Resources for Herbs, Sprouts and Survival Foods
Consumerism, DVDs/Books, Food Forests, Food Plants - Annual, Food Plants - Perennial, Food Shortages, Medicinal Plants, peak oil — by Isabell Shipard February 2, 2010
When Derrick, Isabell, and children Angela, Vicky and RIcky, shifted to Nambour in the hinterland of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast over 30 years ago, our desire was have land to grow our own food and be as self-sufficient as possible. We bought an acre of land and soon realized that a bigger block of land would be the way to go, so that we could have our own milk, meat and eggs. We purchased a larger 20 acre block, with approximately 10 acres of cleared land on the outskirts of Nambour.
It was about this time, that we heard Bill Mollison speak on Permaculture, with zones, to encourage a design plan that integrates the environment, plants and people with a vision of possibilities.
Vegetable and herb gardens were started and fruit trees were planted. Poultry, dairy goats, pigs and milking cows were added. Derrick being very gifted with skills of building fences, sheds, and as ‘a fix-it man’ was able to do many and varied tasks on the farm. Derrick, being a butcher by trade, was also able to turn the animals into cuts of meat for the freezer, mince into sausages, meat into smoked hams.
Comments (6)Bill Mollison’s 1981 Permaculture Lecture Notes: New Edition
Courses/Workshops, DVDs/Books — by Thomas Fischbacher January 20, 2010
Bill Mollison teaching with Geoff Lawton at Trinity College, Melbourne, 2009
Photo © Craig Mackintosh
In 1981, Bill Mollison gave a Permaculture Design course for which Dan Hemenway produced lecture notes. While these originally were made available as a set of pamphlets for a small copying fee, they have been available on the web for quite some time, in PDF form, like here (6mb PDF), for example.
While the social and cultural context has changed quite dramatically in the last 30 years, and this material hence does not reflect that change, these pamphlets still provide quite a useful free resource that explains permaculture in detail. While the Permaculture Designers’ Manual certainly presents many ideas in a more accessible way than these transcripts of Bill Mollison’s lectures, they nevertheless are an often quite useful complementary resource. This holds in particular for a few issues which are presented in a slightly cryptic way in the Permaculture Designers’ Manual and benefit from an alternative explanation.
A re-edited version of this material, both in the form of HTML web pages as well as a PDF (using LaTeX-based typesetting which, hopefully, should be more homogeneous and easier to read than the original) is now available here: http://nmag.soton.ac.uk/mollison
This also provides a number of explanatory footnotes that should help to both provide more background on some ideas, and put them into more recent context.
Comments (1)Farmers’ Handbook
Courses/Workshops, DVDs/Books — by Craig Mackintosh January 6, 2010
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. – Chinese Proverb
Worldwide, mainstream aid projects tend to deal with the symptoms of problems, rather than the problems themselves. In fact, often aid projects actually exacerbate the root issue, by supply free food and clothing that undermines the ability of people on the ground to make a living. In other words, we put them out of their low carbon business, forcing them off the land into cities where they must become part of the consumer treadmill, or perish.
But, sometimes, people with clear heads and unselfish hearts manage to help in much more substantial ways. The links to follow are to individual chapters of a Farmers’ Handbook created by Chris Evans (UK) and Jakob Jespersen (Denmark), who have spent considerable time in Nepal, helping to develop locally appropriate methods and technologies that can help the people of Nepal live better lives, and sustainably so.
Although the information is specifically tailored for Himalayan conditions, almost everyone will find some useful ideas and information in this comprehensive work. The whole handbook is 50 chapters in 5 volumes – a total of 792 pages, including 170 pages of colour photos and illustrations.
Aside from gleaning valuable ideas for your own region, I post this work, with permission, in the hope it will inspire others to do likewise for their own region and climate zone. This is the kind of information sharing that will move humanity onto a sustainable platform of peace and low carbon prosperity.
Please note: These files are free for personal use and circulation (please just link to this page), but can not be used for commercial purposes. They are copyright of Chris Evans and Jakob Jespersen. The Farmers’ Handbook is also still in a draft form and any suggestions of improvement are welcomed. Chris has the original editable version – if people are interested to translate this production into another language, or offer other suggestions, please contact Chris on: cevans (at) gn.apc.org
All files to follow are PDFs.
Comments (10)In Transition – the Movie
Alternatives to Political Systems, Community Projects, Consumerism, DVDs/Books, Eco-Villages, Economics, Food Shortages, Global Warming/Climate Change, People Systems, Society, Urban Projects, Village Development, peak oil — by Craig Mackintosh December 15, 2009
In Transition 1.0: from oil dependence to local resilience, available now!
