If you’d like to learn more about permaculture, here is a list of books, videos, and websites to help you along your journey.
Websites
- permacultureprinciples.com – based on David Hologren’s view of permaculture’s primary concepts.
- freepermaculture.com – free/donation-based permaculture training.
- ourpermaculturelife.com – Morag Gamble’s permaculture blog.
Forums
permies.com – the home page is beautiful and the forum is rather rough-looking, but it is searchable and there is great info in it. You need to register to post, but you will get a monthly email.
Books
These are the books I have in my library.
- Gaia’s Garden, a Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture. Very readable, very accessible. A lot of the classic permaculture books are very expensive.
- The One Straw Revolution, an Introduction to Natural Farming – an inspiration for the founders of permaculture.
- Carrots Love Tomatoes, Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening.
- The Self-Sufficient Gardener, a Complete Guide to Growing and Preserving all Your Own Food. Out of print, but some used ones online.
- The Holistic Orchard, Tree Fruits and Berries the Biological Way
Videos
YouTube is full of permaculture videos. Just google a topic! There are farms, gardens, and more, to teach and inspire. Here are some of my favorites:
Channels
- GrowVeg channel – organic gardening tips.
- Our Permaculture Life – very engaging! Permaculture masterclasses and permaculture gardening videos. Her website is listed above.
Individual Videos
- Polyface Farm – farmer Joel Salatin shows that farming can be done sustainably.
- Loess Plateau – this is a case study in how permaculture can heal our planet.
- Paradise Lot – this urban food forest was part of my permaculture education. Jonathan Bates, co-creator, was one of my teachers.
Supplies
Organic Gardening
- Busy Bee Nursery – a family-owned business in Holden; I was in Permaculture class with one of the family members. They have organic garden amendments and controls, along with plants.
- Planet Natural – safe, natural products for home, lawn, and garden
- Gardens Alive! – safe, natural products for home, lawn, and garden, plus plants
Heirloom Seeds
If you buy heirloom seeds (not hybrid) you can save your own seeds for next year’s planting. These are the seed companies I use.
- Seed Savers Exchange – seeds contributed by fellow gardeners. You can find some interesting varieties here.
- fedcoseeds.com – local (to Maine) seeds and plants.
- High Mowing Organic Seeds – Roots in Leominster also carries these seeds in season.
- seedsnow.com – 100% organic heirloom seeds.
Other
- The Biggest Little Farm movie
- The Permaculture Podcast (find it on your favorite podcast app)
- NOFA MASS – Northeast Farming Gardening Association, Massachusetts chapter. They have educational programs and more. Good for gardeners, too.
- Rodale Institute – 40 years of researching and education in organic gardening.
- Sirius Community, an Eco-Village in Shutesbury, MA. This is worth a visit, to experience a different way of living. (photo below, is from there)