Apologies, Gentle Reader. With the end of the course coming up, I’ve been staying later at the school to work on the final assignment which we’re doing in small groups: to create an overall design concept for the Blockhouse School … Continue reading →
It has been a very long time since I tried gardening (unsuccessfully, except for monster zucchini around the outdoor shower) in a hot, dry climate, so the material in this section didn’t “sink in” as well as that of the … Continue reading →
This is our climate type, but it’s useful to understand how it is distinct from other climates, such as tropical climates and hot, dry climates, so that we can appreciate the benefits and particular challenges it presents. Humid cool/cold climates … Continue reading →
“The Nation that destroys its soil destroys itself.” (Franklin Delano Roosevelt) Soil is alive. Dirt is dead. It’s a viscous spiral that starts with tilling and ends with dead dirt, eroded land and polluted waterways. A teaspoon of healthy soil contains billions … Continue reading →
A stunning relationship between forests and rainfall: trees add 50-75% to the total precipitation in the world. Moisture moves inland from the ocean only about 100 km. If it weren’t for the forests, the rest of the land would be … Continue reading →
Here are details for the “Implementation Week” workshops that will be offered by Graham Calder of P3 Permaculture Design at the Blockhouse School Project during the week of May 28 to June 1, 2012. The Wednesday, Thursday and Friday sessions are open … Continue reading →
Permaculturalists design for water before anything else. Water is the limiting factor in many landscapes. Even in wet places like Nova Scotia it could be, and often is the limiting factor in late summer. As the climate changes, we can … Continue reading →
Today’s theme encompassed the broad strokes of world climate as well as the small details of microclimates created by features in the landscape. Graham emphasized the oversimplification of the hydrologic cycle as it is usually taught in schools, ignoring the … Continue reading →
Today was less intense than yesterday and rather fun, as we looked for patterns in individual plants and then on the grounds themselves, and speculated on the causes. For example: Only one of the apple trees is in full blossom … Continue reading →
A few times during today’s class, immersed in techniques for living well on the earth without depleting its resources, the spell broke and I recalled my life and how very far most of us are from that goal. So far, … Continue reading →
