Linda Sefcik

Rented house
Small patch for basic gardening
No good seeds to plant
Limited budget

Buy organic veggies and use those seeds?
Can you just scrape a cucumber, tomato, etc and plant?
Any ideas for a low budget gardener?

(see drawing below)

Ha -- this was fun
I'm new to permaculture, but I liked a challenge. Here's my two cents.

The terraces weave at a slow slope, slowly downward, alternating directions
to slow rainfall but not to catch all of it
Hazel nut and chestnut are good animal food; hazel bushes at all open fenced areas
the hazel branches can be woven to each other into a deer fence,
or coppiced, using the sticks to attach to your fence at intervals to add height
half of the hazel would be on the other side of the fence for their winter food
The rose arbor over the driveway entrace would discourage jumping over your gate
The thorned berries would discourage deer on the other fence, yet give half for food
The grape arbor would shade an outdoor patio/work area (leaves and fruit for food)
The monk fruit would be a shade for a porch swing (best sweetener instead of sugar)
The mimosa and fruit trees would catch the southern breeze to your house for fragrance
Pecans are easily edible nuts to store for your own winter nutrition
Cherries -- juiced then dried
Sugar cane / bamboo / onions / willows in a wet area
Pine trees for fuel and other purposes (no evergreens)
Cottonwood for late afternoon shade
Other fruit trees provide shade for your animals

As for raccoons and other foraging animals -- maybe a big dog ??
Well, it was a good exercise for me, and was fun.
Good luck with your new farm.

This is from some notes I made:

Hazel nut bushes/trees
-- one of america's original species everywhere
-- lifespan is 1600 years
-- can be a staple crop; protein, oil, 3 times oil of soybeans; protein = animal feed = same as soy
shell is 50% of yearly yield, burns hotter than coal
branches , coppice, wood pruning yearly

Chestnut tree --
-- one of americas prolific original species
-- lifespan is 4000 at least -- produces nuts every year
-- seed turns bitter as soon as it sprouts, critters won't eat
-- nuts will rot if left on the ground
-- qualifies as a staple crop; high carb, low oil, low protein
-- not a true nut; no allergic qualities; corn that grows on trees;
doesn't have a hard shell, but rather a leathery shell you peel off
-- zone 5-6, use the chinese chestnut

OK. So I did a bit of research into this subject. I think these links should help.
Basically, any wikipedia listing must remain NEUTRAL. It must only state facts.
Second -- any photograph must be public domain or registered as permitted to be published.

The standard form that a wikipedia article takes is --
the first thing you read is WHY this person is notable. References to organizations, etc. relationships... that stuff.
Then if the person is of historical interest -- it continues by telling life facts, where born, etc.
Once an article is published on wikipedia it can be edited and added to.
As I clicked through the links to the "discussion on this topic" it looks like this is a difficult area
for staff at wikipedia.

Remember: "anyone can edit" which makes anyone an editor
My guess is that public personalities have their agent do these things, and thus the sourcing is
already edited, legal, and acceptable to the person.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:An_article_about_yourself_is_nothing_to_be_proud_of

Two pages concerning the same subject (go figure -- )
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Biographies_of_living_persons
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Biographies_of_living_people
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Biographies_of_living_people#Dealing_with_articles_about_yourself

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research

"Despite the need to attribute content to reliable sources, you must not plagiarize them or violate their copyrights.
Articles should be written in your own words while substantially retaining the meaning of the source material"

"Because of copyright laws in a number of countries, there are relatively few images available for use on Wikipedia.
Editors are therefore encouraged to upload their own images, releasing them under the GFDL, CC-BY-SA, or other free
licenses"

Is it just me -- ? who needs a dictionary ?

I keep stumbling over terms used by teachers in videos etc --
either I have NO IDEA of what the term is -- never heard the word before -- (terra pr.. something... )
or have heard the word or term and it turns out that it means something totally different
when used in permaculture.

For instance: I watched an hour long presentation about BIO-CHAR --
thinking bio-char was charred animal bones.
Maybe it was just coincidence that the day before I had done research on sugar sources --
and discovered that sugar cane and beets go through a bio-char process to make them turn white
and vegans have objections to the use of animal products. It gets confusing.

FYI -- Monk fruit, and brassein are wonderful substitutes for sugar.
http://www.sugar-and-sweetener-guide.com/natural-sweetener-list.html

What the heck is a kickstarter???

The subject of Paul Wheaton having a Wikipedia page has definitely crossed my mind.
And --
ALL permaculture leaders/teachers who are building a public presence, need to do this.
Having a wikipedia listing -- is like having a business card.
It establishes a person's credentials, provides a photo, lists accomplishments.
This is not a vain thing to do... it is a protection... and is necessary when a person
is functioning in a public sphere.

I'm not personally sure about the wikipedia guidelines -- but an entry BY THE PERSON being bio'd
would hold much more weight than an unknown person sending an entry.
It would simplify the editing process if the leaders/teachers/certified instructors
created their own pages.
Yes, wikipedia does double-check their entries.

People new to the subject of permaculture will need to know these people's standing in the
community -- if these speakers are trusted, sought out for advice, and etc.

