Hi, i haven't seen a forum marked beginners etc. so I'm using this one.
I want to start from somewhere. I've read that permaculture teaches you start by just observing. I hope to start a land observation journal and would appreciate any advice for doing that.
We haven't done much with the place we're in because we've had this plan to leave. (The plan hasn't gone well.) Since we've been here this long I think we should try to take some baby steps.
We rent land south of Santa Cruz CA (zone 9b?) (about 36.91 -121.76) There is almost an acre. We have dogs. There were goats grazing here previously. It's level and grows plenty of grass (and foxtails). My wife has planted a few things that the soil was too hard for or that got eaten by something.
Mint creeps up out of the concrete patio. There's a lot of either mallow or amaranth. There's a blackberry bush in the southeast corner.
An ex-apple tree at the south wall.
At the east wall are plum trees and a black walnut tree.
Theres a compost pile in the NE corner.
Let me know if you can suggest anything to start observing--Sunrise, sunset, wind, shade, plants, birds, rodents ...
Thanks for anything