The title says it all. Sit back and enjoy the latest work from the Transition Towns movement. You can watch in parts via YouTube below, or if you prefer, catch the whole thing in one hit on Vimeo.
‘In Transition’ is the first detailed film about the Transition movement filmed by those that know it best, those who are making it happen on the ground. The Transition movement is about communities around the world responding to peak oil and climate change with creativity, imagination and humour, and setting about rebuilding their local economies and communities. It is positive, solutions focused, viral and fun. – TransitionCulture.org
Part I
Comments (4)Discounts on Our Most Popular DVDs
DVDs/Books — by Craig Mackintosh December 4, 2009
We’re currently running a special on the following selected DVDs:
- Introduction to Permaculture Design DVD
- Food Forest DVD
- Water Harvesting DVD
Regardless of the mix of the above three DVDs, orders of 10-19 DVDs attract a 10% discount. Orders of 20 or more attract a 20% discount.
Discounts are applied automatically within the ordering system.
Head to our online store to find out more about the DVDs and to order.
Comments (1)Greening the Desert II Video – Greening the Middle East
DVDs/Books — by Craig Mackintosh November 17, 2009
Sorry, this video has moved. Please go here instead.
Comments (16)
The Vegetarian Myth: Food, Justice and Sustainability
DVDs/Books — by Rhamis Kent October 11, 2009
 The Vegetarian Myth |
We’ve been told that a vegetarian diet can feed the hungry, honor the animals, and save the planet. Lierre Keith believed in that plant-based diet and spent twenty years as a vegan. But in The Vegetarian Myth, she argues that we’ve been led astray–not by our longings for a just and sustainable world, but by our ignorance.
The truth is that agriculture is a relentless assault against the planet, and more of the same won’t save us. In service to annual grains, humans have devastated prairies and forests, driven countless species extinct, altered the climate, and destroyed the topsoil–the basis of life itself. Keith argues that if we are to save this planet, our food must be an act of profound and abiding repair: it must come from inside living communities, not be imposed across them.
Part memoir, part nutritional primer, and part political manifesto, The Vegetarian Myth will challenge everything you thought you knew about food politics.
Comments (24)
Introduction to Permaculture Design DVD to Ship!
Courses/Workshops, DVDs/Books, News — by Craig Mackintosh September 25, 2009
The Introduction to Permaculture Design DVD has finally been pressed and printed and will be dispatched to all pre-orders from Zaytuna Farm (base camp for PRI headquarters here in Australia) on Wednesday September 30. We said we’d do a September release and we meant it, and even made it – just!! A big thank you to all the many people who had faith in us but were wondering what happened to their pre-order. It is on its way!
We spoke with Frank Gapinski, the producer – who recorded and spent countless hours fine tuning and preparing this release – to find out a little more about this important DVD:
Comments (10)Introduction to Permaculture Design – the DVD Trailer
Courses/Workshops, DVDs/Books, Developments — by Craig Mackintosh July 17, 2009
We know a considerable amount of people have been in anticipation of this DVD – a highly watchable intro to Permaculture design principles and practise. It is the culmination of a great many hours of careful labour for award-winning video editor, animator and avid Permaculturist, Frank Gapinski. With it, we target two kinds of people: the Permaculture beginner wanting to get a grip on what Permaculture is all about from somebody who really knows his stuff, as well as the keen Permaculturist who wants to share his/her enthusiasm with friends, family and colleagues in an easy to digest form. The DVD encapsulates some of the most significant aspects of Permaculture – leaving the viewer feeling more confident about how to capably wield the design tools Permaculture utilises.
The narrator, Geoff Lawton, one of Bill Mollison’s earliest students, is one of the most respected and experienced Permaculturists today – having worked and taught in dozens of countries over the last twenty five years – and yet fully understands how to engage audiences and transmit information to people at all levels. This, combined with Frank’s expert visual wizardy, will leave viewers wanting to start their own Permaculture journey, pronto.
We had initially pre-announced this DVD several months ago, under the title ‘Permaculture for Beginners’, but after working it through the title ‘Introduction to Permaculture Design’ seemed more apt. We anticipate this will become a highly contagious tool to help spread the Permaculture message. Watch the trailer below, and keep an eye on this site for its not-too-distant release (due September).
Introduction to Permaculture Design – The Trailer
Comments (13)The ‘Sustainable (R)evolution’ Book Project
Aid Projects, Alternatives to Political Systems, Bio-regional Organisations, Commercial Farm Projects, Community Projects, DVDs/Books, Demonstration Sites, Eco-Villages, Education Centres, News, People Systems, Urban Projects, Village Development — by Craig Mackintosh May 7, 2009
Have you ever wished, when explaining to someone about permaculture, you had a visual, easily accessible book that demonstrated what it is all about, and what the world could look like if permaculture design systems became mainstream thinking?
