http://www.adelaide.net.au/~brookman/ -- Lawrence F. London, Jr. Venaura Farm http://metalab.unc.edu/intergarden InterGarden http://metalab.unc.edu/permaculture PermaSphere http://metalab.unc.edu/intergarden/orgfarm AGINFO lflondon@mindspring.com london@metalab.unc.eduTitle: homepage
The
Food Forest
Permaculture Farm and Learning Centre |
The Food Forest is a permaculture farm producing 160 varieties of organically certified food; it is a busy centre for people interested in learning skills for a sustainable way of life through short courses and it is the base for a consultancy service specialising in the design of ecologically sustainable properties. |
The Food Forest | The
Food Forest was originally developed by Annemarie and Graham Brookman and
their children Tom and Nikki, to demonstrate how an ordinary family, with
a typical Australian income
can grow its own food and create a productive and diverse landscape.
Many people began to help with skills and knowledge handed down from previous generations and others have come up with stunning new ideas rooted in a fusion of modern science and a commitment to sustainability. More than ten of these keen, optimistic people now teach with us in a team which harnesses University and research experience, practical hands-on skills and a passion for the future of our landscape and the Planet. The empowerment of people to understand and work with natural systems is the most exciting part of working at The Food Forest. We are committed to the sharing of information through our courses and field days and at this website you will find some of the technical information that we have learned in 15 years of sustainable gardening, farming and building. We welcome information from other sources and we are keen to link sites with other information providers; feel free to link this site to yours or to suggest it as a research address for students. PO Box 859, Gawler, SouthAustralia, SA 5118 ph/fax 08 85 226450 email brookman@camtech.net.au |
The Food
Forest |
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nuts, organically grown wheat and vegetables, free range eggs, honey, carob beans, bush tucker, nursery plants and timber. Fourteen years ago, the property was a bare barley paddock. Only a few towering River Red Gums remained along the Gawler River from the time the Kaurna Aboriginal people camped in their shade and gathered food from the land. Today there are thousands of native plants and endangered wildlife species such as Brush Tailed Bettong help the goose flock and the soft-footed alpacas to manage the orchard floor. Together with thousands of species of insects, birds and other creatures they form the complex and bountiful ecosystem contained within a 1.5km predator proof fence. The homestead was built within the first few years of white settlement of South Australia and much of the fascinating history of the farm can be traced through the stone troughs at which Clydesdale horses drank and implements that once made life easier for the farmers of the day. The farm is complemented by a Learning Centre located in an old stone barn, now outfitted with modern teaching equipment, but the Centre's short courses take advantage of being in the middle of a working property, featuring practicals and field walks. The Centre is serviced by a state-of-the-art composting toilet and reedbed system and other environmentally responsible structures include a straw-bale coolroom, cob oven and a straw-bale indoor/outdoor teaching space. |
Permaculture |
Bill Mollison
Permaculture is....
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It is based on a philosophy of co-operation with nature and each other, and of taking responsibility for our impact on population and consumption of things which have high environmental costs. Permaculture presents an approach to designing environments which have the diversity, stability and resilience of natural ecosystems and also the productivity of naturally improved plant varieties and technologies from many cultures and countries. It was devised by Bill Mollison (who worked on the land for many years and spent time in both the CSIRO and the University of Tasmania) and David Holmgren (an environmental designer who runs a property and a farm design service in Victoria, Australia). The principles of Permaculture are laid out in the 'Permaculture Designers Manual' and 'An Introduction to Permaculture'. They are based on a combination of modern science and traditional wisdom. Permaculture design is used widely
and successfully in the developing world.
A good way to learn more about permaculture
is to enroll in in courses approved by the Permaculture Institute.
Permaculture is very much a community
based movement and Associations, bioregional groups and collectives operate
in each country to support members, share information and resources and
to promote permaculture practices.
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