Category Archives: Permaculture

New book on Permaculture Design

Permaculture Design A step-by-step guide by Aranya Permanent Publications 2012 Pbck; 191 pp UK Permaculture teacher Aranya has produced a new book on Permaculture design. This handy field guide takes you step-by step through all the main skills required of … Continue reading

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Growing Perennial Vegetables

Book Review How to Grow Perennial Vegetables Low-maintenance, low-impact vegetable gardening by Martin Crawford Forward by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall Green Books 2012 ppbck 224pp Martin Crawford is the director of the invaluable Agroforestry Research Trust in Dartington, Devon, and this is … Continue reading

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American Odyssey Part 2: Permaculture in the Pacific North West

Living mushrooms for sale in the Ferry Terminal Building, San Francisco: After two weeks of driving it was a relief to bring the car back and get onto the train to Seattle. Amtrak’s Coastal Starlight is considered one of the … Continue reading

Posted in Forest Gardening, Permaculture, Tools and technology | 1 Comment

All Watched Over By Machines of Loving Grace

I only just recently got to watch Adam Curtis’ latest documentary, All Watched Over By Machines of Loving Grace, which I really enjoyed. As with Curtis’ previous work, such as The Power of Nightmares, a very wide range of different … Continue reading

Posted in climate change, collapse, consciousness, Environment, Permaculture, Science and Rationaltiy | Leave a comment

Meat and Grass in Permaculture

Book Review: Meat- A Benign Extravagance Simon Fairlie Chelsea Green 2010 pbck 322pp My name is Graham, I’m 46 years old and I am a born-again carnivore. Like many of my generation, my first act of rebellion was to become … Continue reading

Posted in Biodiversity, climate change, Food, Permaculture | 43 Comments

Mushroom Logs

Yeah! We have fruiting Shiitake mushrooms on birch logs. Actually they are not mine, but the logs were inoculated about 2 years (!) ago by permaculture students during a field trip to John Dolan’s site near Ballingeary, West Cork. Dowels … Continue reading

Posted in Food, Forest Gardening, Permaculture | 10 Comments

Stoves

I love stoves, and we recently made a simple rocket stove on the Introduction to Permaculture course at Carraig Dulra in Wicklow. Above: rocket stove (foreground) and Storm Kettle behind This was made out of a Feta cheese tin from … Continue reading

Posted in Permaculture, Tools and technology | 4 Comments

Stir- Crazy: Permaculture, Biodynamics and Compost Teas

In a recent interview, permaculture teacher Albert Bates discusses Rudolph Steiner and Biodynamics: Click here for MP3 Albert defends Steiner on the basis that Anthroposophy has created a “tribe” which he sees as a good thing. In reality, Anthroposophy is … Continue reading

Posted in Compost, Gardens, Permaculture, Podcast, Science and Rationaltiy | 9 Comments

Practical Permaculture in Wicklow July 31st- Aug 1st

I will be teaching on a 2-day course in practical permaculture at Carraig Dulra, Co. Wicklow, July 31st and August 1st, with Suzie Cahn. The first day will include charcoal making (a potential business opportunity), biochar (which improves soil while … Continue reading

Posted in Courses, Forest Gardening, Permaculture, Tools and technology | 1 Comment

Creating a Forest Garden

Book Review: Creating a Forest Garden Working with nature to grow edible Crops by Martin Crawford Green Books Hardback 384 pp Forward by Rob Hopkins Martin Crawford, Director of the Agroforestry Research Trust in Devon, UK, has produced a beautiful … Continue reading

Posted in book review, climate change, Forest Gardening, Permaculture | 10 Comments