2019/01/20

The Permaculture City: Regenerative Design for Urban, Suburban, and Town Resilience: Toby Hemenway: 9781603585262: Amazon.com: Books



The Permaculture City: Regenerative Design for Urban, Suburban, and Town Resilience: Toby Hemenway: 9781603585262: Amazon.com: Books





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Toby Hemenway

Permaculture is more than just the latest buzzword; it offers positive solutions for many of the environmental and social challenges confronting us. And nowhere are those remedies more needed and desired than in our cities. The Permaculture City provides a new way of thinking about urban living, with practical examples for creating abundant food, energy security, close-knit communities, local and meaningful livelihoods, and sustainable policies in our cities and towns. The same nature-based approach that works so beautifully for growing food―connecting the pieces of the landscape together in harmonious ways―applies perfectly to many of our other needs. Toby Hemenway, one of the leading practitioners and teachers of permaculture design, illuminates a new way forward through examples of edge-pushing innovations, along with a deeply holistic conceptual framework for our cities, towns, and suburbs.

The Permaculture City begins in the garden but takes what we have learned there and applies it to a much broader range of human experience; we’re not just gardening plants but people, neighborhoods, and even cultures. Hemenway lays out how permaculture design can help towndwellers solve the challenges of meeting our needs for food, water, shelter, energy, community, and livelihood in sustainable, resilient ways. Readers will find new information on designing the urban home garden and strategies for gardening in community, rethinking our water and energy systems, learning the difference between a “job” and a “livelihood,” and the importance of placemaking and an empowered community.

This important book documents the rise of a new sophistication, depth, and diversity in the approaches and thinking of permaculture designers and practitioners. Understanding nature can do more than improve how we grow, make, or consume things; it can also teach us how to cooperate, make decisions, and arrive at good solutions.

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Editorial Reviews

Review




Booklist-

"For the past six years, Hemenway’s acclaimed first book, Gaia’s Garden (2009), has been the world’s best-selling guidebook on home and garden permaculture. He now continues to champion this environmental philosophy that involves working with nature, instead of against it, for maximum sustainability. Although permaculture practices originally began with small-scale farms and gardens in mind, in his latest work Hemenway presents a much larger vision of applying them to metropolitan settings. In what is more than simply a handbook on finding space to grow fruits and vegetables in the concrete jungle, the author demonstrates just how widely the permaculture net can be cast by including advice on sustainably managing critical urban resources such as water, shelter, electricity, and even community centers. After introductory chapters on permaculture principles and the history and evolution of cities, Hemenway covers the basics of designing urban home gardens before moving on to discuss “water wisdom” and home energy solutions. An invaluable resource for city planners and dwellers alike, as well as an optimistic exploration of the possibilities for ecological well-being in our future urban landscapes.”



Library Journal-

"Permaculture refers to a method of agricultural design that uses natural approaches. While several chapters address the unique challenges and opportunities in creating an urban garden, Hemenway refers often to his first book, Gaia’s Garden, the initial major volume published in North America on permaculture principles, for further detail. Here, the author’s focus narrows to an urban setting, where permaculture means more than having a sustainable garden but can generate powerful change and community growth. Combining anecdotal stories of local U.S. neighborhoods practicing permaculture principles with black-and-white and color photos, Hemenway describes ways in which urban dwellers can not only create their own backyard oasis but join with their neighbors to build shared spaces in which to produce food, culture, and identity. Valuable tips on water conservation via rain harvesting and graywater collection mingle with advice on reducing energy consumption, producing local energy resources, and decreasing your foodshed and carbon footprints. Notes and index provide a reliable reference for further reading. VERDICT: An enlightening read for anyone interested in green gardening, environmental ethics, social justice issues, and seeking positive community change.”



Publishers Weekly-

"This eagerly awaited book from West Coast permaculture expert Hemenway, author of the classic Gaia's Garden, pushes permaculture design beyond its usual realm of homesteading and gardening, applying it to the complex systems that make up contemporary urban life. Other permaculturalists are also exploring these ideas, but Hemenway's intelligent, down-to-earth analyses, astute systems thinking, and clear organization offer a particularly comprehensive, open-ended, and sophisticated yet understandable overview to readers who want to discover, evaluate, utilize, and integrate the untapped resources abundant in any city or town. Hemenway focuses on the philosophical, ‘whetting appetites' and providing toolkits rather than in-depth instruction, with the goal of teaching readers 'to become adept at a whole-systems approach to living in and finding solutions in cities, towns, and suburbs.' Referencing livable-city innovators such as Jane Jacobs and human-scale design thinkers such as Christopher Alexander, Hemenway shows how permaculture concepts can be stretched and rethought in an urban setting to include not just one's house, garden, and yard but also neighbors, parks, and city agencies.”



"Many people who are searching for a more fulfilling life, wanting to reduce their ecological footprint and build resilience for uncertain futures, grasp that permaculture might be part of the solution but are often unsure how it applies to their particular situation. For residents of towns and cities in the modern affluent world, The Permaculture City shows how permaculture design makes common sense."--David Holmgren, co-originator of the Permaculture concept



"Toby Hemenway’s Gaia’s Garden is the go-to book I always recommend for those interested in permaculture. His new book, The Permaculture City, is the much-needed urban version, a great introduction and full of important information on adapting permaculture to an urban environment."--Starhawk, permaculture designer and author of The Empowerment Manual



“The Permaculture City is a triumph in bringing the wisdom of permaculture practices to city dwellers. This book is a ‘bridge book’ for greening our urban landscapes. Rich in practical knowledge, Toby Hemenway is a trailblazer in demystifying the art of living sustainably within ecosystems: teaching how YOU can be a collaborative partner in a healthy urban biosphere. This book’s impact will be increasingly significant as we inevitably march toward living in built environments. For urban planners, architects, green builders, and simply citizens who want to enjoy a higher quality of life, The Permaculture City is The Book to lead the way.”--Paul Stamets, author of Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World



“Permaculture is applied ecology, and its practice is evolving as society becomes more urbanized. As Toby Hemenway puts it, ‘We’re not just gardening plants but people, neighborhoods, and even cultures.’ Whether you’re new to permaculture or a seasoned ‘permie,’ The Permaculture City is essential: it captures the explorative state of the art in readable, often delightful prose. And, like all good permaculture books, it is eminently helpful at solving a myriad of practical problems in the home and garden.”--Richard Heinberg, Senior Fellow, Post Carbon Institute



“Toby Hemenway combines the skill of a storyteller with the vigour of experience and insight. He shows us an urban landscape with gardens, food, energy systems, and architecture that can ensure genuine sustainability. Beyond these vital elements, he also creates a template for a new kind of city: a human scale collection of village communities where quality of life is valued above quantity of output. With the majority of the human race becoming city dwellers, this is vital information for a more collaborative, intelligent, and resilient urban landscape, one that will enable us to face serious challenges now, and in the future.”--Maddy Harland, co-founder and editor of Permaculture magazine and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts



