TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. WHY ARE WE HERE? WHAT IS PERMACULTURE?

Declaration of Interdependence..........................................................................................1
Our Deepest Fear................................................................................................................2
Permaculture Tree..............................................................................................................3
The Author of the Acacia Seeds.....................................................................................4
What Is Permaculture?.......................................................................................................9
Paradise Gardening...........................................................................................................10
Living Systems Theory.....................................................................................................15
The Ecological Crisis as a Crisis of Agriculture..............................................................18
The Current.......................................................................................................................20
Chlorophyll Molecule vs. Human Blood Molecule.........................................................21
II. THE TRUNK- GETTING STARTED WITH PERMACULTURE DESIGN
A. Patterns and Principles
Patterns Overview................................................................................................22
Pattern Images......................................................................................................24
Pattern Language..................................................................................................30
20-something Permaculture Principles.................................................................34
B. Ecology and Ecosystems
Ecology and Ecosystems.....................................................................................45
A Tabular Model of Ecological Succession.........................................................49
The Farm Ecosystem............................................................................................50
Are vascular plants inside-out lichens?................................................................51
Microclimate........................................................................................................59
C. Design Process
Permaculture Design: Methods and Process....................................................61
Steps in Designing a Sustainable Home System..................................................63
Needs/Yields Analysis.........................................................................................65
Sector and Zone Planning....................................................................................69
Maps and Mapping...............................................................................................70
Quick and Dirty Map Making..............................................................................72
Designing for Fire Prevention..............................................................................76
Limiting Factors in Design...................................................................................77
Reading the Landscape Checklist........................................................................78

Microclimate Modification..................................................................................79
Extended Environmental Analysis.......................................................................82
Broadscale Agriculture - Start small & work from a nucleus..............................83
D. Client Relations
Client Interview Checklist....................................................................................85
1. Sample Client/Consultant Communication
a. Timelines, Proposals, Estimates
Land Steward Description................................................................86
Design Timeline Draft #1................................................................87
Design Timeline Draft #2................................................................89
Landscape Manual...........................................................................94
Wildflower Proposal .................................................................127
Plant List/Estimate.........................................................................132
Zone 1 Estimate.............................................................................133
b. Sample Contracts
Contract for Installation Work #1..................................................137
Contract for Installation Work #2..................................................141
E. Tools
Tools and Appropriate Technology....................................................................145
Lee's Low-Tech Sun Locator.............................................................................148
The A-frame Level.............................................................................................149
Computers and Information Technology............................................................151
Open Source Software.......................................................................................154
F. Class Project
Permaculture Design Project..............................................................................155
Design Project Requirements.............................................................................156
Design Parameters/Site Hosting.........................................................................161
Presentation Tips................................................................................................162
III. WATER AND EARTHWORKS
A. Water Overview
Water Overview..................................................................................................163
B. Water infrastructure
1. Soil storage
Building Swales for Water Catchment.....................................................169
The Drought Myth...................................................................................170
Importance of Residue/Mulch in Water Conservation.............................172

2. Ponds
A Primer on Dam Design.........................................................................173
3. Cisterns
Designing a Rainwater System................................................................180
Ferrocement Cisterns Pricing .................................................................182
4. Using waste water
Waste Water Treatment............................................................................190
Household Greywater Systems................................................................192
Woodchip Greywater Purification............................................................198
Biogas Digester Sewage System..............................................................199
5. Engineered Systems
Sustainable Storm Water Management in the Mountains of Western North
Carolina............................................................................................200
Mars Hill Storm Water Low Impact Development Demonstration
Project..............................................................................................214
VI. DESIGNING FOR SOIL
A. Soil Overview
Soil: The Foundation of Life..............................................................................215
Soil Fertility........................................................................................................218
Soil Texture Triangle..........................................................................................223
Soil Classification..............................................................................................224
Soil Texture by Feel...........................................................................................226
Guide to Soil Moisture Content.........................................................................227
Why Soil Organic Matter Matters .....................................................................228
Nutrient Content of Different Manures .............................................................228
C:N Ratios of Different Residues .....................................................................228
see also Importance of Residue/Mulch in Water Conservation ........................172
Soil Acidity.........................................................................................................229
B. Protecting Soil: Keeping Soil Healthy & Preventing Erosion
Contour Ditches and Topsoil Conservation ......................................................231
see also Building Swales for Water Catchment ................................................169
Effects of Keyline Soil Conditioning on Pasture Soils and Production.............232
Wind and Water Erosion on Different Soil Types..............................................240
C. Returning to the Soil: Waste & Composting
Waste (not) and Compost...................................................................................241
Composting........................................................................................................242

D. BioChar
BioChar as a Soil Ammendment........................................................................243
Zev's BioChar Flowchart...................................................................................274
BioChar Pathways for Different Environments.................................................275
Climate Change and BioChar.............................................................................277
V. PLANT USE STRATEGIES
A. Basic Gardening Techniques & Strategies
Gardening...........................................................................................................281
- Why garden?............................................................................................281
- Garden layout...........................................................................................281
- Creating & maintaining beds...................................................................281
- Paths.........................................................................................................282
- Plant Propogation.....................................................................................282
- Saving Seed.............................................................................................282
- Integrated Pest Management (IPM).........................................................283
- Companion Planting.........................................................................284-285
- Human Nutrition (planning and food preservation)................................284
Planting Strategies.............................................................................................286
Building a Sheet Mulch Bed..............................................................................288
B. Plant Anatomy and Identification
Basic Plant Anatomy: Leaves............................................................................290
Basic Leaf Forms...............................................................................................291
Woody Stems......................................................................................................292
Leaf Shapes........................................................................................................293
Leaf Types..........................................................................................................294
Tree ID...............................................................................................................295
C. Polyculture Theory
Polyculture: Advantages and Disadvantages.....................................................297
Competition in Mixtures....................................................................................298
D. Species Selection A recommended Home Medicine Garden..........................................................306
Cover Crops for Various Soil Types/Garden Conditions...................................307
Dynamic Accumulators......................................................................................308
Nitrogen Fixers...................................................................................................310
Edible Plants for Shady Places.......................................................................313
Useful Plant Families.........................................................................................314
Plant Purpose Reference Guide..........................................................................317