I came across this video -- just sharing --

This garden was built mainly from wood chips.
The method used to break them down and build the soil
was with azomite rock dust and mushroom spores and white cap mushrooms

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEkFFRjDkvs

The caution always is... to get wood chips from clean, unsprayed wood
and to use the chips as mulch rather than mixing into the soil.
She also talking about how minerals revived her old apple tree.

I rarely turn on my little tv.
Usually it is to watch coverage of severe weather.
I think it is adbusters.com that discourages tv --
because of the advertising / emotional and mental control
and because of the electronic waves, that emit at a rate which causes
something in your eyes and mind -- hypnotic or something

A lot of what is on tv is now available on the internet.
The difference is, you watch it in your own time.
And then... I discovered -- audio books
https://catalog.librivox.org/
and found that I could have the best of both worlds.
I could listen to great literature, and do other things, too.
Instead of music in the background... I listen to audio books.
Here are some of my favorites:
http://archive.org/details/loss_titanic_1107_librivox
http://archive.org/details/sinking_of_the_titanic_librivox
http://archive.org/details/little_women_0711_librivox
http://archive.org/details/hunchback_notre_dame_mn_libriox
http://archive.org/details/frankenstein_1210_librivox
http://archive.org/details/call_of_the_wild
http://archive.org/details/white_fang_librivox
http://archive.org/details/burning_daylight_1211_librivox
http://archive.org/details/people_of_abyss_pw_librivox
http://archive.org/details/moby_dick_librivox
http://archive.org/details/huck_finn_librivox
http://archive.org/details/slavery_times_1102_librivox
http://archive.org/details/bethink_yourselves_db_librivox

Here is a playlist called "Green - Alternative Vehicles"

some are pretty neat.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC94905347C351951

Well, as far as being a "bad boy" of permaculture --
I would say that you are more... a freedom-loving individualistic man.

As I have read these forums and listened to your podcasts, I've found
that I very much appreciate your individualistic bent. Being somewhat
individualistic myself... I have felt the pressure at times (not necessarily
meaning in permaculture) to "be" part of something that really doesn't
fit me. For that reason... I join no clubs... I attend no church...
I subscribe to no philosophy... and I consider that life evolves...
and as I learn, I, too, will evolve. "Belonging" to some "group" restricts
my ability to do that. I resent anyone attempting to compel me otherwise.
I don't need dance to associate with other people. I don't need therapy.

I'm only up to podcast #85 - "Greed" -- (starting from #41)
and am not sure how this subject evolved that inspired that podcast
(I'm not sure what date the podcast was posted) --
but I've seen this issue coming up ... the third ethic stuff.
I will dismiss for the moment that the possibility exists that "detractors" of
"your greed" might well be detractors of anything permaculture. It wouldn't
be the first time I heard of people trying to break up a group. YOU are
possibly the door through which the mainstream will discover permaculture.
I believe as you do, that you should be able to thrive through your own hard work.

So, I will keep it simple... the question being... what is a permaculture ethic?
Where will this holistic system of living... this permaculture... evolve?
Is it headed towards a type of communism or socialism? I hope not.
But capitalism?? where money is the be all and end all of life itself?
Permaculture can give us better answers... whatever the name of it might be.

Permaculture... includes us humans... finding a home.
I believe that the natural state of a human being is dignity. When people
act contrary to this... they are really an abberation... and are suffering.
There is disaster and destruction everywhere in the present system...
including among us humans. When you hear something wailing... you want
to resolve that wailing. You want to find answers for them.
We won't be finding answers in the system that has caused that suffering.

So... what to do?
The answer is not by causing ourselves suffering, loss, or degradation...
the answer is finding those solutions that resolve everyone's needs.
For instance... you need to find a reward in the work you do.
One solution might be to sell ad space... newspaper style... per ad...
rather than per click, etc. Rather than using the tracking ad system.
I think the internet went wrong with these per click systems.

That way... people pay for something they want, at a rate they can
afford, and know ahead of time what it will cost them. Each forum category
could have one or two columns of ads. At even $10. a month per spot--
the revenue would add up. When I designed my own website, I considered
how time-consuming this would be, and thought the only way to ease the work
load would be to sell ads in three month increments. And the advertiser would
be in charge of renewing the ad during the first week of the third month. Those
who pay for a year of an ad, get double space or two ads.
My point is... there are answers that can resolve multiple problems.

As for people who want to get into permaculture or want to start a farm...
who want to break out of the losing system and rebuild their lives...
we should all brainstorm a way to do that... without it costing YOU or
anyone else for them to do that. There are ways... the challenge is getting
the know-how and the where-for -- so that they can do that.

I happen to think... moving to a dying little farm town could be the answer.
If enough people did this, they would be able to set the municipal codes...
they could share a house without restrictions... and begin making their own
codes. It just takes people organizing... and doing it.

In the end... it's not the making of money that is the problem...
it is the rebuilding of social systems that people can survive in... and THRIVE.
It is the solving of people problems... as part of the holistic dream...
just like we would resolve a water problem or a wind problem.
There's room enough for everyone. We can all find our niche.
At least... that is MY hope.

Good luck to you.