Q&A: How to Begin Large-Scale Water Catchment Systems
Вставка
- Опубліковано 31 лип 2024
- Question: How to Begin Large-Scale, Government-Backed Water Catchment Systems in Areas That Suffer from Serious, Life-Threatening Droughts?
- Systems often don’t get done due to middlemen interfering.
- Changes are usually only gradually taken up, i.e. no sweeping changes.
- The biggest initiator is a local person to champion the cause.
- Aid workers need to be able to get back up and keep going when it doesn’t work.
- Likely need experience and authority to find good organization to work with.
- Very good and important to continually make the information accessible.
- Starting small is the “guaranteed” way and that can later expand.
![Swales: Earthworks for Conservation and Storage [PDC Preview]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/W-f2genlUZI/mqdefault.jpg)
I decided to turn my 1/3 acre into a small food forest and implemented many of the things I saw during a three day binge (no sleep at all) of Geoff videos on permaculture some years ago. My property is located right in the middle of a town that is almost all lawns. Only two other people come even close to what I have. The number of birds, bees, etc has multiplied tremendously in my property and my productions of fruits alone keeps me busy canning, freezing, dehydrating. Does my yard, make a difference? Maybe not for many people, but it sure does for me and all the wildlife that benefits from it. It's now to the point that the birds are planting things, they consumed somewhere else, because it sure was not me. Where I live the temperature can go to -45 F (-42.8 C). If you want to help the planet, start small and provide other with a example of what can be accomplished. Every little bit helps. By the way, I am 71 and just 5 feet tall, and since I don't use chemicals the first thing I had to do was remove most of the lawn that covered all my 1/3 acre by hand. I did it all on my own. If an old woman can do it anyone can. I collect most of the water I use in the yard, because the city water is too expensive.
1caramarie do you have a description of what you did after pulling the yard?
Pulling the grass took me a few years. What I did first was decide where I wanted the fruit trees since they take the longest to start producing. For example, I decided in 3 different apple trees in the north side in the sunny area. It gets very cold where I live so the trees are for really cold areas. I decide to put them next to my driveway, so I cleared that area first. I planted 6 Nanking cherries bushes a few feet from my property line, in the south, so that's the next one. I chose the back yard between the house and a cottage for my vegetable because It was a bit steep (the main floor is level with the road, but the basement opens about 8 feet lower in back. I spent quite a while clearing the area because it's 36' feet X 32'. I divided it into 4 long beds, but with 8" wide brick paths in the middle so I have 8 planting sections. Between each bed I left permanent paths 12" wide paths so I can use my small cart. At one end there is a section of fencing, so I planted two kinds of raspberries that vine and 3 grape vines. The raspberries have thorns so they serve as additional protection for me. At the opposite end, I planted mostly flowering plants. Past that there is a lower section with a path from the basement to the cottage. After is where I have other fruit trees (blue berries, cherries, pears, and raspberries that grow short. The area closest to the fence in the south side, (farthest from my house) is where I have my native plants, mostly edibles which most people don't know you can eat, native herbs and small bushes with fruits for the birds mostly. It is also a wildlife habitat. I planted mostly thing that are recommended for permaculture, like comfrey, rhubarb, and many others that require zero work asides from harvesting after you plant them (perennials). Beyond my back fence, (the fence was already there when I bought the property). I have hazelnuts, native plums, Jerusalem artichokes and other things most people don't recognize as food. My front yard is mostly native flowers (trying to save the bees). That was the first area I cleared because when I moved here, I could only find two bees in the first year. There was nothing for them to feed on. Now there are hundreds of native bees (not honey bees since they are not native and the town doesn't allow bee hives). The property had a row of white oak trees, which produce acorns that you can eat. And there were two maple trees, that I use to make maple syrup in early spring (really, really cold but I'm willing to sacrifice for the syrup). I have many more small fruits than what I mentioned. I also grow tropicals: limes, lemons, acerolas, taro, turmeric, ginger, and other herbs that I take inside the house once it gets cold. I grow quite a few types of vegetables in my vegetable gardens, including garlic, tomatoes, cabbages and many others. And my yard is mostly shady because of the 100 year old oak trees. So one thing you have to account for in cases like mine is where the more sunny areas are. I also have water barrels to collect water from the roof in both my front and backyards. Sorry, it's so long, but I tried to keep it shorter it could have been. I'm hoping to in the future to add a small pond but I'm getting rather old, so maybe yes or maybe no. I hope this is helpful for you. Remember, unless you have people helping you, don't try to do it all in a year, but do start with fruit trees because they take longer to produce.
@@1caramarie First off great job on your yard. I will be putting in Nanking cherries this year. Are they tasty?
