Hiya Folks, Hope ye enjoyed this. As I said above, let me know who your favourite permaculture and natural farming pioneers are and I'll add them to the list in the video description! ✌❤ 🌳 Update: Wow, this list is really getting long... Well worth checking it out if you're looking for topics to research. Keep the names coming! I was also emailed a list of the original PDC students in North America in the early '80s. If anybody has similar lists from other continents it would be great to add those too.
Thank you for this video! I have known a little about permaculture for about the past 8 or 9 years, but your video has introduced me to its beginnings....and now I am utterly fascinated! I'm in my 50's, and getting ready to finally have a garden(I've been waiting for years to have a place!). While I won't be able to have a cow or pigs or goats, I can certainly raise some chickens and landscape my garden sustainably and organically. Best wishes!
@Heartofahomesteader You're most welcome! Glad it made an impact. Best of luck on your venture! Cows, pigs and goats can be quite a bit of work for one person ontop of caring for a veg garden, so chickens should suit you nicely. Ducks are a lot of fun, too, and are even easier to take care of in my experience. The breed, 'Khaki Campbell', or quacky campbells as I like to call them, are great slug eaters and lay delicious eggs. They're very lovable. 😆
Larry Santoyo, Bill Roley , Warren Brush, Brock Dolman, Margie Bushman, John Todd, Mike Gonella, Jono Neiger, Julius Piti, Michael Nickels,Bill Wilson,Padma and Narsanna Koppula,Andy Goldring,Mugove Walter Nyika,Jeunesse Park, Daniel Parra Hensel,Jude Hobbs, Jessi Bloom, Dave Boehnlein,Graham Burnett,Aranya,Aranya, Patrick Whitefield, Afshan Omar,Stacia Nordin there are so many more Robyn Francis, has an extensive list of women permaculture teachers from 1980's to present and there are so many more
I am really impressed by Andrew Millison his beautiful educational videos on permaculture that he has on RU-vid. Also him visiting projects in India, Africa, China etc. is inspiring. Otherwise a great summary of inspiring people in the permaculture sphere.
Yes, he was the individual I was going to suggest. His illustrations of permaculture systems are fantastic, they really allow one to get one's head around these concepts.
And his co-teacher, Marisha Auerbach at Permaculture Rising/Fertile Ground near Olympia, WA. She and Kelda Lorax (in Oklahoma, Divine Earth Garden Project) were my PDC teachers in 2010! Many more wonderful permies here in the Pacific NW. I'll add more below.
While not directly in the ancestral lineage of Permaculture, I think P.A. Yeomans (Water For Every Farm, 1973) work on hydrology, keyline design, earthworks, and scale of permanence are critical pieces that have been incorporated into the work of permaculture and regenerative agriculture today. For anyone interested, Darren Doherty has some excellent videos on these concepts in practice on his YT channel Regrarians Ltd. And another newer (last 20ish years) “pioneer” that I haven’t seen mentioned in the comments and is putting out some great content on his YT channel is Ben Falk. His work on whole systems design is excellent.
I had P.A Yeomans in my original list. He was definitely a major influence on earthworks, according to David Holmgren. Thanks for pointing out Darren Doherty/Regrarians Ltd. Seems like a good resource. Ben Falk is on the list too. Someone else beat you to it.
I would like to mention Morag Gamble of Queensland Australia. She was the one getting me thinking through her RU-vid videos, and through the suggestions, I found many of the channels of the people mentioned in this video.
You're right, Paul Wheaton deserves a lot of credit, and I had thought of mentioning him in the actual video but didn't think most other people would appreciate him as much as I do (being a permaculture techy and digital creator). He played a huge role in bringing permaculture to the digital world back in the late 90s and is probably the reason that most of my generation came to know permaculture in the first place. I'm also a big fan of his no bullshit, realistic approach to things. 😅
I feel so proud, as an Australian, to have links to the permaculture movements. The hairs are standing up on my neck. At one time or another, I have either read about or seen on RU-vid so many of these marvelous people who have inspired me to keep maintaining my existing Food Forest and inspiring me to create new ones. Cheers!
