Holistic Gardening and Landscaping
This week I heard, from two different sources, that our culture was headed quickly towards a period of collapse. The first was presented in a video Your Future: The Ultimate Pyramid Scheme, presented by three world reknown men, Dr. Kent Moors, Keith Fitz-Gerald, and Chris Martenson, who presented their theory of a cultural pyramid scheme that is ready to collapse. They demonstrated with several graphs showing that many of our natural resources are being used and depleted at an exponentional rate. Their pyramid has the economy at the top with energy and the environment (resources) making up the base. Since our economy is predicated on continuous growth it needs more and more resources at the foundation to supply the top, however we are reaching our environmental and energy limits. As with any pyramid scheme, when the base can no longer support the structure, the pyramid crashes. This group offers information on investments that can be made that will protect the viewer's wealth before the collapse occurs.
The other source was the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center who partially funded an eye opening report that came to the same conclusion, cultural collapse, yet stating it in a different way. This report said that if we remained on our present trajectory of increasing population and increased resource use, the result would be a great strain on our natural ecosystems. The final conclusion in the report was that the elite would control the remaining resources and would not notice that a collapse is in full swing. The society would then totally break down. This report also points out that all the past failed civilizations have collapsed because the populace depleted the resources needed to run their cultural systems. These societies were unable to recognize the signs or make the neccessary changes to avoid collapse. (There is much debate on what exactly is collapse and time frame and who actually funded this study. For further information, and the actual report go to "Did Nasa fund civisation collapse study, or not“ by Nafeez Ahmed. A rebuttal was written by Keith Kloor.)
It is clear we are headed towards a cultural change being dictated by environmental and financial collapse. Are we headed towards a culture that will accept that a few who are lucky enough to view a video or who have the money to invest in the last of the resources direct our future, or can we choose a scenario where everyone will share in the directing of our future? If we are to choose the latter scenario then I believe the concept of throughput has to be front and center. This article will mainly be addressing a cultural change in agriculture and landscaping that would help to make this a future a reality.
Taking a look at the way we produce our food today it is easy to spot the excessive throughput imbedded in our system. Today's agricultural system requires a continuous supply of petro-fertilizer, we have an extreme amount of carbon loss in our soils leading to an increase in flooding, there is an increasing use of herbacides and pesticides, and it takes massive amounts of energy and resources to ship products, not to mention packaging, refrigeration, etc. We grow most of our commercial foods using industrialized annual monoculture crops (one type of crop that needs to be planted every year) grown on a large scale. In our present monoculture system, all of the plants, since they are all of one species, have the same nutritional requirements and the individual plants end up competing for the same nutrients. For example, corn requires high amounts of nitrogen. In a field of corn all of the plants compete for nitrogen causing its depletion which then requires a continuous addition of nitrogen year after year. Nutrients are found in different levels of the soil, however, the same plants all have roots occupying similar levels thus, once again competing for the same water and nutrients, The whole crop is vulnerable to the same pests and the same diseases making pesticides and sprays for diseases a neccesity. If there is a drought the soil does not contain enough carbon to hold the moisture needed for growth, and in a wet season, without the carbon enriched soil, water has the tendacy to run off. All this adds to the possibility of crop failure and the need for more resources . Throughput continues to grow, while at the same time desertification and the building new structures (including roads, powerlines, houses, stores, etc.) decreases the land that we can grow food on. The negatives are mounting with each passing year, We feel stuck and feel we need this system, but can we make the changes neccessary to mitigate our failures?
Is there another way? Take a close look at our forests and you will notice there is more plant diversity and growth than we can replicate even with all our technology, energy, labor and resources. Also, notice that in a forest there is no one weeding or fertilizing. We could take the lessons that these wise forests have to offer and grow our food with little or no imputs, leaving energy and resources left over for true human development. There are many who have worked on this vision. For example, Dave Jackie along with Eric Toensmeier presented a comprehensive explanation in a two volume set, Edible Forest Gardens. A basic summary can be found in Gaia’s Garden by Toby Hemenway. This is not an article about how to implement this radical vision but one giving the reasons why everyone should take a closer look at Forest Gardening as a future cultural possiblity.
