No till gardening

No-till gardening is a great way to build healthy, living soil filled with micro-organisms and other critters that will help your garden flourish. Although tilling the ground - by machine or hand - is the conventional thing to do it kills micro-organism as well as helpful soil-dwelling critters such as worms and can actually spread weeds especially the ones that propagate with runners.

This Spring I am creating a Learning Garden in my backyard where I will hold workshops on permaculture. In order to do that, I have created a sheet-mulched garden bed on top of what was formerly lawn. 

Here are some pictures of the sheet-mulching process!  This took place on Earth Day 2014.

The order I sheet mulched was:

1. Laying down cardboard with the tape removed and no glossy pictures. This is the weed barrier. I got it nice and wet before beginning. Note: My first layer should have been some kelp meal or other soil amendment and a bit of manure but the cardboard got rained on and so I just left it in place. 

2. Next, I added a 1 inch layer of composted manure.

3. The third layer is 8 inches of straw because straw is so carbon heavy, I added some compost to it to help it break down. 

4. The topsoil layer is next. I put on 1 inch of top soil and about a ½ inch of composted manure. You could skip both and add nice rich, black compost. My compost has not broken down enough to add to this layer. 

5. The very top layer will be more much. Cedar mulch is the prettiest in my opinion but straw is cheaper and I have it in abundance!

The ground before we began. 

Straw makes a great mulch for vegetable gardens. 

Sean posing with the 1350 pounds of straw we picked up from a local farmer!

Wetting the cardboard layer of the sheet mulch. 

Getting some kitchen compost out to add to the garden.  

After the cardboard layer, there is a composted manure layer. 

Sprinkling some kitchen compost on the straw layer

More straw!

After the straw layer I added some topsoil and topped it of with a bit more manure. 

Finished it off with a cedar mulch path. I'll also add some more straw for mulch. 

Garden signs made by Sean! Check out his artist page Lunch Thief. 

Clover

Someone asked me recently what I think of lawns and the answer is, not much. I do have soccer-playing children so I know it's important to have a place for kids to play sports (although children also need trees for climbing and forests for exploring).  However, grass does little to promote biodiversity, mainly because it neither flowers nor seeds. We cut it with our, most often gas -powered, lawn mowers before it can get to those stages. I am an advocate of turning lawns into garden beds. In places where this is not possible, I think people should try to grow ground covers that flower.

One of my favourite plants for this purpose is white Dutch clover. It grows to about 8 inches and then flowers - so it doesn't need to be cut. It attracts pollinators - mainly bees. It is also pretty and your kids can spend hours looking for four leaf clovers. It is not native to south-western Ontario but neither is grass the way we grow it and at least clover plays a positive function in a backyard ecosystem. It is a perennial and is fairly slow to spread (which is a good thing!).

One part of my (former) lawn was dug up in the building of a garden shed last year so I am sowing tons of clover in that area. In the other lawn area, I am trying to promote the growth of clover in amongst the grass. Of course, much of the lawn is in the process of being converted to garden beds. Clover is also useful as a cover crop because when you do eventually cut it, it releases nitrogen into the soil as it decays.

You can get organic clover seeds from Richters Herbs and less expensive non-organic but open-pollinated seeds from Westcoast Seeds. I'll post pictures as my clover lawn grows!

Sheet mulching

Sheet mulching is a great, no-dig way to create a new garden bed. It builds healthy soil that is rich with nutrients and micro-organisms. Roto-tilling and even just  digging up a garden bed kills micro-organisms and other critters. These living beings are critical in creating rich, healthy soil. The best time to sheet mulch is mid to late Autumn so that all the elements of the sheet mulch have had time to break down over Winter before Spring. However, you can sheet mulch in early Spring - or any time - and just cut or dig through the layers to plant if they haven't broken down.

This is a great article about how to sheet mulch: http://www.patternliteracy.com/books/gaias-garden/how-to-the-ultimate-bomb-proof-sheet-mulch. It's written by the author of Gaia's Garden, a book I highly recommend for anyone interested in creating a permaculture-inspired backyard. 

