Bearing witness to what is

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Bearing witness to what is

There is a permaculture principle called Observe & Interact, that like most permaculture principles, seems at first, simple, obvious, and perhaps perfunctory. But to truly observe with honesty, is a radical act that requires one to suspend preconceptions, rote prescriptions, and built in prejudices to stand as a witness to what is. It is precisely at this intersection that interaction with our environment can begin from a place of collaboration and respect, rather than dictation and control….

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Permaculture Principles: Produce No Waste

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Permaculture Principles: Produce No Waste

We keep a lean operational budget on the farm. It’s one way we’ve found to make it work over the years on this experimental farm in the absence of topsoil, existing infrastructure, or reliable market channels. We might say this attention to the bottom line is the primary motivation for saving seed, not heating the propagation house, or conducting every class for seven years around a single picnic table, but that would only be part of the story…

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When the center of gravity shifts

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When the center of gravity shifts

We’ve been out of touch for a while. It’s been a challenging time to put to words as the world around us rapidly reorients, and moves like the blustery winds in this otherwise mild spring.

At the start of the year, our center of gravity was already shifting. We ended our three month stay at the farm on Barbertown Idell Road nearly a decade later than expected. Johann’s mom finally moved into the cottage, and we moved to the “new farm,” five years later than anticipated. The intervening years between expectation and realization were some of the most challenging of our lives so far…

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READING THE LANDSCAPE SERIES: Microclimates

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READING THE LANDSCAPE SERIES: Microclimates

Watching this ice storm melt is like lifting the veil on the energetics of elemental forces in the landscape. Where does the water gather and freeze, or trickle and melt? Where is the whipping wind persistent enough to keep a bent branch permanently encased in ice, even as it twinkles in the sun? It is as revelatory as it is enchanting…

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