"Toby Hemenway is among the true visionaries who can turn vision into practical action. The Permaculture City is a landmark book that will be used for decades as a compass and field guide to regenerate our world and communities. Toby depicts the virtuous circle people are already creating across the country and world, from small acts an individual can take, to larger systemic changes that only communities and societies can make. This is the gospel of building resilience from the ground up, and Toby is a true hero of our age―he shows us we’re all invited to the party.”--Kenny Ausubel, cofounder and CEO of Bioneers



“Half the world’s people now live in cities, and as Toby Hemenway convincingly demonstrates, they can be at the very forefront of the revolution in how we live. This book will thrill you!”--Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy


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About the Author




Toby Hemenway was the author of the first major North American book on permaculture, Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, as well as The Permaculture City. After obtaining a degree in biology from Tufts University, Toby worked for many years as a researcher in genetics and immunology, first in academic laboratories at Harvard and the University of Washington in Seattle, and then at Immunex, a major medical biotech company. At about the time he was growing dissatisfied with the direction biotechnology was taking, he discovered permaculture, a design approach based on ecological principles that creates sustainable landscapes, homes, and workplaces. A career change followed, and Toby and his wife spent ten years creating a rural permaculture site in southern Oregon. He was associate editor of Permaculture Activist, a journal of ecological design and sustainable culture, from 1999 to 2004. He taught permaculture and consulted and lectured on ecological design throughout the country, and his writing appeared in magazines such as Whole Earth Review, Natural Home, and Kitchen Gardener. Toby passed away in 2016.

Visit his web site at www.patternliteracy.com




Product details

Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing (July 31, 2015)
Language: English

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Biography
Toby Hemenway is the author of Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, which for the past six years has been the world's best-selling book on permaculture, a design approach based on ecology for creating sustainable landscapes, homes, communities, and workplaces. He has been an adjunct professor in the School of Graduate Education at Portland State University, Scholar-in-Residence at Pacific University, and a biologist consultant for the Biomimicry Guild. He teaches, consults, and lectures on permaculture and ecological design throughout the US and other countries. His writing has appeared in magazines such as Natural Home, Whole Earth Review, and American Gardener. He lives in Sebastopol, California, where he is developing sites and resources for urban and small-town sustainability.



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Lorecrystal

5.0 out of 5 starsAwesome!December 24, 2016
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This is Toby Hemenway's last work before his death in December 2016. It is a wonderful introduction to design thinking, focused on the use of permaculture in towns & cities (where most people live these days). Since I am familiar with permaculture, only about half the book was new information, but it is worth buying for the other books mentioned alone.

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Really good start to a great series

5.0 out of 5 starsAn Amazing Follow Up To Bill Mollison's pioneering Book Permaculture: A designers Manual!!!!!!!March 25, 2016
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

If you are tired of hearing about all our social and environmental problems and want practical solutions that you an ordinary person can put to easy practice in the city, suburb or town you live in, you have to read this book! This book can help you do things to battle climate change, rebuild run down neighborhoods, and rejuvenate your local environment and economy, n you can start with your own home.

10 people found this helpful

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danny

5.0 out of 5 starsWonderful Application of PermacultureOctober 22, 2018
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

As always, Toby Hemenway's book is well-written and thoroughly detailed, cited, and thoughtful. Toby starts the book with an introduction to permaculture and then starts to make his case for how a city can be green. The general format of how Toby approaches topics in this book is with a brief history of the subject of that chapter (which is quite useful to see how history has shaped our perceptions and beliefs), and then he applies the same four or five methods to each subject to explain how the needs of that chapter can be met through a permaculture lens. What I appreciated the most from the book was how Toby applied "Mission, Goals, Strategy, and Techniques" to each section. His focus on stepping back from the techniques-perspective of hsi book was especially important for getting me to see the bigger picture and how to find the right techniques for a given situation or place. The most interesting chapters for me were Chapters 8 and 9, which were about human interactions and making a community. I had not considered to think about people this way before, through the permaculture lens, and now it is a lot more interesting to figure out how to improve relationships with others and how to effectively get things done wherever I am.


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Brad B.

5.0 out of 5 starsGreat read and very inspiring.August 11, 2017
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This is a truly amazing book that can change your mental framework going forward. I love how the author addresses all aspects of life through the permacultute lens. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to create a change in culture, whether that be political, ecological, or economical.

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Yaqoub Al Meer

5.0 out of 5 starsTotally recommended for people interested in urban designJanuary 22, 2018
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Engaging and informative.

Totally recommended for people interested in urban design, the environment, or gardening.


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Karl Treen

5.0 out of 5 starsVery important book. Well done.February 14, 2017
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

The book we've been waiting for. Not a list of techniques but a translation of principles. This important book should definitely be in your collection.

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Amazon Customer

5.0 out of 5 starsRecommend to Everyone!!June 23, 2017
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Amazing book with very helpful and diverse information and I love how he breaks ideas down so it is easy to understand, but not unnecessarily. I recommend this book to everybody and is useful if you are designing a small yard to a few acres or are interested in how we can make cities more sustainable and energy efficient.

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micki madison

5.0 out of 5 starsFive StarsFebruary 18, 2017
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

great book so sad to see that Toby is not with us any more.

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Edible Forest Gardens (2 volume set): Dave Jacke, Eric Toensmeier: 9781890132606: Amazon.com: Books

Edible Forest Gardens (2 volume set): Dave Jacke, Eric Toensmeier: 9781890132606: Amazon.com: Books


Edible Forest Gardens is a groundbreaking two-volume work that spells out and explores the key concepts of forest ecology and applies them to the needs of natural gardeners in temperate climates. Volume I lays out the vision of the forest garden and explains the basic ecological principles that make it work. In Volume II, Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier move on to practical considerations: concrete ways to design, establish, and maintain your own forest garden. Along the way they present case studies and examples, as well as tables, illustrations, and a uniquely valuable "plant matrix" that lists hundreds of the best edible and useful species.

Taken together, the two volumes of Edible Forest Gardens offer an advanced course in ecological gardening-one that will forever change the way you look at plants and your environment.

What is an edible forest garden?
An edible forest garden is a perennial polyculture of multipurpose plants. Most plants regrow every year without replanting: perennials. Many species grow together: a polyculture. Each plant contributes to the success of the whole by fulfilling many functions: multipurpose. In other words, a forest garden is an edible ecosystem, a consciously designed community of mutually beneficial plants and animals intended for human food production. Edible forest gardens provide more than just a variety of foods. The seven F's apply here: food, fuel, fiber, fodder, fertilizer, and "farmaceuticals," as well as fun. A beautiful, lush environment can be a conscious focus of your garden design, or a side benefit you enjoy




Editorial Reviews

Review




HortIdeas-

We reviewed the first volume of this two-volume set in September 2005 HortIdeas--in fact, we were so impressed by it that we devoted that month's Book Reviews section entirely to it. Until Mycelium Running--another amazingly important and well-done book--appeared, we were considering doing the same this month for the second volume of Edible Forest Gardens, which is much thicker (by more than 270 pages!) than the first volume. The shorter length of this review certainly does not reflect the relative importance of the volumes--we recommend that anyone interested in experimenting with temperate-zone "gardening in the image of the forest" should study both.

