I like to get around town by bicycle, rather than drive a car. Bicycles are a brilliant invention, a perfect example of what permaculturists call appropriate technology, allowing able-bodied humans to get around at speeds of 10-20 mph with great energy efficiency. In fact, if the calories burned were converted into fuel terms (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_efficiency_in_transportation), […]
Reflections on ‘Guilds’
When I took my permaculture design course several years ago, I learned about creating ‘guilds’ of plants. The concept may have been explained more thoroughly at the time, but what I took away and remembered was merely the technique of planting clumps of various perennials beneath and around larger trees. But it’s only recently that […]
Git Along, Little Microbes!
Most of us know that soil fauna (arthropods, nematodes, bacteria, fungi, etc.) are vital to soil health. These little critters help break down the dead vegetation matter in and on top of the soil, making the nutrients in this matter available to the living plants. They also help the plants fight off parasites and diseases. […]