The term “Permaculture” has become a major buzzword in recent years within the gardening community yet many would be hard pressed to actually define what it is. The concept of permaculture really is far more simple to understand than many realize. Basically, permaculture agricultural practices seek to support and replicate the complex relationships and systems that have evolved and thrived in nature for millennia. Permaculture design focuses on the ecosystems as whole, rather than one single element or product. By working with nature as opposed to against it, these practices maintain the health of human communities by supporting the health of the planet itself and all its rich biodiversity. As we start to see the long term negative consequences of the industrial monoculture food production systems, many gardeners and farmers are turning to permaculture practices as a more sustainable solution.

The current term “permaculture” was first coined in the 1970s by two Australian educators, Bill Mollison and David Holmgren. They were inspired by the long-held traditional agricultural and harvesting systems of indigenous peoples that took advantage of all the living systems and interactions in a region as an integrated whole. The growing issues of soil depletion and dying farmlands in regions that had focused on more modern farming practices were becoming apparent. Mollison and Holmgen recognized that nature itself held the key to resilience, natural productivity and sustainability. They sought to bring together principles and practices that embraced all living elements and relationships within natural ecosystems; not just the plants and animals but the fungi, bacteria and other microbes populating living soil. They began teaching many traditional older techniques as permaculture design principles, united under the three key tenants of Earth care, people care and fair share. They also identified 12 principles to consider in permaculture design with their “growing movement” gained popularity quickly and in more recent decades many gardeners and food producers all over the planet are choosing to use these more sustainable older techniques again.

It isn’t necessary to take an expensive permaculture course to begin implementing sustainable practices in your garden and in your community. If you rotate your crops to maintain healthy soil, you are using a permaculture technique. If you catch and store energy with thermal mass in a passive solar design, you are using a permaculture technique. If you reduce your household waste by processing organics into soil enriching compost, you are using a permaculture technique. When you share your garden harvest surplus with the Food Bank, you are practicing a permaculture principle. There are so many ways to start implementing more sustainable food production practices in your daily life. It’s simply a matter of learning more about, respecting and supporting natural systems rather than over exploiting one particular resource or product. Ethical harvesting seeks to be sustainable by minimizing disruption of the harmonious relationships in an ecosystem while also sharing the bounty of our harvests within our community.

It is just as important to grow roots in the community as it is to grow food. Sharing knowledge and resources allows us to rely on each other when we have shortfalls or extreme climatic conditions that we often face in our region. Cultivate Cochrane hopes to assist those who seek to use permaculture principles to grow more of their own food. Keep an eye out on our website for information and upcoming articles about various sustainable gardening practices such as composting, companion planting and crop rotation. Please visit with our knowledgeable staff and volunteers when you see us out and about with the Solar Roller or feel free to send us your gardening questions by email at Info@cultivatecochrane.com . We love empowering folks to be more involved in their own food production and hope we can all continue to grow together!