Although Volume 2 ostensibly emphasizes "practical" information building on the "theoretical" ideas in Volume 1, it is clear that both volumes are essentially theoretical. That's because (as we discussed in our review of Volume 1) nobody has yet convincingly shown the viability of forest gardening (relying heavily on perennial crops) in temperate areas as a sustainable alternative to conventional gardening (based mainly on annual crops). Jacke and Toensmeier are, admirably, attempting to disseminate ideas gathered from a variety of source that might enable such viability. Ultimately, at this stage development of temperate-zone forest gardening techniques, virtually all approaches are experimental and in need of validation. We simply do not currently know their limitations.



Understanding that knowledge on "nest practices" for temperate-zone forest gardening needs to be established experimentally can be exciting for those willing and able to adopt the scientific attitude: no matter how they turn out, the results of an experiment, performed appropriately (meaning especially that adequate control treatments are provided), are never "bad." In other words, we think that would-be temperate-zone forest gardeners who are sincerely interested in helping to establish this novel form of agriculture should proceed by trying to test some of Jacke and Toensmeier's numerous design, site preparation, species choice and establishment, and management guidelines. We view Volume 2 of Edible Forest Gardens not as a recipe book for what works but rather as a compendium of possibilities for what could work--an invitation par excellence to experimentation instead of complacency. Right on!



Plants and Gardens News--Patricia Jonas, Brooklyn Botanic Garden-

But even if you grow enough organic food to feed yourself, are you doing what's best for the ecosystem? "Many drawbacks of modern agriculture persist in organic farming and gardening," Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier write in Edible Forest Gardens, because they do not "mimic the structure of natural systems, only selected functions." Even Quail Hill Farm members are still harvesting mostly annual crops grown in plowed fields. Jacke and Toensmeier offer a radical vision for stepping out of the conceptual continuum of conventional agriculture and organic farming. They point to the productivity of temperate forests--which is twice that of agricultural land in terms of net calories--and take that as their design model. Building on Robert Hart's classic book, Forest Gardening, and incorporating permaculture practice, Jacke and Toensmeier propose a garden where many species of edible perennial plants are grown together in a design that mimics forest structure and function.
Edible Forest Gardens is an ambitious two-volume work whose influence should extend well beyond ecologists and permaculturists and, in the best of all outcomes, reach into the mainstream. Volume one lays out the "Ecological Vision and Theory for Temperate Climate Permaculture," and it also includes a very useful analysis of existing forest gardens (one only 50 by 90 feet) and a tantalizing 30-page appendix of "top 100" species. As of this writing, volume two, which focuses on practical design and maintenance considerations, is just being released, but on the evidence of volume one, I have no doubt the set will be an indispensable reference for gardeners and farmers for decades.



"When people have food gardens," the authors write, "they usually are tucked out of sight and out of view of the neighbors. They rely on external inputs of energy, nutrients, insect and disease controls, and water and are based primarily on annual plants. For some reason, growing food is considered unsightly, unseemly, possibly antisocial, and in some towns and cities, illegal! The tremendous infrastructure we have built in our cities and towns reflects a culture and horticulture of separation and isolation." The consequences of such attitudes about growing food have been disastrous, and each of us can contribute to the repair effort. Jacke and Toensmeier say that the principles of forest gardening can be applied even in a tiny urban yard or on a rooftop. Containers of edible perennials and annuals on a rooftop are not most farmers' idea of agriculture, but I grow nearly 20 percent of the authors' top 100 species and intend to look for ways to take this small start much further.



And what about chocolate and oranges? Clearly there are foods that cannot be grown in a temperate forest. "We do not expect forest gardening to replace regular gardening or the foods we know and love," the authors admit. "Just how far we can take forest gardening in supplying food for ourselves is not yet determined." Finding the answer may be the most optimistic work gardeners and farmers can do.

"These will be the benchmark works in the field for many years. The level of scholarship and meticulous footnoting is unsurpassed by anything I've seen in permaculture literature."--Toby Hemenway, author of Gaia's Garden

"A tree de force! A must-have set of books for anyone serious about polyculture, integrated organic garden and landscape design, permaculture in the temperate zones and, of course, food forests. The charts of condensed information alone are worth the price of admission. The best book on these topics in years Keep these books within arm's reach at all times!"--Robert Kourick, author of Designing and Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally

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From the Publisher
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"...this book will define the intellectual territory of its subject for at least a generation...Dave Jacke has knit an indigenous practice at once ancient and renascent with the mainstream of scientific exploration. He has given us legitimacy – and by us I mean all the ecological agricultural explorers of the epoch – and a cogency that will now be impossible to denigrate or diminish...An excellent and essential reference, brilliantly conceived and passionately written, Edible Forest Gardens should be on every permaculturist's reading list for the year ahead."


 --Peter Bane Publisher, The Permaculture Activist magazine

"...But the book I will be keeping by me for the seasons ahead... is Edible Forest Gardens by Dave Jacke with Eric Toensmeier. In its way this book--the first of two volumes--is a sequel to the wonderful Tree Crops: A Permanent Agriculture (1929) by J. Russell Smith.... Edible Forest Gardens offers a vision of the garden that reaches well beneath its aesthetic surface and into its ecological depths. It reminds us that whatever gardens are an oasis from, they can never be an oasis from the natural world or our own underlying economic needs." 


--Verlyn Klinkenborg The New York Times Book Review June 5, 2005

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About the Author

Dave Jacke has been a student of ecology and design since the 1970s, and has run his own ecological design firm—Dynamics Ecological Design Associates—since 1984. Dave is an engaging and passionate teacher of ecological design and permaculture, and a meticulous designer. He has consulted on, designed, built, and planted landscapes, homes, farms, and communities in the many parts of the United States, as well as overseas, but mainly in the Northeast. A cofounder of Land Trust at Gap Mountain in Jaffrey, NH, he homesteaded there for a number of years. He holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Simon's Rock College (1980) and a M.A. in Landscape Design from the Conway School of Landscape Design (1984). You can learn more about his work at edibleforestgardens.com. He lives in Keene, New Hampshire.

