Submitted by Javan on Wed, 2011-06-15 10:20
Permacutlure is the answer to the meaning of life.
Apparently the answer to the meaning of life isn’t 42, it’s 48.
48 inhabitants from Vancouver Island attended and we filled the rafters at Community Micro Lending on Douglas St on May 13th for An Evening with Food Forester Richard Walker. As we neared the start time people just continued to fill into the space making a cozy and intimate room of some of the premier food activist, gardeners, instructors and farmers in the area.
48 individuals came to contribute, listen and activity take part in answering the question, “If conventional agriculture consistently removes nutrients from the soil how can perennials planted in relationship to build a forest of food help feed humanity?”
Richard Walker
He was so engaging and high energy I had a hard time capturing him on camera.
Richard started the audience off with a quick trip down humanity’s collective memory lane and described the short time span agriculture has been a part of human history. He articulated the many withdrawals from the carbon bank this method of food production has made already and result of salted soils (salination) and desertification (the process of soils becoming a desert).
He quipped about how as humans we’re meant to crawl on our hands and knees only when learning how to walk and yet our agricultural system keeps farmers stooped over on the ground for the last few thousand years. We evolved to become upright two feet standing and walking primates and yet our food system didn’t raise up with us.
The evening continued with Richard‘s gentle wit and expansive encyclopedia knowledge of varieties of fruits, nuts and berries that grow not only on Vancouver Island, but interior BC, Alberta and GASP even northern Saskatchewan.
I think he should go as a Google Search bar for halloween next year.Google Search Bar Permaculture
Finishing with a slide show of his original food forest Dragon’s Eye Nursery folks were wowed at berry bushes trained to be harvested at human height and multi-storey plants that provided food, fuel, fibre and medicine for his family and two businesses… the food forestry literally fed Richard and his livelihood.
We’re looking forward to seeing Richard again in September and look forward to seeing another group of folks out for his keynote as well as his incredible weekend workshop (ps his last one sold out in 6 days).
Richard Walker’s Instructor Bio
PAST RICHARD WALKER EVENTS
An Evening with Food Forester Richard Walker May 13 2011
Food Forestry with Richard Walker May 14 & 15, 2011
FUTURE RICHARD WALKER EVENTS
A Fall Evening with Food Forester Richard Walker September 9, 2011
Food Forestry with Richard Walker September 10 & 11, 2011