charlie durrant

Nice! Thanks so much Sam. I have downloaded the handbook but got myself side tracked. I'll get to it!

After the crazy drought this summer, I'm feeling even more confident in this style. Especially when the ponds can be used to flood the swale bellow once or twice through the growing season.

Sam, Did you have any more progress looking for some land?

Also do any of you happen to know about places where natural building is permitted - "Pockets of freedom"

My partner and I are trying to establish some roots, and currently have much of BC we could choose from and so are trying to find the place that would most suit us. If we can be somewhere with relaxed building laws it would be incredible!

Thanks for your replies! And Sam I'll definitely be looking out for that book also! With all these droughts I real feel like it's a good time to be getting to work doing it.

Regards no key line ploughs around, as always the problem is possibly the solution. It's fair to say that If a farmer was to purchase a subsoiler or key line plough, they'd be sought after and could probably make it pay for it's self by renting it out..?

As regards to the other trees, I've added the pine nuts to my list of trees to plant on swale berms along with monkey puzzle.

Interestingly enough I heard that the bands that lived here before european arrival (especially coastal) were able to have sophisticated and advanced culture, unlike any other place in the world (without agriculture), due to the natural abundance. Perhaps the best system for here would be to ban traditional forestry practices, pollution, commercial fishing and then selectively and regeneratively wild harvest and develop low energy processing techniques for wild food...

It's hard to convey a sense of awe but also sarcasm to my own pondering in text, but hope its comes across.

Realistically we have a bunch of useful families to play with.

The more I read, the more I am of the opinion that restoration agriculture very similar to Mark's system would be a very rational direction to go to replace mono crop agriculture in this region.

Here are some other resources I found useful.

http://ibis.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/eflora/E-FloraTreesofBritishColumbia.html

http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=65174

Thanks again everyone for you interest, please do keep sharing.

Thanks for the reply Sam!

I suppose my real concern then is simply a matter of fine tuning the size of swales and ponds (or as mark Shepard makes them, holes in the ground), as well as how to properly manage overspills areas so that crops aren't washed out when rains return in a flood event.

I'm located on the sunshine coast and there are genuine food security concerns here, as everything comes in on the ferry. I love it here for so many reasons. I'm a long ways off achieving my dream land, but sense that it'll all fall into place when I'm ready for it.

My questions also stem to Abbotsford as I've been asked to do a scope design of a permaculture system for an 8 acre property there. They are very interested in permaculture, but don't know too much about practical application possibilities. The research continues and I'll share when the report is finished.

Thanks for sharing your key line resources I'll get to them now.

Where are you based?

I know that style is designed where oak Savannah naturally exists, but how about doing something similar in coastal BC/ PNW? It seems to me it would be a big step in the right direction, perhaps only needing a few minor tweaks.

I recognise that the main difference is that we have a lot of rains in winter when there would be no leaves on the trees and not so much in summer in the main growth season. I'm trying to get my head around whether Swales and key line design is still a good idea. My intuition tells me that is is still a good idea, the whole system, but perhaps it would involve designing swale and pond systems with large spillways and erosion control in the swale for the heavy winter rains, but to have them ready to hold water in the spring when it;d be needed as a reserve.

Please share you thoughts.

I'm helping an agrologist design the permaculture scenario of an 8 Acre Plot near Abbotsford, and at the same time building my dream farm for the future.

1. Is this system logical for this climate?

2. Are swales and key line design logical for this climate? 2.b would i make altercations knowing that there are minimal rains in summer, yet an over abundance in winter?

3. How about any Conifers to throw in the mix, pine nuts?

4. Please share any ideas and links I may find useful.

Thanks for your time.

Here is Mark Shepard's talk on restoration Agriculture.

And can begin April.

TainoFarm.com (please take a good look at the site and e-mail me if interested)

tainofarm@gamil.com

We are looking for a 6month minimum commitment (hopefully a year+) for a Permaculturist to coordinate the happenings of the farm. They would be working with me the Project Manager (also teacher and main designer) and coordinating the volunteer/interns.

Local wages, weekends off, incredible opportunity, lots of freedom to get creative. We'll also be running an 8week PDC internship this fall which they would assist with.

Please spread the word.

See charliedurrant.com also.

Hey, I'm going be there mid May, if you could hold on to a couple it would be awesome

you still have any?

Lets just say you have the vast majority of your permaculture experience is from another planet (the tropics) but you will be spending a great deal of your future, especially the main growing season (May-Oct) An hour North west of Missoula in the 9 mile Valley. Where does one start? I'm all over Paul's Podcasts, but are there any projects with informative websites, essential videos to see?

Where I am, (Domincan Republic) It's al about food forests, staples coming from tree crops and perennial ground covers and tubas and aquaculture, bananas, squashes, multiple layers and non stop harvests etc. I know It's not going to be the same in Western Montana. I'm not a complete novice to the temperate climate (I grew up in the UK) but can somebody point me in the direction of some straightforward and digestible resources.

Also.

What are your favourite staple food crops?

If you were to have system mainly without animals, what are some essential plants or other things I should know about?

Is the growing season really only 90 days?

If you could visit 3 permaculture sites this summer, where would you go?

Thanks in advance for anyone that can help. Your time and info will go to good use, I'll make sure of that.

Gracias.