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Product details

Hardcover: 1068 pages
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing; VOLUME 2 edition (November 15, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1890132608
ISBN-13: 978-1890132606
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avid reader

5.0 out of 5 starsLots of valuable informationJuly 1, 2014
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Although this is an expensive set, there is so much valuable information in these 2 books for those interested in permaculture and forest gardening in the temperate climates of North America, it is well worth the price. The authors have scientific information to back their recommendations and to give credence to the longterm benefit and viability of the vision of permaculture and forest gardening…it is no longer just a wonderful vision but actually in the realm of reality. I loved the second volume with all the tables of plants arranged by their functions. There was so much information presented in a way that you can design a plan for your forest that will work really well together and will have a really great chance to thrive. If your plan includes plants that fix nitrogen and that accumulate nutrients such as calcium and potassium you will not need to add fertilizers. If you plan to have plants that support bees with nectar and pollen, you will have no problem pollinating your crops. If you make sure you have plants and habitats that attract predatory wasps and other beneficials , you will not need to worry about pests as much. I don't agree with everything in this book…such using glycophosphate. I think some of the soil preparation techniques that are recommended are too labour intensive…there must be a better way but overall there is really a lot of useful information

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Jalar

5.0 out of 5 starsTotally worth itFebruary 17, 2018
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

"The" book on forest gardening in North America. I wish I would have bought this first. So many other books I have are encompassed in this book. Volume 1 is about forest ecology, learning about what we are trying to mimic. Volume 2 is the practical applications section. These books and the Permaculture Designers manual are all you need. Volume 2 is a great reference. Volume 1 is pretty dense, but very interesting, thorough background information for what we are trying to accomplish.

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The realskinny

5.0 out of 5 starsEXCELLENT BOOKS!January 20, 2015
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

These are SERIOUS reference books that you will have to go back to again and again. Martin Crawford has a very readable tome about food forests which is excellent--these are excellent too, but give much more indepth analysis of the process and on ecology. I have read them in tandem--again, these are books for the serious raw foodists and sustainable gardener, or designer and will probably take MONTHS of reading and years of digesting, but I think they are well worth it AND will serve anyone serious about sustainable agriculture, well.

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Julie Guerrieri

5.0 out of 5 starsGreat Books!January 30, 2014
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

I had originally checked these books out at the library, but, being as they are so large, I couldn't even get close to finishing the first one in only two weeks. I was impressed with them, however, and decided to spend the money on my own copies.

I was so excited when they arrived--I'm still only partially through Book 1--and it's great having my own copies. And, unlike the ones from the library, these ones were in good shape--I'm a freak about the condition of my books, and I intend to keep these looking as good as they did the day they came!

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George Roark

5.0 out of 5 starsAn Amazing, in-Depth ReferenceMarch 25, 2010
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

It's no surprise to learn that Dave and Eric worked for seven years to write the Edible Forest Gardens books; the depth and breadth of permaculture knowledge that they present is incredible. Although I've heard some say that these books are not an easy read, I've found them to be fascinating, enjoyable and indispensable. I started my journey into permaculture with Gaia's Garden by Toby Hemenway, then decided to plant an edible forest in the back yard, so I purchased Volume 2 of Edible Forest Gardens, since it covers the practical consideration of forest gardening. I was so impressed with the book that I then purchased volume 1, which focuses on the ecological vision and theory for temperate climate permaculture. Highly recommended!

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Skip

5.0 out of 5 starsThis two volume set is worth it's weight in silver bullion...... Really!December 16, 2013
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

The author, Dave Jacke, has nailed this topic cold. Informative, to the point, "hands on" useable information..... Simply the best book I've found on this topic.

Mr. Jacke's work is as good or better than Fukuoka, Louis Bromfield, Joel Salatin or Wendell Berry. This book will has become a how-to classic. A must have if your planning a premiculture project of your own.

4 people found this helpful

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R. Lopez

5.0 out of 5 starsRE: expensive, but well worth itNovember 27, 2012
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

I hesitated to spend so much money on these books. I find the information they contain to be the result of years of hard work by many people. They are prominently located on my reference shelf for easy access. If you are interested in Edible Forest Gardens, you will not be disappointed in the information they contain.

Forest Gardening is a lengthy endeavor. You won't get many chances to get it right, so better to do it right the first time.

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carlos

5.0 out of 5 starsyou will enjoy all of the little and big drops of wisdom ...September 12, 2015
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

I am starting a business called Epic Edible Backyards, and researching permaculture and ways to maximize food production. This set of books has been on my reading list for a while and they were well worth the wait. For someone interested in ecology, nature, permaculture, and design, you will enjoy all of the little and big drops of wisdom in these books.

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Review: Edible Forest Gardens, vol 1: Ecological Vision and Theory for Temperate Climate Permaculture

