Getting to Permaculture

I must have been about 10 years old when I saw and was fascinated by the cover of a magazine, I think it was Mother Earth News; it had a sketch of a homestead with a two story house with a wraparound porch, a beehive, sheep and a wind turbine. I looked at that and thought that is exactly what I want when I grow up. I thought it would be so cool to have everything I needed in my own yard. I must have been a home body and part hermit even back then and the idea of getting honey, wool and electricity from my own yard was ideal.


It was just recently that I remembered that childhood dream, as I learned the skills and put into practice becoming more self-reliant, I realized how blissfully happy each change made me. I felt drawn to different skills and would study books and the internet to learn how to do different things. As a young woman I collected skills, learned how to do things and why we do things. As I learned something I felt drawn to share the information. I was collecting skills and knowledge and it all had to do with becoming self-reliant. I was collecting the pieces of a large puzzle and it wasn’t until a friend asked me if I was into Permaculture that I realized that I was deep into it, yet didn’t know the idea existed. My puzzle had a title.

As I have learned more about Permaculture, I have felt a complete mesh with the philosophy and systems of it. As I read the standard texts about Permaculture, I have recognized books that I have read and cherished. The ideas presented have articulated the concerns I have had in terms of the problems I see in our society. I experienced an intellectual homecoming.

Looking at my current situation, I see that there are lots of ways that I can make changes in my household and I am working diligently to convert my household into a Permaculture Suburban Farm. Follow along as I make and describe the changes.