Annemarie and Graham Brookman’s Food Forest
Near the end of this great and inspiring little video the reporter confessed that permaculture is having a hard time establishing itself in the minds of mainstream farmers. Whilst it may have been true when the video was originally produced, this situation seems to be changing rapidly. Farmers can either watch their lands continue to deteriorate, and throw increasing amounts of money at symptoms of underlying problems, or they can begin to see the bigger picture and the sense/cents in developing permaculture systems where inputs are gradually reduced even as soil fertility increases. As far as agriculture is concerned, there really isn’t another game worth playing. The word is getting out, and we all must play a part in helping accomplish this. Our own food security is on the line here.
Great work Annemarie and Graham, we are watching you from Canada!
Rob Avis
We wrote a review recently about the Brookman’s amazing Food Forest DVD here: https://milkwood.net/2011/04/13/design-for-life-the-food-forest-dvd/
Be sure to get yourself a copy. It rocks.
I would love to see the economy of a permaculture food forest farm laid out in financial numbers including ‘moneyless’ revenue and input (like self produced and consumed food and energy, volunteer work).
Knowing Annemarie + Graham, they probably have that info, and would be glad to share it with you Douglas if you contacted them?
What an inspiration,to see a model of success like this.It’s a far cry from many of the shoddy,un-kept unproductive permaculture systems whose chief yield is “fleeced students” and big money for their directors.
A farm that pays for itself and gets of the welfare wheel(student fees) is what permaculture should be aiming for.It’s time for Permaculture farms to put up or shut up,because if you can’t make it happen on the ground then you have no business telling others that they should.
Pasquali Bonito
Where can one contact the Brookmans (e-mail)?
What are their annual rainfall, irrigation, etc?
Thanks