“The way we look at nature defines the way we treat it.”
David Suzuki (1936)
Being aware of the extremely positive effects of food and nature on my life led me to a magnificent project: the creation of a permanent organic forest garden. Since arriving in the farmland, I have dreamed of seeing a healthy countryside there, a nature left to its own devices.
One evening, I came across a TV show about permaculture: it was exactly the image of the paradise I was hoping for. The term "permaculture" comes from the fusion of the words "permanent" and "agriculture." The concept was born from the observation that to survive, a renewable source of food and respect for the earth are necessary. However, in our industrial systems, we have neither. Permaculture mimics nature by connecting humans, animals, buildings, and nature so that the waste of one becomes the resource of the other. The concept may seem complicated, but it's much simpler than it seems. And in the long run, growing food this way requires much less effort! Permaculture enthusiasts are even seen as lazy... intelligent!
Environmentalist David Suzuki claims that this is currently the most important thing being done on the planet. According to him, permaculture is the solution of tomorrow. The mass monocultures that occupy the little land we have left are unnatural and harmful for several reasons: because of, among other things, the pesticides used and the disappearance of insects they cause. Furthermore, we need trees to oxygenate us and also diversified organic agriculture to feed us as well as to shelter all the animal and insect species we need, such as bees, important pollinators for our crops and our survival. They cannot pollinate in monoculture land and are also threatened by pesticides. We know that if they disappear, we will follow.
Furthermore, it is worrying to know that if we were to cut off imports from our major cities, we would have only a few days' food self-sufficiency. In this perspective, it is vital that we find a compromise between large-scale industrial crops and diversified ecological gardens.
What if simplicity rhymed with efficiency ? And what if, from an ecological perspective too, we didn't have to "perform" to live well? There are, for example, a few autonomous gardens in Quebec and many others around the world. The principles used are as follows: thoughtful design, flowering meadows, living wild plants, living soil without pesticides, simple maintenance, oxygenated and fertile soil with organic fertilizers (thinking logically, the soil is as important as the seed! If it is rich, what it nourishes will be!), a beautiful and useful landscape, nourishing foods growing there (as opposed to foods emptied of their vitamins and nutrients when watered) as well as medicinal herbs. The following chain is respected: earth-plants-animals-humans-earth. All participants, down to the infinitely small (bacteria, fungi, etc.), are important. Man stimulates the processes. Seen in this way, isn't it poetry?
Let's return to one of our permanent gardens in Quebec. People go there to recharge their batteries. Everyone gives what they can and at their own pace. The owner only asks for a small contribution. The guests are respected for who they are. Against all expectations, those who live in this non-performing and non-productive garden are autonomous: they have a vegetable garden, cows that produce milk, they make their own cheese and bread. Above all, they live in harmony with nature and their nature , without stress. I like these concepts of non-performance and autonomy.
Here's what I propose. Follow the flow of life, observe it, and respect it. Plant trees of all kinds that will help the berry bushes grow. These will, in turn, naturally fertilize the plants around them. Natural helpers will repel harmful insects and attract coveted pollinators. A natural harmony is established. Small animals contribute to this ecology. The garden's design is thought out so that all the elements, including humans, help each other to form an oasis that will nourish the children who participated in its creation.
Healthier agriculture
Permaculture is obviously organic. Whether in livestock farming or in the fields, we can't wait to get back to what we were: respecting free-roaming animals that eat what they should, not corn! Cows, chickens, and all other animals are meant to be outside, standing on their feet, eating grass, in the fields (not to be piled on top of each other without seeing the light of day!).
Pesticides are extremely powerful chemicals. Vegetation around fields that comes into contact with them is burned.
To fertilize our vegetable gardens or our land, why not compost? It's easy to produce and can be done anywhere; even when you live in an apartment because there are various options to meet everyone's needs. In my case, I simply put our plant scraps (peelings, coffee grounds, tea, etc.) in a four-liter Pyrex container and then place the contents outside. I can guarantee you that it doesn't smell bad. Garbage cans give off odors, but not compost. Mine is on the counter day and night (and we empty it daily into the composter). It's not unpleasant at all. You quickly realize how much compost can significantly reduce our amount of waste. The difference is impressive. A family can go from a large bag of garbage per week to a small bag of groceries. On a large scale, there's nothing like plant debris (especially greens) mixed with manure to prepare soil.
Knowing the land that nourishes us, reconnecting
To change our ways, we must first take the time to truly understand the land that nourishes us. Not so long ago, we knew we depended on the earth, water, air, and sun. This idea got lost somewhere along the way.
Children, on the other hand, have lost touch with nature, and that's why I want to make a garden for them . Let's try to do everything we can to minimize the impact of our schedules on their quality of life. Let these children finally be able to play outside rather than waiting for their parents between four walls. We can make the effort to tune in to their needs (to be outside, among other things), while they are mostly tuned in to our lifestyle. I want to make a garden where children will learn about the earth and agriculture and where they will know where our food comes from. We depend on the earth. If we want children to protect it later, they must know it. A child left in nature will automatically find harmony there and will not need more.
In Peru, children are told that the mountains they see are like gods; it is thanks to their shadow that they are alive and can eat. Imagine how they take care of them! Here, they say that the mountains hide gold, that the waters hide oil, and so on. For the former, nature is sacred, but for us, it is a resource.
Life, being made of encounters and happy coincidences to advance what must exist, has, once again, put on my path at the right time an exceptional ally. One of the pioneers in permaculture in Quebec, Bernard Alonso . He gives me ideas that fascinate young people, like the slide in the straw of the farmyard or the elves to be found in the magic forest. I will add my dreams to meet the needs of schoolchildren. We also think that a Garden of Eden can be part of a perspective of Montreal's green belt (we do not dwell on it enough, it is vital that large cities protect their vegetation, we are a little behind on this subject) as well as a small-scale example of food self-sufficiency.
To care is to love
The garden is a unique opportunity for children to go outside and play, breathe fresh air and be in contact with nature. They are so rarely there today. It is clear that a majority of their problems come from this lack. Let children also learn through direct experience to know the earth that nourishes them, as in the days when they could play outside without fear. It has been shown that caring for (plants like laying hens, geese, rabbits, ducks, etc.) helps reduce violence and dropping out in addition to doing a world of good for the soul. Céline Cousteau , granddaughter of, told me during a pleasant evening that in New York, children are cared for with gardening.
Organic gardens diversify ecological niches and aim for food self-sufficiency, preserving our greenery and creating a legacy for our children, rather than simply overexploiting the land and unfortunately ultimately rendering it sterile.
This complicity with nature contributes to happiness and is a wonderful school on life as well as on the nourishing earth (touch culture at least once in your life!) This ideal universe, I would like to see it extend elsewhere for the well-being of all children... and of the planet.
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