I'm tearing up with such joy at this beautiful film and movement that recognizes the resisters, innovators and co-creators of a better world. The courage to see what was actually happening on the land and in their communities, listen to their bodies & intuitions, to leverage their knowledge and to build the movements for change that have grounded this old/new way of living in harmony with Gaia, is a gift to future generations and the world. Thank you for holding the attributions with such grace.
Larry Korn, I discover permaculture some 12y ago now, was amazed by sentence " you can solve all the worlds problem in the garden", heard it from Geoff but I think it was originally from mr Mollison. but I watched Larry Korn on some free PDC that was available back in the days, and find mine inspiration, now living last 3y in strawbale house on small regenerative farm in Croatia. rgds to all permaculturists out there
World's problems wouldn't even appear if we never left our gardens. We know we are on a destructive path by ignoring the healthy living in nature yet most of us lack the will to act for the good of the whole by emptying right now the system's controlling cities to embrace our planet, this is our romanian's offgrid family constant question for those that visit us here on the hill, if you notice so much sickness in city living and all these reversed valued why not act right now, drop your enslaving corporatist jobs and grow own food? And all of you, 'citizens',why are you so scared of, since it is for the good of our children and the next generations?
I was struck by how many of our teachers are Ancestors now. We lost Larry some years back. I'd had the privilege to know him in person as well as read his books and hear him speak. Such a kind man. Same with Toby Hemenway. His "Gaia's Garden" was my "gateway book" to permaculture though I had friends who were leading me that way already. I was lucky enough to hear him speak not long before he died. Both of these men were lost way too soon. But, oh, what they accomplished while they were here!
🌿 Wow, you’re going to have a huge long list of great people in Permaculture… may I recommend making a “Family Tree” of all the names, by rough date, with the branches representing different methods of working the land within the Permaculture Family? I love your compilation here! I don’t know how much I’ve incorporated the ideas into my gardening, but the insects and birds love being here in my yard where I mow paths around whichever flowers are coming up, so much of the back yard always looks like a meadow. The lightening bugs love it too. It would be awesome to truly understand this way of gardening and be able to do it where I am fully moving one of the days… in the Black Forest near the corners of D, CH, and F.
I was stationed in Sembach, close to Frankfurt. I loved Germany and the Germans I met. I often was spoken to in German, until they heard my atrocious accent! It also helped, I think, that I'm a tall, blue-eyed blonde!
I hope you have been able to save a lot of your permaculture forest from the floods. We do think about our friends around d theworld and hope for the best for you! From south Texas, USA.
@@variyasalo2581 Oh thank you, the watershed management I did is actually working perfectly to relief the overflow on the level sill spillways and discharge points. It's nice to watch it save us from drought or flood and the satisfaction of some good shovel engineering. Thank you very much, funny enough we moved here from Houston and I was born in North Texas but Kenya is now home
nearly had a wee tear sneak out bro... beautiful film! Ernst Gotsh because he was able to explain what i was realising. Vandana Shiva is my hero! Elaine and Paul Stamets were massive inspirations and of course learned so much from all.. I love learning from Matt Powers, hes a wonderful teacher.. as you said.. the list goes on bro.. Loved this film! You are a talented man! I wanna share this with everyone!
Thank you so much for making this! So useful to learn a bit about some of the major trailblazers who laid the foundations for so many movements surrounding permaculture!
Hi Shane, a fantastic well constructed documentary. I understand that there are other permaculture disciples out there that are worthy of recognition, but you have referenced the correct founding pioneers and ambassadors that directed the positive global movements that we see around us today. These are the people that inspired me in my dark and desperate times, they, along with mother nature gave my life a new direction, purpose, inspiration and resilience. I am now always full of hope and optimism that we can all make a difference and continue to expand and spread the knowledge that we have gained from them.
Fantastic. You are really finding a voice combining your two loves of film making and permaculture. Can't wait for the next one. I really like Andrew Millisons teaching presentation and Ben Falks implementation.
