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 Permaculture, Agroecology, Ecological Design, and Organic Farming |
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"Be
the change you want to see in the world" - Mohandas Ghandi Permaculture basically means "Permanent Agriculture". It is a method of cooperating with the natural environment to encourage the sustainable production of food and other renewable resources for the benefit of the humans who live nearby. At Finca Sarita we strive to maintain an equilibrium between the all beneficial elements in the system. This includes minimization of waste (resources in disguise), minimizing our consumption of resources, wise application of appropriate technology, and in general caring for our land like a precious treasure on loan from a good friend. What is Ecological Design, and Agroecology? The term "Permaculture" is copyrighted by the people who coined the phrase, in an effort to protect it from the same sorts of dilutions that affect things like "organic" and "Eco". The term "Ecological Design" is identical in meaning and philosophy to the term "Permaculture", but without the challenges and bureacracy surrounding a copyrighted term. It enables us to spread knowledge of sustainable living without undergoing an expensive "official" certification process. Agroecology is the science of applying ecological concepts and principles to the design, development, and management of sustainable agricultural ecosystems. It's principles are used and applied under the umbrella of permaculture and ecological design. What advantages does Permaculture offer over Organic Agriculture? Organic agriculture is a step in the right direction, but the term "organic" itself has been diluted of its meaning, much like the terms "Eco" or "Environmental". It is possible to have non-sustainable organic agriculture. Sustainable agriculture is always organic, however organic agriculture is not always sustainable. Mono-cropping organic foods does no favors for soil health, nor does it create livable ecosystems for other lifeforms, with the exceptions of opportunistic pests that adapt to these sorts of systems. Foods produced far away, using modern agro-industrial processes like tractors and diesel powered sprinklers, and then shipped halfway around the world are still considered organic, merely because they do not use chemical fertilzizers and pesticides. Permaculture and Ecological design takes organic agriculture a step farther towards a truly sustainable system of life. Ancestral Seeds and Seed Saving Our genetic heritage is an important resource that must be preserved and conserved. Since the rise of agriculture in human history,, mankind has experimented with multitudes of botanical resources to determine their suitability for cultivation. These plants have fed us, clothed us, sheltered us, and provided medicine. Most of these plant species had evolved for hundreds of thousands of years to become the resources we know today. Since the rise of the industrial age we have seen our priorities shift from foods that high in nutrients, to foods valued for their mass, color, and durability in the shipping process. Many of the foods we see in the markets today are artificial creations that are barely more than water and fiber. We are an active member of the Seed Savers Network of Ecuador (Red de Guardianes de Semillas). |
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