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What is Permaculture?

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Hey guys, Andre the Farmer here again, and today I want to talk to you about something amazing - permaculture. 

What is permaculture, you say? What is permaculture? No, seriously what is permaculture? Sometimes I think I know, and sometimes I feel like I don't. And that's because it's a very complicated word, or at least it feels that way. But today we're going to make it simple. 

Permaculture is simply to do the right thing. Or as I like to say, "be about that life…permaculture life". 

Be about that life... permaculture life!

That's it. Let me explain.

A little history on the word...

Permaculture is a phrase coined by Bill Mollison in Australia many moons ago. It was initially a combination of permanent and agriculture, then became permanent culture and finally permaculture. When we think of anything permanent, it has to be something that can endure, something lasting, i.e., permanent. Therefore, for anything to be permanent, it has to be able to function or exist in a specific state indefinitely. It has to be sustainable. And sustainability is a great word to use when defining permaculture.  

Permaculture applies to all aspects of society, from socio-economic and political systems, to food production and environmental protection.

Any action that you take towards sustainability is permaculture.

So, when you recycle or plant that avocado seed in a margarine tub on your window sill, you are doing permaculture.

What permaculture is and isn't

Too many people are intimidated by the word and think you need a farm, or acres, or chickens and goats to practice permaculture, when all you really have to do is make choices that are sustainable.  

Some of the choices I make are to compost my kitchen scraps, and plant as many fruit trees and plants as possible to increase the biodiversity in my yard.

Permaculture is simply working with nature instead of working against it. 

An example of working with nature is knowing your microclimates, and by that, I mean understanding the growing conditions and how they differ on your property. For example, if you live in an apartment, you may only have a balcony with partial shade, so instead of fighting that, grow turmeric and ginger in containers. You may have a yard with an area that gets swampy every rainy season. Instead of draining it, plant bananas and sugar cane there. 

Get the idea?

Permaculture apparel? What?!

At Permaculture Life, we also try to create sustainable apparel. We make our apparel and gardening accessories from sustainable materials like hemp, bamboo, organic cotton, and recycled materials. Almost all of our products are American-made, and one dollar from every purchase goes towards building community gardens in underserved communities and teaching kids how to grow food. 

At permaculturelife.com we have educational videos to help you on your permaculture journey. So next time you hear the word "permaculture" smile and say "I'm about that life!"

Interested in meeting Andre the Farmer and learning more abour Permaculture Life: Visit permaculturelife.com, follow Andre the Farmer on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube. [You could also meet him at his "day job", where he's also known as Dr. Andre Baptiste, your local orthodontist!]

And be sure to mark your calendar to meet up with Andre the Farmer at the 2022 Earth Day event at Lake Eola on April 23rd. He will be at the Permaculture Life booth.  

Andre the Farmer, Permaculture, Permaculture Life, Gardening, Baptiste Orthodontics and Dentistry for Kids, What is Permaculture? What does it mean to live the permaculture life? Tips for sustainable living, Environment

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