This blog is dedicated to my novice attempt at home-scale permaculture on our property in New England. Beginning with a blank slate, follow me on my journey as I attempt to convert a yard that is essentially a biodiversity desert into a nature lovers sanctuary.
They stereotypical prized yard consists of a vast and uniform stretch of perfectly cut grass, a few ornamental trees, a tidy garden in neat little rows, and perhaps a picket fence. The amount of life this typical lawn can support is excruciatingly low. This is the prime reason why I refer to my own yard, or at least then one we started with in 2012 as a biodiversity desert. We have 2 acres of land, a portion of which is wild and teaming with life, but the majority of which is cleared out except for a few trees and primarily features grass and asphalt. We have an impressive boulder wall that literately is a barrier between the wild portion of our yard and the time. This barrier is so effective that in those first months of living there, I never even heard or saw a bird fly onto the tame part of our property, and believe me, I listened. Now I'm not saying that our lawn isn't pretty, because I think most people would find it rather attractive. But in a world where people are taking up more and more space, and there are less and less resources for the rest of the animals, I believe it is of the utmost importance to find a way to share our homes with nature. Of course, I still have expectations for my property to provide certain comforts and needs such as edible food, shade, space for recreation and leisure, comfort and beauty. And this brings us to just what permaculture is: the harmonious integration of people into the landscape. On my property, I hope to provide food and shelter for as much biodiversity as I can while still creating a home that I enjoy and even love to be a part of.
You may especially enjoy reading this blog if you are interested in any of the following topics:
Permaculture
Biodiversity Conservation
Nature
Gardening
Birding
Do It Yourself Projects
Home Improvement
Please be sure to check out my recommended reading list on the blog's home page. I update this regularly as a read through new material.
Note that for the sake of my family's privacy (and my own personal amusement) I refer to my husband as "Hunkcules" and my son as "Sprout".
About Me:
I am one of nature's biggest fans. I love animals and exploring the outdoors, and always knew that I wanted to study animals in my future. When I was young I wanted to be a veterinarian, but after volunteering at a vet office for a couple of years, my adventurous spirit encouraged me to study to become a wildlife ecologist, where I would be able to satiate my innate hunger to learn and satisfy my longing to work outside and witness animals in their natural habitats. Thus, I got a B.S. in biology with a minor in biochemistry. Through my studies, I became increasingly concerned about the state of nature, and decided to go to graduate school in England to get a M.Sc. in Conservation Biology. There, I became part of a community of like minded individuals whose passion and drive were contagious and inspirational. I have now put my career goals on hold temporarily as my husband and I start our family! We decided it would be best to have kids while we are young and healthy, and I will focus on being a the best mom I can be for a while. I am looking forward to exploring and sharing my love of nature with our child.
As far as permaculture goes, I am essentially a novice in the field. Beyond my educational background in biology and conservation however, I do have some hands on experience with gardening/landscaping:
-Spent two seasons working at a local farm tending to crops such as strawberries, fruit trees, and vegetables. I also spent some time fullfilling an educational role.
-Worked for a local non-profit farm as a volunteer coordinator and environmental educator, but also was responsible for caring for livestock such as sheep, goats, chickens and rabbits, and helped with trail maintenance.
-Worked in a local greenhouse for a summer with such responsibilities as transplanting, watering, weeding, and selling a large variety of plants. I also made flower pot arrangements and created cut-flower bouquets.
-Have tended to several of my own gardens, though these have been at my parents house, or small vertical gardens on our apartment balcony. The gardens I have had so far have all been on tilled plots with rows of plants, but I hope to change that now that we have our own land.
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