 A must watch! For anyone who has ever been to or lived in New York City, this video will really hit home. Even if you haven’t, Sanderson’s visuals of Manhattan’s once natural ecologies are awe-inspiring—and he gives a surprisingly positive vision of what New York (or any urban area) could look like in the future. He even talks about how the multiple connections in the ecosystem are responsible for its resilience. My Commentary: It is so intriguing to imagine what the physical history might have been in a place you know so well in its current state. We often take for granted the complexities of life that existed before colonial settlements moved in--before we began to build so many human-oriented structures. Many times we just assume that, yes, there were trees, maybe some meadows, ponds--not much happening. This video reminded me otherwise. I am highly impressed with Sanderson’s interpretation in that he pays respect to the complex web of life that must have existed in order to support the 51 unique habitats on that land over 400 years ago. What is missing from his commentary, however, is the fact that Manhattan, like most urban areas, is highly dependent on input from the outside world. In fact, in its current state, it is nearly completely dependent on exterior sources for its food, building materials, and other life essentials for the survivability and daily living requirements of its inhabitants. That said, enjoy the talk and think about the tremendous impact we humans have on our living systems and how we might better adapt our living arrangements to harmonize with our natural environments. Enjoy the talk!
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 Valentine’s Day Special - Resilient Relationships In permaculture we often contemplate what it takes to create a more resilient system when designing a sustainable ecology. The more bonds or connections we can create between various elements, the stronger the web or network connecting the system as a whole. The same principles can be applied in so many other facets of life, and human relationships are no different. As Valentine’s Day approaches, I wanted to touch on this topic briefly, as human partnerships—romantic or otherwise—can be among the most important factors to our survival. The relationships we share with our loved ones can be considered living systems in the same way as a thoughtfully designed garden or forest ecology. In either arrangement, the more connections we create, the stronger the whole system becomes. So how are these connections formed? Anyone somewhat familiar with permaculture will recall the ‘needs and yields’ analysis we often perform when considering the arrangement of different elements in a design. For example, planting pole beans next to corn creates multiple connections which aid the growth of both plants. The corn needs nitrogen—a yield fulfilled by the bean. The bean needs a structure on which to climb, yielded by the corn plant, and so on. So, let us consider how this might relate to human pairings. Many of us have likely pondered the needs of our partners on a somewhat regular basis (hopefully). Consider how your yields mesh with those needs, and if they don’t quite mesh perfectly, that is what we can build upon (and let’s dispense with the essentials of acquiring shelter, food or sustenance, and clothing and move up the needs hierarchy to more social, emotional and personal needs for this discussion). Some needs we might consider here are the need for recognition, understanding, the need to be appreciated, to be heard, or supported in our endeavours, the need to feel that we matter—the list is endless. The good news is, anyone can fulfill these needs at any time—it might just take a little careful thought and work.  For example, maybe you can recollect a conversation you had with your partner about a comforting childhood memory, let’s say, where a relative cooked a special meal for them or took them to a special restaurant where they were served that meal, and it has been one of their favourites ever since. Now either you are an experienced cook or you are not. This is where we start to build on our yields. Even if you have been known to burn water on the stove, you can learn to cook. Take a class, or if that is not possible, the internet and library are great places to start. Learn everything there is to know about that meal and surprise your partner with a delicious and romantic display of prawns korma, daal, and gulab jamun to finish or something like tourtière, mixed greens, and gratin dauphinois—or maybe simply home-made cinnamon buns (anything is great by candlelight)! The point is, in doing something involving careful thought and consideration for who the person is, we have fulfilled at least 2 or 3 of the needs mentioned above and maybe more.
Another area to consider is your partner’s favourite music. Let’s say she loves Latin music. If you can get away once in a while (in secret so as not to ruin the surprise factor) take a crack at some Salsa or Merengue lessons (or for the more adventurous there is always Bachata). One day when you have reached the point of being comfortable with the dance, on a quiet night at home turn the lights low and if she doesn’t know the dance well, her own personal lessons are about to begin! On the other hand, maybe you can’t quite get away with the element of surprise. Why not take lessons together? This is a wonderful way to make sure you make time for each other. If dancing or cooking is not your thing, consider learning various massage techniques. Maybe your partner has constant neck or back tension. Everyone needs a massage! All this information is readily accessible at very minimal cost. Other ideas are easy enough to come by. Educate yourself about your partner’s culture (if it is different from your own). Learn more about their life. Have deeper conversations. Find ways of supporting them in the goals they’ve always dreamed of accomplishing—that’s the recognition, and the part about being heard, respected, and understood. Yes, I have made this sound way easier than it is. Relationships are complicated ‘ecologies’ whose resilience depends on far more than mere needs and yields. This is just a starting point. I am only planting a few seeds here in the hopes they will germinate into something far more beautiful and life-giving. Nowhere have I taken into account those relationships which may be beyond the point where this article could benefit, nor have I acknowledged the ones who already think along the lines of “needs and yields” and simply may not realize it yet—good for you if you have! Of course, you’ll notice I have not even touched on the topic of sex, but that would require another long article altogether (I will just say two words: ‘Kama Sutra’). The point is, just as an ecological garden cannot simply be a spattering of plants co-existing in the same space, a healthy relationship must be more than two people simply co-existing as such. Every relationship is different, but our needs and yields as human beings are more similar than we might at first recognize. Nevertheless, reflecting on your partner’s specific requirements and then planning how to answer these desires with a course of action that is both thoughtful and loving, is a giant step toward relationship resiliency.  This Issue:
Plant Polycultures Passive Solar Greenhouses Permaculture Tour 2012 is Here Plant Polycultures-A Garden with Many Functions When designing a food-bearing landscape, one of the first things to decide is what plants will go where in the growing space. Most of us have heard of companion planting, square-foot gardening, perennial food forests, and inter-planting. Creating a polyculture combines many of these strategies and more. In this issue we will look at the planning stages of a polyculture and the elements necessary in creating a resilient and productive one. In books and all over the internet, we can find loads of advice on which plants grow well together and which ones do not. Some of these combinations work fairly well, while others have yet to convince me. Providing mishmashes of different vegetables is not our purpose here. Since climates, pests, soil types, and our own tastes vary, we want to discover what works well in our own gardens, and we can do so by choosing plants not by species, but via the function they perform in the landscape. Keep in mind that perennials are very useful in a polyculture. We can plant only annuals, but this is asking more much more work in the long run. Here is a list of functions (not necessarily in order of importance) that we want to include in any polyculture. A quick web search under any of these topics will provide numerous plant types suitable for any garden. If we have balanced proportions of plants in each of these categories, we are off to a good start: A. Nutrient Accumulators The thick and/or long roots of these species plunge far into the earth to extract minerals and other ingredients necessary for all plants to thrive. Usually after several of these species have matured, they will begin a natural decline in numbers once their job is complete. Examples of these might include: plantain, alfalfa, dandelion, chicory, and mustard species. B. Nitrogen Fixers In any guild, it is crucial to have plants that fix nitrogen in the soil. These plants have a specialized ability to extract nitrogen from the atmosphere and place it into the soil. Nitrogen is a necessary element in all plant development and speeds the growth of all plants. Nitrogen fixers include plants such as clover, peas, potatoes, Siberian pea shrub (caragana arborescens), lupines, and any leguminous or bean type plant. C. Mulch Plants We use these plants for building soil, preventing erosion and evaporation, and protecting and shading the roots of others. In this category we often might include a process called “chop and drop”, which involves cutting the plant down at the soil surface and leaving the greens on the soil to eventually decay. The roots either come back as another plant, or decay as well becoming part of the humus layer of the soil. The “chopped” parts of the plants also become a thick and fluffy layer on top of the soil. Some examples for mulch plants are rhubarb, nasturtiums, Jerusalem artichoke, mustard, oats, and barley, and virtually any soft-leaf plant that decomposes quickly. D.Insectary Plants These are any plants that will attract beneficial insects to your site (insects that will either pollenate to produce fruit or will consume/deter pests). Insect attractors include dill, coriander, thyme, yarrow, fennel, and believe it or not, dandelion. There are other smaller categories, such as those which provide animal habitat and those which act as soil fumigants, but beginning with the four listed above is a good start. Additionally, it is wise to use any plant that is able to perform more than one of the above jobs. This is what we call ‘stacking functions’. Examples of this would be using clover as both a mulch plant as well as a nitrogen fixer, or growing comfrey as a nutrient accumulator and to fix nitrogen or even using rhubarb as a mulch plant and of course a human food. Finally, we should keep in mind the actual space each plant takes up in the landscape—both above ground and below. This is why we try to arrange plants in a polycultured landscape, creating a ‘mosaic’ in which generally we keep similar plants away from each other as much as possible. Doing so will minimize competition for sunlight and soil, as well as confuse pests (or at least keep them confined to one or two plants.) As in any form of permaculture, the more functions we can cover off each time, the more resilient the system and the less energy it will consume in the long run. Passive Solar Greenhouses Beginning to Appear in Calgary Many people protest the short growing season in Southern Alberta. With some techniques such as raised beds, cloches, and mulching, we can usually expand the less than 110 frost-free days, but some people are taking things a little further. A passive solar greenhouse can expand the growing season by several months without the use of external power. Unlike traditional greenhouses, the idea here is to trap solar radiation within the structure to create the appropriate growing conditions for most plants. So how is this accomplished? Think of what happens when we leave our vehicles parked for a while on a sunny day. Even on a day reaching a mere 15 C, the interior can be quite hot. This is because the glass allows the solar radiation to enter, while the rest of the car absorbs this heat and insulates against heat loss. Most greenhouses lose heat through any side of the structure that faces away from the sun. What we are trying to accomplish with the passive solar type is to minimize heat loss. To do so, the north and sometimes east and west sides are built with walls containing good insulating materials—sometimes with an R-value greater than most homes. On the opposite end of the scale, adequate ventilation is a must especially for the warmer days of summer. There are many other modifications that can be made, such as the angle of the glass and materials used as well as covering the whole structure with insulated blankets in the coldest days of winter. Nevertheless, experimentation with capturing and holding heat and moderating temperature so that plants might one day make it through our severe winters, continues. The following are links to a couple that have popped up in Calgary. (I also have a friend (no link yet) who has just installed a solar heated shower in hers). Verge Permaculture, Just completed the addition of a rocket stove to this one… http://www.vergepermaculture.ca/blog/2011/01/09/how-we-designed-our-solar-greenhouse This one by Joshua Baker of Radicle Routes was constructed using reclaimed materials… http://radicleroutes.com/blog/the-solar-greenhouse/ Calgary Permaculture Tour 2012 is Here For those not already in the know, on Sept 1, 2012 Prairie Sage will be conducting a one day tour of Calgary's most prominent and exciting sustainable and regenerative living sites. Details of the day are as follows...This excursion will be both educational and fun! Leave your vehicles or bicycles at our meeting place (The AREA 12:30 pm) and be escorted around Calgary for a tour of such notable places as Verge Permaculture, Patterson Springs Farm, The AREA and more. The tour will conclude in the evening with a locally brewed wine/mead and dinner at the AREA in Inglewood. More information can be found HERE! |
Author:Ted Bahr is the founder of Prairie Sage Permaculture. MORE Archives
April 2023
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