Living with the Earth

In 2006, Perrine and Charles Hervé-Gruyer set out on a mission to discover a new form of agriculture that provides organic crops and creates meaningful employment in the local community. Using a combination of biointensive methods and permaculture design, which they have named 'ecoculture', and backed by scientific research, resulted in their farm producing abundantly, sequestering carbon and freeing up land for nature. This beautifully illustrated, comprehensive volume will show you how natural systems work, and discover many simple and effective techniques that create an ecological diverse garden or a highly productive farm. The in-depth section on 'Nature's School' explains weather patterns, soil types, and ecosystem services to give the reader sound knowledge of the environment they are growing in. The section on 'Designing a Farm' provides everything needed to implement an abundant food system, from understanding permaculture and its design tools, the full design process and the designs used on the Bec Hellouin farm as a successful example. Additional chapters on composting, mulching, fertilisers, green manures and working with beneficial microorganisms offers the reader a selection of tools for creating healthy soil in a closed loop system. Full of first-hand tried and tested experience from Bec Hellouin, there is also a synthesis of the authors' research and the scientific and technical monitoring carried out on the farm. This is a unique, groundbreaking book for the serious gardener, farmer, agronomist and permaculture designer.