In recent years, after becoming aware of the ecological disaster caused by the abusive use of synthetic plant protection products and monoculture, more and more enthusiasts have looked into the question of a new mode of cultivation that is more respectful of the environment by drawing inspiration from ancestral knowledge in this area.
A short history of permaculture
Permaculture is a philosophy, an ecological vision of Life. First developed in tropical regions and then very cold, it was adapted to our latitudes. According to Robert Hart, a pioneer of "forest gardens" for temperate climates, it is a "modern adaptation of a system for bringing a land and a way of life to fruition that has existed since the dawn of time."
In the past, peasants, farmers and/or herders lived according to the calendar of the seasons and moons. They managed to find tricks, develop pragmatic techniques to adaptand maximize the potential of their environment.
The principles of permaculture
As mentioned above, permaculture is a philosophy of seeing your plot as a human body. Everything is interdependent, each part has its role to play, there is no waste or very little. Nature being well made, it can manage itself ...
The "permaculturist" works very little land. It is strategic: it adjusts, rebalances, sets up plant associations, promotes the presence of pollinators or predatory insects to limit diseases and the spread of pests. He plays with his environment and seeks to potentiate the resources he has at his disposal naturally.
The "permaculturist" believes strongly in the self-regulating and self-healing abilities of plants through the combination of multispecies combined with soil protection and the richness of natural and local biodiversity.
Permaculture and Animals
Sometimes livestock and plantations co-exist. Chickens enrich the soil with their droppings and eggshells. However, be careful to protect the garden from these greedy women!
The presence of insects whether they are pollinators (essential for fruiting) and/or predators of parasites is encouraged by the preservation of natural spaces (field flowers, woodpiles, wasteland ...) or through the creation of "insect hotel". The use of plant protection products is then greatly restricted, thus ensuring optimal quality of the fruits and vegetables grown.
Getting Started in Permaculture
For starters, you don't need to own a large piece of land. Even on your balcony you can create a mini forest garden with herbs, salads, vegetables, fruits and even small fruit trees. The main thing is to associate the right plants, do not exceed 350kg per m² and adapt the varietys to be grown according to dthe orientation of your balcony.
For those with a small plot of land, it's important to think carefully before jumping in and start on a family scale. Make a plan to determine orientation, direction of prevailing winds, location of the sunniest or least sunny parts, quality of the soil, flood zones etc... This is perhaps the least fun part but so necessary to put all the chances of success on your side because let's remember, in permaculture are banned chemical pesticides and fertilizers!
If you are interested in this method of alternative culture, courses are organized all over France to discover the practice of permaculture. Numerous books ranging from simple introductions to the most elaborate practice exist in libraries and bookstores.
Back to the land.
Permaculture has also re-emerged in the context of reconnection to naturethat many people have begun. It is, according to R. Huart, a "way of restoring the intimate relationship with nature, with our Mother Earth, with Gaia, for which every human spirit is programmed. Just like any plant, human beings need to be rooted in the natural environment in order to achieve complete spiritual security and self-actualization. "
To summarize, in permaculture, each activity has a meaning, each location is thought out, thought out, organized, optimized to potentiate the natural resources thereby limiting the work of the land of a single plot as well as having recourse to synthetic plant protection products. Permaculture takes its model from the natural ecosystems around us and is based on the practice of associated crops, for a return to the land in its natural state.