Beyond Gardening: How to Provide for Family & Community

By This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Small Axe Landcare, LLC

dan birmingham

Have you ever wondered how your property could become a more productive, healthier place to live? Would you like to see your land transform from a conventional landscape into sustainable, profitable acreage? Would you like to produce a diversity of low-maintenance perennial food crops that will ensure harvest for years to come? Would you like to get rid of your lawnmower? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions then the answer is permaculture.

Permaculture designers seek to design and build highly functional ecosystems. Bill Mollison is one of the original practitioners who coined the term “permaculture” to describe “permanent agricultural” systems.

Mollison defines permaculture as “a philosophy and approach to land-use that transforms conventional landscapes into intricately connected, productive communities”. So that no resource is wasted and a functioning ecosystem is created, each component of the total landscape must have multiple functions.

We, at Small Axe Landcare, are certified designers of permaculture landscapes. We turn lawns and unused garden space into abundant, verdant, and vibrant places of nourishment and healing. It’s not that difficult; in fact. After the initial labor investment, the system is designed to sustain itself, your family, and the at-large community. The permaculture-landscaping system is designed to produce food, support wildlife habitat, and ensure your property is a safe and healthy environment.

Permaculture also helps to solve persistent problems in your landscape by working with nature, not against it. Permaculture designers analyze your landscape to create a design that not only maximizes productivity, but also works with nature to improve problem areas. For example, there may be a spot of lawn that just won’t grow or you may have some fruit trees that don’t produce. The process starts with the soil and involves the utilization of compost and natural amendments, to improve fertility and soil structure. At times it becomes necessary to install irrigation systems and hardscapes that enhance productivity and increase yields.

Visit the Small Axe Landcare website to see examples of our permaculture designs. RABA members receive 10% off permaculture design, and we always offer free consultations. Not interested in permaculture? Small Axe Landcare also offers a full line of conventional landscape design, maintenance, and installation.

Permaculture concepts may seem a bit unconventional, but these practices are tried-and- true methods for increasing productivity. In these challenging times, communities benefit from adopting self-sustainability. Permaculture is the solution to many landscaping problems. Let Small Axe Landcare help your family realize the full potential of your land.

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