714: Doreen Pollack on How Permaculture Changed Her Life.
Integrating the “P” Word Into Everyday Life.
In This Podcast:
Doreen Pollack took a permaculture course nearly 20 years ago and she has never looked back. In this episode she explains how those concepts learned so long ago still influence every part of her life today. She points out the positive impacts, not only on her garden, but on her thoughts, her actions, and especially on her daily interactions with the earth and the community of people around her. Always eager to expand that community, Doreen shares her nuggets of wisdom and gently encourages everyone she meets to experience permaculture for themselves.
Our Guest:
Doreen Pollack has been a Master Gardener for over 18 years and has turned her urban lot in downtown Phoenix into a living example of what she teaches. Her front yard now houses an edible garden where a bermuda grass lawn used to be. Rainwater harvesting systems channel and store rainwater, compost piles supply needed amendments to harsh clay soil and creative plant locations maximize use of her urban lot. A Laundry to Landscape system uses washing machine output to water a 35-year-old grapefruit tree. Doreen has taught hundreds of people about gardening through Master Gardeners, Mesa Community College, City of Tempe, and Rio Salado College, and has appeared on local news talking about gardening. She loves to help people become better gardeners and stewards of the land.
Listen in and learn about:
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- How she learned to love gardening in the desert
- A permaculture design course was the next step – How to put it all together and be a great observer
- Doreen’s definition of permaculture – It’s integration
- Why her neighbor has a key to her gate
- What she remembers most about permaculture: Nothing is separate
- Still integrating it into her life nearly 20 years later
- Regenerative – Allowing plants to support each other in a symbiotic relationship
- Permaculture practices she continues to use
– composting (even the dust from her vacuum cleaner!)
– Rainwater harvesting
– Laundry to landscape system: her washer drains out along the perimeter of her yard
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- Too many plastic containers? Make yogurt!
- “There is no away.”
- 1100 tons of food waste produced in the Phoenix metro area
- Thinking about the amount of waste generated because we all want that perfect piece of produce
- Making vegetable broth with the cut off ends of vegetables
- So many ways to integrate permaculture into your life
- The PDC course opened her mind to new ways of thinking about her actions
- Urban Farm Permaculture course in metro Phoenix area starts in February 2023 urbanfarm.org/pdc
- Why take a Permaculture Design Course?
– Exposure to other ways to think of things.
– Meeting your tribe.
– It’s very hands-on with exchange and conversation.
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- How to find a PDC in your area: search the name of your city and permaculture design course
- An online course: Permaculturecity.com
As well as:
Her failure – Putting a vegetable garden in the wrong location
Her success – Growing apples
Her drive – Climate change, the notion that things aren’t going the way they should be
Her advice – Don’t be afraid to try something new in your life or in your garden
Doreen’s Book recommendations:
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle; A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver
How to reach Doreen:
Facebook: down2earthgardens
UrbanFarm.org/Down2EarthGarden
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