From: gav (gav_gc@yahoo.com.au)
Date: Tue Jun 15 2004 - 13:15:56 BST
okay i couldn't wait.
i am going to assume a general ignorance of
permaculture which is probably wrong but hey...indulge
me.
like i mentioned in my previous post i have been
working/volunteering at a community farm in brisbane
since april last year. it has been the single most
intensive learning experience of my life.
for starters a def'n:
permaculture is a design science. it is about
designing sustainable human settlements. it is a
philosophy and approach to land use which weaves
together microclimate, annual and perennial plants,
animals, soils, water management and human needs into
intricately connected, productive communities.
the farm, about 5-6 acres in size, provides lunch, for
free, to all that work there (some waged, some
volunteers, some 'work for dole'), every day mon -fri.
the food is mostly from the farm itself but some
staples are bought in bulk (eg rice). the meals are
vegetarian, with some infrequent exceptions.
this daily shared meal was the glue of the farm
community which totals 50-100 individuals from all
sectors of society. the farm is an harmonious and
beautiful place.
the farm relies on government grants but also
generates a substantial fraction of its money from
commercial enterprises, including school tours, a
nursery, weekend organic markets, festivals and
permaculture courses.
a loose hierarchy exists, consisting of 5-15 people
who are waged full-time. But full-time equals 3-4 days
a week at the farm. the five-day week is not
considered worth perpetuating.
once people are familiar with the farm they are more
or less free to decide what they want to help with,
ranging from garden duties to construction, tour
guiding to kitchen or office work. quarterly vision
forums are held to plan the long term evolution of the
site.
okay you probably get the idea, at least a little. i
guess the important thing here is the *vibe* of the
place - the 'feel'. the farm is a happy place, no-one
is bossed or bossing. but most important, the hope
there is palpable.
let me expand. the farm catches a lot of folk that
fall through the cracks in society (eg indigenous,
refugees, mentally/physically handicapped, the
elderly, philosophy graduates) and it forms them into
a real community, something many (all?) have never
experienced before. the work is interesting and
productive, and one is outside in an oasis of
greenery, able to forget that they are only 5 minutes
from the cbd of a city of 2 million. the fruits of
one's labour are literally eaten and this connection
with man's basic requirements is crucial.
what else is crucial is co-operation, discussion,
help, respect (for both other humans and other
life-forms generally) and a lack of seriousness.
i have never been so happy as i was at the farm.
unfortunately my employment ended (government grants
are fickle things) a few months ago but i still
maintain a volunteer presence. however money pressures
are now seeing me leaving for europe once more.
taeching english looks most likely.
so to wrap up and make this sentimental spiel
relevant...i used to talk a lot about revolution,
especially as a younger and angrier man, but one day
at the farm i realised quite out of the blue that i
was actually living it. like pirsig's triple-headed
unity in ZAMM, permaculture unifies art (design),
science (biology, ecology especially) and religion
(biophilia and biognosis) and this is always a really
swell thing don't you think?
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