Insight and inspiration in turbulent times.
Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Economics of the University of Missouri at Columbia John Ikerd argues that humans cannot wait much longer to address the reality that economic growth is unsustainable—because the world is running out of energy resources. “We simply can’t continue to grow at the rate we’ve been growing in the past.”
Food has become – to use an older phrase now being recycled by contemporary activists – the “edible dynamic” at the heart of mainstream economic and environmentalist debates.
…an old remedy for internal parasites in livestock is to soak black walnut hulls in their drinking water. If you think that sounds far-fetched, a much publicized control for internal parasites in humans is black walnut tincture, made from soaking particles of black walnut hull in vodka. Think I’m kidding, don’t you. Google it.
Permaculturists are the emergency planetary technicians, and bioremediation is our bailiwick.
The principle of a hedgerow is simple, but laying them was a respected skill in traditional Ireland and England, one that took years to learn. Every year farmers would take a few days out to maintain their hundreds of metres of hedge, re-weaving or pruning the new growth, and each area had its own style and method. Ireland has hedge-laying groups, festivals and specialists, and some take pride in maintaining the same hedges that have existed for decades.
In 2004 I was an idealistic young college graduate who hoped to change the world. I was convinced that the prospect of declining worldwide oil production loomed, and that people must heed my calls for energy conservation and radically-relocalized living. The world didn’t seem to change, but to my surprise, something else did—my hometown.
Here is the Spring collection of permaculture tips and tricks from the Southern Oregon Permaculture Institute, enjoy.
-International Conference on Global Land Grabbing
-Coalition Government ‘must step up to the plate on sustainable food’
-Subsidies and the “True Cost of Food”
-Kenyans fear Dakatcha Woodlands biofuel expansion
-Who feeds Bristol? Towards a resilient food plan
-Huber warns EU president of glyphosate danger to livestock and plant
– Bolivia’s illegal coca becomes compost rather than cocaine
– Insects will be important part of UK diet by 2020, says scientist
– Legislation would open Illinois to sale of more homemade goods (food)
There are some items of clothing that we could not survive without. Living in the 150 mile wardrobe has made me keenly aware of how my garments are essential for my survival. Beyond fashion, clothes are my shelter….More often than not, (this winter especially), there is one pair of pants that make their way onto my body, day after day “Golden Pants”, as they have lovingly been nicknamed. Their creation took place some time back, and since that time I have worn them to the point of living in them. Their creator and designer is Berkeley scientist, Thara Srinivasan.
Maximilian Sunflowers (Helianthus maximiliani) should be a part of almost any permaculture landscape for a variety of reasons but, if you need kindling on your place, it is a must-grow plant.
Tremors in food supply chains and pricing will make gardening look like a lot more than a hobby, a seasonal workout, a practical way to fill your pantry with your summer favorites, or a physically, spiritually and mentally healing activity, or all four. Gardening and small-scale and collective farming, especially of staple crops and the ones that could stave off malnutrition, could become as important as bringing home the bacon, both the piggy and the dollar kind.
