Education

What to do in your garden in May?

Since we have had a few heavy rains, we have to wait for the soil to dry out some before we try to plant into it. Working soil that is wet will compact the structure of the soil (which harms things like root growth and water retention/ drainage). If you can hold a handful of soil, compress it in your hand and it holds together, and then crumbles apart when you tap the ball, your moisture level is just right.

Unlike our first 6 principles, principle 7 is the first coming from the top-down perspective of the patterns and relationships that tend to emerge.

David Holmgren’s Summary

David Holmgren’s Summary

In every aspect of nature, from the internal workings of organisms to whole ecosystems, we find the connections between things are as important as the things themselves. Thus the purpose of a functional and self-regulating design is to place elements in such a way that each serves the needs and accepts the products of other elements.

David Holmgren’s Summary

Edible Evanston Work & Learn, June 2019

Tim Sonder, education chair

I’ve heard of a microbiome recently—I thought people have those?

By Tim Sonder, Education Chair

This principle requires us to be open, to see and accept both the reality of the result of our actions (or inactions) and listen to and consider criticism from others.

It requires us to go back to Principle 1— and once again really observe and interact.

Self-regulation is something natural systems do without “thinking.” They must change to match the reality around them, and we can model our behavior on that natural feedback loop.

By Tim Sonder, Education Chair

"You can’t work on an empty stomach"

This principle can be seen as a directive to always make sure a system is providing definitive benefits. It’s like the difference between doing work and doing useful work.

By Tim Sonder, Education Chair

"Make hay while the sun shines"

This principle deals with the capture and storage of energy, within the environment, buildings and even society.

Energy is fleeting and essential for life systems and society. Capture it now, so you can use it (or have it) later.

This is the true meaning of conservation.

It’s harvest time. When we pick fruit or vegetables we are catching energy. And possibly storing it for later.