The Permaculture Transition Manual

Author: Ross Mars
Publisher: New Society Publishers
ISBN: 1550926306
Category : Gardening
Languages : en
Pages : 290

Book Description
Harness the power of permaculture to thrive, not just survive, the great transition from fossil fuels Caught between climate change and a fossil fuel-driven economy that demands ever more growth, the world faces a great transition—by design or disaster—away from fossil fuels to an alternative renewable energy future. But what proven tools are available to aid in making a successful, deliberate transition to resilient and sustainable living? For the first time, the power of permaculture design has been brought to bear on the great transition problem. In the process, acclaimed permaculture teacher and designer Ross Mars has distilled his considerable knowledge into the ultimate permaculture resource for resilient and sustainable living. The Permaculture Transition Manual is packed with information on permaculture design principles, gardening, soil building, nutrient-dense food growing, including top plant and tree selections for all climatic zones. Coverage extends to rainwater harvesting and irrigation, human waste management, and strategies for rural properties plus a unique focus on applying permaculture to small urban spaces for decluttering and efficient food growing. Also covered are hand tools, food preservation, alternative renewable energy production, low-carbon housing, and a plethora of nearly forgotten and cozy skills such as soap making, basket weaving, seed saving, rope and candle making, and more. On the desert island of a world in decline this is the one-stop guide to vibrant, resilient and sustainable living you'll want to take with you. Ross Mars is a scientist with a PhD in Environmental Science, entrepreneur and highly-regarded permaculture teacher and designer. Author of The Basics of Permaculture Design , he manages Candlelight Farm, a permaculture demonstration site and training center in Western Australia.

The Permaculture Handbook

Author: Peter Bane
Publisher: New Society Publishers
ISBN: 0865716668
Category : Gardening
Languages : en
Pages : 499

Book Description
A step-by-step guide to creating resilient and prosperous households introduces permaculture as a practical way to live well with less money, convert waste into wealth, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

The Transition Handbook

Author: Rob Hopkins
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1907448705
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 242

Book Description
Move from feeling anxious about the oil crisis to developing a positive visions and taking traction action to create a more self-reliant existence with this ground-breaking book. We live in an oil-dependent world, and have become reliant in a very short space of time, using vast reserves of oil in the process – and without planning for when the supply is not so plentiful. Most of us avoid thinking about what happens when the oil runs out (or becomes prohibitively expensive), but the reality may not be as bad as we think. The Transition Handbook shows how the inevitable and profound changes ahead could have a positive effect. Written by permaculture expert Rob Hopkins, he discusses the possibility of a rebirth of local communities, which will generate their own fuel, food and housing. These will encourage the development of local currencies, to keep money in the local area, and unleash a local 'skilling-up', so that people have more control over their lives. The growth in interest in the Transition model continues to be exponential. There are now more than 35 formal Transition Initiatives in the UK, including towns, cities, islands, villages and peninsulas, with more joining as the idea takes off. With little proactivity at government level, communities are taking matters into their own hands and acting locally. If your community has not yet become a Transition Initiative, this upbeat guide, filled with beautiful black and white photographs, offers you the tools to get started. The Transition Handbook is the perfect manual to guide communities, as they begin this 'energy descent' journey.

The Transition Handbook

Author: Rob Hopkins
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1907448713
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 818

The Earth Care Manual

Author: Patrick Whitefield
Publisher: Permanent Publications
ISBN: 9781856230216
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 496

Book Description
The long-awaited exploration of permaculture specifically for cooler Northern Hemisphere climates is finally here! Already regarded as the definitive book on the subject, The Earth Care Manual is accessible to the curious novice as much as it is essential for the knowledgeable practitioner. Permaculture started out in the 1970s as a sustainable alternative to modern agriculture, taking its inspiration from natural ecosystems. It has always placed an emphasis on gardening, but since then it has expanded to include many other aspects, from community design to energy use. It can be seen as an overall framework that puts a diversity of green ideas into perspective. Its aims are low work, high output, and genuine sustainability.

The Scything Handbook

Author: Ian Miller
Publisher: New Society Publishers
ISBN: 1550926276
Category : Gardening
Languages : en
Pages : 162