The two-volume Edible Forest Gardens by Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier is the last directly permaculture-related work on my reading list for now; I gather I have amassed enough knowledge on the topic for the time being after these two final books; it’s then time to do some thinking and action before further reading. This two-volume text is topically split with most of the theory in this first volume what this review is about – titled Ecological Vision and Theory for Temperate-Climate Permaculture and more practical things in the second volume, titled Ecological Design And Practice For Temperate-Climate Permaculture
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One important thing to note is that despite the name, these books are not about creating “forests” per se, but mimicking the interconnectdness, sustainability and resilience of forests. It’s not about organic agriculture either; organic agriculture attempts to move agriculture toward the ‘nature’ end of the agriculture-nature continuum, maintaining high yields while reducing negative characteristics such as high rate of nutrient flux, high fragility, low resilience, low biodiversity, high amount of management effort required, high amounts of waste & pollution produced etc. Forest gardening, on the other hand, starts at nature’s end and attempts to increase yields while maintaining all of nature’s desirable characteristics (typically the opposites of that list).
Trees certainly play a role here, but are not the only plants of relevance – and you do not need acres and acres of land to implement the ideas. Instead the book specifically focuses on smaller-scale solutions and systems, often making the designs more applicable to real life than those in Mollison’s Permaculture Designers Manual that I recently read & reviewed (it should, however, also be pointed that this book covers a much narrower scope, but does so in more detail and with more up-to-date information).
To begin with, Edible Forest Gardens lays out some reasons why we should start radically re-thinking our food production; to mention just one interesting point is that when fossil fuel usage is included, traditional industrial agriculture often has a negative net energy production. That alone should ring some serious alarm bells.
The book covers a large number of fascinating details about soil structure and soil life (and how critically important it is to healthy ecosystems), social structure of forests and many other things. It also provides an overview to four perspectives on vegetation dynamics, starting with how the traditional linear succession and climax model and how it is not exactly true (I vaguely remember this linear succession model from school), then introducing three other theories; progressive succession to shifting-mosaic steady state, patch dynamics and a unified old field theory.
Previously I mentioned that quantifying yields is one aspect lacking in many permaculture materials; these books do provide some data on typical yields in different ecosystems; it’s interesting to note, for example, that agricultural land yields around 3000 kcal/m2/year, whereas temperate forests yield almost twice that and tropical forests and swamps even more in terms of raw net primary productivity (NPP). Nevertheless, more work on this area is still needed.
The text, while firmly under the permaculture umbrella, introduces only some permaculture principles (and omits others). Included are things such as polycultures and guilds, the latter which is defined here as “groups of species that partition resources or create networks of mutual support” – probably the tightest and best description of it I have seen so far.
In the sustainability discourse, there continues to be much talk and debate about suburbs and their fate. Many argue that suburbs cannot be maintained when fossil fuels become scarce and expensive (like argued in the documentary “End of suburbia“), while others quite convincingly claim we simply can’t afford to just abandon them either. This book takes a view that probably best aligns with my own thinking (and also aligns well with the permaculture edict of “the problem is the solution”) – that despite being generally poorly suited to dealing with energy decline, suburbs actually represent one of the best opportunities for sustainable design and living.
“There are more people with a little bit of land in these habitats than in any other. In the cities, people have far fewer opportunities to connect with any semblance of the natural world, much less to be self-supporting in any major way. Rural areas have too few people for high productivity without machinery driven by fossil fuels.”
There is no question that ultra-commutes, particularly with cars, will become difficult to maintain, but suburbs can provide a good basis for relocalization – and with good communication technology infrastructure, it should be possible for most knowledge-workers (those who primarily commute to begin with) to work remotely. This transition is probably easier in places like Melbourne where many suburbs are already relatively lively places filled with services and small local merchants, as opposed to many US suburbs where there is no local service-infrastructure and the little there is are shopping centers or strip malls.
The book ends with a “Top 100” species list, their growth environments (zones, sunlight preference), size, what they produce etc. There are also comprehensive reference and publications lists and a glossary at the end.
Much of this book is theory. Theory, for many people can be rather boring, which brings me to one of the best aspects of this book; it is very professionally written, well laid out with clear illustrations and in general is a joy to read. Mollison, for example, can at times be a bit rambling, but happily this work does not suffer from such superficial annoyances. The polished, well-researched presentation of interesting material makes Edible Forest Gardens yet another recommended book, but naturally only if you find the topic somewhat interesting.
I have a lot of books on my reading list right now, so getting to the Vol 2 of this great work may take some time. Nevertheless I’m really looking forward to that after the fascinating background in this first volume – next up, however, will be some more business and innovation-oriented books related to my day job.
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The Permaculture Handbook: Garden Farming for Town and Country: Peter Bane, David Holmgren: 9780865716667: Amazon.com: Books



The Permaculture Handbook: Garden Farming for Town and Country: Peter Bane, David Holmgren: 9780865716667: Amazon.com: Books


Permanent agriculture - abundance by design

The urban landscape has swallowed vast swaths of prime farmland across North America. Imagine how much more self-reliant our communities would be if 30 million acres of lawns were made productive again. Permaculture is a practical way to apply ecological design principles to food, housing, and energy systems; making growing fruits, vegetables and livestock easier and more sustainable.

The Permaculture Handbook is a step-by-step, beautifully illustrated guide to creating resilient and prosperous households andneighborhoods, complemented by extensive case studies of three successful farmsteads and market gardens. This comprehensive manual casts garden farming as both an economic opportunity and a strategy for living well with less money. It shows how, by mimicking the intelligence of nature and applying appropriate technologies such as solar and environmental design, permaculture can:
Create an abundance of fresh, nourishing local produce
Reduce dependence on expensive, polluting fossil fuels
Drought-proof our cities and countryside
Convert waste into wealth

Permaculture is about working with the earth and with each other to repair the damage of industrial overreach and to enrich the living world that sustains us. The Permaculture Handbook is the definitive, practical NorthAmerican guide to this revolutionary practice, and is a must-read for anyone concerned about creating food security, resilience and a legacy of abundance rather than depletion.

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Editorial Reviews

Review



Review - Transition Voice Vicki Lipski, July 26th

Peter Bane's handbook, while not quite encyclopedic, is nothing if not authoritative. I can honestly say, without fear of exaggeration, that I hold my head a little higher as I stride about my miniscule fiefdom, now that I've read The Permaculture Handbook: Garden Farming for Town and Country.
The stones Bane leaves unturned are few and far between. Once you've digested the author's ruminations on mapping, patterns, and garden elements, perennials, water, soil, plants, crops, seeds, and animal husbandry, not to mention his lists of plants and the jobs to which they are best suited, there's little chance you'll walk away dissatisfied.

Bane's treatment of these various aspects of garden farming (his preferred term) is methodical and complete. It was a relief and a delight to find that he allows both his sense of humor and political sensibilities to creep in from time to time.

He never forgets, however, that his purpose in writing is to distill over thirty years' experience in the science and the art of permaculture. There is much to be learned. The complete novice may, in fact, find the author's thoroughness a bit blinding. In this case, a piecemeal approach could well be the best one.

Bane himself advises the reader to start small, and good advice it is. As you proceed to branch out beyond the basics, the book's tidbits of information and advice will take on more and more relevance.

Pass the salt
For instance, did you know that if your fruit isn't sweet, or your vegetables are the object of an insect infestation, it's probably because your soil suffers from a mineral deficiency? Your soil is in need of amending (most everybody's is, to one degree or another).

It has been my contention, almost from the day we moved to the Cincinnati area, that the foods here are extremely bland. Now I understand why! The soil here is just awful - a tan, clumpy clay that is utterly devoid of worms and organic matter, and therefore completely unable to hold onto water. If it's possible to be deficient in everything, then this soil is. For folks in these parts, permaculture could literally spice up their lives. Good soil is the beginning of good eating.

Here's some more great advice that, by itself, is worth the purchase price of the book On page 88, we learn to,
... keep all soil growing some crop at all times
...Seed or transplant the next crop as soon as or, better, before the maturing one is harvested.

This book is packed with wisdom gleaned from decades of working the soil. Assuming I get my sonic mole repeller in time (they're tunneling me out of house and home), the winter squash will go in and around my thriving tomato plants. If I can lay my hands on some more cabbage seeds, they'll go in at the same time (the first planting was a washout).

With a cluck, cluck here...
The animal husbandry section offers a cornucopia of down-to-earth knowledge and advice.

I've long harbored the desire to raise chickens, but here - as elsewhere - we belong to a homeowners' association, so I've been frustrated yet again.
For those among you lucky enough to be able to own livestock, take a close look at chapter 14, "Animals for the Garden Farm." Interestingly, there are three animals which Bane believes the garden farmer should steer clear of: horses (not worth the upkeep), sheep (prone to parasites, need lots of land), and donkeys (need land).

He also takes on the ethical conundrum of raising animals for meat, as well as the importance of their breeding.

There is a lovely, lengthy section on beekeeping. Yet I believe this section includes a rare, important oversight; that is the failure to discuss Colony Collapse Disorder. This is just too important a problem to ignore. I hope it will be covered in the inevitable second edition.

