Living Landscapes

These are visions of how cities should be. Thought I'd get in on the AI image generator art. I generated these with Midjourney.

Thought I'd get in on the AI image generator art. I generated these with Midjourney.

mmhmm

This picture has been circulating for years and I edit it every time I see it. We are still here

Love this, good for understanding topograhpic lines. This is a key aspect of creating a basemap for a design, whether for ecological restoration, farm design, homestead design, pond placement, etc.

Amazing news: a peer-reviewed study showing regenerative agriculture has nutritional benefits. Not surprising at all. https://www.world-grain.com/articles/16547-study-shows-nutritional-benefits-in-regenerative-agriculture-crops

Study shows nutritional benefits in regenerative agriculture crops Crops contain more vitamins and minerals when compared to conventional crops.

A perfect business model doesn't exi-

Ancient Indigenous forest gardens still yield bounty 150 years later: study A first-of-its-kind study by SFU finds that Indigenous forest gardens filled with fruit and nut trees are still thriving, at least 150 years later

Wow, insecticides kill... Insects. Crazy.

Ontario research suggests insecticide decimates popular pollinator, the squash bee A popular insecticide used on farms across Canada has been shown to have dire effects on ground-nesting bees, according to new research from the University of Guelph.

Check out our Permaculture Design Course internship work exchange opportunity for 2021! Taking applications for 1 person or a couple for work exchange program that includes accommodations. https://www.foodwork.ca/a/off-grid-communities-ecovillages-and-permaculture-internships-58746

Permaculture Internships, Living Landscapes Eco-Logical Design, Madoc, Ontario Work in healthy, local & sustainable food: FoodWork.ca

Important Correction for Abundance Agroforestry.!

Prune your biomass trees higher than suggested in the guidebook! If you are using high or emergent biomass trees (such as the varieties listed), they need to be taller than the trees next to them. The correct height will depend on what other trees you have chosen and at what height you will prune those trees. Normally it is best to keep the biomass trees 1 meter higher. If the system only has short trees or bananas, then the biomass trees may be as short as 3-4 meters. If there are taller trees, then the biomass trees most likely need to be cut at 5-6 meters. See the infographic below.

The risk of pruning at the shorter “chest level” height is that the biomass trees can get shaded and die when they need to still produce organic matter for the system.

Here are some other important points to mention about the guidebook:

1. Vetiver grass is not widely used among the original syntropic practitioners. It was included in the guidebook because the lack of a better grass naturally occurring in Haiti. This idea can be considered experimental and should only be emulated by those who are comfortable taking a risk. The potential problem with vetiver is it needs a lot of sun exposure and as the system matures, it may die. Also, it produces far less biomass and is much harder to cut than mombasa.

2. Devote more of the B – area to biomass plants, especially during the placenta stage. Planting too many crops for harvest can weaken the soil at a time when organic matter is desperately needed. Many systems in Brazil are being designed in a way that the entire B – area is mombasa.

3. The north – south row orientation is best when the focus is on taller trees in the tree rows. If the primary focus of the system is on lower stratum trees or crops in the B-area (such as coffee or vegetables), then an east – west orientation results in better sun exposure.

4. Some trees are labeled incorrectly in regards to their stratums. This problem can most likely be compensated for by management without having actually move the trees.

Also, I am working on an update of the guidebook, where all these problems will be corrected and more information will be included. Thank you to everyone who has supported this work. Please be patient with me, as this topic is complicated and new discoveries are constantly being made as we learn from each other’s experience. The next version may be ready before the end of 2022.

Sincerely,
Roger

Indoor plants need good drainage. Cover the hole to avoid the growing medium from washing out. Paper coffee filters and sections of old pantyhose work well. Don't put pebbles or broken crockery in the bottom of the pot! Image: Garden Gate mag.