Useful Plants to Know........................................................................................318

Useful Permaculture Plants for Temperate Regions..........................................320
see also Plant Species Suggestions for each of Seven Layers...........................370
E. Management Issues
Diagnosing Plant Symptoms Overview..............................................................321
Integrated Greenhouse Systems.........................................................................324
Biological Impacts of Rising Carbon Dioxide...................................................327
VI. ROLE OF TREES
Trees and Forests ...........................................................................................................356
-The Revenge of the Trees by Joseph Gaer..........................................................356
-What is a forest? Why do we need them? What is happening to them?.............356
-Three types of forests..........................................................................................357
-Forest Establishment...........................................................................................358
-Orchards..............................................................................................................359
-Maps of Virgin Forest, then and now..................................................................360
Caring for Barefoot Fruit Trees......................................................................................362
Windbreak Planning & Design.......................................................................................364
Tree Crop Resources......................................................................................................365
A. Agroforestry & Forest Gardening
Introduction to Agroforestry and Forest Gardening...........................................366
Forest Gardening................................................................................................369
- Advantages/Disadvantages......................................................................369
- Strategies..................................................................................................370
- Plant Species Suggestions for each of Seven Layers...............................370
- Resources.................................................................................................370
Applied Principles of Ecoforestry......................................................................371
Agroforestry Resources......................................................................................373
Forest Agriculture in the Southeast U.S.: A Summary of Experimental
Methods.....................................................................................................374
Forest Agriculture Project Summaries...............................................................382
Forest Agriculture Planning...............................................................................383
1. Native Cuisine Project Native Cuisine Project Description..........................................................389
Heating Up the Local Food Movement....................................................393
B. Mycoforestry
Hen of the Woods - Doctoring the Woods with Mushrooms.............................398
It's Good to Grow Mushrooms...........................................................................400

A speculative Myco-Forester's Palette for the Southern

Blue Ridge Province..................................................................................402
Propagating Ectomycorrhizae............................................................................405
Mycorrhizal controls on community diversity...................................................415
Carbon Transfer between Trees..........................................................................419
Images:
Mycofiltration installation illustration.......................................................423
Before and After Mycofiltration................................................................425
Maitake......................................................................................................426
VII. ANIMALS IN OUR SYSTEMS
Designing for Animal Allies..........................................................................................427
A. Black Soldier Flies
Grub Economics.................................................................................................429
A proposal for the elimination of a landfill in vietnam......................................431
Factors influencing mating and oviposition of black soldier flies
in a Colony.................................................................................................438
Fly Prepupae as Feedstuff for Rainbow Trout...................................................446
Dried Hermetia Illucens Larvae as a Feed Additive for Poultry........................455
Rearing Methods for the Black Soldier Fly ......................................................460
A Value Added Manure Management System Using the Black Soldier
Fly...............................................................................................................464
B. Poultry
Poultry in Permaculture..................................................................................... 469
The Chicken Food Web......................................................................................471
see also Dried Hermetia Illucens Larvae as a Feed Additive
for Poultry...................................................................................................455
C. Fish
Aquaculture........................................................................................................475
see also Fly Prepupae as Feedstuff for Rainbow Trout .....................................446
D. Other
Vegan Permaculture ...........................................................................................479

VIII. DESIGNING FOR HUMAN DYNAMICS

Introduction to Designing for Human Dynamics...........................................................480
A. Structures and Access
1. Roads
Building Paths and Roads........................................................................481
Road Diagram..........................................................................................482
2. Buildings
Building Design.......................................................................................483
Building Orientation................................................................................485
Questions and Answers about Cob..........................................................486
Straw and Clay Working Notes................................................................488
How to Keep Costs Down........................................................................490
3. Energy
Energy in Permaculture .......................................................................492
Wind, Hydro, Solar...................................................................................496
B. How We Live
1. Settlement Patterns
Settlement Patterns...................................................................................499
2. Intentional Community
Ecovillages...............................................................................................501
Transition Towns......................................................................................504
3. Distribution of Power/Decision Making
Creating a Culture of Cooperation...........................................................510
Consensus Based Decision Making.........................................................511
Bioregionalism.........................................................................................513
The Bioregional Approach to Social Change..........................................514
Stages and Steps to Local Empowerment................................................516
4. Urban Permaculture
Urban Strategies.......................................................................................517
5. Wild Lands
Some Ideas to Lend a Hand to Wild Land...............................................521
Using Fire to Improve Wildlife Habitat...................................................523
C. Human Food Systems
Year Round Eating - Season Extension and Food Storage................................537
Home Food Security and Abundance.................................................................539
Myths about Hunger.......................................................................................541
Why Big Ag Won't Feed the World....................................................................543

IX. ECONOMICS
A. Budgeting and Costs
Budgeting and Costs..........................................................................................546
B. Design for Economic Yield
Designing for Economic Yield...........................................................................547
C. Money & Alternate Economies
Economics Intro - Money & Exchange Systems...............................................548
What the world wants and how to pay for it......................................................550
The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas.....................................................................552
X. RESOURCES & FURTHER READING..............................................................550
Course evaluation...........................................................................................................563