@@jozefdebeer9807 I do like them a lot, just be aware that they have a large seed, and not that much fruit. When I make preserves with them, it is a problem, so I mostly eat them fresh. The trees are really beautiful when they bloom (some of mine have white flower and some pink) and they produce many fruits.
@@1caramarie Thank you for that. I look forward to these pretty flowers in a few years. Me and my family will eat them fresh. I think I will try cooking them and see if that separates the flesh from the pit. I heard that works with choke cherries and I will try it with choke cherries in a few days.
A muslim colleague once told me he became a gardener because when he was a child his Imam told him that the earth is our mother and she is a chaste woman. Plants are her clothes and leaving her bear or destroying her cover is like violating your mother and leaving her lieing bare for everyone to see. He said that picture struck him so hard he wanted to learn how to stop that from happening. I have the feeling that Imam was a wise man.
I am a County certified Master Gardener. I am working on turning my 3/4 acre property into a food forest, or at least a portion of it for now. I have been growing things since childhood and I find what you are doing is quite fascinating. My property is sloped, is covered with trees, and has lost about a foot of topsoil over the years before I obtained it. For the last 7 years, I have been developing small tiers down the slope and planting hundreds of ornamental plants. Each tier now puddles like a pond when it rains, and has a chance to soak in. I have been composting all the "tons" of leaves I receive each year. I have removed some of the smaller trees and limbed up the larger ones to open the canopy. Currently in edibles, I have two fig trees, two apple trees, one crabapple tree, four lemon trees, one blood orange, pink bananas, and wild mulberries. From seeds, I am growing baby grapefruits, kumquats, limes, and a mandarin orange, along with peaches and plums. I have many more bushes and trees planned. I also have began making trenches and hugelkultur mounds, and grow in a raised, lasagna layered 2 x 24 bed, all my annual vegetables. Over my garden, I painted a sign..."ALL THE MAGIC OF CREATION EXISTS IN A SINGLE TINY SEED" Thank you for being such an inspiration!
Bless you for doing this video, Geoff. Glad you keep on keeping on. Would love to see this spread more in the Middle East.
I really appreciate your work Mr. Geoff. It really takes a real person outside to let ocal people realize and roll their sleeves.
Thanks, Romeo! Appreciate it.
Power of One prevails with Permaculture. No talk, but just action of one person will affect the whole community. I'm enjoying it in Africa right now.
I really respect this guys work
Don't give up, love that message
Legend. Well done.
Nail it and scale it...love that!!!👍
Geoff, Lebanon, according to biblical prophecy, will be a vast garden. You can work toward fulfilling Yahyah's goals through permaculture systems in Lebanon. This will be your greatest work.
Hello:) Love to listen to you :)
This year i will start in Poland on my very small plot try to create something to start;) I hope some day i will buy more land and epaxd it.
I hope to go in 2023 to Australi for PDC, will make sure during that time to visit and take some part on your courses as well.
Best regards, Bogusia :) And many thanks for all Your work :)
Thank you 🙏🏽
Thank you Geoff
Well done, keep up the good work :)
The Australian Jesus...I idolize this man
A long way from it but he certainly does brilliant work.
He has a Jesus vibe for sure! 🙏🏽😁💖🕊🌏
Thank you
Think Traction. It took me less than three hours of digging and earth moving to dramatically increase the containment and absorption of rainwater in our front yard.
Hi Jeff I'm looking into a desalinization for the Salton Sea in Californiahave you had any experience in naturally desalinization of water ponds or catchment systems and what did you do for that system
Hi Geoff, I am living and working in Abu Dhabi, we are constructing wetlands (cleaning sewage water with Reeds). Did you ever thought of bringing this together with your idea? regards Martin
All the time. Search Geoff's series - it's mentioned there.
Hi geoff! Where can I find documents for Yemen's agriculture?
Lawton lays down the law!
👍👍👍
Here's something I can contribute, vis a vis promoting larger scale projects, or even small-scale ones.
In his book, Diffusion of Innovations, Everett M. Rogers explains how to speed (relatively speaking, of course) acceptance of new ideas and new systems.
His key? Find the opinion leaders in the community and work hard and smart to convince them of the value of your proposal.
If you want to most efficiently spread adoption of permaculture practices I strongly recommend you find a copy of this book.
I've been putting your name on Kevin Richardson's channel The Lion Whisperer for a couple years now. I'd love for him to connect with you to get his wetlands help for the preservation of the land and animals.
He says persific and he's still a genius
interesting to note @ ~2 min. about raising global consciousness and getting "a particular local person" to then lead others with the same language-culture to better lifestyles...
also (meta-)interesting (and very/too? deep) is mr. lawton's encouragement/preference for just large-scale change at the beginning itself, though does have its potential benefits (like more efficient), but perhaps good/instructive to keep in mind that this way of thinking ITSELF is a certain culture (more "Western", objective-science external "shoot first, ask later", Nike "just do it") that may be.. frictional, to other people/"cultures"... ?why not / let's go for a good balance at least, right?
