Permaculture

What is Permaculture?

Permaculture seeks the Garden of Eden - and  why not?  Bill Mollison

Permaculture is one of those words that either send people into a ??? state or they smile and say ‘that’s gardening’.   Thems as knows have a far deeper definition. Gardening is part of permaculture but it is only one small piece of the holistic multi-dimensional  jigsaw.

Permacultureis a word coined in the late 70’s by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren.   There are many definitions by many knowledgeable permaculture experts.   Here are a few of them.

“Permaculture is about designing sustainable human settlements through ecology and design.  It si a philosophy and an approach toland which weaves together microclimates, annual and perennial plants, animals, soils, water management and human neds into intricately connected productive communities’  Bill Mollision and Reny Mia Slay in Introduction to Permaculture.

Consciously designed landscapes which mimic patterns and designs found in nature while yielding an abundance of food, fibre and energy for provision of local needs. David Holmgren  Holmgren has a mission to solve the challenges provided by peak oil descent through permaculture design

Permaculture is … working with nature rather than against nature .. protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at systems in all their functions rather than asking onlyone yield of thej’ and of allowing systems to demonstrate their own evolutions’  Bill Mollison

 Permaculture is the conscious design and maintenance of agriculturally productive systems which have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems. It is the harmonious integration of the landscape with people providing their food, energy, shelter and other material and non-material needs in a sustainable way.  Graham Bell, The Permaculture Way

“Permaculture is the science of applied ecological design“. Rosemary Morrow author of  ‘Earth-Users Guide to Permaculture

 “Permaculture is an ecological design system for the creation of regenerative human habitats”  Chuck Marsh- our permaculture teacher who trained with the founder Bill Mollison and has 35 years of gardening and permaculture experience www.usefulplants.org

Permaculture is the umbrella for all my spiritual beliefs  Patricia Allision- one of our teachers on the 2010 Permaculture Design Course at Koinonia Farm

 Permaculture is the use of ecology as the basis for designing integrated systems of food production, housing appropriate technology and community development. It offers a practical, creative approach to the problems of diminishing resources and threatened life support systems now facing the world.  Simon Henderson, Cortez IS, BC

Permaculture is a holistic approach to landscape design and human culture. It is an attempt to integrate several disciplines, including biology, ecology, geography, agriculture, architecture, appropriate technology, gardening and community building.  Guy Baldwin, Cortez Is, BC

  
Permaculture integrates people into Nature’s design. A permaculture design provides us with shelter, food, water, income, community and aesthetic and spiritual fulfillment within a balanced and healthy biological community.

Permaculture is Applied Science and Ecology; Ethical design of human systems for a sustainable future. It offers practical solutions to the global environmental and cultural crises we now face.

Permaculture (Permanent Culture) is the conscious design and co-creative evolution of agriculturally productive ecosystems and cooperative and economically just social systems which have the diversity, stability and resilience of ‘natural’ systems. It is the harmonious integration of landscape and people providing their food, energy, shelter and other material and non-material needs in a sustainable way. The practice and development of liberating mental, emotional and spiritual ways of being. It seeks to provide a sustainable and secure place for living things on this earth. Dan Hemenway

Permaculture is a way of living, a guiding philosophy to build harmonious relationships with all life.  Mateo Ryall one of our assistant teachers on the PDC

Permaculture is about ‘designing the way home’ Penryn Craig  another of our assistant teachers

Our definition of Permaculture is ‘a life design system that will enable us to return to earth, live harmoniously with all life and seed a self-sustaining, regenerative future for future generations

Our particular interest is the use of Permaculture to create Food Forest Gardens everywhere, in tiny urban pation plots, disused lots, community areas, suburban gardens and on tracts of rural agriculture land. 

Our aim is to inspire people to start growing food now for themselves, their families, friends and loved ones and to set up a system for the future that will provide abundant plentiful nutritious food supplies with lots of excess for those who have not.