Permaculture diary

I'm very excited. I picked up a copy of the 2009 Permaculture Diary from the local organic store the other day and it is wonderful.

The beautiful images and stories remind me that there are people across the world who think the same way as I do and are doing the same types of things we're doing right here.

From waterless composting toilets to permablitzes, it's a reflection of our life repeated over and over again.

The diary and a 2009 calendar are available from permacultureprinciples.com

I'm still on a high from the PDC (Permaculture Design Course) and there is another planned for January and another for May. We'll also work on fitting in a couple of weekend introduction courses and weekend practical permie courses too.

The tide is turning and there is increasing demand for home sustainability ideas and skills in the community. Yay!

Here at the Garden of Eatin' we are moving into the hot, humid, weedy time of year. Things get a little out of control with the pests and weeds but we accept that with the knowledge that we can get things in better order again next year in Autumn.

Time now for cucumbers (for pickling) and zucchini (for the BBQ) and corn. Brazilian spinach takes the place of lettuce as does mitsuba (Japanese parsley).

Chooks are going broody with the change in temperature and the rain will soon begin. As will the storm season.

We've still got a lot of things to do here. A header tank that can gravity feed water into the house in the event of a blackout. Our new PV panel system for the roof, perhaps accommodation for lodgers or wwoofers in the future. Or maybe for teaching... A solar system to support the fan in our composting toilet - also keeping future black outs in mind.

Not sure which direction to go with it all (teaching that is), but I'm just glad I have the tools of permaculture to at least give me choices and direction.

If you're interested in courses, workshops, what's on - check out www.seac.net.au for all the info on what's happening on the Sunshine Coast.

Keep working on preparing your home and connecting within your community too.

Here's some tips from David Holmgren...

August 2006 Sunshine Coast

Presentation - Regional sustainability in an energy descent future
Available on DVD via Holmgren Services website

 Network – for information and inspiration

 Start producing your own (food, goods, services)and support local producers

 Know your neighbours – establish bartering systems, LETS, PETS,

 Teach children how to grow their own food

 Reduce consumption

 If you have extra space, take in a lodger, share your place, (also has economic benefits for you)

 Share your car – car pool, organise a local group to share driving, make your trips count, do more than one thing on a trip

 Work around impediments

 Pay off your debts / work from home

 Retrofit your home and garden for the post peak oil future, not for the dollar value

Things are hotting up

Things are certainly changing in the world. The predicted economic crisis is now evident, climate change continues to be a major environment symptom of our fossil fuel use and has peak oil hit?

People are tightening their belts, diposal income is becoming a thing of the past, some people have already lost their jobs - laid off because of the rapidly changing economic situation.

Now, more than ever, we need to prepare - our homes, our backyards, our families and our communities. We also need to rapidly empower ourselves with the skills and knowledge to be secure and safe with our water and food supplies and household security - by this I mean looking after ourselves, being responsible for what we consume (food, energy, water), producing as much as we can ourselves (solar, water tanks, food), being self-reliant, not dependant consumers.

I've just finished co-teaching a Permaculture Design Course and there were a number of people there because of these issues. More courses are planned for January and next May.

Things are changing, lets make sure it changes for the better. Building community is so important now. Many people will be feeling disconnected and that isn't good. Starting a relocalisation group, talking to your neighbours, sharing food, resources etc.

Let's take some control of the future and plan now for what is really important and how you can contribute in your community.

Sonya