HOME
ROOMS
BREAKFAST
RATES & INFO
WEDDINGS
CATERING
GARDENS
ATTRACTIONS
PHOTO ALBUM
ABOUT US
NEWS STORIES
MAP &
DIRECTIONS
TESTIMONIALS
LINKS
CONTACT US
| |
What is Permaculture?
By: Mark Hoffman
Click Here
to see examples
of permaculture principles
applied in our gardens.
Click Here
to learn of our
season extending 'solar pod'.
Click Here to learn of our
results with vegetable and
flower planting in partial
shade. |
Permaculture (permanent - culture) is
an approach to ecological design with the aim of creating efficient, productive,
and self-sustaining systems that mimic the design inherent in nature's systems. Based on the ethics of ‘care of the earth' and
‘care of people', permaculture integrates our basic human needs for food,
shelter, energy, water, and waste management with economics and social science.
In Permaculture design, there is no
need for synthetic chemical or fertilizer inputs because the balanced ecosystem
eliminates their need. The result is a whole systems approach that can be
applied beneficially to such diverse areas as complete yard & gardening design,
small acreage sustainability, profitable farming/ranching, community economic
and social development, and large or small scale eco-businesses.
Permaculture represents a way of
thinking about ecosystem design and management where all members of an
ecosystem, including humans, are integrated in a manner that serves all members
of the ecosystem. Permaculture could be described as:
 |
The art and science of
designing human beings’ place in the environment |
 |
A method of ecosystem design
and management that serves to consciously maximize the abundance of an
ecosystem by imitating nature’s designs |
 |
Environmental design that
blends indigenous wisdom with scientific knowledge, utilizing the best of
both.
|
Thank you for another wonderful stay. So many memories for the kids and
the awesome food is a huge bonus. Making the apple cider, dried apples,
the rope swing, roasting marshmallows, and “Billy Goat Gruff”!
Brent,
Elizabeth, and kids. – Spring Hill, KS |
Permaculture requires close observation of nature and
its interactions. By applying what is learned through such observation, it is
possible to determine how best to integrate our human presence into the
ecosystem and actually increase biological output while at the same time restore
ecosystem health. In a permaculture-based system, there is no such thing as
waste, for any ‘waste’ from one member of the ecosystem is actually food for
another. In this sense, everything is a resource. Within a permaculture system,
work is minimized, productivity and yields increase, and the environment is
restored. I find that the real beauty of permaculture lies in its simplicity and
its focus on ‘what works’. Anyone can understand and apply the principles, be
they scientifically trained or trained through direct study of nature.
In a higher sense, Permaculture can be viewed as conscious manipulation of an
ecosystem to produce a balanced, harmonious relationship between human needs and
the needs of nature.I am certified as a Permaculture
designer and we have utilized Permaculture principles in the design and
maintenance of our garden and
orchard. Feel free to ask
me about this fascinating topic when you come to visit. If I have time, I'll
give you a tour of our yard and show you some
examples of how we
have implemented permaculture principles in our garden/yard.
Give a man a fish
Feed him for a day.
Teach a man to fish,
Feed him for a lifetime.
Teach a man permaculture,
He will raise his own fish, thus
Feed himself, his family, and his descendents
Unto the 7th generation.
|