Instead of our croplands being planted with annual monoculture crops at the core our agricultural lands could be planted with perennial polycultures. Since perennials grow year after year the labor of planting the annuals is eliminated. Also, when planting many different kinds of plants in what is known as a polyculture, the plants will require different nutrients, different amounts of water, they will be subject to different diseases and pests, and have root systems occupying different levels in the soil, all of which reduces the stress of competition throughout the system, which in turn reduces throughput dramatically.
It is the soil that needs a closer look to make the point about throughput reduction. The root systems of mature stable forests develop mutualistic relationships with the lifeforms surrounding them. The roots release exudates which stimulate microbial growth and it is these microbes that secrete compounds that stimulate root growth. Larger lifeforms such as protozoans feed on the microbes and still larger lifeforms (predators) such as mites feed on the protozoans. Along with mycorrhizal fungi, the microbes form micro and macro aggregates. Micro-aggregates are soil particles (for example, clay, sand, and organic matter) bound together by the polysacaride secretions by the microbes. In a sense, the micro-aggregates are tied together in larger clumps (macro-aggregates) by the strands of fungi. These aggregates are responsible for holding on to the water, oxygen and nutrients. They are fragile and are broken apart when soil is tilled or exposed to the pelting of rain drops, decreasing the soil's abilities. When the soil no longer can offer its free service, inputs are neccessary to irrigate, fertilize, counter weeds and pests, etc.
In our forest garden we decided to make hoogles, which are mounds of wood debris covered with soil. Before we erected the straw bale yurt and planted our forest garden we needed to clear the land of trees. The trunks of the trees were used for firewood or lumber for finishing our building project and the stumps were left in the ground so the root, soil life, and soil structure were not totally destroyed. We had piles of brush and other leftover wood debris which were placed in mounds in the areas of the future forest garden and many of the piles were formed around the stumps left in the ground.
The other source was the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center who partially funded an eye opening report that came to the same conclusion, cultural collapse, yet stating it in a different way. This report said that if we remained on our present trajectory of increasing population and increased resource use, the result would be a great strain on our natural ecosystems. The final conclusion in the report was that the elite would control the remaining resources and would not notice that a collapse is in full swing. The society would then totally break down. This report also points out that all the past failed civilizations have collapsed because the populace depleted the resources needed to run their cultural systems. These societies were unable to recognize the signs or make the neccessary changes to avoid collapse. (There is much debate on what exactly is collapse and time frame and who actually funded this study. For further information, and the actual report go to "Did Nasa fund civisation collapse study, or not“ by Nafeez Ahmed. A rebuttal was written by Keith Kloor.)
It is clear we are headed towards a cultural change being dictated by environmental and financial collapse. Are we headed towards a culture that will accept that a few who are lucky enough to view a video or who have the money to invest in the last of the resources direct our future, or can we choose a scenario where everyone will share in the directing of our future? If we are to choose the latter scenario then I believe the concept of throughput has to be front and center. This article will mainly be addressing a cultural change in agriculture and landscaping that would help to make this a future a reality.
Taking a look at the way we produce our food today it is easy to spot the excessive throughput imbedded in our system. Today's agricultural system requires a continuous supply of petro-fertilizer, we have an extreme amount of carbon loss in our soils leading to an increase in flooding, there is an increasing use of herbacides and pesticides, and it takes massive amounts of energy and resources to ship products, not to mention packaging, refrigeration, etc. We grow most of our commercial foods using industrialized annual monoculture crops (one type of crop that needs to be planted every year) grown on a large scale. In our present monoculture system, all of the plants, since they are all of one species, have the same nutritional requirements and the individual plants end up competing for the same nutrients. For example, corn requires high amounts of nitrogen. In a field of corn all of the plants compete for nitrogen causing its depletion which then requires a continuous addition of nitrogen year after year. Nutrients are found in different levels of the soil, however, the same plants all have roots occupying similar levels thus, once again competing for the same water and nutrients, The whole crop is vulnerable to the same pests and the same diseases making pesticides and sprays for diseases a neccesity. If there is a drought the soil does not contain enough carbon to hold the moisture needed for growth, and in a wet season, without the carbon enriched soil, water has the tendacy to run off. All this adds to the possibility of crop failure and the need for more resources . Throughput continues to grow, while at the same time desertification and the building new structures (including roads, powerlines, houses, stores, etc.) decreases the land that we can grow food on. The negatives are mounting with each passing year, We feel stuck and feel we need this system, but can we make the changes neccessary to mitigate our failures?