We’ll – we’re making that book.
The Permaculture Research Institute is getting behind a project that would see the creation of a large format book that profiles, with creative writing and quality photographs, some of the many successful Permaculture projects underway around the world. The purpose of this page is to solicit your help with the same.
The final version is unlikely to look like this, but it gives you an idea….
Vote for Change!
DVDs/Books, Developments, News — by Craig Mackintosh March 19, 2009
Dear Reader
If you’d like to do something tangible to work against the kind of madness outlined in the preceding post, then please click here to vote for positive change.
If we receive enough votes we’ll secure additional funding to enable a small team of writers and photographers (including myself) and a videographer to do the following:
- Create a book profiling successful Permaculture projects worldwide
- Create a documentary of the same
- Create a website and organisation to promote Permaculture and the above book and documentary
The results of this work can help inspire a whole generation of citizens (and hopefully politicians) with the potential found in harnessing the synergies of biological systems to solve a myriad environmental and social problems.
Note: Feel free to add your comments to the page you’ll arrive to via the ‘click here’ link above – but whatever you do, click on the voting button at far right of the screen. This needs to be done now, as the competition ends today (we only found out about it today, so forgive the short notice). You’ll be asked to sign up, but it literally only takes a few seconds to do so. Thanks in advance for promoting this worthy endeavour.
Sincerely
Craig
Editor/Photojournalist
Making the Most of the ‘Ultimate Health Food Shop’ – Your Garden
DVDs/Books, Food Forests, Food Plants - Annual, Food Plants - Perennial, Health & Disease, Medicinal Plants — by Craig Mackintosh March 17, 2009
 Isabell Shipard – herbalist/educator |
One of the best aspects of Permaculture is being able to begin to take control back over our own lives. Rather than being just a captive cog in the huge destructive machine that is our present globalised industrial society (a machine running full speed towards a great yawning precipice), transitioning to Permaculture systems enables us to stand as individuals, making our own choices and, as far as possible, creating our own destiny.
One of the most important aspects of this is taking control back over our own health and personal well-being. In a world where industry profits from illness, and where institutions like the FDA (in cahoots with pharmaceutical companies and governments) seek to maximise their profiteering by outlawing more natural alternatives (see the disconcerting ‘Codex Alimentarius’ video at bottom, narrated by Judi Dench, and even has an appearance from Mel Gibson), the good news is that nature is always there for us – we just need to tap into the wealth of knowledge that is out there to help us to sustainably take advantage of it.
Comments (0)Outdoor Classrooms, A Handbook for School Gardens
DVDs/Books — by Craig Mackintosh March 10, 2009
Outdoor Classrooms, A Handbook for School Gardens
Order here
We’re slowly growing valuable resources in our new online store. The latest addition, added today, is a fantastic new book – Outdoor Classrooms, A Handbook for School Gardens – from well-known Permaculturists and primary school teachers: Carolyn Nuttall and Janet Millington. Arming the next generation with a practical, sustainable skillset is more than expedient, and this book will help teachers and parents do just that.
Here’s an editorial blurb on the book:
Comments (3)Food Forest DVD Gets Rave Review
DVDs/Books, Food Forests, Food Plants - Perennial, Plant Systems, Trees — by Craig Mackintosh February 20, 2009
If you’ve been procrastinating over buying our latest DVD – Establishing a Food Forest – this review from TransitionCulture.org may help hurry you along.
These DVDs have been selling briskly – it’s great to think of the potential impact they’ll be making far and wide.
Order your copy here.
Comments (4)Food Futures Now – Feeding People & Place Without Fossil Fuels
DVDs/Books, Food Shortages — by Craig Mackintosh January 27, 2009
 It’s time to pull the world back from the brink — we can do it! |
We live in interesting times, don’t we? We’re currently witnessing a convergence of problems that threaten life as we know it, not to mention our sanity. I say our sanity, as sometimes it can feel that the societal changes needed are on such a scale, and our embedded infrastructure is so established and inflexible, that we can feel like a helpless, captive audience — just along for the roller coaster ride (where the roller coaster is being maintained by a crew focused only on short-term gain…). Those of us with children fear for their future. Indeed, we wonder what life will be like for ourselves over the coming few years, let alone the next couple of decades.
But at the same time as we’re having apocalyptic visions, we’re also seeing a heightened awareness of, and desire for, solutions, and an eagerness and sense of urgency to implement them.
Comments (5)
