Contributed by Jennifer T. Sharrock
What is permaculture? There are varying definitions abuzz and each provides a unique perspective. Permaculture, in its simplest form, is creating a permanent agriculture. An agriculture in which the soil is replenished, pollinators are invited, pest management is accomplished by assassin bugs, water is managed and the people are fed.
Imitating the magical systems of forests and applying that knowledge to growing food:
Older forests are typically stable environments. There is diversity in plant and animal species (bugs included). The soil of older forests is rich with organic matter, fungi and bacteria, and the soil life is abundant. Older forests can withstand infestations of pests, disease and weather events. We want to mimic the stable environment of forests in our growing spaces. We want diversity, rich soils and resilient crops that are not decimated by pests, blights or wind.
Accelerating our food spaces to a stable, forest-like environment is one way we can practice permaculture in the Far North.
There are several layers in a forest, and each layer works with every other layer as a system. When we look at our growing spaces as a system, we too can create a healthy system that also produces food; including crops that feed the soil as mulch, canopy trees that provide protection, plants that invite pollinators and pest managers, root crops that deter pests, vining crops that use the branches of trees for security and groundcovers that help moderate soil temperature and evaporation. This is a food forest.
To learn more about permaculture in the North: www.seedsandsoilorganics.com
