725: Rosemary Morrow on the Earth Restorer’s Guide to Permaculture.
Restoring Planetary Health and Rebuilding After an Impact.
In This Podcast:
In this very special episode, Greg talks with Rosemary Morrow, a member of the first generation of what we now call the Permaculture Movement. Rosemary has decades of experience teaching permaculture all over the world and she shares how that global perspective influenced her most recent book. Hear about her definition of permaculture, her philosophy on teaching permaculture, and her experiences teaching permaculture to people in many different countries. We are delighted to have Rosemary on our podcast!
Editor’s Note:
This is Part 1 of this special two-part episode. Click HERE to go to Part 2.
Our Guest:
Rosemary Morrow is a permaculture teacher, author, speaker, and agricultural scientist. She has spent decades travelling the world designing healthy living systems and applying permaculture as a practice to restore our planetary health. She has worked locally across Australia as well as globally with farmers and villagers in Africa, Central and Southeast Asia; people of war-torn nations such as Vietnam and Afghanistan; and communities experiencing the serious effects of climate change like the Solomon Islands. Rosemary’s latest book, Earth Restorer’s Guide to Permaculture, brings together 40 years of evidence-based approaches to guide us towards the regeneration of our Earth. Endorsed by the United Nations as a tool for their Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, this book shares how communities, cities, workplaces, and governments can collectively and positively shape our futures.
Editor’s Note:
This is Part 1 of this special two-part episode. Click HERE to go to Part 2.
Listen in and learn about:
- Good signs of being attached to the earth
- Agriculture as a good foundation, a good tool
- Two things she learned in Africa – 1) When people are hungry and starving you need to provide them with energy first, and 2) People need to be providing their own food before they go to market.
- Permaculture design as an instrument of restoration
- The many countries Rosemary has traveled to
- Rosemary’s definition of permaculture: “Practices to restore earth & society to health”
- How the Earth Restorer’s Guide to Permaculture was developed.
- “If you can’t make the right analysis, you’ll end up with the wrong solution.”
- How permaculture has changed over the last 40 years
- A permaculture design course is powerful, but it only gives you an idea of what you can do
- Permaculture is all about the water. Get the water right first.
- Build basins that are recreation areas during dry times and capture surface water to manage during floods
- How her book can be used to move the permaculture conversation forward
- Rosemary’s hope for our future
- Do you know a US permaculturist who works with refugees? Send an email to Greg at greg@urbanfarm.org
- Recognition for permaculture work, especially in places where English is not spoken
- Writing her book with the intention of reaching a more global audience
As well as:
Her failure – Planting a community garden where people really wanted and needed to grow something individually
Her success – Permaculture for Refugees
Her drive – An interest in an ethical life and an obligation to give back
Her advice – “Engage in restoration, engage in the environment. Tune in to out there.”
Books written by Rosemary:
Earth Restorer’s Guide to Permaculture
Rosemary’s Book recommendations:
A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
Biodiversity by E.O. Wilson
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankel
How to reach Rosemary:
Website: melliodora.com bluemountainspermacultureinstitute.org.au
UrbanFarm.org/Rowe
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