eop: the skin of the world
TRANSCRIPT
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Elements of PermacultureThe Skin of the World
Ben Kessler Laughing Crow Permaculture
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Soil
“The main characteristic of Nature's farming can…be summed up in a few words. Mother earth never attempts to farm without live stock; she always raises mixed crops; great pains are taken to preserve the soil and to prevent erosion; the mixed vegetable and animal wastes are converted into humus; there is no waste; the processes of growth and the processes of decay balance one another; ample provision is made to maintain large reserves of fertility; the greatest care is taken to store the rainfall; both plants and animals are left to protect themselves against disease.” - Sir Albert Howard, An Agricultural Testament
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Etymology of SoilIndo-European: Er[t] ‘land, soil, ground’Old High German: Erda, Middle High German: ErdeGothic: AírþaGreek: Érā Welsh: ErwEnglish: Earth
Proto-Indo-European: Ters, ‘drying, to dry’Latin: Terra, Italian: Terra
French: TerreEnglish: TerrainEsperanto: Tero
Indo-European: ???Latin: Solium, ‘seat’ Solum, ‘soil, ground’Anglo-French: Soil, ‘piece of ground, place’ c.1300
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Soil HorizonsO – Organic Matter: Leaf Litter,
Humus, Duff, Centipedes, Voles, Pill-bugs
A – Surface Soil: Topsoil, Mycelium, Earthworms, Moles, N-Fixing Bacteria
B – Subsoil: Accumulated Clay, Organic Compounds, Metallic Compounds, Hibernating Frogs, Taproots
C – Parent Rock, Weird Archaeobacteria
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Topsoil25% Air
25% Water
45% Minerals
5% Organic Matter
Aeration
Drainage
Water Retention
Balanced Nutrients
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Bio-MassDecaying Plant Matter
Plants Soil Organisms & Macroorganisms
Mycelium Microorganisms
Organisms Transfer Nutrients to Plants
Soil NutrientsMicronutrients
Macronutrients
Building Soil
Compost Cover Crops Mulching
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Mulch1. Inhibits weeds2. Holds in moisture3. Prevents erosion4. Provides habitat for soil flora & fauna5. Keeps soil temperature stable6. Holds in N7. Slowly builds humus8. Prevents soil compaction
LeavesStrawCardboardRamial Wood ChipsBarkSawdustBurlapNewspaper
Mulch to 4” or more, especially in dry climatesMulch deep for veggies, shallow for trees
Always leave space for stems!
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The Rhizosphere
Rhizosphere: Area of soil directly affected by a plant’s roots. Often mirrors spread of above-ground branches and leaves.
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Mycorrhizae8 miles of fungal hyphae in 1 cubic inch of topsoil
Mycorrhizae are symbiotic partnerships between plant roots and fungal mycelium
90% of plants have one or more mycorrizhal partners
With Mycorrhizal Partners Without Mycorrhizal Partners
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Compost
“Behold this compost! behold it well!” – Walt Whitman
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Compost Elements“Brown” Carbon-rich Material
“Green” Nitrogen-rich Material
Air
Moisture
Neutral pH
Microorganisms
Fungi
Macroinvertebrates
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Carbon & NitrogenIdeal C:N Ratio: 25:1
More C in cool, damp environments, or more frequent turning
More N in warm, dry environments, or greater water-retaining covering
Layer Carboniferous and Nitrogenous materials in the pile
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Aerobic CompostNecessary Elements1. Support (internal structural integrity or external bin structure)2. Critical mass (3’ cube minimum)3. Stable C/N ratio (25:1)4. Proper moisture(consistency of wrung-out sponge)5. Proper aeration (turn every 2 weeks - 3 months)6. Thermophilic temperatures (140° F +)
AdvantagesFastForgiving
DisadvantagesLabor-intensiveOxidation causes destruction of some organic N & CO2
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Anaerobic CompostNecessary Elements1. Airtight container or covering2. Proper moisture(consistency of moist sponge)3. Stable C/N ratio (25:1 – 15:1)4. No aeration!5. Slightly acidic pH (6.5 – 7)
AdvantagesPreserves more NCan be done indoors
DisadvantagesRequires specific blend of microorganisms (purchased Activator mix)FinickyCan go smelly
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Compost CrittersBacteria Psychrophilic (0° - 55° F) Mesophilic (70° - 90° F) Thermophilic (104° - 200° F)
Actinomycetes
Protozoa
Fungi
Nematodes
Earthworms
Arthropods
Mammals
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Composting TechniquesLeast Energy-Intensive
Sheet Compost
Pit/Trench Compost
Heap
Windrows
Movable Pile
Raised Bed
Bins
Tumblers
Most Energy Intensive
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Compost TeaIngredients5-Gallon BucketAquarium BubblersWaterBurlap Sack full of MuckLeaves of Comfrey, Borage, etc.
Muck:25% Manure (fairly fresh)45% Green Material30% Carboniferous Material
Marinate at 135° – 160° F for 3 Days
Use as fertilizer & foliar amendment
Use within 2 hours or keep Bubblers going to keep aerobic microorganisms alive
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Urine95% N60% P32% K
Average pH of 7
Can defoliate plants through direct application, due to salts
Dilute (10-20 parts Water to 1 part Urine) for fertilizer
“If I urinated into a pitcher of drinking water and then proceeded to quench my thirst from the pitcher, I would undoubtedly be considered crazy. If I invented an expensive technology to put my urine and feces into my drinking water, and then invented another expensive (and undependable) technology to make the same water fit to drink, I might be thought even crazier. It is not inconceivable that some psychiatrist would ask me knowingly why I wanted to mess up my drinking water in the first place.” – Wendell Berry
Carol Steinfield: Liquid Gold http://www.liquidgoldbook.com/
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Humanure
Feces should be composted aerobically at 150° F for 1-3 months to kill all pathogens
Add sawdust or other dry, high C material to feces to eliminate odor and balance C/N ratio
Prefab Composting Toilets tend to be anaerobic fermenters that take a long time to compost their contents
Is it safe to compost human waste in your backyard? You bet!
Joseph Jenkins: The Humanure Handbook http://weblife.org/humanure/default.html
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Appendices
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Soil TypesSand: Large mineral particles.
Silt: Medium-sized mineral particles.
Clay: Small mineral particles.
Loam: Soil composed of Sand, Silt, and Clay in roughly even amounts. Can contain lots of Humus, retain water but drain well, and are easy to till.
Humus: Organic material broken down to a point of reliable structural stability.Soil Types by Particle Size
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The Carbon Cycle
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The Nitrogen Cycle
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Mulching
From Growit Gold Landscape & Garden Design Software
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What Can Be Composted?Easy
Yard Waste (C, N)Leaves (C)
Grass Clippings (N)Vegetable Kitchen Scraps (N)
Eggshells (Ca)Coffee Grounds (C, N)
Tea-bags (C)Manure (C, N)
Sawdust (C)Wood Ash (K)Urine (N, P, K)Bones (Ca, K)
Newspaper (C)Pine Needles (C)
Hay (C, N)Mollusk Shells (Ca)
Straw (C)
TrickyCopy Paper (C)
Cooked Food (N)Meat (N, P, K)
Wood (C)Dairy (N, Ca)
Feces (N, P, K)
ImpossibleRocksMetalPlasticGlass
Synthetic ChemicalsNuclear Waste
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Compost Food Chain
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The Indore Method
Sir Albert Howard, godfather of Western composting
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The Three Chambered Bin
From The Humanure Handbook by Joseph Jenkins
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