A wonderful friend and sister ( +Rhonda Baird ) first introduced me to the term "Permaculture" a few years ago. With a brief explanation, I deduced it was some sort of practice that supported sustainability. I knew she was involved in teaching this practice, usually once a year, in a residential 2-3 week course. For me, that wasn't going to fit into my life any time soon.
I was interested, but tucked it away for the distant future when my life might afford that much time away from home.
Then, I received a facebook invite to a weekend version of the course to take place this fall over the course of 5 weekends (skipping one in between each for homework and integration). One of the weekends, I had a pretty important event, but at the last minute, it was rescheduled and I was able to sneak into the course!
The format has been: Friday evenings, Saturday (All day) and Sunday afternoons totalling roughly 15 hours per weekend of class and lab. There are 3 wonderful people facilitating/teaching the material and each have their own set of valuable wisdoms to impart.
The student base is an awesome mix of people with a variety of backgrounds and goals for the course and their personal practice of the principles we are learning. It's a great group that meshes very well.
So... What IS Permaculture?
It seems that there is no set, or concrete answer to this. The practice is so organic and is comprised of so many layers and facets that it is difficult to sum it up in a one-size-fits-all definition. From my limited understanding of it at this point, I'd explain it something like this.
The practice of Permaculture allows you to provide for your own needs in a self-sustaining way through the nurturance of a healthy home-centered ecosystem. This ecosystem would work WITH natural flows and patterns and would Decrease your dependence on consumerism.
Permaculture Design is the thoughtful practice of observing natural occurances and designing landscapes, buildings, homes, farms, villages, communities, etc. to be self-sustaining while also providing an opportunity for everyone's involvement in their own livelihood.
Both of these things are done with the greatest care of the Earth (All living creations of Gaia), People and Community. They are all done with the understanding that peak oil is past and we must begin living within our means (From our paychecks to our natural resources) by not only conserving energy but in producing it and also by not only reducing our consumption of 'products' but by supplying our own needs as much as possible.
This is only a small piece (And a novice's understanding) of a huge concept from only a few days' exposure. But it's more than I understood a week ago and maybe you understand a bit more than you did before reading this!
I plan on blogging about this process in a series. Stay tuned for more to come!
For more information about available courses and Permatulture in general, check out
The Permaculture Activist
Also, you can check out what Rhonda is doing here at:
Sheltering Hills Design
and
Vital Connection Blog
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