Permaculture / Organic Farming - Documentary Films Archive // May 1st, 2012 // agriculture With information on mushroom cultivation, sowing a fruit forest, alternative ways to keep livestock, and more… Sepp Holzer farms steep mountainsides in Austria 1,500 meters above sea level. His farm is an intricate network of terraces, raised beds, ponds, waterways and tracks, well covered with productive fruit trees and other vegetation, with the farmhouse neatly nestling amongst them. This is in dramatic contrast to his neighbors’ spruce monocultures. In this book, Holzer shares the skill and knowledge acquired over his lifetime. In Sepp Holzer’s Permaculture readers will learn: How he sets up a permaculture systemThe fruit varieties he has found best for permaculture growingHow to construct terraces, ponds, and waterwaysHow to build shelters for animals and how to work with them on the landHow to cultivate edible mushrooms in the garden and on the farmand much more! See also Documentary Film: 40 hours of Free Permaculture Webinar:
Cob (material) Building a wall out of cob. Cob, cobb or clom (in Wales) is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, some kind of fibrous or organic material (straw) and earth. Cob is fireproof, resistant to seismic activity,[1] and inexpensive. It can be used to create artistic, sculptural forms and has been revived in recent years by the natural building and sustainability movements. In technical building and engineering documents such as the Uniform Building Code, cob may be referred to as an "unburned clay masonry" when used in a structural context. It might also be referred to as an "aggregate" in non-structural contexts, such as a "clay and sand aggregate" or more simply an "organic aggregate," such as where the cob is an insulating filler between pole and beam construction. 'Cob stitch' repair on old traditional cob cottage in Devon, England Cob is an ancient building material, that may have been used for building since prehistoric times. The Cob Builders Handbook
Introduction to Permaculture - 40 hours of Free video lectures Permaculture means 'permanent culture,' (or 'permanent agriculture') and ...'is the conscious design and maintenance of cultivated ecosystems that have the diversity, stability, and resilience of a natural ecosystem.' (Bill Mollison) This course will explore, through lectures, discussions, field trips, and required projects, a design/thinking methodology that seeks to profide for our physical needs, food, water, shelter, energy, etc., while doing so in an environmentally friendly, sustainable manner. Download all lectures for Free here: Watch online all lectures for Free here: See also: Introduction to Permaculture - 18 part webinar with Bill Wilson of Midwest Permaculture - This is an 18 part 90 minute intro to permaculture webinar with Bill Wilson of Midwest Permaculture in Illinois. Documentary Films - Permaculture / Organic FarmingEbooks - Permaculture & Forest Gardening Free Documentary Films ArchiveFree Full Ebooks Archive
Courses June 2012, not far from Carmarthen: Henge of roundhouse being built in Bath, March 2012. The Shifty Singers sing in the Bath roundhouse at the end of week 3: Here is a video from that course showing the making of a reciprocal frame roof. Roundhouses The best way of building a roundhouse is in a group, and the best way to learn how to do it is in a group. There have been three courses in the first half of 2013. The second was the fire circle near Cardigan. Here we are - photo by Elena Mia Fortuny: There are no more courses definitely planned for 2013, but there is a small course for the Welsh language Urdd centre near the West Wales coast in October, and a grand project to make a roundhouse for a big bread oven, and the first work on a roundhouse in France in August/September 2014 so email me if you want to be sent info. Pictures and videos from courses We had a great time building the roundhouses of cobwood and strawbale at Plan-It Earth. Here is a little stop motion film of the building:
Free eBooks Archive - Permaculture Media Blog See also: On the Duty of Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau - Civil Disobedience is an essay by Henry David Thoreau that was first published in 1849. It argues that people should not permit governments to overrule or atrophy their consciences, and that people have a duty to avoid allowing such acquiescence to enable the government to make them the agents of injustice. Plants For A Future: Survey and Research Project on 'The Field' - A report is now available of the recently completed survey and research project on the 'The Field', the experimental site of Ken and Addy Fern ( Plants For A Future founders) in Cornwall, where they carried out research and provided information on edible and otherwise useful plants suitable for growing outdoors in a temperate climate. Best of the Permaculture Drylands Magazine - Now Online!
VIDEO: Amazing Recycled Bicycle Machines Bicycle recycling is nothing new. But a Guatemalan nonprofit is turning trashed bicycle parts into innovative, electricity-free machines that you have to see to believe. Based in San Andrés Itzapa, Guatemala, Maya Pedal Asociación accepts donated bikes from the U.S. and Canada, which volunteers either recondition to sell or break down to create a range of pedal-powered machines called Bicimáquinas. Bet You’ll Love: VIDEO: Soda Bottles Upcycled into Solar Light Bulbs Founded by engineer and bicycle enthusiast Carlos Marroquin, the organization harnesses pedal power to perform a number of tasks that would otherwise require electricity, which is often unavailable in smaller villages. Each Bicimáquina is hand-crafted in Maya Pedal’s warehouse in San Andrés Itzapa, where volunteers operate a bike repair service and build everything from tile makers to nut shellers to blenders – all made from old bicycles. READ: How to Start a Bike Program in Your City Homepage Image: Maya Pedal Asociación
Permaculture Magazine - practical solutions for self-reliance The Most Beautiful Green Home Building Construction Project Ever? Design Published on April 9th, 2009 | by ziggy April 9th, 2009 by ziggy My jaw dropped when I first watched this video tour of a beautiful owner-built green building construction project in Oregon. Meka Bunch of Wolf Creek, Oregon built this stunning cob house over a four year period. Check out the video and photos of Meka’s cob cottage for yourself: [youtube= This couch is made of cob and features wood storage tucked underneath, right next to the stove. The kitchen features many shelves and nooks built directly into the cob walls, and also includes a small compost chute. The wood stove is surrounded by cob for thermal mass, and includes a warm nook with shelf to culture yogurt. Gorgeous custom-made cob staircase. The north porch of Meka’s cob cottage. I must say that Meka’s cob house design is one of my favorite projects that I’ve seen. For more information, visit the Artisan Builders Collective. (Image credit: Artisan Builders Collective)