Foreword
Preface
Dedication
1. Setting the Scene
What is changing? Is there a problem? Climate change. Peak oil.
Food sovereignty.
2. Sustainable Living Practices
Sustainability. Permaculture: designing for a sustainable future.
Permaculture design fundamentals.
3. Planning a Garden
Ecological principles. How ecosystems work. The design process.
Designing for others. Implementation schedule. Sharing the surplus,
thriving and surviving.
4. Getting the Soil Right
What is soil? Compost making. Soil amendments. Mulch. Green manure
crops. Fermented fertilizers. Weeds as indicators of soil
conditions. Simple soil tests. Other soil tests.
5. Edible Food Plants
Top ten vegetables. top ten garden salad fruits. Handy hints.
6. Fruit and Nut Trees
Dryland fruit and nut trees. Cold climate fruit and nut trees. Warm
humid climate fruit and nut trees. Some other considerations.
7. Heavenly Herbs
Herbs used in cooking. Herbal teas. Pest-repellent herbs. A herb
medical cabinet.
8. Other Useful Plant Groups
Dryland plants. Cool climate plants. Warm humid climate plants.
9. Fodder and Forage Shrubs and Trees for Farm
Animals
Dryland plants. Cool climate plants. Warm humid climate plants.
10. All About Water
Saving water in the home. Water conservation. Irrigation practices.
Graywater reuse. Rainwater harvesting. Integration of water
systems. On-site domestic wastewater systems. Water in the
landscape.
11. Strategies for Rural Properties
Organic farming. Biodynamic farming. Holistic management. Cell
grazing. Polyface. Natural sequence farming. Pasture cropping.
Keyline. Regenerative agriculture. Water capture. Other aspects of
farming.
12. Strategies for Small Spaces
Inside the house. Outside the house.
13. Hand Tools
Personal protective equipment (PPE) and general work clothing. Ten
basic hand tools. Handyperson set of ten tools. Supplementary set
of ten tools. Ten basic garden hand tools. Ten handyperson garden
tools.
14. Foods You Can Easily Make at Home
Ten simple foods to make. Others to try. Ten fermented foods.
Preserving your foods.
15. It's Energy That Matters
Embodied energy. Saving and reducing energy. Energy-efficient
housing. Active solar systems. Energy generation.
16. Forgotten Skills
Some simple knots. Handmade paper. Making soap. Homemade laundry
detergent. Splitting bamboo. How to make playdough. Saving seeds.
Weaving (fiber basketry). Making rope from plant material. How to
make candles.
Conversion Formulae
Acknowledgments
Index
About the Author
A Note About the Publisher
Harness the power of permaculture to thrive, not just survive, the great transition from fossil fuels
Ross Mars is a highly regarded permaculture teacher, designer and consultant. He is author of landmark The Basics of Permaculture Design and three other permaculture books, as well as two DVDs on energy efficient housing design and renewable energy systems. Ross manages Candlelight Farm, a permaculture demonstration site and training center in Western Australia. Over the past decade, he has delivered dozens of basic, design, advanced and diploma-level Permaculture Courses. Both a scientist with a PhD in Environmental Science and an entrepreneur, Mars also manufactures and supplies greywater and rainwater tank systems, and installs waterwise gardens and water-sensible irrigation systems.
Finally a resource that holistically connects the dots between all
the elements of permaculture. The Permaculture Transition Manual
reaches beyond the design and planting side and serves as an
inspiring guide to craft a lifestyle rooted in permaculture
principles, from cooking in the kitchen to cultivating
community.
---Lisa Kivirist, author, Soil Sisters: A Toolkit for Women Farmers
Drawing on his experience as both a teacher and permaculture
practitioner, Mars presents a complete blueprint for anybody to
make their rural property or suburban home more beautiful,
economical, and resilient. He also offers inspiring ideas to
de-clutter and make the most out of smaller urban spaces.
---Erik Curren, Publisher, Transition Voice Definitely a book for
these crucial times, The Permaculture Transition Manual discusses
all the steps necessary to initiate positive change. Ross Mars
covers all the bases - both new converts and readers already
conversant with permaculture will find suggestions to complement
and facilitate their journey towards a more sustainable existence.
The writer's scientific background does not prevent him from
keeping the information accessible to all with point by point
analysis of what's required to halt the devastating ecological
freefall that's been instigated by the profligate lifestyle of
today's society.
---Jenni Blackmore, author, Permaculture for the Rest of Us.
Holistic solutions rather than piecemeal fixes are required to
address the many converging crises in our world. The Permaculture
Transition Manual reviews the problems we face, then builds on the
view from 30,000 feet with an excellent exploration of the
permaculture design process, peppered with information on compost,
graywater, alternative energy, and much more. Ross Mars has written
an excellent introduction for the beginner!
---John Wages, Publisher, Permaculture Design Magazine The
Transition and the Permaculture movements offer road maps to a
future that will not only be sustainable, but will allow people to
thrive. Ross Mars is the perfect tour guide with The Permaculture
Transition Manual. Offering a comprehensive and integrative
approach to living that anyone can incorporate into their lives,
this book offers a treasure-trove of creative practices and vital
information. This is the book I would want on a desert island as a
survival guide. It is a great resource for any community or
individual looking to create a better future.
---Hannah Apricot Eckberg, editor, Permaculture Magazine, North
America
Ask a Question About this Product More... |