Permaculture Applications in Orchard and Berry Systems

A Look at the why and how of Multi-use Polycultures Acknowledgements

¾ SCI and WNC, Ann Louehla ¾ Michael Janik, Rick Lattin, NDOA and UNCE ¾ Local Farmers ¾ Permaculture teachers and Practitioners worldwide ¾ Everyone working towards an earth stewardship based, life-affirming agriculture and culture Outline

¾ Intro to Permaculture ¾ Permaculture Pattern Analysis ¾ Application of Permaculture Design to Orchard and Berry Systems

z Food Forests

z Windbreaks

z Alley Cropping

z Integrated Animal Husbandry ¾ Conclusions and Questions What is Permaculture?

¾ History and founders ¾ A Definition

z The conscious design of sustainable human ecosystems that benefit life in all its forms ¾ Ethics

z Earth Care

z People Care

z Fair Share (Reinvest Surplus)

Some Permaculture Principles

¾ Relative location ¾ Stacking Functions ¾ Accelerate Succession ¾ The Theoretical yield is unlimited ¾ Utilize Edge effects and Value the Marginal ¾ Utilize Biological and Renewable Resources ¾ The Problem is the Solution ¾ Everything Gardens ¾ Design from Pattern to Detail ¾ Waste is an Unused Resource Defining Some Design Parameters: Why Grow Orchards or Berries in Northern Nevada? ¾ Goals and Objectives? ¾ Climate Context? ¾ Natural Flora? ¾ Constraints on growth and yield? ¾ Congruent Climates? The Food Forest Concept

¾ Modeled after natural forest ecosystems ¾ Perennial Polycultures ¾ Based on Succession ¾ Natural Fertility and Pest Management ¾ Multi-use Everything

Why use Permaculture in Orchard and Berry systems in N. Nev ¾ Security: Distributed yields in time and space ¾ Sustainability: the system provides for its own needs ¾ Diversity: More yields than food ¾ Where Permaculture falls short: Market access and financial planning

z Holistic management Before Planting: Patterning and Soil Development ¾ Surveying the landscape for contours and energy sectors: Site Assessment ¾ Identifying and optimizing natural energies

z Gravity, wind, water, fire, animals, frost ¾ Determine potential for multi-function plantings ¾ Soil renovation and water harvesting ¾ Preperation plantings: cover crops Before Planting: Patterning and Soil Development Before Planting: Patterning and Soil Development Before Planting: Patterning and Soil Development

Before Planting: Species selection and Supporting Interplants ¾ Needed functions in a managed ecosystem ¾ Potential layers of a Food Forest Ecosystem ¾ Accessory yields of a Perennial Polyculture ¾ Climate appropriate species and cultivars ¾ Market appropriate species and cultivars Before Planting: Possible layouts and Designs ¾ Windbreaks ¾ Alternating productive and support species ¾ Ratios for accelerating succession ¾ Alley Cropping ¾ The Need for Shade in the Desert

Planting

¾ Timing ¾ Inoculation ¾ Location ¾ Protection After Planting: management and maintenance ¾ Pruning: timing, techniques and goals ¾ Thinning: altering density of support and productive species ¾ Multi-use maintenance: poles, fodder, forage, firewood, timber, medicine, etc. ¾ Fertility: Mulch, cover crops, manures, compost ¾ $QLPDOV«

Animals in Orchard Systems

¾ Design in appropriate fodder and forage plants ¾ Management intensive systems ¾ Dependent on Timing, Intensity, and Frequency ¾ Can break pest cycles, weed cycles, add fertility, provide additional yields ¾ Tools: electric fence, planned rotations, tree protection ¾ Examples: Bees, Chickens, Ducks, Pigs, Sheep, etc.

Questions?