It all begins with the soil.
Here at Hill Lake we grow and make food as close to the Earth as possible. We allow the principles of permaculture to guide all of our design decisions, and to help build systems that are in sync with the rhythms of nature. The soil is our connection to the Earth, and our disconnection with nature, is what has allowed separateness and disease to spread amongst so many today. Restoring our connections with our soils, ourselves, & our communities is crucial to regaining the vitality of our agricultural systems as well as our family and social systems.
You are the Earth having a human experience.
We must remember that humans are just as much a part of the natural world as any other animal. In fact, because we are uniquely capable of understanding and shaping our surroundings, we hold an even greater responsibility to steward the environment with care. Human intervention doesn’t have to be exploitative by default. When we choose to work with the rhythms of nature instead of against them, we begin to see the incredible abundance that emerges from partnership rather than domination.
Nothing in nature lives only for itself. The raspberry bush does not eat its own fruit; the flower does not sip its own nectar. Even the oak tree’s fallen leaves are not meant for the tree itself but become food and shelter for the microorganisms at its feet—organisms that, in turn, nourish the tree. Nature’s design is built on positive exchanges, on systems of reciprocity rather than extraction.
Everything in nature is connected, and as Robin Wall Kimmerer reminds us, “all flourishing is mutual.”
What is permaculture?
“Popularly seen as a cool form of organic gardening. Permaculture can be better described as a design system for resilient, living and land use based on ecological design principles. Although the primary focus on permaculture has been on the redesign of gardening, farming, animal husbandry, & forestry the same ethics and principles apply to the design of buildings, tools, & technology. Applying permaculture ethics, and principles in our gardens and homes inevitably leads us toward redesigning our ways of living as to be more in tune with the local surpluses and limits.”
– David Holmgren.
“Though the problems of the world are increasingly complex, the solutions remain embarrassingly simple.”
– Bill Mollison
The Principles of Permaculture
- Earth Care: Nurture the Earth’s living systems.
→ Protect soil, water, air, plants, & animals so life can continue. - People Care: Support and care for each other.
→ Ensure access to the resources necessary for survival & well-being. - Fair Share: Redistribute surplus to support the first two ethics.
→ Share excess resources, time, & energy so systems remain balanced & regenerative.
1. Observe & interact
Take time to understand patterns in nature before acting.
2. Catch & Store Energy
Harvest resources like sunlight, rainwater, and nutrients.
3. Obtain a Yield
Ensure your system provides immediate and long-term rewards.
4. Apply Self-Regulation & Accept Feedback
Adjust designs based on what works or fails.
5. Use & Value Renewable Resources & Services
Rely on nature’s abundance, not finite inputs.
6. Produce No Waste
Recycle, reuse, and repurpose everything possible.
7. Design From Patterns to Details
Look at big ecological and social patterns, then refine.
8. Integrate Rather Than Segregate
Foster relationships between elements so they support each other.
9. Use Small & Slow Solutions
Start small and scale thoughtfully; nature favors evolution over revolution.
10. Use & Value Diversity
Diverse systems are more resilient and productive.
11. Use Edges & Value the Margins
The most productive and creative parts of ecosystems often occur at the boundaries.
12. Creatively Use & Respond to Change
Adapt to natural cycles and shifting conditions.
There is not ONE solution.
There isn’t one method, one magic plant, or one perfect system that will save our soils. Applying the principles of permaculture helps us to understand that nature is a dynamic system that evolves new means & methods for life’s survival.
Permaculture Inspired Solutions:
- No-Dig Gardening
- USDA Organic Practices
- Regenerative Agriculture
- Rotational Grazing
- Chemical Free Farming
- Integrating Plant & Animal Production
- Cover Crops/Interplanting
- Pasture Management
- Agroforestry
- Composting
Watch, Read, Listen – Hill Lake Farm Blog
Join our subscribers
Stay in the loop with everything you need to know.
