Please take notice...

IMPORTANT NOTICE: I'll probably make a bit of money through the links that you follow. It helps keep this page alive. That said, I'll only post links to companies and individuals that have provided exceptional service and great products.

Wednesday 19 December 2018

Ethics of Permaculture: People Care

Be considerate of everyone's time, interests, thoughts and actions, including your own.
(The Permaville Handbook)

When you are passionate about something, it is easy to forget that others may not share in your enthusiasm. Being too aggressive can alienate others and do a lot of damage not only to the cause of Permaculture in general, but also to the way in which people view your own project.

As I have mentioned in a previous post, Permaculturalists are a diverse group of people. We have different political views, religious beliefs and even diets! And as much as some of us wish we don't have to, we all have to function within a larger society.

My biggest critic in this endeavor of mine is - strangely enough - my mom! I know she loves me and she doesn't want to see me lose money or be destitute, so I don't take the barbs too personally. (It's not always easy, believe me!) Knowing where she comes from (a so-called "Baby Boomer") helps me to understand her mindset and her fears and whenever I bring this topic up, I start where she is at. Helping her understand also helps her support me and it leads to a lot less conflict in the family.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about having an elevator pitch for my backyard farming project. I never considered it a part of "people care" until now.

The two biggest advantages of such a statement are that it saves time and keeps one from boring others to death. Those who are genuinely interested, will then ask the right questions and those who aren't will answer with something like "Oh, OK," and then you will know to move on to the next topic.

Another aspect to take into consideration is that Permaculture flies in the face of what most people consider to be "normal". No matter what you do, others will consider it to be either "a bit backward" or "anti-establishment". There is also the matter of ego: your act of leaving the so-called "rat race" (where the winner is still a rat!) to start - or simply continue - something else makes others seem inadequate. And it's easier to (try to) bring someone else down than to step out of one's comfort zone towards achieving something different, yourself!

Therefore, being aware of where someone else might be ACTING from, would also lead to a better understanding and not wanting to retaliate in kind. Always remember that Karma is a female canine, and her bites are extremely painful. Rather let her handle matters than take those matters into your own hands and have to carry your own set of consequences.

Finally...

Being involved in Permaculture already sets me apart from everyone else, even if I haven't properly started on my project yet. I think differently and I act differently. Instead of looking at another person as a problem that may or may not get solved, I already visualize the potential outcome from that person following in my alternative footsteps. I already have immense power within me to change the world as I know it. The responsibility lies in teaching others that they have that same power and that it does not have to be an intimidating process, but small steps, taken one at a time.



Thursday 13 December 2018

Why Permaculture?



When the Free Range Hooligan idea first started, I was hooked on "Homesteading", the concept of living a "pioneer lifestyle" somewhere off-grid and living a totally isolated life. I wasn't very impressed with society at the time and getting away from everything and everyone was extremely appealing.

Then a friend told me to Google Geoff Lawton and the concept of Permaculture. I had never heard of either of those two. But I trusted the friend and between Google and YouTube I literally got sucked down the rabbit hole and into a whole new world of possibility.

You see, I have always thought of Permaculture as just another fashion phrase for organic gardening. And gardening was the one thing I couldn't see myself doing. Green things died near me. That said, before now I had no interest in learning how to make them NOT die, either. To my utter amazement, I found that putting plants in the ground and helping them grow only forms a small part of the total concept of Permaculture.

Permaculture transcends cultures, religions, political views, eating habits, borders and burocracies. It doesn't care whether you are black, white, yellow or green, male, female, old or young. It doesn't care whether you are filthy rich or own very little. Yes, it does require a measure of intelligence, and some training, but it can be applied by school children and university professors alike.

Permaculture is not as much a method as it is a MINDSET. When someone asks, I usually roughly define it as "what happens when a hippie and an engineer decide to go farming together", but the 3 ethics and 12 principles of Permaculture can be applied almost everywhere and to every situation. Permaculture is as organic as you can imagine, but it is also highly systemised to the point of where once certain zones have been properly established, very little is required in the way of human interference.

Yes, this sounds weird. Ethics, Principles and Zones are not things commercial farmers and business people are known for. In fact, they are more concerned with "Yield per acre", "Profit" and "Input Costs".