This year, I am extending one of my garden beds using sheet mulching methods for vegetable gardening. I am also creating a naturalized woodland garden bed in my shady front yard, also using sheet-mulching. I will be posting pictures as I create the garden beds so that folks can see the steps involved and the finished product!

Sheet-mulching is relatively easy to do yourself. As Hemenway points out, as long as you have enough cardboard and organic material you can create excellent soil. Cardboard is generally free and abundant on garbage pick-up days (I just found tons of it this morning with a quick drive around my neighbourhood). When using cardboard make sure you take off all tape as well as any glossy coloured stickers.

The city of London has a compost day during which they sell compost at very reasonable prices. This year it is going to be held on Saturday, May 3, 2014. I'll post the details as the date approaches.

If you want help creating a sheet-mulched garden bed email me at earth magic.london@gmail.com.

Hello Spring!

After a long, cold winter, Spring is finally in her way. This is a great time to start helping your garden to wake up. You can prune some of your trees and bushes, pick up garbage or debris that made it's way into your space over the Winter, and get serious about planning what you are going to grow this year. Instead of getting rid of branches and logs, it's a great idea to pile them in a corner of your yard. They will become a habitat (and hiding space) for a wide variety of animals.

Much of the time, when discussing lawn care and gardening, people are focused on keeping wild animals away. However, bio-diveristy is an essential (maybe THE essential) element in living sustainably with the Earth and in turning your backyard into a healthy ecosystem. Creating shelter and hiding spaces for wildlife is an important way to help heal the Earth. It will also help your gardens to flourish. After all, toads love slugs, birds love grubs and insects, snakes love mice, spiders love insects of all kinds, and bats love mosquitos. Work with nature not against it!

Generally, the more wildlife that visit your natural spaces the better. It is a great idea to also give them some sort of water source and even create a patch of dirt for the dust baths that are enjoyed by many animals.

Our task as humans at this point in our existence is to figure out how to live with nature - as an harmonious part of ecosystems. It's not just a task - it's an urgent need. There are many things you can do to help work towards this in your own life - beginning with your garden!

Spring is on its way!

Believe it or not Spring is on its way. It's time to start thinking about what you want to do with your backyard or outdoor space. It's a great idea to start keeping a journal and observe your space: where is the sun shining at different times of the day? What birds, insects and other animals are visiting? This is also the time you can start planning out what you want to grow and where.

Earth Magic Permaculture has a series of great gardening workshops this Spring. We can also provide you with ecological landscaping, design, and maintenance. Contact us for more details - 519-694-0534 or earthmagic.london@gmail.com.

Winter Solstice

Today is the Winter Solstice. As the shortest day of the year and the day after which the sun starts to shine more brightly and longer every day (until the summer solstice), it is the perfect time to dream big and to cultivate hope.

 Earlier in the week I felt really depressed about the state of the world. Specifically, I read an article pulling together scientific evidence about the catastrophes that will result (and ARE resulting) from climate change. The article made the point that the effects of climate change are happening faster than most scientists predicted and will mean bad things for humans over the next few decades. The humans to suffer first and the most will be people living in the tropics who will, naturally, try to migrate to European and North American countries but will (likely) be denied and subject to much racism. The governments and corporations of the world are generally doing nothing to curb climate change and are, in fact, working to accelerate it. The Canadian government and Canadian corporations are some the absolute worst culprits. Even with big changes on the large-scale it might simply be too late for the human species because we have triggered a natural process we cannot control. And when we go down we will take thousands of other animal and plant species with us. Most people in North America are like ostriches, sticking their heads on the sand and ignoring the reality we face. Or, even worse, couldn't care less as long as their taxes are lowered.

So, yes, I was feeling really down and shared these very sad and angry feelings with my partner and co-workers (who then also felt a bit down). I believe all the things I just laid out to be true. I think the future for humanity is unknown. But I don't want to spend my life feeling angry and sad. I'm not ready to mourn. Instead, I need to cultivate hope in myself and - hopefully - in others. Because there are other things that are true as well. Many humans are kind-hearted and want to connect with other people and with the natural world. There are many brilliant people coming up with innovate ideas and projects to heal the Earth and create socially-just societies. Most of these people are normal folks who are passionate about environmental sustainability and social justice. Natural systems of the Earth want to heal and regenerate - we can destroy the Earth's attempts at self-healing or we can be part of it. Maybe we can even accelerate it. As destructive as humans can be we can also be creators, healers, visionaries, and allies.

