Permaculture 9.2.9

Permaculture 9.2.9
Notebook Page 104

By Tara Welsh

Match

Match the words to their definitions

• permaculture

• agriculture

• biodiversity

• sustainable

• ecosystem

a system of agricultural and social design principles centered around whole systems thinking

the science or practice of farming

the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem

capable of being maintained at a steady level without exhausting natural resources or causing severe ecological damage

a community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment

• a system of agricultural and social design principles centered around whole systems thinking

• the science or practice of farming

• the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem

• capable of being maintained at a steady level without exhausting natural resources or causing severe ecological damage

• a community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment

Dropdown

The goal of sustainable agriculture is to produce food for humans in a way that can continue ​

Select answer

​Notebook page 104

​Permaculture is a type of agriculture that attempts to build an ecosystem.

​Together, the parts of the word permaculture mean always growing or permanent growth. Permaculture is a way of placing the components of a garden in a way that creates an ongoing ecosystem. Instead of a field or garden bed that has one purpose that can change each year, each part of permaculture helps to create a permanent ecosystem.

​Philosophies: care for the earth and people

​Permaculture is a type of sustainable agriculture. The goal of permaculture is to feed people while caring for the Earth so that humans can continue to produce food forever.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following are most important to a permaculture farmer?

• Chemical fertilizers
• Monoculture practices
• Pesticide use
• Soil health, biodiversity, water management, community involvement

​Video time! Edio page 4

​This permaculture farmer focuses on using everything in their garden in multiple ways. What would be creative ways that a permaculture farmer could use a chicken?

​Practices in Permaculture

​Companion plants: a plant that is grown alongside other crops that provide a benefit for the main crop. They could attract pollinators, enrich poor soil, or they could be an additional food source.

Planting perennials, such as fruit trees and bushes, allows an ecosystem to develop among the permanent plants. Perennials enrich the soil and provide habitat for organisms as well as providing food. A perennial is a plant that lives for multiple years.

Ponds can play a role in permaculture. Well-planned ponds can capture rainwater that the farmer can use to irrigate crops and water livestock. The ponds also create habitat for fish, birds, and native plants to increase biodiversity.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following practices would a permaculture farmer most likely use?

• pesticides

• farm machinery

• perennial crops

• monoculture

Poll

Do you like the idea of permaculture?

• yes

• not really

​Advantages and Disadvantages of Permaculture

​One advantage of permaculture is the ability to use natural nutrient cycles rather than commercial fertilizer. The organisms in permaculture reduce the need to fertilize. The combinations of plants enrich the soil, and the animals provide fertilizer. Compost created from food scraps and harvested crops also adds carbon and nitrogen back into the soil. This balanced approach reduces the chances that permaculture will pollute local watersheds.

Another advantage of permaculture is the reduction in planting labor. After the initial setup, permaculture requires less work in planting new crops. Many of the plants in permaculture are perennials, or plants that live many years. Other plants create seeds that plant themselves for the next year.


A third advantage of permaculture is the biodiversity that it supports. Permaculture includes many crop species as well as companion plants. Those plants provide homes and food for birds, pollinators, and many small creatures. Some permaculture also includes livestock that add to biodiversity.

​One major disadvantage of permaculture is that is it less efficient than using monoculture or small plots of polyculture. In most permaculture, several types of plants are located in the same area to create an ecosystem. Machines cannot typically harvest in permaculture, so it takes longer to harvest.

Another disadvantage is the amount of planning that permaculture takes. Permaculture works with existing conditions, so farmers often take a year or more to observe an area to make a good plan for what will grow well there. While you can plant a standard garden with only a few days of planning, permaculture takes much more thought.

Categorize

Options (9)

less fertlizer

better soil health

reduced water usage

increased biodiversity

improved crop resilience

higher initial investment

potential for pest resistance

reduced crop diversity

limited access to resources

advantages and disadvantages of permaculture

advantage

disadvantage

​Circle three components in the image that show farms using permaculture methods.

​permaculture is a type of farming that creates a permanent ecosystem

the philosophies of permaculture are to care for the Earth and people

the advantages and disadvantages of permaculture.

​Do you think this graphic is biased? Why or why not?