For those who wish to convert their land, whether it's an empty lot, grassy suburban lawn, or abandoned pasture, into something more productive and environmentally friendly, the sheer number of possible courses of action can be overwhelming. Decisions on what edibles to plant can be made by considering what plants grow well in your climate that you like to eat. Unless you're an expert on local ecology, gardening for wildlife and land restoration is more difficult. Observation of your site will certainly help, but you'll no doubt want to tap into the collective knowledge available on the internet. There are innumerable sites and YouTube channels dedicated to native plants, regenerative farming, wildlife friendly gardening, etc. Information is also available from government agencies like the Department of Natural Resources here in Ohio, as well as state extension services. These sites provide a wealth of resources, but can also create confusion, as contradictory advice is often encountered. Consider the case of black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia.
I find this article to be particularly parallel to human experiences as well. God gives us all differant traits but not all those traits are tolerated by all or seem worth keeping. But just like in your article you have to make decisions to add, remove or let your land/space remain as is to find balance and harmony within yourself and family. I love your writings and as an added bonus you are "native" to Ohio. I also agree we need to bring back that Old Timer wisdom, makes me wish I still had my grandpa and step dad around.
Thank you Ashley! It's great to hear that my writing is being appreciated. I have so many questions I wish I could ask my parents and grandparents, but unfortunately they have all passed on.
“The case of black locust supports my conviction that decision making for land stewardship must always be made based on local conditions.” This is such a great point. I think it ties together some of your other more recent posts about big business permaculture courses and buzzword permaculture techniques. How do we encourage people to learn about permaculture but understand that it isn’t one course, or a one size fits all technique, but years of watching and learning a particular place intimately? From my recent experience with an online permie course, I know this to be a problem. People want proven recipes and quick fixes. (Ok, I won’t do another long, up on a sopabox comment)
Thanks again for your thoughtful writing! I am trialing some black locust here in northeastern Ohio. So far they are still small, but I haven’t noticed any areas around me where they have taken over aggressively, so I am hopeful that they will work well in the areas I have them.
Thanks for the comment! Most of my writing in one way or another is about combating the "quick fix, one size fits all" solutions that are offered these days. Unfortunately social media and its algorithms and our economic system in general promote these, so it's an uphill battle. I have hope that people who are genuinely interested in permaculture will eventually find their way to deeper solutions. Good luck with the locust experiment!
I find this article to be particularly parallel to human experiences as well. God gives us all differant traits but not all those traits are tolerated by all or seem worth keeping. But just like in your article you have to make decisions to add, remove or let your land/space remain as is to find balance and harmony within yourself and family. I love your writings and as an added bonus you are "native" to Ohio. I also agree we need to bring back that Old Timer wisdom, makes me wish I still had my grandpa and step dad around.
Thank you Ashley! It's great to hear that my writing is being appreciated. I have so many questions I wish I could ask my parents and grandparents, but unfortunately they have all passed on.
“The case of black locust supports my conviction that decision making for land stewardship must always be made based on local conditions.” This is such a great point. I think it ties together some of your other more recent posts about big business permaculture courses and buzzword permaculture techniques. How do we encourage people to learn about permaculture but understand that it isn’t one course, or a one size fits all technique, but years of watching and learning a particular place intimately? From my recent experience with an online permie course, I know this to be a problem. People want proven recipes and quick fixes. (Ok, I won’t do another long, up on a sopabox comment)
Thanks again for your thoughtful writing! I am trialing some black locust here in northeastern Ohio. So far they are still small, but I haven’t noticed any areas around me where they have taken over aggressively, so I am hopeful that they will work well in the areas I have them.
Thanks for the comment! Most of my writing in one way or another is about combating the "quick fix, one size fits all" solutions that are offered these days. Unfortunately social media and its algorithms and our economic system in general promote these, so it's an uphill battle. I have hope that people who are genuinely interested in permaculture will eventually find their way to deeper solutions. Good luck with the locust experiment!