Ethics are WHAT Permaculturalists do, principles regulate HOW they do it, and zones are WHERE they do it. The twist is that Permaculture farmsteads can still be immensely profitable and fulfilling, but without the stress and pressure that other farms are under to perform to a certain "money standard".

What I want from my own farmstead is to produce enough food to feed myself and my immediate family without putting any pressure on the environment or cause any unnecessary health issues. Any surplus will either be processed for later use, sold at farmers' markets or be redistributed to those less fortunate than we are. That immediately covers all three of the ethics without me having to make a serious conscious decision.

The exact "hows" may change over time. What works in one situation may not work in another. Not all my projects may produce a measurable yield in any given season, but - God willing - there will always be a yield produced from somewhere to sustain the big picture and I will not go hungry.

I'll go over the ethics, principles and zones in other posts over the next few weeks. Sharper minds have devoted whole books to the topic and I'll refer a lot to the giants who have gone before me and on whose shoulders I plan to stand. There will also be some links to other resources. Please bear in mind that I may receive some reward from any links that you follow. I promise, however, that I won't post links to products and services that I haven't used myself and like.

Wednesday 12 December 2018

All the green stuff

My delivery from Mountain Herb Estate arrived this morning. I was extremely skeptical about having plants couriered, but they all arrived in excellent condition. Yes, I took them out of their box immediately, and arranged them tastefully (!!!) on the front steps of my little library. Shall take them home tonight and to my mom's over the weekend. Some of them will have to be potted immediately, while others can stand a while until they are ready to be put into the ground.


This is what I bought. Clockwise, from the back left, they are:

Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)

Black Mulberry (Morus nigra)

Aloe Vera (Aloe vera)

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra)

Chocolate Mint (Mentha x piperita)

St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum)


Now, if anyone told me about 25 years ago that I shall not only know the binomial names (the Latin ones) of all the plants that I plant in my garden, but that I shall often refer to the plant by it's scientific name alone, I would have asked them the name and number of their dealer. (Obviously, they had access to potent stuff!)

I have since learnt that it is easier to refer to the botanical names, especially if there is a specific plant that I need. It also makes it easier to look up on the Internet, as the plant that I have is the exact plant that I shall find information about, without the ambiguity caused by common names.

Tuesday 11 December 2018

Measuring up! The first step in planning my food garden

My mom was gracious enough to allow me a corner of her property to use as an experiment in food gardening. However, the stipulation was that I am not allowed to remove any of the existing trees from that corner. So... That means I have to include quite a number of (indigenous) trees in my planning.

The other problem with that particular corner is that the soil is clayey and compacted and as hard as concrete. That means that most of my plantings would have to happen in raised beds and containers if I don't want to rent a pneumatic drill to break ground. As it is, I shall probably have to struggle to dig a few holes, anyway, to set fence posts and to plant the odd fruit tree that I don't want to keep in a pot. That all needs to be planned out well in advance as I do not want to struggle unnecessarily later on.

To give me some idea of where to start, I spent some time on Google yesterday, and came across a really informative blog, Daily Harvest Designs. It is run by Rachel, a rare breed of person who has both formal horticultural and Permaculture qualifications, but who also has a heart for helping other people succeed in their own Permaculture endeavors.

With Monday the 17th being a public holiday here in South Africa, I shall drive over to my mom's place with a clipboard, pen, paper and tape measure and take careful triangular measurements of every existing tree's placement on that bit of garden. I'll borrow an old tent peg as well, to mark off the exact area where I shall be working.

I'll also take some altimeter readings. It being my mom's place and considering the hard soil, I doubt that I'll be digging swales, BUT then that's pretty much a part of Permaculture so that's also something to plan for.

In the meantime, I'll do some research on tree canopy sizes, to see how and where to put my raised beds and vertical garden structures and if there would be a good space to place an aquaponic system and a small greenhouse.

I am also waiting with bated breath for my Amazon orders to arrive. My late dad always said that if one could read, there isn't much that one couldn't do. None of these books will replace the practical knowledge that I plan to pick up on my journey, but it will be good to learn from the mistakes of people who have done what I am planning to do. Some mistakes can be expensive and I don't have money to throw away needlessly. And tips and tricks are always welcome.

Friday 7 December 2018

Seed, Glorious Seed...

