Permaculture Project Ideas - working towards regeneration and sustainability.
Goleta, California, Food Forests in Pocket Parks - Especially as budgets for maintenance and water are reduced.
Isla Vista, California, Food Forests in parks.
- Enhance the Suena Orchard. Currently one layer. Aim for seven layers,
dryland, lots of community involvement of design and planting.
Santa Barbara, California, Foothill Food & Fire Wall -
Wide contour band in foothills to stop
wild fires, grow food, capture water, provide habitat, provide hiking
trails. Do controlled-prescribed burns. Integrate water
catchment hight, swales, and hiking on contour, habitat, wildlife
corridor. Dryland. Idea inspired by a comment by _____.
commenting about
growing fruit above city.
Goleta, California, Food Forest at Fairview Garden Farms
- Current production is tillage-based single vertical layer, with
significant exposed soil. Aim for small demo(s) of Permaculture Food Forest, with seven layers, dryland, lots of
community involvement of design and planting.
Desert land in Southern California, Different Regenerative Strategies - Buy or Lease some cheap land in desert area of Southern California. Test/Demonstrate various strategies.
Roadside Food Forest Oases -
Periodic Food Forests, to show possibilities for the region.
Could integrate with public rest stops, to increase educational
potential.
Article/page on Self-Watering Container Gardening. - Comparison. Aim for long time period to allow for travel of one week plus.
Article/page on Permaculture for Renters
- Reference related web site. List things a person can do now.
simplifying. Learning propagation, grafting, pruning, water catchment,
composting, worm bins, Studying local watershed, plants, native
culture, etc. Hunting for land lease deals, tax sales, etc.
Seed Balls for Broad-Scale Regeneration -
Happy Sustainable Examples (Regenerative)
The thing that would have the broadest positive effect just might be a
good list of examples of people leading simpler lives and loving it.
David Eisenberg said, “The way to subvert the dominant paradigm is to
have more fun than they do and make sure they know it.”
(http://www.dcat.net/resources/david_eisenberg_warkworth_sept_6_08.pdf) So who are the
individuals, groups, areas, etc, leading sustainable or regenerative
lives and liking it? What does Plan B or C really really look like?
Such examples would help calibrate the conversations and debates,
replacing the vague sense of "making do on less", with actual examples
of smiling people and real data on their resource use. If there aren't
such examples, I vote that we create some soon.
Proposed Example #1
- Dee
Williams - Dee has taken profound steps towards sustainability,
on multiple levels. She provides a wonderful example of a dramatically
smaller ecological footprint and greater happiness. She does it
all with grace, humilty, and a shining smile & spirit. Much of the
attention she's received has been about her tiny house. But I think the
bigger deal is her small number of belongings and very limited
consumption. While
the details may vary for other people, the essence of Dee's example can
help us all choose to take more steps towards sustainability.
After seeing the article and videos, I started simplifying, and was
immediately humbled by how much further she has taken it. I feel
very thankful for the trail blazing she's done and the lessons she's
shared with the world..
Climate Change Growing Zone Grid -
Use Latitude and Longitude lines to plant diverse plants and monitor
changes do to climate change. Doesn't have to really be on the lines.
Can be a network of shared results from various growers. The real
secret is to get people trying things that are usually out of their
zone, and seeing if it starts making it, or adapting, or evolving.
Land Wanted Ad
Wanted: Lot or Land to Lease for Orchard or Food Forest
If you have some empty lot or land, and would like some extra income,
possible ag tax break, and/or fruit, consider leasing your land to
me. I'd like to experiment with different approaches to
sustainable orchards or "food forests" in the spirit of
Permaculture. The hope is that the orchards would be educational
and demonstration models, visited by people of all ages. I plan
to involve a variety of Permaculture advisors and people in the
designs, and your ideas would be very welcome. While water access
would be ideal, I'd also like to try developing some of the orchards
"dryland", relying only on rain and ground water. It's OK if some of
the land as been abused. Part of the Permaculture spirit is to help
regenerate injured land, and leave the truly native lands alone.
Initially I'd prefer to focus on urban and suburban areas in Santa
Barbara and Goleta. But I'd welcome hearing about land in other
locations. While I anticipate things will start very slow, I also
have some hope that some momentum could build, and more people would
get involved. It's mainly a labor of love to start, but I realize
that it will have to pay it's way in order to grow. I'm willing to
invest some of my time and money to give it a try, and pay you a
reasonable lease payment along the way.
Here's a little info about my background and interests:
http://www.kelleyharris.com/resume/permacultureResume.html
http://www.kelleyharris.com/notes/permaculture/permacultureServices.html
I'd welcome a chance to discuss your land and wishes and brainstorm possible ways we could help each other.
Kelley
696-6260
mkh@mkharris.com
TBD - Add in other mkh lists of ideas.
Misc/General
- Schools
- Small lots
- Elder care
- Nursery of Permaculture and native plants
© Copyright 2010
Michael Kelley Harris