Recently I was able to join the Permaculture Institute to learn the principles and foundations of sustainable design.  This course material was originally developed by Bill Mollison, a co-founder of permaculture. We learned about everything from soil, water, plant, legal and economic systems to chickens!

In the beginning permaculture design is labor-intensive.  Initial (and ongoing) thoughtful observation of the land and its environment leads to careful design based on the relationships of plants, animals, land and buildings to each other.  The end product - which evolves over time - is an amazing relationship created among the elements by the way that they are placed together.  

I learned that by using this integrated system of environmental and ecological design, we can create a sustainable form of agriculture and living that is perennial.

The following is an amazing article in Mother Earth News with Bill Mollison. It’s from way back, but it says much.

https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/bill-mollison-permaculture-activist-zmaz80ndzraw?pageid=1#PageContent1