of Willie Smits! However, I would like to watch the video posted above but it says I need a password. Is there one floating around that I can enter to watch this video please?

The video above was only made available to the public for the weekend, which is now over.

I've posted his TED talk below.

Thank you.

Joshua Myrvaagnes

pollinator

Posts: 2175

Location: Massachusetts, 5a, flat 4 acres; 40" year-round fairly even

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posted 9 years ago

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Hey, how is this project going? any updates?
how are the chop and drops working?
the thought that occurs to me is to hugel like crazy, make texture for your land, berm it and swale on contour and make SHADE, especially get cover crops going on the eastern side of a slope. What pioneers are growing?? what is surviving? also, stones for moderating? get them into geo-cooling? if you are growing something like buckwheat you'll want a bit of moderation of temperature. The soil may not be great but at least you can give it a chance on other fronts--temperature and moisture.

ALSO, geoff lawton has a new vid on his site of a food forest in hawaii made about 30 years ago, and homeharvest.biz is putting in osme permaculture setups in hawaii right at this minute, you might compare notes with them, maybe they've spotted something you didn't see and it can supplement what you've observed.

Be great to have an update, successes or blocks, it's always informative! thanks good luck and happy new year!

Q Kealoha wrote:I live in Hawaii in a zone 12b, on the eastern side of the island of Oahu.

- soil sucks here; pure adobe with top soil nonexistent due to severe run off and lock of organic material. currently attempting a back to Eden Garden approach. your recommendations for best way to build the soil?

- so far, 6 cover crops have failed ( white and red clover, sweet clover, buckwheat, cow peas) likely due to soil conditions and intense Sun during the summer and sometimes spring months. will be attempting to use Sun hemp. your recommendation for a hardy tropical brown cover/biomass accumulator?

- currently using a model similar to yours to rebuild the forest using breadfruit trees. Forest in my area is dominated by leucaena leucocephala, and currently cutting and dropping this material as tree slash to help build the soil and water soluble aggregates. plan is to attempt to build a sustainable food forest that the ancient hawaiians had on several islands using the breadfruit tree. Given soil conditions, heat and limited rainfall during late spring and summer months, do you think it is a good approach to try and rebuild a forest like this or would it be better to incorporate various other crops, and if so which trees and that life do you recommend for this area?

- finally, when are you and Paul coming to Hawaii to do a seminar?

Thanks Paul and Willie.

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Joshua Myrvaagnes

pollinator

Posts: 2175

Location: Massachusetts, 5a, flat 4 acres; 40" year-round fairly even

297

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posted 9 years ago

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Hahahaha! Willie Smits goes to 11! now I definitely need to check out his stuff.

Burra Maluca wrote:If ever I had a hero, it was Wil Smits (sorry Paul...). What he has done is truly inspirational.

On the Wheaton Eco Scale, I put him all the way up to eleven.

I'd like to know his thoughts on what the rest of us could be doing. What problems does he see in other parts of the world that we could address using permaculture principles? Where are we slacking? What does he dream that he could inspire by making this podcast?

Community Building 2.0: ask me about drL, the rotational-mob-grazing format for human interactions.

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