I have received my seed order from Livingseeds this morning! They sell heirloom seeds and seedlings from all over the world, as well as everything you need to grow them.

It was a big order, and I have included a variety of herb and vegetable packs, as well as packs of 30 mm Jiffy plugs. The plugs will help a lot in getting the tomatoes and peppers started before I transplant them into their final beds at my mom's place.

Yes, my mom graciously lent me a piece of her garden for what she calls my "Permaculture Experiment". I'll probably plant some tomatoes and kale and cucumbers in other parts of her garden as well. Serious guerrilla, me... ;-)



Which brings me to another bugbear...

Rustenburg was one of the host cities for the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup Final Tournament. At the time, the local council really went all out to beautify the town/city. Eight years later, the decay is shocking to behold, and no-one seems to want to take responsibility.

I have more vegetable seeds than I'll ever be able to use for myself. So... What yours charmingly'll be doing is to create seedlings and surreptitiously plant them all over town... Some catnip, perhaps... or maybe a pumpkin or two... or some tomatoes...

I'll think about it...

Ps. I am also ordering more fruit seed and trees from Mountain Herb Estate today, to plant in that garden patch. I'm not much of a green-fingered person - and the first to admit that - but the key to becoming one is by learning and doing and starting. Between you and me and the lamppost, I have a sneaky suspicion that it's more a matter of never really being interested in gardening before than it is one of an inability to keep plants alive.

It's that time of the year again!

Gifts are NOT my Love Language. To me, the time spent MAKING them is much more precious than the gift itself. It is all about the thoughts and energy and maybe a bit of aura that go into the creation of something that you hope the other person will find useful and pretty.

This year, my Other Half and I have decided to decorate coffee mugs and fill them with home-made goodies for our immediate families. The men will get shaving bars and the ladies bars of bath soap. The three short people will get candy, as I don't think soap will be very attractive to anyone under the age of 10.

I'll document the process, in a revised post, later, as I think this might be a useful idea.



Wednesday 5 December 2018

Counting blessings - my 7-point checklist

In my line of work, I deal with people from all parts of society. Some come from money, some not. Some have GREAT circumstances and some barely survive. What gets my goat, however, are what I call the "fatties & moanies", the ones that incessantly complain about EVERYTHING!

Before I dare complain about my life, I go through a 7-point check list:

  • Do I have food in my tummy?

Have I had at least one warm meal today? Or a decent bowl of food?

  • Do I have clean clothes on my back?

Is the clothes that I am wearing whole and clean? Is it warm enough?

  • Do I have a roof over my head at night?

This can be my own place, a friend's couch or even a bus stop!

  • Do I have a means to earn an income?

Note that this is not a formal "job". I mean exactly what I have written here. If the means is to pick up enough recyclables to hand in for some bread money every day, then that be it!

  • Can I get to where I need to be?

Can I drive, take public transport or hitch or borrow a ride? Can I walk?

  • Am I healthy?

That's at least half the battle won.

  • Do I have at least one person who cares about me?

One has to be really evil to not have anyone care about you.
ANYTHING else is a God-given bonus.

Never underestimate people's generosity to someone who is genuinely in need. However, if that generosity is not met with gratitude, it will not be extended again. With gratitude, I don't mean money. I've been without money enough myself to know that it is not the end of the world. Gratitude can be expressed by helping around the house of wherever you are staying without having to be asked. Gratitude can be expressed by getting sober and doing something special for society. And gratitude can be expressed by the simple act of paying it forward and blessing someone else.

Back to my project...

I have only realized it now, but Agterplaas Boerdery (Backyard Farm) IS a way for me to pay forward all the gifts that I have received in the past. It is not just a way for me to earn some cash by growing and selling all kinds of interesting fruit and vegetables, but it will ultimately be a place from where I can educate others to live sustainably on an extremely small budget by using recyclables and by harvesting seed from a previous season's crop to plant a new batch. I not only want to hand out produce, but also seed and knowledge, so that a next generation of backyard farmers is able to feed themselves, their family and maybe one or two others besides.



Tuesday 4 December 2018

Getting rid of the "Beggar Mentality"

In his book Capitalist Nigger, Chika Onyeani outlines the biggest problem with Africa today. The continent is the richest one on earth, with vast mineral deposits and oil fields all around its coastline, but the people living on it have a "begging mentality", expecting the "West" to provide instead of getting up and going about creating their own wealth and independence.

