By Sally Neas
“‘It’s spring time,’ proclaims permaculture teacher David Shaw, as he clutches a hunter green steel digging fork. ‘Time to go.’
“Indeed, signs of spring are all around: bees are gathering nectar from budding lavender, bird songs ring out from every direction and the garden of the Santa Cruz Waldorf school is filled with 16 eager students, anxious to get their hands dirty.”
“But the approach here is much different from what you would find in most gardening classes. Today, the garden is being tended as a part of the Regenerative Design Institute’s Four Seasons permaculture class.
“Permaculture, derived from the words “permanent agriculture,” is a set of ethics, principles and techniques that guide designers to self-sustaining, regenerative systems. When originally conceived in the 1970s, it was applied largely to gardening and farming, but since then has expanded into solar energy, water and more.” […]