Episode-2385- Ben Falk on Zone 4 Permaculture Design
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Ben developed Whole Systems Design, LLC as a land-based response to biological and cultural extinction and the increasing separation between people and elemental things. Life as a designer, builder, ecologist, tree-tender, and back country traveler continually informs Ben’s integrative approach to developing landscapes and buildings.
His home landscape and the WSD studio site in Vermont’s Mad River Valley serve as a proving ground for the regenerative land developments featured in the projects of Whole Systems Design. Ben has studied architecture and landscape architecture at the graduate level and holds a master’s degree in land-use planning and design.
He has conducted more than 300 site development consultations across the US and abroad, and has facilitated dozens of courses on property selection, permaculture design, and resilient systems.
He has given keynote addresses and presented dozens of workshops at venues ranging from Bioneers to the Omega Institute. Ben is the author of the award-winning book the Resilient Farm and Homestead (Chelsea Green, 2013).
He joins us today to discuss zone 4 permaculture. Designing managed forests that are designed more for wildlife and foraging then for agricultural purposes.
Resources for today’s show…
- Join the Members Brigade
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- Walking To Freedom
- TspAz.com
- The Granddaddy’s Gun Club
- Whole Systems Design – Ben’s Site
- The Resilient Farm and Homestead – Ben’s Book
- Whole System’s Design on Facebook
- Peace Train – 10,000 Maniacs
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Interesting episode; I’ve listened twice! So much detail.
A couple of resources I like: “Farming the Woods” by Steve Gabriel and “The Woodland Homestead” by Brett McLeod.
For the caller with the silver maple forest; what a fantastic resource! Three terrific possible products: maple syrup, ramps, black raspberries. Yes, silver maples give great sap for syrup, and there’s even a high-sugar silver maple available from St. Lawrence Nursery that could be planted as needed for replacements. From time to time Jack has advised waiting a year to learn about a new property. That would be very advisable in this case.
Very cool episode. There are a lot of resources available on wildlife management, ranging from pamphlets on building brush piles that you can get from the university extension office (or 4-H office) to books devoted to the management of single species (deer, turkey, elk, quail..). It would not be hard to pivot on concepts presented in the existing literature and view through a permaculture lens. Although, I think Ben has some unique ideas that you probably won’t find in a typical wildlife management book (e.g., grafting turkey apples).
This is one of my favorites for an overall picture of modern wildlife management. It’s more readable than a lot of scientific wildlife writing: https://www.amazon.com/Wildlife-Ecology-Management-Eric-Bolen/dp/013066250X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1551024877&sr=8-1&keywords=wildlife+management
This one might be good for Ben’s region: https://www.amazon.com/Technical-Wildlife-Habitat-Management-England/dp/1584655879/ref=sr_1_23?ie=UTF8&qid=1551025068&sr=8-23&keywords=wildlife+management
This one also looks promising, but i haven’t read it yet: https://www.amazon.com/Wildlife-Management-AgriLife-Research-Extension/dp/1623495024/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1551025117&sr=8-3&keywords=wildlife+management#customerReviews
Quick catch on squirrels for those of you with tons of pine. At LEAST in Mississippi, our gray squirrels eat the heck out of pine cones. They love acorns, but we get pine saplings coming up everywhere due to their penchant for the cone. You can even watch them going to town on a pine cone like I hit a fresh grilled jalapeno/cotija cheese-encrusted corn cob. Fastest way I’ve seen to turn a pine cone into a meat snack.
Awesome episode guys.. Big fan of both of you.
Im in the piedmont of NC.. Im interested in apple rootstock to saturate an area of zone 4 of my property to graft onto later on..
Do you have a good source of cheap stock?
Thanks for what you do Jack.. Ive picked up a lot from your shower over the past year. ?
The really low price places are mostly out of stock already this late in the year. Here is one option. https://www.burntridgenursery.com/ANTONOVKA-ROOTSTOCK-Malus-antonovka/productinfo/NSRTANT/
Another option is that Antonovka produces wonderfully from seed both for grafting and just growing. SOOOOOOOOOOO………. https://sheffields.com/seeds-for-sale/Malus/pumila///Antonovka// gonna say an ounce is a LOT of apple seeds.
Lastly you can and should just save seed from commercial apples and plant them they are tough as nails, make great grafting stock adn will produce apples that are good for both people and wild life.