The Rule of 3

When I took Intro to Permaculture, I was exposed to the Rule of 3 which basically states that one needs three sources of everything necessary and everything needs to provide three uses. For example, we all need water. A permaculturalist would make sure she had three sources of water, such as city water, well water, and rain water (or in my city-dweller case city water, rain water, and reverse osmosis water I buy at the food co-op). The second half of that is that everything needs to serve three purposes. For example, dandelions provide me with food, medicine, and it attracts beneficial insects like bees to my garden.

It's Sunday. I think that is a good excuse to be lighthearted. So, I'm sitting here pondering the Rule of 3 in my life, and I start to wonder "What three things does my cat provide me"? This is a stupid question, of course, because any cat lover knows that it is we who serve them, not the other way around. Still....what am getting out of this relationship? Permaculture is all about high yields with minimum human labor. My cat is labor intensive. Am I getting enough return on my investment?

She definitely provides companionship. She's all up in my business 24/7 and gives me a lecture if I leave her alone for too long. She provides cheap entertainment. She is a master at cuteness and can have a great time with a box, an ink pen, or a piece of string. Beyond that, I had to think long and hard about a third benefit derived from my relationship with my cat. Finally, it dawned on me. She reduces unwanted bugs. If an insect gets in the house, she is on it. Oh, joy! I can justify the existence of my cat in my permaculture paradise. All is now right with the world.

The Thrill of the First CSA Box of the Year

Today, I picked up my first CSA box of veggies, and it was overflowing!

For those who may not know, CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. It is a relationship between an individual or a family with a local farm. The family pays the farm a flat fee at the beginning of the season, and the farmer provides farm products to the family throughout the season. Until my Permaculture Paradise is up and running, I rely on CSAs for my veggies and much of my meat. It significantly saves on the grocery bill. That huge box of vegetables right there cost me about $14-$17. It is certified organic produce that would have cost a lot more and not looked so fresh and vibrant if purchased at the grocery.

The first order of business after arriving home with my box of veggies (aside from taking a photo of it) was to wash, dry, and put away the lettuces. Then, I put away the other veggies (except for those I pilfered because I just couldn't help myself).

My favorite arrival of the day? Fresh oregano and sage!

Urbanites, this is what carrots REALLY look like.

..and radishes come in all kinds of colors.

Once I was finished, the scraps were fed to very thankful worms in the vermicomposter I won at the Simply Living Fair last year. 

The Weather in Your World

An important task in permaculture (especially in the beginning) is observation. One important factor to consider involves the weather. This includes important things like average highs and lows, typical wind speeds and directions, first frosts, last frosts, annual days of sunshine, etc. These provide important information for assessing the macroclimate and microclimate of your permaculture site.



Handy dandy charts like these, along with helpful sites like http://www.wunderground.com/ can help you keep track of your daily observations. Happy observing!