Last year, we did a series of videos looking at the swale systems on our property and demonstration site. Part one looks at how we’ve combined the featuress of a Hügelkultur system, a wicking bed, and swales to nourish a productive garden that requires very little additional irrigation:
Urban Swales, Weeping Tiles, and Mulched Pathways, Part 1
By Rob Avis, originally published by Verge Permaculture
June 7, 2016
Rob Avis
Rob Avis is a petroleum engineer turned permaculture teacher, designer and public speaker. He graduated from the University of Alberta and also have international training and certifications in renewable energy and regenerative design. He and his wife Michelle have been running Verge Permaculture in Calgary for the past 5 years.
Tags: permaculture, swales
Related Articles
Proposed Federal changes to grant rules increase uncertainty and risks for farmers
By National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Staff, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
Funding freezes, grant terminations, program cancellations, and a woefully understaffed USDA have disrupted the programs and services farmers and rural communities rely on to build environmentally resilient and economically viable businesses.
September 1, 2026
Four food safety laws under threat from the ‘Save Our Bacon Act’
By Lauren Borsheim, Food & Water Watch
For several years now, a few Republican lawmakers and their Big Ag allies have pushed federal legislation to effectively preempt, or block, state food safety and animal welfare laws.
August 21, 2026
From seeds to survival: A farmer’s story from Tajikistan
By Umed Qurbonbekov, Home Planet Fund
For a farming community that depends on seasonal consistency, climate change creates uncertainty at every stage of production.
August 20, 2026