Is there another way? Take a close look at our forests and you will notice there is more plant diversity and growth than we can replicate even with all our technology, energy, labor and resources. Also, notice that in a forest there is no one weeding or fertilizing. We could take the lessons that these wise forests have to offer and grow our food with little or no imputs, leaving energy and resources left over for true human development. There are many who have worked on this vision. For example, Dave Jackie along with Eric Toensmeier presented a comprehensive explanation in a two volume set, Edible Forest Gardens. A basic summary can be found in Gaia’s Garden by Toby Hemenway. This is not an article about how to implement this radical vision but one giving the reasons why everyone should take a closer look at Forest Gardening as a future cultural possiblity.
Instead of our croplands being planted with annual monoculture crops at the core our agricultural lands could be planted with perennial polycultures. Since perennials grow year after year the labor of planting the annuals is eliminated. Also, when planting many different kinds of plants in what is known as a polyculture, the plants will require different nutrients, different amounts of water, they will be subject to different diseases and pests, and have root systems occupying different levels in the soil, all of which reduces the stress of competition throughout the system, which in turn reduces throughput dramatically.
It is the soil that needs a closer look to make the point about throughput reduction. The root systems of mature stable forests develop mutualistic relationships with the lifeforms surrounding them. The roots release exudates which stimulate microbial growth and it is these microbes that secrete compounds that stimulate root growth. Larger lifeforms such as protozoans feed on the microbes and still larger lifeforms (predators) such as mites feed on the protozoans. Along with mycorrhizal fungi, the microbes form micro and macro aggregates. Micro-aggregates are soil particles (for example, clay, sand, and organic matter) bound together by the polysacaride secretions by the microbes. In a sense, the micro-aggregates are tied together in larger clumps (macro-aggregates) by the strands of fungi. These aggregates are responsible for holding on to the water, oxygen and nutrients. They are fragile and are broken apart when soil is tilled or exposed to the pelting of rain drops, decreasing the soil's abilities. When the soil no longer can offer its free service, inputs are neccessary to irrigate, fertilize, counter weeds and pests, etc.
In our forest garden we decided to make hoogles, which are mounds of wood debris covered with soil. Before we erected the straw bale yurt and planted our forest garden we needed to clear the land of trees. The trunks of the trees were used for firewood or lumber for finishing our building project and the stumps were left in the ground so the root, soil life, and soil structure were not totally destroyed. We had piles of brush and other leftover wood debris which were placed in mounds in the areas of the future forest garden and many of the piles were formed around the stumps left in the ground.
Wood debris was layed out in the final shape of the Hoogle.
Left over brush was then added to the mounds.
Our building plans included an addition that surrounded the north side of the yurt. The roof line of the yurt was extended downward necessitating the addition to be at a lower level. This required digging into the earth, giving us about 300 wheelbarrels of soil removed from this area.
This is the start of the digging that seemed to go on forever.
The soil was wheeled to the garden area and dumped on top of the mounds of wood debris to complete the form of the hoogles.
The soil covered the wood debris.
A tree stump incorporated into the hoogle.
After the dirt was piled on top of the brush we covered the hoogle with cardboard and straw to hold the soil in place. This layer remained in place when we planted. Over time the wood within the hoogles will break down and produce a living soil that will feed the plants growing on top.
An apple tree is surrounded by a diversity of plants all growing together.
A hoogle planted with blueberries and a variety of other plants.
A maple tree is surrounded by the interplanting of flowers and edible plants Pollinators and other wildlife are attracted increasing the overall diversity.
Children love to walk through the garden picking a variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
Annuals are planted among the perennials. When the perennials fill in the spaces, along with others that are added, many of the annuals will be grown elsewhere while some will reseed themselves.