I've seen it happen in my home town, where the townsfolk are so dependent on the mines that the smallest hiccup in the mining economy sends everyone scurrying about like so many rats. And if there should be a serious calamity (such as the mine strike a few years ago), the food parcel queues go on for miles!

My personal problem with all this is that people don't think of providing their own food and sustenance the way their ancestors (even as close as their parents and grandparents) did. Instead, it seems to be easier to adopt a "poor me" attitude and go begging.

The mine strike of 2014 was the start of my mission. I was fortunate in that the strike did not affect my job or my income, but I saw businesses close down and people queue on community lots and at churches for their daily meals and vegetable packs. It begged the question:

WHY?

Could those queues be shortened or eliminated altogether if someone just decided at the beginning of the strike (or even when the rumors of the strike started) to buy a few packs of vegetable seeds and grow a pot or two of tomatoes? And maybe their neighbor would grow pumpkin... or cucumbers... and another neighbor grew salad greens and carrots and peas and beans... and a few stalks of corn...?

And then I wondered what would happen if we ALL grew something somewhere... What if we supplied in our own basic food needs, so that we aren't as dependent on the mines and the other industries around town for our everyday sustenance? And we could literally give our "first fruits" to wherever we choose to worship? What if we could teach the next generation to do the same? What if we could go on guerilla gardening sprees and plant fruit trees in public parks? What if I could (literally) sow the seed to a better future for everyone in my community?

So I guess this is what I am passionate about - getting people to DO things for themselves and not to simply wait around for whoever to provide.

After all, I am an AfriCAN!

Monday 3 December 2018

"So, what are you (going to be) doing?"


I have heard about having an elevator pitch, before, but never knew how to effectively word one for myself. That is until people started asking me that horrible question:

What are you going to be doing when you resign?

It took me a weekend to sort out the exact wording, but I am completely happy with what I have come up with. I think it is rather effective, providing a perfect answer to shut up nosy people, but also giving enough information so that someone who really wants to know more can ask the right questions.

I run a small market homestead, based on Permaculture principles, but also earn cash by writing, training people and from other small businesses. According to experts like Richard Branson and Robert Kiyosaki, it is not good to only have one source of income in today's economic climate.
I want to be self-sufficient concerning food, water and energy and also have enough to be able to share with those less fortunate. At the same time, I want to empower those people to be self-sufficient, too! 
 Having a ready answer is not only a cool conversation starter, but it also makes people take you more seriously than when you look like a goldfish out of the water.

Sunday 2 December 2018

What am I especially proud of?

I can't think of a specific ONE thing in my life that I am especially proud of. There are many things that fill me with pride and gratitude when I think about them. They are varied and mostly unrelated, but the one thing that they have in common is that they are all goals that I have achieved when it would have been easier just to give up.

The first goal was to finish high school. I rarely tell people this, but I have been bullied for most of my school career. It became so bad at one point that I actually went to speak to the vice principal of the high school about leaving school altogether. We had a long conversation and I cried a few buckets, but in the end I committed myself to seeing that year through. And the next. And the next.

The second goal was to get my drivers' license. Once again I believed a bully that told me that I would never amount to much. And when he was finally out of my life, I got driving! 

I finished my 3-year bachelors' degree in 13 1/2 years! I am sure that is some kind of record. In my defense, I have to say that I paid for my studies myself and that I did not enroll every year due to financial constraints. I went to a swanky restaurant the night I got my final results and toasted myself with a bottle of good wine.

The last goal was to get rid of a small mountain of debt. I did. It felt fantastic! Yes, it wasn't easy and some months I starved, but it is done.

Currently, I have significant goals and dreams to build myself a life on an off-grid smallholding somewhere in the boondocks. There are many people who tell me it can't be done, and even if it can, that I can't do it. I understand that they love me and want to protect me, but this is a calculated risk that only I can take. After all, nothing grows in a comfort zone.

And I won't be going alone...

Saturday 1 December 2018

What people ask from me

Working in a small community library isn't always a quiet, pleasant experience. Most people think that I spend my days reading, but - unfortunately, sometimes - large chunks of my day are taken up by dealing with people.