The Permaculture Handbook is liberally adorned with black and white drawings and photographs. As can sometimes be the case with garden and farming pictures, the subjects of photos are occasionally difficult to determine. This problem is further exacerbated by the fact that permaculturists (I include myself) do not necessarily pride themselves on a tidy garden farm. Everything tends to be a "work in progress," and it shows. Such concerns notwithstanding, the color photos are particularly well done; the numbered captions are easily understood. The photos appear to have been carefully selected, and truly do add a needed dimension that bolsters the book's authoritativeness.

If they can, you can!
Finally, Bane's case studies include an up-to-the minute analysis of his own Renaissance Farm, in Bloomington, Indiana (also home to the magazine The Permaulture Activist). His year-by-year history of the progress he and partner Keith Johnson have made in turning their .7 acre into a working farm makes for genuinely interesting reading. As Bane describes the endlessly cyclical nature of what they do:
Self-reliance and food storage are both increasing. Soils are improving. The growing season is now year-round.
Would that we could all say the same.

Working examples
Other operations are described, as well: Jerome's Organics, of Basalt, Colorado; Old 99 Farm, in Dundas, Ontario; and Radical Roots Farm, of Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Jerome's is far and away the oldest of the four farms described, established in 1982. It's also different in that its primary mission is educational, both insofar as garden design is concerned, and with regard to producing successful yields. Jerome Osentowski welcomes students and visitors to his demonstration garden and educational programs year-round.

The other two garden farms were much more recently established. In the case of Old 99 Farm, operator Ian Graham sells winter vegetables, eggs, dairy and cow-shares. Radical Roots operators Dave O'Neill and wife Lee Sturgis offer annual vegetables, nursery plants, and eggs. Dave teaches permaculture design, and consults. Lee and Dave hire paid interns, affording a valuable opportunity to up-and-coming garden farmers.

I'll leave you with a parting thought of my own - this book deserves to be a part of your gardening library - and one of Peter Bane's:
The essential work of Permaculture activism is to understand and see abundance in the world around us, often before others do, and then to help others to see it also, to bring it into being.



Review - Transition Voice Vicki Lipski, July 26th

Peter Bane's handbook, while not quite encyclopedic, is nothing if not authoritative. I can honestly say, without fear of exaggeration, that I hold my head a little higher as I stride about my miniscule fiefdom, now that I've read The Permaculture Handbook: Garden Farming for Town and Country.
The stones Bane leaves unturned are few and far between. Once you've digested the author's ruminations on mapping, patterns, and garden elements, perennials, water, soil, plants, crops, seeds, and animal husbandry, not to mention his lists of plants and the jobs to which they are best suited, there's little chance you'll walk away dissatisfied.

Bane's treatment of these various aspects of garden farming (his preferred term) is methodical and complete. It was a relief and a delight to find that he allows both his sense of humor and political sensibilities to creep in from time to time.

He never forgets, however, that his purpose in writing is to distill over thirty years' experience in the science and the art of permaculture. There is much to be learned. The complete novice may, in fact, find the author's thoroughness a bit blinding. In this case, a piecemeal approach could well be the best one.

Bane himself advises the reader to start small, and good advice it is. As you proceed to branch out beyond the basics, the book's tidbits of information and advice will take on more and more relevance.

Pass the salt
For instance, did you know that if your fruit isn't sweet, or your vegetables are the object of an insect infestation, it's probably because your soil suffers from a mineral deficiency? Your soil is in need of amending (most everybody's is, to one degree or another).

It has been my contention, almost from the day we moved to the Cincinnati area, that the foods here are extremely bland. Now I understand why! The soil here is just awful - a tan, clumpy clay that is utterly devoid of worms and organic matter, and therefore completely unable to hold onto water. If it's possible to be deficient in everything, then this soil is. For folks in these parts, permaculture could literally spice up their lives. Good soil is the beginning of good eating.

Here's some more great advice that, by itself, is worth the purchase price of the book On page 88, we learn to,
... keep all soil growing some crop at all times
...Seed or transplant the next crop as soon as or, better, before the maturing one is harvested.

This book is packed with wisdom gleaned from decades of working the soil. Assuming I get my sonic mole repeller in time (they're tunneling me out of house and home), the winter squash will go in and around my thriving tomato plants. If I can lay my hands on some more cabbage seeds, they'll go in at the same time (the first planting was a washout).

With a cluck, cluck here...
The animal husbandry section offers a cornucopia of down-to-earth knowledge and advice.

I've long harbored the desire to raise chickens, but here - as elsewhere - we belong to a homeowners' association, so I've been frustrated yet again.
For those among you lucky enough to be able to own livestock, take a close look at chapter 14, "Animals for the Garden Farm." Interestingly, there are three animals which Bane believes the garden farmer should steer clear of: horses (not worth the upkeep), sheep (prone to parasites, need lots of land), and donkeys (need land).

He also takes on the ethical conundrum of raising animals for meat, as well as the importance of their breeding.

There is a lovely, lengthy section on beekeeping. Yet I believe this section includes a rare, important oversight; that is the failure to discuss Colony Collapse Disorder. This is just too important a problem to ignore. I hope it will be covered in the inevitable second edition.

The Permaculture Handbook is liberally adorned with black and white drawings and photographs. As can sometimes be the case with garden and farming pictures, the subjects of photos are occasionally difficult to determine. This problem is further exacerbated by the fact that permaculturists (I include myself) do not necessarily pride themselves on a tidy garden farm. Everything tends to be a "work in progress," and it shows. Such concerns notwithstanding, the color photos are particularly well done; the numbered captions are easily understood. The photos appear to have been carefully selected, and truly do add a needed dimension that bolsters the book's authoritativeness.

If they can, you can!
Finally, Bane's case studies include an up-to-the minute analysis of his own Renaissance Farm, in Bloomington, Indiana (also home to the magazine The Permaulture Activist). His year-by-year history of the progress he and partner Keith Johnson have made in turning their .7 acre into a working farm makes for genuinely interesting reading. As Bane describes the endlessly cyclical nature of what they do:
Self-reliance and food storage are both increasing. Soils are improving. The growing season is now year-round.
Would that we could all say the same.

Working examples
Other operations are described, as well: Jerome's Organics, of Basalt, Colorado; Old 99 Farm, in Dundas, Ontario; and Radical Roots Farm, of Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Jerome's is far and away the oldest of the four farms described, established in 1982. It's also different in that its primary mission is educational, both insofar as garden design is concerned, and with regard to producing successful yields. Jerome Osentowski welcomes students and visitors to his demonstration garden and educational programs year-round.

The other two garden farms were much more recently established. In the case of Old 99 Farm, operator Ian Graham sells winter vegetables, eggs, dairy and cow-shares. Radical Roots operators Dave O'Neill and wife Lee Sturgis offer annual vegetables, nursery plants, and eggs. Dave teaches permaculture design, and consults. Lee and Dave hire paid interns, affording a valuable opportunity to up-and-coming garden farmers.