Heya Odhran, thanks a lot. Hope you're keeping well coming into your 3rd/4th summer. I'd say your place going to look amazing this year! Working on another video currently! 😅
No idea how I found the word permaculture one day, around ten years ago, on the internet. Looked into it more, and thought is was a bit complicated then found Geoff Lawton's online course and did that in 2015. Still so much to learn, which is also the fun part!
Lump in the throat stuff - thanks! Yacouba Sawadogo in Burkina Faso should be added. The man who stopped the desert and built a forest... Vijay Kumar in India - the movement that he was pivotal in making happen to inspire small scale farmers, especially women framers to use 'natural farming' in Andhra Pradesh India is quite extraordinary. Didi Pershouse, who writes the 'Wisdom Underground' on substack, has interviewed him. Didi herself is worth knowing about - she is a brilliant educator! not specifically about "permaculture" but a living earth approach to everything... Australian, Walter Jehne for his Soil Sponge perspective - Didi has interviewed him too... he worked on the Canberra Botanic Gardens rainforest gully creation. So glad Allan Savory is in there - his Holistic Management and decision making process is for way more than just grazing - it works for life!
Oh my goodness! You've listed so many of my agricultural heroes! I would add Zach Loeks' book "The Permaculture Market Garden" and Akiva Silver's work with food forestry (unless I missed them in the list)
Thank You for this beautiful resource you have created...... As you asked!!! My Permaculture hero is my eldest son Conor Kendrew. He did his PDC as a young man and its effect on him (and his ability to communicate) has meant that so many others have just had to follow!!!! People are naturally inquisitive about positive energy, as Permaculture designers and practitioners we are observed........ Keep designing and doing......... we have the tool kit to heal and be incredibly productive...... This film will help guide. Thank You again.
Penny Livingston, Stephen Brooks have 30+ years histories of Permaculture practice and were students of the founders. I earned my PDC through them and the amazing ensemble of guest teachers they included such as David Holmgren, Morag Gamble, Rosemary Gladstar, Starhawk, Redbird and many rising stars. I am forever grateful for the Ecoversity course experience, teachers and cohort. Having practiced many principles of Permaculture throughout my life, I didn’t learn of the conceptual model & movement until 2009. Many thanks for the work you are doing to shine a light on restorative & regenerative ideas and accomplishments across the globe. 💚
This is such an inspiring selection of information. Thank you for your efforts. If only the world could see what they are overlooking driving around in their tractors. I have done some good application of the regenerative practices on my families small cattle farm. It works. I am in the same region as the Originators of Permaculture, in central Victoria, Australia, in the 'Plenty'. Has not been 'Plentiful' for many decades, as it was cleared and washed fertility away. In early settlement. We are being pushed out and damaged now by urban creep. I am blessed to have been here to fall in love with soil, plants and Big Nature.
While I only know a small handful of names off the list, what an awesome list of people to be able to draw more inspiration from! Stefan Sobkowiak; The Permaculture Orchard, is another great one of learned information and knowledge.
Wonderful video!! Keep up the fantastic work....You´ve named my favourite pioneers in the video and I would add Brad Lancaster, Andrew Millison, Ben Falk and Zach Weiss as representatives of the next generation of the permaculture movement.
My favorite pioneer was Dr. Isao Fujimoto, University of California at Davis. He started organizing his students and others at his home via potlucks, to discuss the issues of sustainable ag and direct marketing of produce back in the 1970s. He motivated many of them to be activists in the movement and local farmer's markets and food co-ops were established as well as resource books were published re: sustainable ag. He maintained a vast network of others who were promoting the same things around the world and spent his entire career promoting sustainable ag and social justice, especially for farmworkers and rural communities as a whole.
Love this! I'd also suggest the late, great Sarah Pugh (UK), Maddy & Tim Harland (Permaculture Magazine UK), Hannah Moloney (Good life permaculture AU) and Michael Judd (US).
I see him in the description, but Mark Shepard is doing an insane amount of good in the realm of converting conventional farms to permaculture. Im surrounded by 1,000+ acre farmers and ranchers, and Mark's is the only viable path I've seen for them so far.
