Permaculture: Part 2 - Designing with the Land

In Part 2 of the permaculture series, Karen talks about designing with the land: really looking at it and tapping into it, both practically and energetically, rather than just plonking a house on a block.

She shares how Albury's rainfall, westerly winds and hot summers shaped her choices, and why the growing season here is a bit of a catch-22: the warmth arrives just as the water runs short and food gets cheap. You'll hear how she flipped her little kit home front to back to catch the winter sun, and how retaining walls on a steep block slow the water down. She also tells the story of a broken foot that made her completely rethink her garden, leading to everything she needs now being on one level and a bee meadow where the veggie beds used to be.

Karen also shares the five rules that guide her system, including "everything must have more than one purpose" and the all-important hammock time, along with her 12 elements, the goddess nooks, and the hard-won lesson that you don't have to do everything.

Next episode: Walking the Zones.