What's the difference between Organic Farming and Permaculture?

Organic Farming promotes the use of natural fertilisers, making use of the natural carbon cycle so that waste from plants becomes the food (fertiliser) of another. In organic farming however, as with ALL farming, minerals are being lost from the farm everytime a truck load of produce is carted to market.

Permaculture goes one step further. Permaculture brings the people's wastes back into the cycle, it reduces the energy wasted in transporting the foods by producing the foods where the people are, in permaculture the people contribute in their daily life toward the production of their food and other needs.

What's the difference between Organic Gardening and Permaculture?

The Permaculture garden is more than an organic garden.

• It is also responsible for its waste, it aims not to pollute the surrounding environment i.e. with either excess nitrogen into the water systems or weed seed into any natural systems.
• It uses design to minimise the gardeners chores and energy input. Repeatative, hard work is the joy of few permaculturalists.
• It aims to imitate nature. Visually this is the most noticeable difference between organic gardening and permaculture. In permaculture gardens (home systems is the more wholistic term) there is rarely bare soil, the conservation of soil and water is a high priority. There is a more complex use of space. Plants are allowed to set seed, are interplanted for pest control. You will be unlikely to see plants in rows
• The permaculture system aims to harvest and maximise water, sun and other natural energies (e.g. wind, dust, leaves, bird droppings)
• The permaculture system aims to provide nutritious food and habitat for people AND native animals and birds.

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