Monday, May 19, 2008

Rediscovering food

Do you know how your ancestors planted, reaped and prepared their food?
Most people consider themselves lucky if they still have grandmothers handwritten cookbook, but how about the really traditional dishes from older times?
Have a look at:

Food museum
Food timeline
Historic food
De Historische Groentenhof & De Kookboerderij
Vergeten Groenten

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Looking at a medium-sized Urban Garden

Now this is what I call a medium-sized garden in Amsterdam; in comparison with gardens in the countryside it is still tiny of course.

Brainstorm:
Which aspects of Permaculture can we apply at this place in one day's work with a few people?

Are there any specific topics we would like to learn about in this workshop? Do we have other places in mind for gardening?

Monday, May 5, 2008

Urban Permaculture in a tiny garden

Since 2005 I live in a part of Amsterdam that used to be a independent village. The small houses were made for the laborers at the wharves nearby; the gardens are really tiny. It took me a year to settle down, putting down my roots here, relating with my garden. For the first time in my whole live I felt really at home in a place! Working at my garden helps me to connect to this land, gives me a real rooting here and now. It heals some childhood-trauma's on having to pull out weeds as a punishment.

Starhawk's book 'Earth Path' inspired me to try some experiments on Urban Permaculture, beginning with a compost-heap, relocating plants etc. Starting to apply Urban Permaculture in my small garden is a real challenge!

How much Urban Permaculture can I apply in a small spot? I really feel strongly, these type of small gardens need Urban Permaculture. The greater challenge makes the need greater to do this at these spots. See those three tiles bordering the garden and also the hortensia? They had to go, to make space. Opposite the triangle, there is a small spot, usable for herbs. And after the change...Still a lot of work to be done on this site...




Food Shortages in the news

Every news outlet is reporting on food shortages and huge profits by multinationals who "own" the food supply.
Right now these events are reported from "developing" nations but soon they will be occuring in Europe and North America as well.
Just two weeks ago Japan ran out of butter!

What to do? Grow food! Save seed! Grow soil!

Now is the time to learn permaculture.
Now is the time to return to the ancient ways of honoring Earth, protecting soil, growing food, saving seed, and sharing!

We are heading into times of upheaval and change.
Many of us have seen this coming.
For some it is scary, for some it is exciting, for all of us it is an opportunity to learn to be what Human Beings really can be; in harmony with nature and with each other, in harmony with ourselves.

Whatever your spiritual background or beliefs, wherever you live, your survival and the survival of your descendants rests upon your actions now.
This summer, 2008, will be a time that is remembered for many years to come as the summer when the global economic system really began to show it's collapse, when capitalist militarism really "came out of the closet" and when millions of people remembered what they already knew, how to really LIVE!