I'll leave you with a parting thought of my own - this book deserves to be a part of your gardening library - and one of Peter Bane's:
The essential work of Permaculture activism is to understand and see abundance in the world around us, often before others do, and then to help others to see it also, to bring it into being.

Read less
Review




"When Apollo 13 found itself hurtling through space on its way to the far side of the moon with a ruptured oxygen tank, a critical path was assembled that returned all souls safely back to Earth. In The Permaculture Handbook, Peter Bane has mapped the critical path to a safe landing for civilization in the 21st century. That path runs through the backyards of suburbia and across the rooftops and balconies of urban apartment houses. Like the Apollo mission, Bane has jury-rigged our carbon dioxide removal system by re-tasking other components — small scale horticulture, aquatic plants and foraged trash, for instance — to buy us breathing room. This is a must read."

— Albert Bates, author of The Post Petroleum Survival Guide and Cookbook, and The Biochar Solution.


"The Permaculture Handbook offers practical examples from the author's many years of experience, coupled with information from permaculture practitioners from around the country. This makes the guidebook particularly useful to American readers. The chapters covering the integration of multifunctional species and breeds of domestic animals and wildlife are especially note-worthy. These chapters address the sometimes under-recognized value of animal products and services in the Permaculture literature. This book is a joy to read while thinking about applications to one's own endeavors."

— Donald Bixby, DVM, Retired Executive Director of American Livestock Breeds Conservancy


"Peter Bane's characteristic generosity and mastery are on display in this long anticipated encyclopedia of permaculture knowledge and lore. The Permaculture Handbook offers a thorough treatment of the design principles and patterns that of necessity precede the positive, practical, and profitable solutions that are the hallmark of permaculture design. Bill Mollison famously taught that we can create the "Garden of Eatin' ". Peter Bane shows us how."

— Claude William Genest, Former Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Canada. Producer, Host of the Emmy nominated PBS series "Regeneration: The Art of Sustainable Living"


"As oil becomes more scarce and expensive, society must adapt by re-localizing food systems. The Permaculture Handbook offers us a set of essential conceptual and practical tools for doing this in a way that's intelligent, beautiful, and sustainable. Want to create a better world? Your backyard — and this book — are the places to start."

— Richard Heinberg, Senior Fellow, Post Carbon Institute, Author, The End of Growth


"Here is an exquisite design manual for re-inhabiting our towns and cities, transforming them into flourishing and nourishing landscapes that provide food, fiber, energy and community. As you read this book, looking out from time to time at the paved, manicured tracts we've called home, you can almost see the world around you transforming — a fruit tree here, a greenhouse there, a hill of corn, beans and squash in the corner, a photovoltaic array that charges your electric bicycle nearby. We are not in an era of despair, of coming apart. We are in an era of creativity where strong seeds grow in the very cracks in the concrete of our old ways of living. I applaud Peter for the wisdom, intelligence and hard work he has invested in his detailed, beautiful map of the land of permaculture."

— Vicki Robin, author Your Money or Your Life and Blessing the Hands that Feed Us (Viking/Penguin 2013).


"Peter Bane offers a powerful antidote to what we might call our "ephemeraculture"— the consumerist, oil-dependent, wasteful, and ruinous way of life produced by the marriage of industrialism and capitalism. In a voice at once practical and visionary, he tells how we can achieve security, practice self-reliance, and revive local economies by shifting to a regenerative form of agriculture, beginning in our own backyards. If you're hungry for hope, good food, neighborliness, conviviality, and survival skills, here is the book for you."

— Scott Russell Sanders, author of A Conservationist Manifesto.


"Morally mature cultures live well with the Earth and with each other. Peter Bane's beautifully written book lays out a path to that maturity and wisdom. Future generations will thank him — and you if you read and use the wisdom he has gathered."

— Carolyn Raffensperger, Environmental lawyer, advocate for future generations, Executive Director of the Science and Environmental Health Network


"The wealth of practical knowledge in The Permaculture Handbook is a welcome addition to North America's canon of books on permaculture design, and will serve other regions as well. Peter Bane's broad and well-tested experience in ecological living, expressed here in clear and engaging prose, will guide homeowners, gardeners, and small farmers toward designing and living in lushly productive and harmonious landscapes."

— Toby Hemenway, author of Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture


"A book to carry us through to Eden, this keen, comprehensive design guide with its wisdom and instruction will be indispensable to any household aiming at flourishing, soil-based self-reliance. The practice is permaculture and Peter Bane is a true master."

— Stephanie Mills, author of On Gandhi's Path and Epicurean Simplicity


"With a lifetime of Permaculture immersion under his belt, Peter Bane's contribution to domestic selfreliant security in this comprehensive handbook is nothing short of remarkable. This will empower thousands of seekers to move off the bleachers and into the game. He balances beautifully the right amount of intensive ecological information with delightful case studies and practical outworkings. A gem of a manual. Thank you, Peter."

— Joel Salatin, Author, Farmer


"There are a lot of people out there who want to know how to begin making a better world, but don't know where to begin. I can't think of a better starting point for someone who wants to restore and transform their place than Peter Bane's Permaculture Handbook. Bane has taken the single most urgent question of our times "How shall we live?" and given a real and viable answer."

— Sharon Astyk, writer, farmer, teacher and author of Making Home


"The Permaculture Handbook is worth reading and rereading not only for its depth of insight but also for its storytelling charm. Peter Bane's reflections on community-based efforts to realize permaculture's potential across entire landscapes helps us realize that this set of design principles are not vague abstractions, but something that we can smell, taste and see before our very eyes."

— Gary Paul Nabhan, ethnobotanist, writer, permaculture orchardkeeper, seed saver


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Product details

Paperback: 480 pages
Publisher: New Society Publishers; Original edition (June 26, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0865716668
ISBN-13: 978-0865716667
Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 1 x 11 inches
Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars 52 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #103,462 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
#86 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Gardening & Landscape Design > Garden Design
#95 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Gardening & Landscape Design > By Technique > Organic
#103 in Books > Science & Math > Agricultural Sciences > Sustainable Agriculture


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Iain C. Massey

4.0 out of 5 starsComprehensive, good, US-CentricDecember 22, 2012
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

You could do worse than treat this book as a comprehensive update of the "technique" material in Mollison's "Permaculture: A Designer's Manual". There's a lot of value, a lot of practical wisdom and a lot of updated science (soil science, agronomy, ecology, human and animal nutrition) in this big book. The comparatively recent technique of a pattern language as a further aid to design is also a welcome addition. Naturally, zones, sectors, stacking, succession and the rest of the thinking tools are still here as well. It's fascinating to see Permaculture insights elaborated and developed in a second generation literature. Helpful, too.