We all face limits to what we can do, I face or have faced many. But we can keep a sense of solidarity, a passion for justice both social and environmental, and compassion towards all beings in our hearts. And when life gives us opportunities to act for change, to act in solidarity, to act to heal the Earth, we can take them. When life doesn't allow us to act, we can vocally support those who are able to act.

It would be too easy to just wallow in despair. I would be as useless as those who hide their heads in the sand. The Earth needs us to be hopeful. Hope is what will save us because hope is what will make us create and support alternative visions for humanity.

So on this Winter Solstice I am cultivating hope. I am dreaming big. I hope you are too.  

Resolutions, plans, visions

I always make a list of ambitious resolutions for the New Year and I think one of those resolutions this year is going to be not to vow to do anything everyday. I never succeed! But, to vow to do things more  and to focus my energy on certain areas is a great goal. This is all leading up to the obvious confession that I did not write on this blog everyday in November. BUT writing on it more is my goal for 2014.

I especially want to chronicle my permaculture adventures as I try to start a socially, environmentally conscious permi business. I have a few exciting things that will start right away in the new year. One, is that I am taking three courses as part of the University of Guelph's Sustainable Urban Agriculture and Horticulture certificates. I am very excited about doing these. The second is that I am creating a permaculture learning oasis in my backyard and hoping to do more educational workshops and some permi landscaping.

Currently I am working on a business plan and this has me thinking about what exactly it is that I'm trying to create. I want to work with my hands in the dirt and I want to help things grow but more importantly I want to help heal the human/nature relationship. I know real change must happen on a large scale because the destruction and disconnect is happening on a large scale. However, I want to do my part in helping to regenerate the Earth and helping humans to be a positive, healthy part of the natural world. When I attended the Earth Activist Training in January 2010 (almost four years ago?!!) I felt a real calling to work in the service of the Earth. I got a little distracted along the way but I also had some real stumbling blocks. The reality is that we are all only human with lots of complexities in our lives that prevent of us or distract us from fulfilling whatever we think our life's purpose is. I feel very grateful that I am now able to return to this path. I feel more committed than ever to exploring and sharing the ways in which humans can heal the earth, ourselves, and each other.

I know that it is too late for some things - it is too late to reverse the impact of climate change but will we accelerate it or will we try to heal the Earth from the destruction we have already unleashed? It is too late to rid the world of harmful, human-manufactered toxins but will we work to heal the poisoned soil, water, bodies or we will release/create even more toxins? Most of the powers that be - corporations, governments, etc - seem hellbent on accelerating climate change, releasing/creating even more toxins and just basically causing as much destruction as possible in the name of profit (hello, Canadian government - one of the absolute worst culprits!!). However, there are so many wonderful people with brilliant ideas working to create an alternative to this destruction. I want to be part of that in my own, small way. I want to help others to be part of that as well.

It may seem like a pretty over the top goal and I'll word it differently for my business plan. But, yes, I want to change the world because the more of us who say no to destruction in the name of profit, the better. The more of us who realize we can't ignore the destruction or just shop it away, the better. The more of us who join together to envision something different, the better. So, read along as I work on a vision of a human society that allows nature - including humans! - to flourish. And share your visions with me!

Permaculture in the 'Burbs

I am making an effort this November to write everyday - starting today (better late than never). I want to start writing in this blog again and exploring ideas of urban and suburban permaculture. I have moved to the suburbs - a place I never thought I'd find myself living. Sometimes love brings you to places where you didn't think you'd end up. At first I couldn't really find a way to live a permaculture-based lifestyle here in the burbs. However, I have found my path and actually I think it is a very important one.