Agreed
Are you still in Jordan? I'm a student from Eckerd College studying abroad here in Jordan in Amman and am doing a project on permaculture for a class on the Environment in Jordan and the MENA region. I'd love to get in contact either in person or visit some of the sites you've started here for more information if possible.
Frenchie Powell
Working for un? I wouldn't put it on my cv.
We've got time tickin'! According to WWF and LZS's 'Living Planet Report' we've got around 30-35 yrs of wildlife left at current rate of degradation. And, since it's clearly correlated to global economic growth rates - maybe we should focus on raising awareness in countries whose consumption DRIVES the world economy as it is now.
Instability and suffering in the Middle East (or elsewhere) is not due to unsustainable practices, but vice versa. Instability drives to unsustainable activities, it keeps society down. And instability is due to power struggle, and that is due to high stakes of gaining power in a resource-based economies, which are prevalent in the Middle East. And this cannot be very effectively changed from INSIDE Middle East. As long as Europe and USA keep buying Mid Eastern oil - there will be ruthless power struggle and subsequent instability there. And USA-Europe will keep buying oil until these in turn become sustainable. ONLY THEN it would be worth the effort to approach Middle East (and other developing regions, for that matter) with matters of sustainability on a scale. When 'national authorities' will be forced by economic circumstances to give way to grassroots sustainable development.
Yes, it seems 'unfair' or even inhumane to focus effort on developed regions, while it seems so (technically) easy to help these people struggling for their lives - but we HAVE to look at the bigger picture.
It's like plugging leaks below decks, while the whole ship is sailing straight into the cliffs - our attention is needed on the bridge, where it seems to be no leaks, but it's there where we can steer ourselves away from the rocks, and THEN plug the hull.
In other words - we should determine which countries contribute the most (at least per capita) to unsustainable economy, then determine which of these are more prone to change, and which governments are more adherent to public requests, and concentrate our efforts, our best expertise there, and then move to the next target.
Problem is - we can not expect aid money to come our way there. But hey - are we going to look for the dropped keys under a streetlight because it's bright there, or where we actually dropped the keys?
My vision of priorities comes from 'selectorate theory' understanding of power dynamics, which, as of today, is the most comprehensive description of the subject.
sounds like a plan! how can i help you with this? or how could we do this? like a propaganda ministery for permaculture :)
lobbying politicians with fresh organic fruits. I think also in these western countries we have to focus on building stable local economies that can offer an alternative to global trade AND an environment for sustainable culture. it's just as slow and steady as the small greening the desert projects, and all those projects somehow have their justification. i draw my hat to anyone who goes from talking to acting, taking a descicion and their chances. I think we should be careful to judge small projects because of the bigger picture, because you will always find a reason for it still being part of the system and therefore hypocrite. i mean many interns and visitors will take a kerosine drinking, war driving, airpolluting effing plane to check out the permacuture site in jemen (see Lulus Perch).
hit me up if you want to exchange more on this topic, i'm braining alot about these things these days.
How can I rejuvenate my natural lakes (3) of them that have dried up out of 8 natural lakes on my property on a height of 1700 meters from sea level?
I am from Arunachal Pradesh, Upper Siang District, India
Where can I get experience?
I think if you show how to filter rain water in to drinking water will save many lives. Or maybe using cattails and watermint
I'll see what I can do. Thanks for the feedback Andre.
Türkçe çeviri olduğu için izleye biliyorum lütfen yeni videolarada gelsin
Мені заради Ваших відео доведеться вивчити англійську мову. Дуже вже хочеться знати, що Ви розказуєте.
America is TWO CONTINENTS. The US is located in the Northern one. That's what the "of America" refers to. Americans are every person born in either continent. Canada is in America.
could you not get Australian government to fund you to re green Northern territories,into productive regenerative food forests,and bring back the water?
Por favor podrías traducirlos al español
And now the dumb question;)
how long do you think it would take to regreen the entire middle east including the Arabian desert?
At current rate - forever.
Try looking up "Africa's Great Green belt" or "Pakistan's 1 billion trees project" (it's now 10 billion since they already got the 1st billion planted). Then there is "China's Kubuqi desert". There are examples out there of what committed people can do. Answer, less time than you think if people were committed to doing it. In the case of the Middle East Vasily is right.
According to Islamic literature in the future the Arabian desert will be lush. Maybe this is how it all starts?
You didn't answer the question though.
It works even faster by attracting alot of birds 🐦 and native location plants 🪴