In most areas that are cleared for building the brush piles are burned releasing carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. Instead, with hoogle building, some of the carbon is sequestered into the soil structure. The lifeforms break down the organic matter (carbon) which also traps carbon by assimilating into their system. The increase in carbon content raises water and nutrient retention. Looking into the forest much of the land contains small hills and bumps which increases microclimates resulting in a diversity in both the plant life above the ground and the life living in the soil below the ground.
Mary and I wanted to build a home surrounded by gardens where we could explore the ways to reduce our throughput. We ended up purchasing a piece of land that was surrounded by forest. We started our forest garden and wanted to educate others on ways to move in this direction. Our first group that came to our site (Lifecycling) was Volunteers For Peace, an international group of young adults. Just before they came a farm bought the adjacent property and started clear cutting the forest on top of our hill in order to plant corn. The Volunteers For Peace were at our site when the clearing occured.
Mary and I wanted to build a home surrounded by gardens where we could explore the ways to reduce our throughput. We ended up purchasing a piece of land that was surrounded by forest. We started our forest garden and wanted to educate others on ways to move in this direction. Our first group that came to our site (Lifecycling) was Volunteers For Peace, an international group of young adults. Just before they came a farm bought the adjacent property and started clear cutting the forest on top of our hill in order to plant corn. The Volunteers For Peace were at our site when the clearing occured.
This machine can bunch and cut several trees at once then carry them away to a pile.
This is not fog! Since there is no plant life holding the soil it continually blew away during the clearing process and even after they were gone.
The trees were hauled down to the main road to be processed into wood chips.
A bulldozer, used to flatten the field, added to soil compacting reducing the ability to hold oxygen, water, and nutrients which are requirements for living soil.
Living soil and organic matter is pushed to the side reducing the area’s soil lifeforms, plant and wild life’s diversity. Right after the clearing many birds flew around looking for a new home. This was done during nesting season.
The soil no longer holds water. Instead it lays on top and the excess runs off carrying the soil and its nutients into our rivers and lakes. Manure was later put into piles during the winter to be spread in the spring. When the snow melts the nutients flow downward. Lake Champlain and many of our waterways experience algae growth from the runoff at great cost to society.
Gullies are formed, covered by snow. In the spring when melting occurs the run off will continue.
A new vision could take place, one in which the garden is tied in with the landscaping, which is tied to the building using natural forces and resources. The building process uses the resouces that are part of the original landscape so instead of getting rid of the extra soil and transporting it away using it for "clean fill" the soil becomes a valuble resource, along with the brush piles which are usually burned. We could live in a culture that has a goal of eliminating throughput. Just as a mature forests evolves into a mutualistic community through cooperation and sharing we too can move in this direction decreasing the need for war.
In the past our country has had huge advertizing campaigns to address challenges that our nation faced. Two examples come to mind. The first is a campaign to encourage the population to buy war bonds during World War 2 and to grow victory gardens. The second campaign happened during my young childhood. The Russians launched the Sputnik satellite and the United States was suddenly behind in the "Race to Space". Our country accelerated our space programs and in 1969 landed a man on the moon. Right now our country is poised to compete for the last of the resources, a competition which is destined to fail. If we had such a campaign to accelerate programs to decrease throughput, not only in gardening but in every cultural aspect, the United States could lead the world and have resources left for our societal needs. I feel it is time that humankind moves in this direction.
In the past our country has had huge advertizing campaigns to address challenges that our nation faced. Two examples come to mind. The first is a campaign to encourage the population to buy war bonds during World War 2 and to grow victory gardens. The second campaign happened during my young childhood. The Russians launched the Sputnik satellite and the United States was suddenly behind in the "Race to Space". Our country accelerated our space programs and in 1969 landed a man on the moon. Right now our country is poised to compete for the last of the resources, a competition which is destined to fail. If we had such a campaign to accelerate programs to decrease throughput, not only in gardening but in every cultural aspect, the United States could lead the world and have resources left for our societal needs. I feel it is time that humankind moves in this direction.