Book Description
The Zen approach to mowing lawns, wacking weeds, harvesting crops, and building modern homesteader abs! Dreading the weekly law mow? Need to whack the weeds in your orchard? Cringing at the drudgery and incessant blare of the mower? Imagine instead long sweeps of an elegant scythe cutting your grass and pesky weeds in blissful, meditative silence. That is the power of the "scythe revolution" sweeping North America. Written by a master of the scythe, professionally trained in Austria, and drawing deeply on research into original German texts, The Scything Handbook brings centuries-old scything techniques into the twent-first century. Detailed illustrations cover scythe assembly, perfecting the stroke, blade selection, honing, peening, and aftercare, as well as background on how scythes are forged. Also covered are the basics of making hay and mulch by hand, and how to grow and harvest gains at the home and homestead scale for self-sufficiency. Scything promotes health, flexibility, mind-body connection, and a meditative contemplation of the natural world while producing beautiful lawns and luscious mulch for the modern gardener and homesteader. This is truly an heirloom tool to master. Join the scythe revolution! Ian Miller followed a career in music with a degree in Agroecology from UC Santa Cruz. During a two year stint on a biodynamic farm in Austria he learned how to scythe and delved into historic scything texts in German. He has worked for Seed Savers Exchange in Iowa and is developing a twemty-acre scythe-based homestead near Decorah, Iowa, where he grows his own grain for bread making and makes hay by hand.

The Permaculture Market Garden

Author: Zach Loeks
Publisher: New Society Publishers
ISBN: 1550926209
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 291

Book Description
The illustrated guide to profitable, vibrant and sustainable permaculture-based market gardening Permaculture tends to be very much in the domain of home gardeners and property owners. But what if we could take it all a step further, and merge the fields of permaculture and market gardening? In The Permaculture Market Garden , author Zach Loeks brings together his passion for sustainable permaculture food production systems and beautiful, vibrant illustrations to provide a highly visual guide to the smooth integration of permaculture into the market garden, in ways that are scalable to specific situations. Profiling crops and ecosystem-based techniques, Loeks demonstrates a profitable, sustainable and approachable model for the future of market gardening. Along the way, Loeks introduces his own system of PermaBeds, season extension techniques, intensive and rotational interplanting, in-depth discussions on soil health, and more, bringing activities, designs and prospects of farming to life through illustrations, so the reader can be immersed within the world of permaculture farming. Playful, informative and curious, inspiring and beautiful and packed with accessible practical information, The Permaculture Market Garden will inspire both the seasoned market gardener as well as anyone aspiring to start a business. Zach Loeks is a market gardener, farm consultant and educator living in the Ottawa Valley. Winner of two regional awards for sustainability and innovation in agriculture, he shares his expertise in farming, design and business through a successful series of on-farm workshops, conferences and schools, as well as a successful year-round CSA.

Agriculture in Transition

Author: Donald L. Schriefer
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 244

Book Description
Now you can tap the source of many of agriculture¿s most popular progressive farming tools. Ideas now commonplace in the industry, such as ¿crop and soil weatherproofing,¿ the ¿row support system,¿ and the ¿tillage commandments,¿ exemplify the practicality of the soil/root maintenance program that serves as the foundation for Schriefer¿s highly-successful ¿systems approach¿ farming. A veteran teacher, lecturer and writer, Schriefer¿s ideas are clear, straightforward and practical.

The Resilient Farm and Homestead

Author: Ben Falk
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing Company
ISBN: 1603584447
Category : Gardening
Languages : en
Pages : 323

Book Description
The Resilient Farm and Homestead is a manual for developing durable, beautiful, and highly functional human habitat systems fit to handle an age of rapid transition. Ben Falk is a land designer and site developer whose permaculture-research farm has drawn national attention. The site is a terraced paradise on a hillside in Vermont that would otherwise be overlooked by conventional farmers as unworthy farmland. Falk's wide array of fruit trees, rice paddies (relatively unheard of in the Northeast), ducks, nuts, and earth-inspired buildings is a hopeful image for the future of regenerative agriculture and modern homesteading. The book covers nearly every strategy Falk and his team have been testing at the Whole Systems Research Farm over the past decade, as well as experiments from other sites Falk has designed through his off-farm consulting business. The book includes detailed information on earthworks; gravity-fed water systems; species composition; the site-design process; site management; fuelwood hedge production and processing; human health and nutrient-dense production strategies; rapid topsoil formation and remineralization; agroforestry/silvopasture/grazing; ecosystem services, especially regarding flood mitigation; fertility management; human labor and social-systems aspects; tools/equipment/appropriate technology; and much more, complete with gorgeous photography and detailed design drawings. The Resilient Farm and Homestead is more than just a book of tricks and techniques for regenerative site development, but offers actual working results in living within complex farm-ecosystems based on research from the "great thinkers" in permaculture, and presents a viable home-scale model for an intentional food-producing ecosystem in cold climates, and beyond. Inspiring to would-be homesteaders everywhere, but especially for those who find themselves with "unlikely" farming land, Falk is an inspiration in what can be done by imitating natural systems, and making the most of what we have by re-imagining what's possible. A gorgeous case study for the homestead of the future.

The Vegetable Gardener's Guide to Permaculture

Author: Christopher Shein
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN: 1604692707
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 273

Book Description
Offers information to gardeners of any skill level on how to create permaculture in their own backyard.