Organic Gardening and Farming
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Shares now available. Go to our CSA page for more info.
A video shot by the Local Growers Guild at our old location that features our permaculture gardens and info about what we are doing.... http://vimeo.com/48612928
Here at Living Roots we truly believe in "Being the change you wish to see in the world," and that is what sets us apart. With over a decade of experience in organic gardening, farming and permaculture, the Farm Owner, Michael Hicks, and the other members of the Farm Staff are turning this property into acres and acres of productive farm land.
Farm Vision
The Farm envisions a world in which all communities have access to healthy, locally-grown, organic food and herbal medicine which are grown in ways that are both environmentally and personally sustainable. |
What is Organic?
Here at The Farm we go far beyond what is classified as 'Certified Organic' according to the USDA. Growing food and interacting with the Earth is a significant part of our soul's journey in this life. We go much beyond not using any chemical spray or fertilizers - our intent is to make the garden as sustainable as possible. We get our fertilizer from nature's gifts - leaves, grass, straw, animal manure, compost, green manure crops (crops grown specifically to be tilled into the soil to add nutrients). We use a method of mulching and planting that promote a biological rich soil, full of earthworms and decaying organic matter. The mulching also holds in moisture, which means we water less, and keeps down most weeds as well. We use the raised bed method of gardening, which needs less tilling and therefore less fossil fuel input. Our compost comes from our food scraps and also from local restaurants. Swells (basically terraces) in the garden allow water to seep into beds also prevent erosion. We start almost of all our plants from seed (much heirloom) and try to save as many seeds as possible from year to year. We companion plant as much as possible to allow a more natural and balanced space, which helps to keep the insect populations in check.
To us, Organic means using what nature has already provided us. Just as the forest has its own natural cycles of fertility, we believe a garden can be very bountiful by mimicking many principles of nature that are found all around us.
What is Holistic Gardening?
Gardening and Farming goes far beyond just growing food (in today's supermarkets we would question if what they are selling is actually food in the first place, due to the GMO varieties, etc.). Growing vegetables, fruits, and herbs goes far beyond what can be called 'organic' by the federal government. It's about a process that is organic in nature - about being more in touch with ourselves and Mother Earth.
We focus on practicing what we call, holistic gardening, which is about more than growing healthy plants on a physical level. This type of gardening incorporates both what is healthy for ourselves from a mind, body, heart, and spirit perspective and also encourages walking as gently as possible with Mother Earth, so that her cycles are kept in balance as well.
To give you several examples, this means from an environmentally sustainable point of view, we do things such as using spoiled hay/straw as mulch (as opposed to using black plastic like many other conventional or organic farms), using people power, mulch, perennials, and smart planting to control weeds (many even organic farms use lots of petroleum by tilling with a tractor constantly).
From a personally sustainable point of view, we try to garden in a way that is very yogic. We access different types of our yin/yang energy depending on what accomplishes our goals the most effectively. We interact with the garden in ways that support good posture and body dynamics. Our gardens are intended to be created in the first place, by a system that makes sense, and takes much from permaculture based ideas. After all of this is said and done, we still come out of the garden very tired some days. We balance this by using the healing arts, whether it be yoga, massage, meditation, or group processing.
What is Permaculture?
“Permaculture is a design system for creating sustainable human environments.”
Bill Mollison
Permaculture is a term coined by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren and refers to the conscious design and maintenance of productive systems. Permaculture is a holistic design science based on the ethics: Care for the Earth, Care for the People, Return the Surplus and Minimize Consumption. As a solution based, whole system perspective, Permaculture focuses on ALL relationships within a system and is modeled on the stability, resiliency and diversity of natural ecosystems.
Permaculture offers a set of principles to follow, beginning with careful observation of natural patterns. By mimicking nature’s intelligence and the integration of plants, animals, buildings, people, and communities we are able to provide food, shelter, energy, material and non-material needs in a way that is restorative and regenerative for the good of all for many generations to come!
Permaculture is an evolving and expanding design system for ecological living and we are excited about creating a model, a demonstration garden, and learning site for US to share and grow in together.
For more information about Permaculture visit:
http://www.permaculture.org/nm/index.php/site/index/
http://permaculture.org.au/what-is-permaculture/
http://www.permahost.com/permaculture.html
http://www.agroforestry.net/overstory/overstory94.html
Indiana Permaculture:
http://www.permacultureactivist.net/design/Designconsult.html
Creating a Bountiful Earth for Future Generations
The Earth will provide if we only allow it to. We are truly blessed here in Southern Indiana to have rich soil, plenty of rainfall, and a nice long growing season. Growing a garden is a co-creative effort between you and Mother Nature. By following a few simple principles, our yards can be turned into bountiful sources of thousands of lbs of food and medicine- vegetables, fruits, roots, herbs, nuts, and flowers.
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