The chances are that you’ve heard, or will hear, the word ‘permaculture’ more than a few times. Typically it’ll be tossed around in conversations or you’ll find it when you turn the page of your magazine, or maybe you saw it in an ad on tv. Either way, we can all expect that we’ll hear the word and in many instances, it’s expected that we already know what it means.

If you’ve been nodding your head along and pretending to know what people are talking about when the word pops up in a conversation or already know what it means but wants a better understanding, you’ve come to the right place. Here we’ll break down exactly what permaculture is so that you have a stronger understanding, as well as take a look at some examples. 

Permaculture farming is easy to understand when it’s broken down and even easier when you take a look at a few examples to guide you. Let’s take a look and start with having a better understanding of what permaculture is! 

What Is Permaculture?

Permaculture is a method of farming that is different from conventional farming methods. It gives farmers a method to achieve their results by doing it in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way. This method applies to both farming livestock and crops. To put this in simpler words, permaculture is the process of working with nature instead of striving against it with farming. With this method, farmers can examine and observe natural processes and then recreate them in their farming methods. 

Permaculture is the method of thinking long and hard about the way that our resources are used. Thinking about the material we use, the food, energy, and shelter that we use, and how we can use less to ultimately get more. Farmers can reap endless benefits while using less effort and ultimately be more productive and give back to the environment instead of taking too much. This is the groundwork for creating a sustainable environment that will be used for generations to come and truly make a difference in the environment. 

Permaculture Can Be Practiced Anywhere 

The best part is that permaculture isn’t exclusive and you don’t have to be a farmer to practice them. Whether you live in a city flat, suburban house, or community space you’ll find that you can practice and follow the rules of permaculture anywhere and in any way! Permaculture just wants you to focus on finding solutions for your problems that are economically friendly. Whether you have a small garden in your backyard, a flower box, or a full and flourishing backyard garden you can implement changes to help keep the environment healthy. Although it’s seen by many as gardening techniques, and that’s what it’s typically used for, it’s also seen as a philosophy for life by many. Permaculture can help you tackle everything from building a house, growing food, and creating communities in a way that helps the environment. 

Permaculture can be used in all areas of life and isn’t just restricted to farmers. You might be surprised that when you look into it, you see that it sets the framework for sustainable ways of living overall and not just within farming. Regardless of who you are and what you do, you can help the world become a better place with permaculture. 

Applying The Principles 

It’s important that when it comes to practicing permaculture there’s no one way that it should be done. You can start by applying the principles, but there’s no reason to do everything all at once or think that there’s a specific rule book you have to follow. Start with making a homestead plan and elaborate it a little at a time. There’s a lot that you can do to expound on your permaculture learning and there are a lot of resources available. 

You can subscribe to permaculture research magazines where you’ll consistently be introduced to more facts and read interesting information that will help you. There are also classes and online forums that are there to support and you can join. If nothing else, it doesn’t hurt to do some research online and join FaceBook groups. You can find all the information you need by watching YouTube videos or reading articles like this one! 

Remember that the most important thing is to start small so that you don’t get overwhelmed. Tackle one project at a time and incorporate small principles into your daily life to make a change. The key to being consistent and making a difference is just taking a small step at a time and soon you’ll see larger changes.