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Harvesting Water DVD released

DVDs/Books, Dams, Land, Swales, Water Harvesting — by Administrator

Harvesting Water the Permaculture Way

Geoff Lawton’s new permaculture DVD Harvesting Water is selling well after a few weeks delay in January because of the foreign language subtitles that producer Frank Gapinski was waiting to incorporate into the DVD. picture-3.png Click for more…

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Posted on: April 11, 2008

The excavator and the forest

Courses/Workshops, Dams, Land, Surveying, Swales, Water Harvesting — by sink

Last training camp we were fortunate in having an excavator in operation on the farm. Earthworks were a go and water harvesting / tree growing systems were carved out harmonically into the landscape. Three new swale systems and a small dam were introduced, extending the productive edges on the farm. Click for more…

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Posted on: February 27, 2008

First big rain at SouthWoods

Dams, Swales, Water Harvesting — by Administrator

Following up on Testing the Dam in SouthWoods in Minnesota, here’s a series of pics showing how the new swales handled a decent storm. Click for more…

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Posted on: July 24, 2006

Testing the dam

Dams, Water Harvesting — by Administrator

Following on from yesterday’s post on dams and swales in Minnesota, here are some pics of the system in action with the addition of the most important element: water.

dam's ready to go - just waiting for the rain rainwater collected in the swale arial view of the system

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Posted on: June 27, 2006

Dams and swales in Minnesota

Dams, Swales, Water Harvesting — by Administrator

Hi folks! — we have been busy digging up Minnesota with dams and swales. This is just the beginning of the “Permaculture Research Institute for Cold Climates”. We’re now on route to California, hopefully to do some more serious digging. :)

Here’s how we started: 1.jpg

Click thru for the entire photo series!

Click for more…

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Posted on: June 26, 2006

Water in the Mexican landscape

Dams, Swales, Water Harvesting — by Administrator

MexicoWater gives life and can also destroy life.

When we allow rain water to flow gently over the landscape taking the most time making the most contact with earth water is most fertile. But, when running uncontrolled it can cause erosion and death. No food can grow on land which is eroded and farming can only flourish on fertile soil. But only eco-systemic farming systems can create soil.

At ITT we believe in eco-systemic production systems which allow interactive diversity to develop and to become stable and fertile. To achieve it, we must create a great number of useful connections between the diverse elements on our land.

Two weeks ago we initiated the development of our training centre in permaculture here in the dry tropics. On our site in the municipality of Ejutla, Oaxaca, Mexico, we get approximately 800 milimeters of rain per year. Before the rain gods open the water gates, we invited the water harvesting an earth works specialist Geoff Lawton from the Permaculture Research Institute in Australia to assist us in the construction of an efficient rain catchment and water administration system. Geoff an expert consultant in water harvesting and management with great earth dam and swale building experience in over 17 countries.

These are the basic principles our experts recommend: Click for more…

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Posted on: June 5, 2002