In this video Nicholas Burtner explains when the best possible time to install and implement earthworks such as keyline plowing,
To drill or not to drill?… Most agricultural land is irrigated by water either on site or from municipalities. That water is usually drawn up from wells that are drilled down to aquifers below 2100 ft. Aquifers that are pumped up from below 2100 ft are not a renewable resource and there is no future that […]
After a 12 day Permaculture Design Course (and sometimes before) students are usually keen to dive deeper with their knowledge and perhaps gain some on the ground experience in a Permaculture Earthworks Course. These types of course are specialist permaculture courses and pave the way for learning the finer details in earthworks such as: detailed area of catchment, […]
On October 17-19th amazing ground breaking (pun intended) work was done. In collaboration with non-profit Divinekinship, we set up the first of earthworks to establish a food forest garden to eradicate food deserts in south Dallas, TX for the homeless, needy, and under privileged. We had a blast both in the classroom and on site. Enjoy the photos below. […]
What is often left out in much of permaculture teaching is the “how to install the design”. And not only what that entails, but steps in how to do it. It is most manageable when the design is implemented in stages and each stage should build upon the previous (an the electrical system works better and installs […]
After a permaculture design course, many permaculture practitioner and designer feel as they though their understanding of key points in landscape is rather blurred. I have come up with a list of tips that make keypoints easier to understand, easier to find, and some of the ways they can be utilized. There is not just one keypoint per hillside or mountain […]
It is too cold to rain in Antarctica. This actually makes Antarctica the driest place on earth. In places where there is 6 months or more of snow, we work and plan a design around and for the snow melt. When spring comes in these environments (often times in cold temperate climates) it comes quick, […]
Swale defined: A water harvesting ditch on contour. Nicholas Burtner explains in detail, but stays light, on the topic of swales in permaculture. What they are, how to create them, and what they are used for in permaculture and earthworks. As a bonus, at the end of the video there is a collage of different […]
OMG! That is internet speak for Oh My Goodness! The first day at the internship was something no one could prepare me for: the open air, the cattle, the horses, chickens, food forests, pasture, correctly built structures that harmonize with the sun, swales, ponds, dams, and embarking on a journey and communal living with people […]