found this open letter on another forum, thought some may be
interested, me never looked at things this way before.

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Finances and Permaculture design
Posted by Joel_BC z6 BC (My Page) on Mon, Dec 29, 03 at 13:25


This may strike people here as an odd question or topic, but bear with
me.
I have read some of the Permaculture literature, known a few
self-identified (and trained) Permaculturists, and have myself lived
on rural land for 30 years. The Permaculture system, as I've generally
seen it practiced, is great for moving toward a self-sustaining mini
ecosystem (with a comfy place in it for the people living in it), but
it requires considerable expense of time, energy, and materials.

Nothing inherently wrong with this -- in fact, when people dedicate
themselves to it, it is an admirable thing.

BUT -- so far, I have not seen a P design textbook, or book of case
studies, that considers the element of financial investment. Financial
investment seems to me to be a hidden design element. It costs money
to take raw land or old (possibly abused) land and make it into the
Permaculture dream.

In addition, I have seen very many P experiments where marketable
yield, in terms of annual $$ return, was nowhere near what was
required in terms of financial investment. Must one be independently
wealthy, or "retired with a bundle"? When people must take off-land
jobs, it often cuts into the time needed for land development.

Would anyone care to tell me where a book (or Web site) like this may
have been published?

And in addition, what are your thoughts?

Joel

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happy new year to all

len

--
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'

"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
http://home.dnet.aunz.com/gardnlen/