Regeneração do West Garden

A história e o trabalho contínuo de recuperação de um jardim de mercado

Na Quinta Vale da Lama existem duas áreas de horta: a horta oeste e a horta leste. Com o passar do tempo, a saúde do solo da Horta Oeste foi diminuindo e esta foi sendo invadida por ervas daninhas perenes, o que representava um desafio significativo em termos de produção e manutenção. Decidimos que era altura de fazer uma intervenção.

Team members and students from a recent Permaculture Design Course saw an opportunity to apply the principles and techniques they had learned. So they combined ecosystem restoration strategies with a testing mindset to transform the West Garden into a dynamic living laboratory that could support the farm’s economic well-being while also serving as an ongoing learning opportunity.

Cultivating Diversity
Annuals and Perennials in Practice

The key testing taking place is how the proximity of each plant type to each other affects the growth, health, and yields of each. Permaculture design principles were applied to design and develop the layout and overall plan, and a variety of ecosystem restoration principles and techniques are being used to rejuvenate and increase soil quality and health. We are also applying rigorous monitoring and evaluation techniques, supported by the Soil Lab at Mud Valley Institute, to inform our learnings and support future actions.