I personally am kind of a lurking permaculture fanatic; a dabbler if you will. I think it is the only way humanity can ultimately sustain itself.

Just curious how many people on this forum are into full-blown permaculture?

Rate yourself 1-10, 1 being seeking information on permaculture, and 10 being actively permaculturing as part of your everyday lifestyle.

I give myself a 2 at this point.

I'm at an 8 or 9. Every decision I make in gardening is based on permaculture principles, but it doesn't permeate every aspect 100%.

How much land comprises the Whitinger homestead?

Wishful thinking on my part, so I guess I am a 0. I wish I had know about permaculture 40 + years ago. I love the concept.

mcash70 said:Wishful thinking on my part, so I guess I am a 0. I wish I had know about permaculture 40 + years ago. I love the concept.

Well then you're at least a 1...it's definitely not too late unless you live underground.

I'm learning and practicing some Permaculture concepts and adding to it every year. I've been in TN for less than three years so I'm fairly pleased with the progress thus far. I'm turning most of the backyard into a natural prairie/barrens/woodlands type area so it all fits together well. If I can pull it off.

I am trying to reclaim 2.5 acres in Alabama from invasives. Permaculture seems like the only solution to me. It goes along with trying to stay healthy while fighting toxics in our food, air, and consumables.

Hazelnut, are you battling kudzu?

milkmood said: How much land comprises the Whitinger homestead?

90 acres here. All around our zones 1 and 2 are pure permaculture but beyond that we have a very large (30 acres?) zone 4 that is used but isn't managed or designed. I have big plans, though. About 50 acres of our property would be considered zone 5 - it's mostly wooded floodplain that we leave as is and only enjoy it.

I thought I was a 6 or 7 but it seems I'm only maybe a 2...

SongofJoy: Kudzu is tame compared to what I have. Kudzu is easily grazed. I did have a goat at one point. She ate all the invasives until she got down to the poisonous ones: chinaberry, wisteria. And camellias -- camellias are not invasive but they are poisonous. So sad to see the little white goat covered with vomited vegetation.

There is kudzu in most of the forested area around here, but none on my immediate property. Chinese wisteria is probably the worst since it has underground runners and climbs 50 ft trees as does kudzu. The blossoms of kudzu and Chinese wisteria are similar also, but kudzu is summer blooming. Both are legumes.

1, on a tiny lot in a manufactured home park. I'm improving the clay to the point where it can be called soil.

I've often wondered: can you call it 'permaculture' if you rely on re-using things that would otherwise be discarded as junk? That's only sustainable while the surrounding culture practices consumerism and throw-away-ism.

By definition, Rick, permaculture is a complete system. I've heard permaculture founding fathers say that you can't really call it permaculture if it's just bits and pieces. A jumble of techniques (albeit techniques that are used within permaculture) do not a permaculture make.

You can, however be in various stages of creating the system that will ultimately be permanent.

Hope this makes sense.

My favorite definition of permaculture is: Work with Nature, not Against. (Graham Burnett.)

Some times it can seem like a useless practice when everyone around you is working "against" what you are trying to accomplish. Also, I think a "system" can be as small as your own backyard -- so long as everything works together. And the great thing about permaculture is that it is very contagious. When other people understand what you are doing, they are apt to begin to practice permaculture in their own way.

I would rate myself at about a 5 right now. But I close on my new 4 Acre property April 6th. My plan is to develop it into a permaculture example for my community over the next 5 years. After which I will set up tours to explain how the design works with natural systems to create abundance and build soil health with minimal energy inputs. The thing I love about permaculture is that it's very challenging. There is no such thing as a perfect design. The more you learn, the more you appreciate the way Mother Nature has found a way to create abundance and turn every "problem" into an opportunity.

RickWells. Good Luck on your project. Ive found here in rural Alabama that the best way to introduce new concepts is through established institutions. The school counselors have been very helpful, for example, in finding "assistants" for me -- and those assistants will use their information system at school to challenge everyone's thinking. The first thing you know you have parent's supporting you. We also have an outreach organization here from our state University at Auburn. They are here to obtain grants for the poverty striken area. But the college kids there are very receptive to learning about sustainable practices.

Sometimes churches can be supportive or they can be resistant if they perceive you to be non-conservative and non-traditional.

>> you can't really call it permaculture if it's just bits and pieces.

That makes sense. Then I would have to say that I practice 0.0 permaculture, but a lot of frugality and as little wastefullness as I can manage.

That's one of the reasons I avoid getting myself labelled. The world is full of many dogmatic "-isms". But to my mind there are many excellent even though varied ideas out there. Some great ideas can also come bundled with what I perceive to be not so good ideas. I prefer to cherry pick what fits in best with my lifestyle, my resources, my abilities, my environment, etc. Over a number of decades I've been exposed to some rather hardline biodynamicists, permaculturalists, proponents of organics, and a number of other philosophies considered "alternate". But I've spent a lot of time involved with natural systems, ie out in nature with negligible human impacts. I bushwalk/trek and camp in wilderness areas mostly rather than on established trails or in campgrounds. So what I seek is a balance where I have a good control by working along side natural systems and swaying them my way. Where I can make acceptable compromises myself but still expect some compromises to come my way as well. There are many things amongst the various alternate philosophies that go a long way towards that. There's much to choose from.