Blog

Living Woven-Willow Brush Fence

Another Experiment at Midwest Permaculture
How one can attractively store woody brush to give it time to break down.

Our intern Meg trimming some of the new growth off the austree-willow posts in this willow-brush fence.

Hello permaculture friends. We wanted to give something a try. We have not seen this exact design in the literature or on YouTube (although it certainly could be out there) but the idea is to use our yard brush while also building a sturdy fence. Continue reading “Living Woven-Willow Brush Fence”

Tribute to Larry Korn

Larry Korn 1948-2019
Free Webinar posted as a Tribute to Larry

We are saddened by the recent passing of our friend, Larry Korn. He is best known for being the translator/editor of one of the most influential books to touch the lives of scores of natural farmers and permaculturists,  The One-Straw Revolution by Masanobu Fukuoka.

Why is this book so influential?
The Middle East and Northern Africa were once very fertile areas. With widespread annual tilling/plowing, a civilization will always end up losing it’s topsoil and become arid. One-half of the topsoil has now be washed away on the North American continent. The One-Straw Revolution shows us how annual grain growing can be done without tillage so that we can grow food WHILE building topsoil!

Continue reading “Tribute to Larry Korn”

Permaculture Design for Community Garden Project

The folks at Smart Farm in Barrington, IL, invited us to work with them on a permaculture design for a new 10-acre parcel they were gifted with.

The biggest challenge?  This was the low ground in the area and after a good rain, 5 of the 10 acres was under water, including many of their annual gardening beds.

So we designed in some rain gardens and bioswales to move the water in the direction we wanted through the property. Once the deep rooted prairie plants are established we will actually end up holding more water on the land while also keeping their annual beds dryer. Here is the conceptual design. We’ll post the ‘as-built’ design once it’s completed.

Click Here for Full View / Higher Resolution

Permaculture Work-traders Finish EarthShelter

It has been a real boon to have Embry Jansen and Sky Pisarski assisting us over the past couple of weeks as permaculture work-traders.  They are trading their time for one of our upcoming PDC courses. They have been assisting us with a wide variety of unfinished activities related to our CSC 8.7-acre Permaculture Land Project here in Stelle.

The Team
Work-Trade Intern team of Sky and Embry

Our 2019 Permaculture Work-Trade Intern Team: Sky (seated) from Northern Illinois and Embry from Berea, KY.

The Challenge – Mortar in the Patio Limestones

Continue reading “Permaculture Work-traders Finish EarthShelter”

Mowing Swale and Berm

Mowing a Swale and Berm System with a Ditch-Bank Flail Mower

Greetings…
A common question we get is how to maintain the ‘weeds’ or growth on a swale and berm system. I thought this pictoral summary would be helpful to many of you. Let us know what you think and about what you have been doing as well.
Cheers… Bill Wilson

Continue reading “Mowing Swale and Berm”

Bending Oak PDC Course – Picture Summary

Midwest Permaculture PDC Course #78
A Picture Summary
This was our First PDC at Bending Oak Permaculture Farm
Youngstown, OH – In August 2018
A Project Site we are Co-designing with the Owner

“…this course (at Bending Oak) was solid, loaded, useful, fascinating and endlessly helpful in understanding permaculture design.  Everyone came away feeling completely enriched by the training.”
PDC Student Graduate

Next Bending Oak PDC Course: June 15-22, 2019
For information on all Midwest Permaculture PDC courses visit our full schedule HERE. Continue reading “Bending Oak PDC Course – Picture Summary”

Chronicle of a Work-Trade Program

Chronicle of a Work-Trade Program
One scrappy idealist’s venture into the world of permaculture

“This permaculture summer of mine was magical for me in a lot of ways, and beginning my journey with the work-trade program was certainly a beautiful way to get started on that journey.” Coral

Coral Thayer

Perhaps you are an experienced permaculturalist and manage an amazing piece of land or you educate others in the ways of the swale. Or perhaps you have a PDC and are eager to learn more. Or maybe you’ve recently begun this journey and are looking at what Midwest Permaculture has to offer. A Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) is a good investment but it can be kind of expensive. If you’re a young 20-something like myself you may not be able to drop a thousand bucks for a week-long training. Fortunately, Midwest Permaculture provides another option: their work-trade program.

Continue reading “Chronicle of a Work-Trade Program”

PDC Graduate Series – Jodi Trendler and Michelle Hickey

 

Jodi Trendler is a Graduate of:
PDC Course #33 – June 2012
at Midwest Permaculture, Stelle, IL
Michelle Hickey is a Graduate of:
PDC Course #38 – Jan. 2013
at Midwest Permaculture, Stelle, IL

Cofounded The Resiliency Institute
in Naperville, IL, immedialtey following their PDC courses.

Continue reading “PDC Graduate Series – Jodi Trendler and Michelle Hickey”