Nelson Lebo: Permaculture offers plenty of sustainable solutions

Nelson Lebo Photo/File

"HIPPY FARMS - they always fail."

These were the words of Chuck Barry, a small-scale organic farmer I met in Montrose, Colorado, about 10 years ago. Chuck made a comfortable living growing high-quality vegetables on two acres in a dry and seasonally cold environment that may be compared with Central Otago high country.

His comment was based on observations of some people going into farming with good intentions but little understanding of the amount of work involved and inadequate business sense. There is a popular, quaint, romantic notion among many people about growing food organically. But at the end of the day, when faced with actually doing it, most hippies opt out because it turns out to be just too hard.

On the other end of the spectrum, as we have been hearing recently in the news, many conventional farms also fail. Conventional farming wisdom over the last decade goes something like this: 1) borrow lots of money from the bank; 2) convert to dairy; 3) borrow more money; 4) rely on ever-increasing dairy pay outs; 5) borrow more money; 6) rely on ever-increasing land prices; 7) get rich; 8) what could go wrong?

On one hand I feel sorry for those farmers who have to sell because of their now unpayable debts. But on the other hand, I question why they bought into the paradigm described above in the first place, which appears to me to be very risky.

Alongside financial debt, many conventional farms also run a large soil debt. We see it every day flowing past our city and out into the Tasman Sea.

Like financial debt, soil debt is difficult to repay but not impossible. Rebuilding soil fertility while growing food is sometimes called regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture can include organic farming practices, some biodynamic techniques, and holistic range management. All three of these fall within the scope of the eco-design system known as permaculture.

I see permaculture as the middle ground between failed hippy farms and failed conventional farms.

For those who are far right of centre, permaculture may seem like a hippy philosophy, but I would argue that its endurance (40 years and counting) proves it is not. Permaculture farming and land use is practised around the world in a wide range of climatic conditions from desert to rainforest and in between.

Locally, permaculture is practised by a small but growing number of people in our community - mostly in the forms of organic and regenerative agriculture. But the scope of permaculture extends far beyond growing food. As a system for eco-design, it is a natural lens through which to view energy-efficient housing, and even the waste management programme for community events that I brought to Whanganui five years ago can be considered an application of permaculture thinking because it takes a holistic perspective of inputs, outputs, and the human element of waste management.

While permaculture is only one of many eco-design philosophies, what sets it apart from the others is that it is based in a set of core ethics: care for the earth; care for people; share surplus resources.

It is these ethics that are the driving force behind the third annual Whanganui Permaculture Weekend, as dedicated permaculturists in our community take the time to share their knowledge, experience and enthusiasm on a wide range of topics.

Adult Learners Week " He Tangata Matauranga 2015September 6-13. All events are free, thanks in part to support from Adult and Community Education Aotearoa.

Sunday 6, 2-3pm. Best Heating Options for Your Home, Central Library

Tuesday 8, 5-6pm. Hot Composting, 223 No.2 Line

Wednesday 9, 4-5pm. Reducing Heat Loss Through Windows, Gonville Cafe Library

Friday 11, 4-5pm, Managing Moisture and Condensation, Gonville Cafe Library

Friday 11, 6.30pm. Solar Energy, CANCELLED

In conjunction with the Whanganui Permaculture Weekend:

Saturday 12, 4.30-5.30pm. Best Gardening Tools for You. Josephite Retreat Centre, 14 Hillside Tce.

Sunday 13, 4-5pm. Tomatoes Before Christmas. Wanganui Garden Centre, 95a Gonville Ave.