Green Dean’s Blog

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Chuang Tzu, often described as the ‘do nothing Taoist’, may have been on to something when he seemingly lazed about and lived at his own pace, despite the criticisms of his philosophical colleagues.

Taoism is an ancient spiritual system originating in China. The founder is believed to be Lao Tzu, born around 400 BC, keeper of the archives in the imperial palace of the time. Seeing society decay around him, he chose a solitary reclusive life deep in the mountains. On his departure, he was asked to share his wisdom and experience in writing. He wrote down a collection of 81 short verses, almost poetry, called the Tao Te Ching, that formed the basis of this now worldwide respected path.

So what does Taoism and ‘doing nothing’ have to do with gardening? Well, my garden to be precise. Last year, like any good gardener, passionate about their plot, I tended, fussed, prodded, poked, plucked, dug, watered, fed and watched my garden daily, observing all the things that happen, and don’t happen in gardens, with all the hopes and aspirations of any keen gardener. And of course, I got great results. But I wonder, was all the fuss worth it? Could I have achieved the same results – a thriving, abundant, almost jungle-like space – with a little more ‘doing nothing’? Let’s see.

As a permaculture educator and consultant, of course I design my gardens on those principles, especially with a view to maximum production for little effort. I can report, that since December, a combination of summer heat, travelling, guests over the new year, lots of rain and lack of motivation at times, my garden is doing better than ever, even thriving with absolutely no input from me. I have watered a few potted herbs during hot periods, but the rest has been ‘respectfully, even artfully, neglected’. Yet food production has increased. Soil fertility has increased. New food plants, from self-seeding, are growing everywhere. Old friends are thriving and bigger than expected. Seedlings, once forgotten, are now mature, productive plants. THIS IS PERMACULTURE!

This is biomimicry. This is how nature works and works well it does. There is some work at the beginning, some design and set up. Then a little guidance and maintenance to keep things moving until a certain natural process takes over, and voila!, your garden is no longer a bed with rows of planned edibles. It is an ecosystem, with thriving biodiversity and life beyond anything you could have imagined, and most of it unseen. THIS IS PERMACULTURE. This is Taoist ‘do nothing gardening’- yet pregnant with possibilities, potential and abundant produce – something Chuang Tzu would definitely approve of.

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DO YOU THINK URBAN FARMING IS JUST A FUN PASTTIME, HOBBY OR INDIVIDUALISTIC PRACTICE, THAT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THE PLANET?

"What permaculturists are doing is the most important activity that any group is doing on the planet. We don't know what a truly sustainable future is going to be like, but we do need options, we need people experimenting in all kinds of ways, and permaculturists are one of the critical groups that are doing that."
- Dr David Suzuki, world renowned geneticist, environmental scientist and activist

When asked what THE MOST IMPORTANT THING the average person can do to help the planet, international sustainability, social, ecological, permaculture, urban and other farming, and even economic experts and professionals, including Bill Mollison and David Holmgren (founders of permaculture), Masanobu Fukuoka, Sepp Holzer, David Suzuki and many others, all responded: GROW YOUR OWN FOOD, and as much of it as possible!

THIS is THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING we can be doing. NO OTHER THING aids and empowers us as individuals, families, communities, towns and cities, countries or a planet, as farming your own food.

This single seemingly 'individualistic' act, if done collectively, takes massive pressure off many systems:

  • it reduces traffic congestion and emissions;
  • it reduces a reliance on supermarkets and corporations, who are not doing the right thing;
  • it takes control back of our own land, however small it may be;
  • it puts us back in touch with the Earth and improves health and wellbeing, by organic choices and fresher food, plus healthy movement and exercise, which takes pressure off our healthcare and medical system;
  • it takes pressure off a massively ailing and failing farming system, which has degraded our soil, relies heavily on synthetic fertilisers and dangerous chemical use, plus exploits nature, people and animals;
  • it encourages community building by sharing produce, knowledge, skills and communication;
  • it encourages a return to heirloom food choices, which promotes healthier food, seed saving, conservation, increased biodiversity and better urban ecological awareness, and the prevention of further extinction of domestic species of animals and plants;
  • it sequesters carbon;
  • it encourages small intensive land care practices, adding up to larger collective land care awareness and practices;
  • and ultimately, much less consumption of and reliance on non-renewable, finite resources on one very small planet.

Think urban farming, with a little increased productivity and food production, is an 'individualist' practise, without far-reaching benefits? Please think again!

Want to know more? Want to increase your food production? Contact www.greendean.com.au today.