Aug 202011
 

Aiden, a 7th grader from New York, won a 2011 Young Naturalist Award for his work on the effect the arrangement of limbs and leaves has on a tree during photosynthesis.  He this by building a solar collector, to act as an analogue for the tree, that was modeled after the pattern that he saw among the limbs.  This pattern conforms to the Fibonnaci number where Fn = (Fn-1) + (Fn -2) so the numbers progress like this: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, …  Not only is was this a good observation on his part, but it also lead to a solar system that is more effective at capturing sunlight than a similarly sized linear array. On the order of 20% in the summer and 50% in the winter.

Great job Aiden!

Read the full article and learn more:

http://www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/youngnaturalistawards/2011/aidan.html

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Aug 182011
 

A great monologue about “What is a Native plant?” with Toby Hemenway.   In this case, he raises the questions of “Native to When?” and “What plants are you favoring by your decision?” or, to put it another way “What did you have for breakfast this morning?”  Though only 6 minutes long, it raises some serious questions about our ecological footprint and how to best save native habitats.

If you are interested in a great book that discusses this topic in depth, check out David Theodoropoulos’ Invasion Biology: Critique of a Pseudoscience

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Aug 182011
 

 

Click here to download the episode.

As some of you who follow the show on Facebook may already know, I was in Cottage Grove, Oregon, USA to take an Advanced Permaculture Training in Teaching (i.e. Permaculture Teacher Training), with Jude Hobbs, Andrew Millison, and guest instructor Rico Zook.  In this episode I give a review of the course and consider some of the following:

  • The Site – Wilson Creek Gardens.
  • The Teachers – as mentioned above.
  • Course Lessons – some of the nuts and bolt material.
  • “Take Aways” – in the form of aphorism that illustrate a point towards being a better instructor.
  • Specific Questions:  How was the food?  Was the class worth the money? Would I take this course again or recommend it to someone?

If you are looking for more information on the instructors, you can find more information on each one, their work, and what they are doing at:

And since I mentioned VNV Nation, you can check out Ronan and Mark at:

www.vnvnation.com

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Aug 112011
 

 

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Hey everyone, this one is a nice barely processed recording from the Teacher Training that I’m currently attending in Cottage Grove, Oregon

Details:

For gardeners, homesteaders and all interested in Tools of HOW to

Live more Sustainably

Join us for a FREE Introduction to Permaculture
Saturday August 13th from 1-4 PM
At the Opal Center  517 Main Street in Cottage Grove.

This fun, interactive and comprehensive presentation, by 13 participants in the Permaculture

Teacher Training Class, will define Permaculture and describe a Whole Systems Design Approach for Self-Reliant Living.

Co-Sponsored by the Cottage Grove Permaculture Guild and Cascadia Permaculture Institute

For Further Information Contact: cascadia@starband.net or 541.342.1160

Agro-Ecology Northwest: Cottage Grove, Oregon 541.342.1160 www.cascadiapermaculture.com

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Aug 032011
 

After putting together yesterday’s show on mulching, I decided to put together a spreadsheet to make calculating the amount of mulch you would need.  Included is also the option to include the prices, by bag or scoop, as well as delivery fees, so that you can have a running total before you go to the store or place a phone call to order.

How Much Mulch Spreadsheet (.ods) Open Office and Libre Office

How Much Mulch Spreadsheet (.xls) MS Excel

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Aug 022011
 

 

Click here to download the episode.

Here it is, the amazing, incredible, mulch show!  Ok, so mulch isn’t that exciting but it is a very useful ground cover in our Zone 1 Garden and other areas to cover the soil, keep down competitive plants, and reduce our watering needs.

This show examines the following questions:

  • What is mulch?
  • Why should you use it?
  • What can you use?
  • Where can you get it and how much will it cost?
  • How do you use it?

At the end of the show there is an example of calculating how much mulch you need for a project.  Here are some equations to help you calculate how much you will need.

1 cubic foot = 144 cubic inches.  Enough to cover 12 sq/ft to a depth of 1 inch or 1 sq/ft to a depth of 12 inches.

1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet.

To figure out how much mulch you need, figure out the area to be covered.  Measure the length and width in feet, then multiple them together.

(Length in Feet x Width in Feet) = Area

Ex: 10′x20′=200 sq/ft

Multiple the area by the depth in inches and divide that total by 12 to get the total number of cubic feet of mulch you need.

(Area x Depth)/12 = Cubic Feet of Mulch.

Ex: (200×4)/12= 66.6 Cubic Feet of Mulch

Armed with this number, when at the DIY store, you can divide it by the volume of the bag to see how many you need to buy or divide it by 27 when calling your bulk supplier to know how many scoops to order.  In either case, round your total up to the next whole number.

Ex: 66.6/2= 34 bags

-or-

66.6/27= 3 scoops

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 Posted by at 19:51
Aug 012011
 

A pleasant little video made with material from the International Permaculture Convergence 8 in held in Brazil.  You get to see several permaculture installations throughout the are, of various sizes, learn more about the various issues at hand, hear a description of permaculture concepts and techniques, and see the faces of some names you’ve probably heard about while reading, researching, and learning about Permaculture.

 

Permaculture – A Quiet Revolution from Spread Knowledge on Vimeo

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