There are many people doing cool things in urban areas for the environment and to build community. However, the burbs raise more of a dilemma. As we all know suburbs are built around the idea that everyone owns a car. They are not built on a grid - instead there are lots of curvy streets which makes it a long walk or bike ride to one's destination. They are often not near shopping areas (and the shopping nearby tends to be mostly big box stores). People in suburban neighbourhoods tend to live far from work - I know I do! And so car dependent lifestyles are the norm in the suburbs. And there are lots of lawns. In my neighbourhood most backyards have pools (mine included) and lots of grass (thankfully not mine).

So bringing permaculture to the suburbs is actually more difficult than bringing it to urban areas where there is more potential for community projects in public spaces and where it is easier for people to live lifestyles based around people power not car driving.

Sooo, what can I do in the suburbs?

Well, first my partner and I combined our passions and created an arts and eco festival. This happened in the summer and it was great! We found it to be a fun and rewarded experience that will be an annual undertaking.

We have also created a community organization aimed at building a strong sense of community and promoting environmental sustainability. So far, it is going well. I am very lucky that my suburb is a former town so it actually has a village centre - a strip of shopping that is based around small shops and includes the local library branch. That creates more potential for a less car dependent neighbourhood and for community building.

Lastly, I plan to start a permaculture education business (actually aiming to become a non-profit) based in my backyard. I hope to offer workshops for adults and kids using my garden as a demonstration site. I am redesigning my backyard on permaculture principles by putting in a forest garden, having a dedicated area for cob and natural building, having a more comprehensive composting system and setting up beehives. It is starting slowly this fall with the designing of the garden beds using sheet mulching. In the Spring I hope to offer my first workshops. I also hope to set up teaching gardens throughout my community - especially in the numerous schools in my area.

Exciting stuff! I will write about the journey on this blog and post lots of pictures!

Being in the moment

There are many things that I think one can learn from permaculture and more specifically, from gardening. One, is the importance of being in the present, the importance of enjoying the process. As a small-scale community gardener I have learned that, even when you plan for a great harvest, it often doesn't happen the way you plan. Last year my plot was overrun with cherry tomato plants - seeds from a previous year that were spread throughout the whole garden when the garden was plowed. I had more cherry tomatoes than I could ever eat or want. More cherry tomatoes than I could harvest. I told friends to help themselves to the tomatoes in my plot. I also had a super, crazily busy summer and, by the end, I was burnt out. I couldn't balance everything and let the gardening slip. I didn't harvest some of my plants including my lovely organic potatoes!

However, I still absolutely love gardening and will do it every year until I die. Even when I don't harvest everything, or something grows that wasn't supposed to (like the cheery tomatoes) while the things I really want to grow don't flourish. Why? The process of gardening from starting seeds inside to eating my bounty makes me incredibly happy and fills me with joy in the moment. Yes, I plan out my garden (carefully), yes I hope for a good harvest but it doesn't matter if things don't go exactly the way I plan. It is the act of gardening that makes me happy. I remember one day when I was feeling stressed about school and slightly ungrounded in my life. I went to the garden and just pulled weeds. The sun blared down on me and I got my dress completely dirty. After a while I looked at the time and realized that, in the blink of an eye, three hours had passed. I felt so much better, so grounded, so relaxed. It's like the soil/plants took my anxiety away in return for my hands working to make it/them healthier. I was completely burnt and dirty but so happy. It didn't matter if three weeks later I ate the veggies I was tending, I already had my reward.

Of course, I am not advocating wasting veggies; neglecting them come harvest time. I just think that there is so much to learn in just enjoying the process of gardening and - by extension - the process of living one's life and not worrying so much about the outcome. Gardeners know that there are no certainties: you get great seeds, nurture them, they grow into beautiful plants and than an early frost or band of raccoons destroy them.  It can be controlled to a certain extent but not entirely because we are working with something much bigger than ourselves. Life is like that too. We can't/don't control everything, we can't possibly know how things are going to turn out .So, it's better to enjoy and experience just being in the present. And with that in mind I recently quit school - 2-4 years of being stressed is not worth it to me and I simply don't enjoy it. I now have much more time for gardening, parenting, loved ones, taking my dog for walks, running, yoga, and simply sitting in coffee shops daydreaming. You know, the things that really matter.

Thank the Goddess for Buddha!