@BoscosGarden lol I'm on my 9th or 10th listen through, but his way is closest to the way I want to do things, so I probably haven't branched out as much as you
Bhaskar Save is the only major gardener I can think of from that time that you didn't cover. There's a video on youtube of Masanobu Fukuoka touring his farm in India and saying it was far superior to his own work. It's not really better, they just had different challenges in their systems. Sean Dembrosky of the Edible Acres youtube channel has probably taught me more than anyone about the nitty gritty techniques over the years. That and actual dirt time. But all those people you mentioned inspired me along the way. Thanks for making the video and inspiring me all over again :)
Thanks for the lovely video compilation - I'll mention Sego Jackson who was hired by Emilia Hazelip to come teach an early form of Permaculture Design Course in the South of France in 1986 that I attended and also Declan and Margrit Kennedy from Lebensgarten ecovillage in Germany who has hired Bill Mollison to come teach a Permaculture intensive in about 1983. These events were the beginning of the spread of permaculture in Europe...
And Sylvia Eagle, Bryony Jones and Helen Woodley, all extrordinary supporters of the permaculture way without whom the concepts would not have taken root in Britain (from whence it spread to much of Europe in the ensuing years).
Great highlight of the foundations! It’s only With a combination of all of these principles can we really move Mountains reshape the lakes and quite literally rethink the way that we walk our planet.
amazing short film. I've been inspired by Gabe Brown as well. Sad this week to hear in Australia "experts" saying no link between pesticides and cancer.
As I started watching this video, I am compelled to write down all the names in these lists for future reference. Sorry, but the video will have to wait.🥰 Thank you for this.
Unsure if they've been mentioned in the comments yet or not, but a few other pioneers off of the Mollison tree in the early '80's to add are: Michael 'Skeeter' Pilarski; Robyn Francis; Robina McCurdy; and Doug Bullock. Great film...cheers!
Hi there are other people, in my opinion, very important in natural farming . Historically Rudolf Steiner with his Biodinàmics, in terms of soil Anna Maria Primavesi, Brazilian naturalized, "we are soil if we kill soil we kill us", the mother of mulch Rachel Stout, the anti pesticide woman Rachel Carson, the smart Sintropia guy Ernst Gotsch, and of course the trivial people people from Amazonas as you say at the beginning, they say all the thinks are subjects, respect them! 😊
Thanks. I'll add them. I hadn't really thought about Steiner and hadn't heard of Ana Maria Primavesi, so good to learn about her. Already had Ernst Gotsch.
I would take issue with some of those who merely use the word permaculture but then sell something else. But hell, who really cares in this culture! Hahahaha! Mollison did say anything is better than what is going on now.
There's a good bit of that alright... And many variations of what people THINK it is. Even old Bill told stories about how he got ridiculed for using a mechanical digger because "that isn't permaculture" 😂
@@BoscosGarden Since I've participated in a PDC, and then read the manual, a few chapters over and again, and then thought about all this for a decade, those who are baiting with the word permaculture and switching into something else is glaringly apparent to me. But then I get to that feeling of next to no one wants to understand, all they want is how to make money, and then I chuckle!
From what I understand, Permaculture is way of assessing and working with the land in front of you and adapting what works under the goal of less is more and to be working with nature instead of against it so that nature can actually help us all. There don’t seem to be hard and fast rules of what to do, just broad principles to guide which have to be adapted to the situation at hand. For instance, one of the biggest principles I’ve been learning about through listening to just about everyone who speaks of Permaculture, ‘sinking’ or ‘planting’ water into the ground is extremely vital to regenerating any kind of life and having it all thrive. There are many ways of planting water, and all of them seem to work so I feel the biggest thing for us all in the world is to applaud, support, and brainstorm from what people are doing !
@@louisegogel7973 The 12 principles are important. I think the 3 ethics are even more so. Much that calls itself permaculture kind of pushes those to one side! Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share (sometimes Obtain a Yield or similar.) If someone's brand of permaculture is exploiting other people, it's not following the ethics. Same with the other two. That's Lesson One in any good PDC.
