Permaculture

Dead hedge, the brushwood will dry and rot down offering a
fantastic habitat for the wildlife and some kindling for the fire.

I've always been interested in permaculture though I have no idea of where I first heard of it. Growing up in the vicinity of Glastonbury probably meant that I could have picked up on the idea from anywhere! I've read a few books over the years and also enjoy a subscription to Permaculture Magazine (I love this magazine, you never quite know what the articles are going to be about, they cover a wide range of different subjects).

I've always fancied going on a permaculture design course but this just isn't in my budget at the moment. I did treat myself to 'The Earth Care Manual' by Patrick Whitefield a few years ago,

It contains all the information that I wish we had time for on the 72-hour Design Course,” says Patrick. “While the courses give you the experience of permaculture, the book gives you the details you need to put it into action.”

I have found this to be a very useful manual but, like most text books attempting to cover everything, it tends to not go into a great deal of depth and I would love to see more real life examples. It's still well worth it's price and it does provide you with a stepping off point for finding further information.

Wanting more on permaculture I explored various youtube videos and found that Darius Namdaran had recorded some of his lectures from a course that he attended that had been run by Patrick Whitefield (author of the above book). I also found some good ones by Aranya but unfortunately have lost the links, thankfully a quick search on youtube brings up a whole load more to explore.

I've recently stumbled across a free permaculture design course shared by the Regenerative Leadership Institute. I'm going to slowly work my way through it and see how it goes. It is American based but that shouldn't be an issue as many of the ideas should be easily transferable to the UK. So far I think that the biggest negative with it is that you are watching recorded lectures and lose alot by not being there. On the other hand it's free (unless you want a certificate).

The final thing that I love about Permaculture is that it has spawned the Transition Town movement. This is such a great idea and has motivated many people to take part. I love how it is a positive movement rather than doom and gloom. This is something that I would like to join in with in the future but for now I know not to stretch myself too far. But in a years time...? Who knows!