I think people see library people the same way as they see their hairdressers. Because reading is such a personal part of most people's lives, they reckon that by being able to suggest the right books at the right time, I might also have special insight into the rest of their lives. I probably do. But being a lay therapist is really, really exhausting.

I know who sleeps with whom. I know whose grandkids are colicky or have just finished their potty training or high school career. I know who had to arrange a shotgun wedding and whose son is in rehab for the squillionth time. (Yes, I know that's not a real word - it just sounds nice!) I know who "runs into doors" frequently and whose husbands drink and gamble away the household money.

The positive side is that I also see the success stories. The battles won against cancer and drug addictions. The women who leave their abusive spouses and come back a year or two later sporting wide and genuine smiles. The couples who make a genuine go of their marriages, despite the odds and misgivings at the start of their journey together.

So that would probably make me the community hub. I don't mind. I don't have a television at home. Sometimes life is better than a soap opera.

Friday 30 November 2018

What fires me up?


Believe it or not, I actually spent time thinking about an answer for this question. And then it whacked me over the head with all the force of a home-run strike - the answer was in front of me the entire time!

My whole attitude in life centers around being excruciatingly stubborn and in living life my way and on my own terms. After all, this blog is all about that! By extension, I also feel that people should take responsibility for themselves. Any decision one makes is better than simply drifting along with the flow. (By that token, if one DECIDES to drift along, then one should be prepared to face the consequences of that decision, too!)


In the 2005 movie, Cinderella Man, there is a scene that would always stay in my memory. In it, James J. Braddock (portrayed excellently by Russell Crowe) stands in a queue at the welfare office to RETURN the money that he received as a welfare grant, saying that he never intended to keep it, but just borrow it until his life got better. That to me, is what life should be about - never to let yourself get totally dependent on handouts, whether it be from government, other social institutions or even from friends and family.

Free Range Hooligan will ultimately be about Permaculture here in South Africa and the way in which different systems in my life relate to each other in such a way that the end result is positive and beneficial to all involved. So, what should happen is that my own independent way of thinking and doing leads to a lifestyle where I can give back to society in a real and meaningful way, and teach others to do exactly the same. I commit myself to finding the information that is most relevant to my situation (long, hot summers, no snow, little rain, no quick, cheap mail-order websites) and to share it with readers in my country and region for their information and benefit.

Thursday 29 November 2018

My Background

I grew up in a small farming town as the daughter of two teachers. However, I had enough friends who lived on farms and who I could visit on a regular basis to get the feeling of both subsistence and commercial agriculture.

In such a small community, everyone knew each other (sometimes far too well!) and everybody joined everything everywhere. We all knew the dairy farmer and the egg farmer and the butcher and the banker and the man who owned the green-grocery that opened once a week with fresh fruit and vegetables from the market. I saw sheep getting slaughtered and helped with the birthing of a calf, I ate raw sugar cane and played on cotton bales. I know what it is to travel far to buy clothes and do bulk shopping. I also know that life was simple, without the Internet and Facebook and debt and lots of TV. We kids entertained ourselves and the grown-ups spent time visiting each other and socializing.

As a grown-up myself, I yearn to go back that simpler lifestyle, before technology changed the world into a place where people almost have no place any more. I want to rediscover my roots and start living the way my ancestors did, making do with what they had and innovating what they needed. I want to be on a first-name basis with my neighbors again, and supplying in as many of my own needs as I can without having to cripple myself with debt.

I have decided to slowly but surely wean myself from my current lifestyle, by learning and applying some cottage crafts from way back when and becoming increasingly self-sufficient, until - ultimately - I am ready to cut ties from where I am working now and work a small Permaculture farmstead full-time. I want to be able to live life on my own terms and not on terms dictated to me by society and the Jones'. Frankly, I have no ambition to "keep up!"

This writing challenge by LiveYourLegend is the kick in the pants that I need to set up a proper blog for documenting my journey towards that farming goal. You never know when a simple daily piece of writing could evolve into a whole different income stream. And Permaculture is all about creating income streams from everything one does - or at least letting nothing go to waste.

So...

Instead of letting the things I learn along the way go to waste, it would be an excellent idea to document them, and help someone else to make similar and better decisions than what I have.