Thank you so much for this history. I love the potential of regenerative agriculture and permit culture. It’s the answer to cleaning up pollution and having a healthy food supply and restoring the water cycle and reclaiming land lost into desertification. You should know that a growing number of scientists have lost confidence in the theory of evolution. The complexity of even the smallest cell is absolutely staggering, requiring unbelievable quantities of information. Many scientist are calling for a new theory. From my observation humans don’t do anything by random chance processes. Even per culture and regenerative agriculture mimicking nature is not random chance. Nothing productive that we do is random chance
We have in Uruguay a couple of Permaculture masters, called Uta and Fred. They have 6 kinds of eatable forests on their place called Arca Verde, in Atlántida, Canelones, Uruguay! Jairo Restrepo Rivera has visited them, aclaimed what they do there. I recommend to get in touch with them.
Someone else mentioned Starhawk but I don't see her on your list. She collaborates with Charles Williams on many of her workshops. They are in California. Also Pandora Thomas who I met through Starhawk. The often do Eco-activist trainings at OUR Ecovillage on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. Another permie couple in BC is Ann and Gord Baird. Never met them but I've followed them for years on FB.
Louis-Romain Plumerault from "Terre Permaculture" in France who has designed and implemented several family homestead and is now building a food forest on the south-west of France ;)
Very interesting documentary, thank you for putting it together. :) Many names in there I didn't know yet, especially from the older/first generation. I've only been in touch with the current generation like Andrew, Geoff, Elaine, etc. Are there currently any names in the German speaking countries? I'm quite interested in doing a basics course or a PDC and I know Geoff started his new online PDC just some days ago, but I'd prefer to to it in my native language since it would be easier I think. :)
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. I can't think of any German speaking teachers myself, but they definitely are out there. I'm not sure about online courses, but maybe try a Google search for an in-person permaculture design certificate course in Germany?
Ditto Art Ludwig with his Create an Oasis with Graywater and Brad Lancaster with his curb cuts and working with the city of Tucson to improve his own neighborhood as well.
It would be awesome to have pics and links to all the people listed! Skye Liu is the same from Australia that came to México in the 90's to create the 2nd wave that started permaculture in México? (The first mexicanos in PC were trained by someone from USA that came just to do the PCD, Skye stayed)
Julie Firth, an incredible human, wealth of knowledge & know how. Doing amazing things in the often harsh environment of the Midwest Western Australia! - "The Drylands Permaculture Farm" & foundation Geraldton
I can see my own progress by the people whose books I've read over the last 50 years. My adventure started with The Last Whole Earth Catalog in the 1970s. If I only had the energy of that young teenager now! There is still so much I have yet to accomplish! Then again the women in my famuly live long lives...!
I would love to see names devoted to the 3rd principle. Who is in the social, economical, organisational, systems thinking, general model deepening, ethical, community building, working with groups, using the method for education, mutual credit and currencies, property, entrepreneurship, social justice, racism, equality, ... Who is into the permaculture design you need to do inside so you can have integrity.
Nice video thanks :) I think that any story like this should also include any small mention of the forced changes in farming and land use during colonialism and early industrialization, and especially the agressive pushing of chemicals during the "Green revolution," and the further development of globalized industrial trash ""food"" systems, without being a handwringing gloomy chronicle of destruction but to provide a very necessary backdrop.. You only say "societies shifted"(!) - this could be kind of like whitewashing history or even akin to apologism if you are speaking about so many places in the world. There are still tribal people living in the Amazon forest... Someone mentioned this below, and its not a small problem- that there are hoards of eco-charlatans selling "courses" and whatever "services" under this banner.. There are many great teachers and practitioners mentioned in this video, but "Permaculture" is like a brand with its own pantheon of careerist celebrity-gurus acting like they invented or solely discovered traditional indigenous techniques... Any knowlege that needs to be shared and spread should be done freely... anyone can learn and implement without paying for a pdc... (I wondered btw whats your source that Robert Harts methods were taken from a Mollison pdc? I never heard that)... really sometimes I prefer using terms like "agroforestry" etc to avoid pointing people in any direction of the traps and schemes... and all the type of videos youtube recommends me of wealthy suburbanites installing little raingardens in thier posh yards as if that will offset thier vast overconsumption... Just ranting a little.. )) Part of ""permaculture"" must entail actively going against commercialism and greenwashing etc... Just my thoughts.. Thanks for reading, have a good day )
Heya, thanks for the feedback. Yeah, there's a lot there to fit into 20 minutes, and I'd just rather keep it positive/productive rather than being, as you said, a "gloomy chronicle of destruction." One thing I dislike about most permaculture documentaries is the 1st quarter of if sending me on the doom trip, telling me stuff everyone already knows. They nearly always start the same way. Why else would I be watching it like?? 🤔 The clip of Robert Hart was from Bill Mollison's Global Gardener series. He says in it that Robert was one of his former students. I wouldn't give all the credit to Bill, of course. I hope it didn't come off that way. Robert was a deeply fascinating and well-read character. Way ahead of his time. Lastly, I don't like seeing permaculture as being affiliated with any political stance. Personally, I welcome the capitalists with open arms. At least they get things done! 🤣 I think Holmgren said in one of his interviews, something like; no matter what 2 people's politics might be, at least they can agree that planting trees is a good idea. So, rather than arguing or judging, let's do that. I think that's a beautiful sentiment.