The reference point is the urban-fringe "garden farm", producing foods for its occupants, neighbours and local markets, rather than Mollison's upland valley-scale farmstead or hamlet. But it has always been clear that Permaculture aspirations and techniques apply at scales from apartment balconies to broad-acre farms.

I guess I can't complain about a North American perspective on climate, species, etc. Much of Mollison's work was very Australian-centric. But it would be an improvement in the Permaculture literature generally to get global. Mollison and Holmgren tended towards language like "pole-wards" instead of South for the shady side, and international climate type classifications instead of national ones. They weren't fully consistent, and sometimes the language gets awkward, but I think it's an effort worth making. This book would benefit.

Don't know what I'm talking about? Want to get an overview of what this Permaculture thing is? Don't start here. There are short, accessible books that introduce you to the body of thought and practice that this book covers in comprehensive detail.

If you've read those and want the full Monty, this is one of the very best.

Disclaimer: I'm not an accredited Permaculture designer/practitioner/teacher/whatever. The official side doesn't do much for me. Permaculture is a body of ideas, aspirations and techniques for land care/land use that I've danced with ever since I heard Mollison speak at a camp in the Australian bush in 1974.
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H.Hieronimi

5.0 out of 5 starsImportant and timely addition to my libaryJuly 15, 2012
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Although allready a permacultuture pracitioner and enthusiast for more than 20 years, this one had many features new to me. Peter Bane gives us really a in-depth look of permaculture principles and practices in this great book. The Graden-Farming outlook is definietly a new feature treated in depth here, very necesary-
The only flaw (for somebody like me, who is living in mexico) is that it is 100% written for the US...but I'm so used to have to translate this kind of info to other climates and circumstances, so Im NOT taking away one star, beacuse all the rest is so great.
Timely outlook to Permaculture, practical and theorectical info, Bane is also an excelent writer, and this book is in my opinion the third book that is a must in any serious PC libary, after Mollisons Designers Manual, and Holmgrens "Principles and Pathways..."
Not to be missed, excelent for beginners and advanced...

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Matt Jones

4.0 out of 5 starsA bit heavy on the threat of impending global collapse for my tasteOctober 11, 2013
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I ordered this book because I have recently been fascinated with the subject. I ordered this book as my first Permaculture book, after reading all of the positive reviews, because many of the other must-reads on the subject are out of print or prohibitively expensive.

This book has a wealth of information on Permaculture but is pretty heavy on doom and gloom worldview as well. Don't believe the cute rooster on the cover. A light, how-to on getting started with backyard Permaculture this is not. While there's a place in any book on Permaculture to lay out the many reasons why it is the best practice for our future, this book presents one predominant assumption: that a shortage of fossil fuels WILL eventually force us all to live in a much simpler manner, similar to the way our ancestors lived 100 years ago.

This assumption carries throughout the rest of the book and describes strategies for completely reinventing society to deal with the fact that we won't have transportation or be able to ship anything the way we do now. All the strategies, both for the actual agricultural aspects and the larger issues of culture in general, assume that this is very plausible and imminent. That's all well and good as a component for consideration in *a section* of a book purportedly on growing food, but when it's presented heavily throughout the remainder, it begins to look like a tinfoil hat kind of thing. A good subtitle for the book would be: "How to use Permaculture in navigating society after the fossil fuel collapse".

While I think this is absolutely a possibility, I don't think we have any idea how technology may postpone or even completely remove the threat of societal collapse due to fossil fuel dry-up. With this view, one would think that each technological advance "hurts the cause" of Permaculture because it pushes back the date of collapse a little further. But then, maybe this one potential threat to our future isn't the *only* compelling reason to put Permaculture into practice.

What if technology *does* make the fossil fuel shortage irrelevant? (The horse manure crisis of earlier centuries was averted with steam power). If the fossil fuel problem were solved with some improbable, cold-fusionish, Star Trek-style solution, we still have the problems of soil degradation, damage to the atmosphere, the relegation of farming to industry, corporate control of our food production, as well as the heavy use of chemicals and genetic engineering. Also, what about things like self-reliance, the joy of growing your own sustainable food, helping the needy, and eating more healthfully? These are all considerations that make Permaculture appealing to *me* and don't require me to jump on the apocolyptic band wagon (yet). All of these ideas are mentioned and considered in the book, but they take a major back seat to the "I Am Legend" aspect of Bane's Permaculture.

I still really enjoy the book for what it is. It has great illustrations, and there's a lot of great material on the actual growing of things and system designs. The other reviews on these aspects of the book I believe to be fair. I think this book would be much more palatable to the "idiot masses" like myself who aren't yet on board with Bane's view of our near future by including strategies for coping with collapse in a *section* of the book dedicated to that topic. Instead, topics like "redesigning your home to accommodate boarding guest workers you'll need to farm your once-suburban property after collapse" are thrown in throughout the book as if that's a very casual consideration.

I wouldn't feel comfortable sharing this book with friends who aren't already into permaculture as I feel that it would alienate them. Don't believe the happy rooster!

********************************************************************************************************************

May 2014 update: I've since acquired my own copy of Mollison's Permaculture: A Designers' Manual and am still an avid fan of permaculture. I'm currently enrolled in Geoff Lawton's online Permaculture Design Course. (I think it's absolutely worth every penny of the high cost by the way.) I say all of that just to point out that I'm not just a pedestrian reader re. permaculture who's posting a marginally negative review. Permaculture will be a major part of the rest of my life.

I still agree with what I stated in the original review. My issues with it are probably *more* pronounced having studied the subject more. You see, what really attracted me (and still does) to permaculture is how overwhelmingly *positive* it is. The world's problems are talked about everywhere, but there aren't many *solutions* offered anywhere. Permaculture is about solutions, and I don't think that any of the world's problems are addressed more fully than in the study of permaculture. The Design Manual by Mollison, itself, addresses these problems in a realistic way but is overwhelmingly positive. Also, it addresses more broadly that life is better when holistically practicing the principles of permaculture because of its benefit *now*, in addition to addressing concerns re. the future.
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M. Mindlin

4.0 out of 5 starsGreat book for the suburban permaculturistDecember 5, 2013
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This is some really great work from a permaculture elder, Peter Bane. The focus is on the suburban expression of permaculture, which is probably where the majority of practitioners find themselves. However the title might lead one to think it is a more comprehensive approach, which it is not. Thus the four stars rather than five.

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larry

5.0 out of 5 starsThis is a must buy, if you are interested in Permaculture in your future.November 15, 2013
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

The author not only writes about this way of life but also lives it. He also tells the various stories in a clear understandable way. Plus the author has many You-tube videos to also help you see, hear and understand his message. If you have any doubt as to whether you want to purchase this book, just watch a few of his online videos. I'm sure you will have no doubts about purchasing this book. He is also a permaculture landscape architect.

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