Chuck Burr

An open pollinated (OP) seed is a seed of value as it can grow into a plant true to the plant it was saved from.

Germinating your seeds is fun and easy, however methods vary by plant type. Seeds of annual plants have a shallow dormancy and do not need a winter to germinate, they only live one season. Annuals generally are buried to a depth equal to the size of the seed in moist well drained soil. Some, like tomatoes and peppers, require warm soil or a heat mat to germinate.

Ianto Evans and Linda Smiley at The Cob Cottage Company, in Coquille, Oregon, have created probably the most complete permaculture site in the country. Permaculture sites, including our own, generally emphasize plants, animals and earthworks and ignore building your own home. I am beginning to see that one cannot have permaculture without building your own comfortable dwelling from the materials onsite.

Here is the Summer collection of permaculture tips and tricks from the Southern Oregon Permaculture Institute, enjoy.

Here is the Spring collection of permaculture tips and tricks from the Southern Oregon Permaculture Institute, enjoy.

Every alternative energy solution is manufactured with fossil fuels. Without fossil fuels there are no alternatives; renewable power is not renewable once fossil fuels are gone. Look at the alternatives as transitions back to what once worked.