@@BoscosGarden Thanks, its a bunch to think about for me today ) Yes I agree, not to suggest you begin with obligatory climate-apocalyse montage hahah.. But its misleading to suggest that traditional ecological sewardship of land was forgotten as you said in some societal shifts.. these practices and the relationships to land that made them possibe were very actively and purposely destroyed by imperialists, in the Americas, Africa, Asia... And I dont think most people are so informed about the neocolonial so-called 'Green Revolution', myself included, as I try to research this period in India... Im not espousing any politics except an anti-politics; politics is all just theatre or a 'dirty game' as they say, and policy is mostly all decided in back rooms by industrialists and bureacrats. I hope most people can also agree that is is true ;) Difficult to welcome with open arms "green" capitalists in the same way as it would be to welcome maoists etc.. Isnt permaculture about "peoplecare" and all that stuff? Great to plant trees, but also to care about people, share resources and food, cooperate, spread access.. I wont go off more on how Mollison is touted as this sort of "white savior" daddy figure haha.. But I question these things for permaculture, its relation to decolonization, wonder if even I should avoid the label altogether, and Im taking the time to write this with the hopes that it could possibly encourage some more thought and dialogue on such issues..
@@pristinerecords You're never going to understand reality by filling your mind with leftist junk media. Your thinking is full of the rubbish terms that only deluded leftists use: "neo-colonial", all politics is just decided by industrialists, decrying white savior (which is low-key racist), "overconsumption" (there's no such thing), etc.
Perrine and Charles Hervé-Gruyer in France (Normandy) A great youtuber is "Parkrose Permaculture" I guess the history of permaculture - without the actual name- would be incomplete without the German Moritz Schreber and his "Schrebergarten" or "Kleingärten", itself going back to the old rural tradition of "Bauerngarten" (kitchen gardens). And these were a traditional female practise of garanteeing food security , including regional seed production. Would like to decentralise our view . Aren't there any Black permaculturalists? Agroforests were a basic of the fight for resistance in the Caribean, and a Brasilian tradition. Aren't there any Africans practising pc or having practised historically a resembling way of agroforesting?
Aboriginal people used to walk along water ways and plant native seeds.. not specifically for themselves but for all .. for anyone who happened to cone along.. Not in an organised way.. it was just an innate natural type of practice ❤💫🙏
There are 2 Indians and a Japanese man.. Do you mean someone from Africa? There is one (through naturalisation), except his ancestors were European. I couldn't think of/ haven't been exposed to any stand-out figures except Ron Finley, who is an American in LA. Would you like to suggest somebody?
I believe there are people in the inner cities who are helping make food with the street gangs… one I believe calls it Gangsta Gardening and is turning the lives of gang members around into very positive places.
I think a follow-up on Permaculture practices in Urban Ag properties and programs would be super cool. Check out the US-UAIP grant recipients. Also note that ethnic or racial diversity, BIPOC, isn’t always reflected in physical appearance.
