Growing an edible, urban ecosystem one backyard at a time
Latest Posts
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Permaculture Principles For Positive Change: Catch and Store Energy
Energy flows all around us—sunlight streaming down, rain soaking into the ground, wind rushing past, plants growing and storing nutrients. If we pay attention, we can catch some of that energy while it’s available and store it for times of scarcity. That’s what the principle, Catch and Store Energy is all about: making the most…
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24 Hour Economic Blackout: A Call for Permanent Change
Join The Economic Blackout February 28, 2025 Money talks, but most of us don’t control the conversation. Wealth is more concentrated than ever, with corporations and billionaires thriving while wages stagnate, families struggle, and basic needs become harder to afford. These corporations shape our economy and policies—often at our expense. With recent events pushing this…
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Resilience in Times of Crisis: 5 Ways to Find Agency When Systems Fail
What We Can Do I’m just going to say it: we are living through frightening, unprecedented times. As I write this, historic, terrifying events are taking place in the United States. I won’t get into the details—not because they don’t matter, but because my goal isn’t to rehash the news or dive into political debates.…
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Permaculture Principles For Positive Change: Observe and Interact
In times of uncertainty and division, it can feel overwhelming to imagine a brighter future. The challenges we face—climate change, social inequity, economic instability—can leave us feeling powerless. But within these difficulties lies an opportunity to reconnect with the systems that sustain us: our land, our communities, and our values. The permaculture principles offer a…
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Permaculture Design Principles Hub
Permaculture Ethics and Design Principles Through its Ethics and Design Principles, permaculture offers a framework for creating sustainable, resilient, and ethical systems—not just in the garden, but in all areas of life. This page is your guide to exploring each principle in depth, with links to individual articles on permaculture design principles and ethics. Why…
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Reduce Holiday Stress with Permaculture for a Serene Season
The holidays can be a lot. Between the shopping, planning, and family dynamics, stress can easily overshadow joy. But what if the natural world had some wisdom to offer? Permaculture—a design system inspired by nature—might seem like it’s all about gardens and growing food. Yet, its principles are surprisingly useful for navigating holiday chaos. Let’s…
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Permaculture in Everyday Life: Applying Principles in the Garden and Beyond
While permaculture is often seen as a common-sense, down-to-earth approach to gardening, its principles can be applied to many other areas of life, possibly even all of them. Opportunities for using permaculture in everyday life—beyond just the garden—are all around us, if you know where to look. We don’t need to use the term “permaculture”…
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How to Make Leaf Mold: A Gardener’s Guide to Free Soil Conditioner
If you’ve got trees, you’ve got leaves—and probably a lot of them piling up each fall. Instead of bagging them up for the curb, why not turn those leaves into something useful? Learning how to make leaf mold is easy, and it gives you a natural soil conditioner that’ll improve your garden without costing a…
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How to Use Fall Leaves in Your Garden
Fall is the perfect time to put your garden’s excess leaves to good use. Instead of raking them up and sending them to the landfill, consider how these natural resources can benefit your garden. By putting fall leaves to use, you can improve soil structure, increase soil fertility, and protect your plants. This guide provides…
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How to Improve Garden Soil: 6 Simple Steps to a Better Garden
Poor soil makes gardening tough. Plants struggle, and yields disappoint. But don’t worry—improving your soil is doable. In this guide, I’ll teach you how to improve garden soil to boost plant health and grow a thriving garden. We’ll cover six steps to transform your soil: Follow these steps, and you’ll turn barren ground into a…