[wildeone]

what does this mean? Am i being really thick? :oops:  I've heard it a few times now!!!

Any explanation would be great!!!

[gregmcalister]

I'm no expert but it refers to crops which are grown permanently in the one place - asparagus for example.  In a similar way monoculture refers to an area cultivated with a single species.  

I hope this helps.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

[wildeone]

thank you!!!!

[richyrich7]

Think of it as permanent sustainable agriculture , it's a fascinating subject, some people grow the equivalent of hundreds of ton's per acre in a back garden.

 Here's a link to the permaculture magazine and  I used to have it many years back when it was only young and so was I    what permaculture means quite miss reading it actually.

[wildeone]

Thanks richy!! Get article!!

J x

[gregmcalister]

OK I was nearly there!

[carrie]

i wondered te same thing, amazon has masses of books on the subject. i understand now but not sure i would be able to explain.

[freyaluck]

I have just been on one of Patrick Whitefields course so kinda know what it is  
Permaculture is most about sustainability and how to use the land to it's best without detroying its natural diversity or fertility.  Most people grow Mono crops -  but with this method the soil (the most important factor of gardening or agriculture) is left bare to the elements thus leading to loosing nutrients and in extreme cases desertifaction.  Hence most permaculturist use a no dig system. The most important nutrients that live in the soil only go about 3 inches down if they are torn apart moved deeper or exposed they will die, so using mulch that will rot to clear the ground and planting a good cover crop eg white clover or a mixture of plants for example the 3 sisters  corn , beans, and squash  the squash helps protect the soil br keeping it covered, the beans fix nitrogen in the soil and the beans also climb up the corn.  
Basically it is a design system that makes sustainabilty and diversity the basis of it's structure.
As another example are Permaculture Chickens.  If you look at battery hens they are hard work , poorly looked after and use a magnitude of resourses to keep them alive .  The barns need huge amounts of Electricity to run the heating and the cooling systems as well venitilation as the noxious fumes are unimaginable, then there is the use of pesticides,hormones and antibiotics that the chickens need just to stay alive.  And you only get a single result EGGs.  Where as a permaculture chicken uses and needs a lot less resourses.  You can grow crops for chickens to eat, or let them into a nearby wheatfield after harvesting to find left over grains (great if you want to grow something else the year after) or in an orchard to keep down pests and weeds. If you link their coop to the greenhouse they will help keep it warm at night, so their is less need for a gas or oil heater. Feathers can be used for pillows eggs for brekkie and if you want eat the chicken, as you can see rather a lot of uses for just a few chickens.
Sorry rambling now.
I think the best place to start Is Permaculture in a nutshell (describes the chicken in a lot more detail)  and go on from there.   Gaia's Garden is another really good book. Then if permaculture takes hold Bill mollisons books are good and The earth Care manual is fantastic and deals with Britains Climate, although the way things are going I doubt we will be temperate for much Longer.
Carlie

[Trillium]

Sounds similiar to the One Straw Revolution of many years back. While admirable, it's a tough method to follow if you've got garbage for soil to begin with, especially deep garbage. It takes years to naturally build up enough humus to grow good crops (home garden crops at least). Few of us can afford that luxury. And it does not solve the problem of deep-rooted pernicious weeds which can easily overpower food crops. I've solved my own junk soil problem by constantly tilling in masses of shredded leaves - free for the taking in fall. The tiller chops them up small so they break down faster and the earthworms live in the hundreds deep in my soil because of the leaves, so I must disagree that disturbing the soil kills beneficial bacteria. It all depends on just how you disturb the soil. And whether or not you add beneficial myccorhizal bacteria to encourage heavier rooting of your plants, which I do. As for using the tiller, the ground is now so soft that I can have the whole lot tilled in under 2 hours in the spring, and some hand picking through the season. Not to mention the heavy leaf mulch I also use to conserve water. Nothing is infallible, so we each must do what we can.  

[freyaluck]

I wasn't saying you mustn't dig in Hummas as you say it takes a long time for soil to regenerate naturally.  I myself have very shallow very compacted  clay soil on my lottie and to be able to use it will need to put in a lot of hummas in my case i  will use municipal compost.  But once that has been done I will use the no dig system.   Nothing In permaculture is set in stone, it is just trying to be as friendly to the earth as possible while still being able to feed ourselves from the land.
Carlie