It’s been some time since I began writing these journals and I find myself going to back to them from time to time, more so when I’m in the field and I’ve forgotten something. So the concept behind this section is to provide a way to quickly hunt down a topic of interest through the links below, you could also try searching for a topic of interest in the search field at the bottom of the page.
About permaculture
Permaculture prime directive, Permaculture definitions, A Designers Manual by Bill Mollison, Permaculture One by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren.
A case for Permaculture
Regarding World Wildlife Living Planet Report 2014, the planetary boundary framework, Farm Managed Natural Regeneration, Lessons on the Loess Plain, Greening the Desert, Bill Mollison on Permaculture Design Courses, the 12 Principles of Permaculture, Dave Holmgren Essence of Permaculture, UN Trade and Environment Report 2013, Definition of Natural Capital, Identification of an Immune-Responsive Mesolimbocortical Serotonergic System, Sacred Groves of India, Conscious Consumers NZ, on Circular Economies, Rabobank Pathways to a Circular Economy, Ellen Macarthur Foundation, On Epigenetics
Tagasaste – a keystone design element
On the concept of Keystone Design Elements, Tagasaste as Fodder, Tagasaste as Solid Fuel, Tagasaste on Soil Conditioning, regarding Legumes, on the nature of Nitrogen, Tagasaste for Native Forest Regeneration, Tagasaste planting strategies for Orchards, growing Tagasaste from seeds, on the nature of Phosphate, Reactive Phosphate Rock uses and constraints, Mycorrhizal Fungi, Teaming with Microbes, on the nature of Calcium, Nourishment Home Grown by Allan Beddoe, Lime supplements, Seedling Pest protection, Pest deterrent formula, Alternative legumes to consider, Masanobu Fukuoka The One Straw Revolution, Tagasaste Nomenclature
Comfrey – the king of accumulators
Comfrey origins, on Allantoin, Comfrey Bocking varieties, % minerals extracted by Comfrey, Comfrey carbon to nitrogen ratio, Kay Baxter’s Comfrey liquid fertiliser recipe, Koanga Gardens, Comfrey and potatoes and onions, Comfrey as fodder, Comfrey and vitamin B12, Potassium storage of Trees, Propagation tips for Comfrey, Establishing a Comfrey Plot, Comfrey and hepatoxic pyrrolizidines, Comfrey research project update, Comfrey Nomenclature
Seaweed – an eminent bioaccumulator
On chelating compounds, benefits of Trace Elements, the nature of Iron, the nature of Copper, the nature of Manganese, Vitamins + Lipids + Carbohydrates + Proteins + Nucleic Acids + Alginates + Growth Hormones in Seaweed, regarding Lazy Beds practice, Seaweed harvesting considerations, Seaweed in Agriculture and Horticulture W.A Stephens, Seaweed and Potatoes, Peter Procter’s Seaweed Extract recipe, regarding Foliar Sprays, basic plant botany, natural insecticide spray, what is good quality compost?, GRO Biointensive How to Grow More Vegetable, GRO Biointensive Composting and growing Composting materials, on bio-accumulation in Seaweed
Soil Building – aerated activated compost tea
Insights from Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis on the Soil Food Web, Teaming with Microbes, Actions of Bacteria + Fungi + Protozoa + Nematodes + Arthropods + Worms, Aerated Activated Compost Tea [AACT] Introduction, on plants controlling the soil community, AACT application notes – a recipe, on reducing the risk on introducing Anaerobic microbes, indicators for healthy compost, Vermicast, AACT timing and application, Dr Elaine Ingham and the SoilFoodWeb organisation, Nitrogen forms, tuning the AACT brew towards bacterial or fungal dominance to suit different crops, application at the orchard, regarding worms and their actions and benefits, Charles Darwin’s book on worms, The Compost Tea Brewing Manual – Latest methods and research 5th edition, the downside of AACT an the risk of introducing non-beneficial microbes and precautions to take.
Orchard Understory – an indispensable set of tools
Masanobu Fukuoka’s four principles of do nothing farming, natural farming example, regarding legumes, on Subterranean Clover (Trifolium subterraneum), on Dutch white clover (Trifolium repens), on Red clover (Trifolium pratense), the nature of Phosphate as the ‘Usher’, regarding Beneficial Insects, on the Umbeliferae family, on nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) and marigolds (Calendula officinalis) as natural pest deterrents, on phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia) chicory (Cichorium Intybus) and buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) to attract bees, on daikon (Raphanus sativus) lucerne (Medicago satvia) and comfrey (Symphytum peregrinum) for soil conditioning, on Elles cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) for biomass generation, Understory establishment tips, regarding Visual Plant Analysis, Leaf colour examples to indicate deficiencies, The International Permaculture Solutions Journal Volume 1, Number 3. A Yankee Permaculture, Test your soil with plants by John Beeby, Designing and Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally by Robert Kourik, Roots Demystified by Robert Kourik.
Biodynamics – living soil and cosmic interplay
Biodynamics Term, Cosmic Interplay example, on the importance of the Cow, preparation 500, BRIX, preparation 501, preparation 502, preparation 503, preparation 504, preparation 505, preparation 506, preparation 507, the Biodynamic Compost Pile, regarding Carbon, Organic matter and Humus, Cow Pat Pit, Biodynamic Tree Paste, Terrior.
A design for soil remediation
What makes for a healthy tree?, Rule of thumb for a healthy soil structure, Humus, Biologic Ionisation and Dr Carey Reams, Kay Baxter on Nutrient Dense Food, Roles of Nitrogen + Phosphorous + Potassium + Carbon + Calcium + Trace Elements, Visual Soil Assessment techniques, Various references for VSA techniques, Kay’s drainage test, about conventional lab soil tests, 4 stage soil remediation plan, Reams soil testing, Carey Reams’ Testing & Evaluation Methods by Arden Anderson, RPR versus Soft Rock Phosphate, Regarding human nutrition, Epigenetics, BRIX and the Refractometer,
PigintheMud 