James Landreth

My advice:


Don't be afraid or guilty about thinning some Doug fir from the property. It's planted absolutely everywhere and many other plants can replace it that are useful for food and pollinators

I know that some people grow herbaceous plants with the intention being to provide habitat for native pollinators, including for laying eggs. I'm hoping to do so and put some bundles of these stems under cover for the winter. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Cam Haslehurst wrote:Hey James, thanks for posting this. I am definitely Gen Z as I was born in 1998. I am pretty much brand new to permaculture.

I learned about the state of our civilization and our planet around the end of last year and it shook me up quite a bit. For a few months I think I was depressed now that I look back on it now. My parents grew worried because I wasn't making all the dumb jokes I usually do and we eventually talked about it. From there I improved until I got to where I am today. Active Hope by Joanna Macy was and still is a big inspiration for me. "Hope is something you do, not something you have" she says. And she's right. The big change was going from waiting for humanity to do something to getting off my ass and doing something! I now consider myself a builder of whatever world follows this one. I see in my mind's eye of network of people fighting for our planet in diverse ways: some tell the story of ecological collapse or climate change, even if few listen. Others teach about how to survive and thrive in a changing world. Some fight to change or replace the corrupt systems that are in place now with something better. Many folks are getting to know local farmers, and starting to garden, and turning away from endless consumption. I see myself as just one tiny part of this growing network of people who are, in big or small ways, doing their part to love and protect our collective home. It's this thought that gets me out of bed in the morning and what drives me to do what I do.

As of now, I'm learning as much as I can about permaculture as possible. I am lined up to visit a permaculture homestead this summer and I am oh so excited to get my hands dirty and to soak up as much knowledge as I can. I hope some more folks respond to this thread, I am curious about how many younger folks there are out there.

They're out there, for sure (younger permaculture and activists in general)

I know a big challenge for our generation is access to land. But we've been coming up with all sorts of solutions to that across the board. Some people practice responsible guerilla planting. I volunteer to help religious groups set up food forests and pollinator gardens. Every bit helps, for sure. I've been so lucky to see as much progress as I have

I just want you all to know that you're not alone, and that there is hope, and that younger people like you have a seat at the table.

Last year I made a thread for Millennial permies. I recently found out that I’m actually on the cusp of being a millennial or generation Z. I’ve noticed some folks younger than me poking around the forums looking for friends and connections lately, so I thought I’d make this thread.


Please, feel free to introduce yourself, talk about your goals and aspirations, what resources or situations you’re looking for, etc!



Here's the other thread:

https://permies.com/t/101996/Millennial-Permies

I have read that Nitrates are bad and should be avoided, but then in this thread Ellendra raises some interesting information that I hadn't heard. What do people think about using nitrates in food preservation?

https://permies.com/t/153726/Cured-Duck-Duck-Prosciutto-Nitrates

I'm wondering about Chicago Hardy Fig, in a sheltered location with lots of mulch?

Thank you for the wealth of knowledge, everyone!

Ellendra Nauriel wrote:Every recipe I've seen that claimed to be "nitrate-free", was actually using natural sources of nitrates instead. Is that what you're looking for. Or did you need it to have no nitrates, natural or otherwise?

Honestly, I don't know. I have read nitrates are bad for you and was thus hoping to avoid them. Are there some (naturally-derived) nitrates that aren't harmful? Or was what I reading not accurate, maybe? Thank you for raising the question

We have a few threads that touch on this, but most of the recipes there include nitrates it seems. I am trying to find a way to convert my excess muscovies into delicious cured meats for my family. Does anyone have some recipe suggestions/ideas for how to do this? Are there any books that you recommend for going nitrate free?

Mike Haasl wrote:Apples, pears, walnuts, hickory, apricots, plums, cherry and probably many more in the tree department.  Tons of woody berry bushes to choose from as well.

Check out some of Sean's food forest tours on Edible Acres on youtube, he's in upstate NY.

Are people successfully growing apricots in the Midwest or northeast to your knowledge? Some varieties are hardy to zone 4 but I wonder about disease

I consider "close" to be anything closer than conventional spacing, which in my area is:


Standards: 20-30 feet
Semi-dwarves: 12-15 feet
Dwarves: 8-12 feet, sometimes listed as as close as 5

Shrubs: 5-10 feet