A few of my favourite seed suppliers

As you all start thinking about starting seeds, here are some of the favorite seed suppliers. I have used them all in the past.   Here's to a great growing season!!

(Although I am a little worried about the growing season because of our non-existent winter. Yes, I find winter very hard -- I don't like the gloominess or the cold -- but in the Northern Hemisphere so many plants and animals need a deep freeze. What will happen if they don't get it? I have no idea but I think there will definitely be a negative effect)

1. The Cottage Gardener -- http://cottagegardener.com/
This supplier specializes in heirloom vegetable and flower seeds. You can order online but I love getting the old-fashioned newsprint catalogue complete with quaint hand drawn pictures. A story about the seed's origins accompanies every item which I also love - seeds have histories that are intertwined with our own histories. It is so wonderful to know about them! I have ordered many of my veggie seeds from here over the past few years and have been very pleased.

2. Urban Harvest -- http://uharvest.ca/
Very cool - a seed company that is based in the Greater Toronto Area! The seeds are all 100% organic and support urban agriculture. The city is not just a place for some backyard gardening but some marketable organic farming can happen in cities as well! 

3. West Coast Seeds -http://www.westcoastseeds.com/
I usually like to stick to my bio-region when ordering seeds BUT this is the company I order my potato starters from with great success. I have not found a company in Ontario that has organic potato starters and they won't ship them from the United States (Potato starters aren't seeds but little potatoes that you plant to grow lots more beautiful potatoes. AS such they qualify as a plant or food or something and can't cross the border). Try the purple potatoes especially if you have kids - delicious and so FUN! Their website is not working today but keep checking back because if you want to grow organic potatoes, you should order from them (conventional potatoes are DRENCHED in chemicals so it is important to start with organic starters). I hope to the Goddess they have not closed down (that is how much I love their potatoes!!)

4. Richters - http://www.richters.com/
Richters is a herb company and they sell seeds as well as plants (and, yes, they ship the plants). Almost any herb you can imagine is sold by them. Some of the seeds and plants are organic and they have a small but growing vegetable section as well. I have always been happy with my orders from Richters. I once ordered some gorgeous seedlings from them, however, a very bad squirrel climbed onto my balcony and ate them all.  I think I'll try again this year! Richter's is located an hour or so outside of Toronto and they have a store you can visit to buy seeds and seedlings and to attend workshops.

So, there you go. I know there are many other small-scale, organic, heirloom seed suppliers. Feel free to share some of your favorites in the comment section.

Edited to add one more:

5. Hawthorn Farm http://www.hawthornfarm.ca/
The seeds this company supplies are grown on a beautiful organic farm near Palmerston, Ontario. This happens to be the exact area of the world where I was born and grew up! They grow and sell veggie, herb, flowers, and grass seeds.

Inspiring evening at the Guelph Organic Conference

I am currently in Guelph at the Guelph Organic Conference. I'm feeling very inspired by the public forum I attended this evening which featured a panel of six farmers - three older men and three young women - in conversation with each other. I really enjoyed the stories and discussion and was fascinated by the fact that the young farmers were all young women, two of whom grew up in large cities. I have for a very long time thought about writing an article or even (when I'm feeling really ambitious) a book about women farmers. I remember the days when women who were doing farming work were simply cast as "farmer's wives" and not in any way considered (at least in broader society as the real or serious farmers. The framer was always the man; the wife was simply his helper. In reality many "farmer's wives" were actually hard-working farmers themselves of course. I like how some of the young organic farmers that are starting out are women who are clearly the serious farmer. And all the young women farmers I've had the pleasure of meeting or listening to have been dynamic, intelligent, and inspiring (I'm sure the men are too but it is the women who are routinely ignored). It is about time that women farmers are respected and acknowledged!

I was also very inspired by the words of Martin DeGroot, the owner/farmer of Mapleton Organics. He has a Dairy farm in southwestern Ontario in the same area my family had  a farm when I was a child - I went to elementary school with his kids. He spoke passionately about the importance of organic farmers to stay small, not to sell out, to resist the constant pressure to grow bigger and bigger. It was so refreshing to hear him say that and then be enthusiastically applauded by the audience of (mostly) other farmers. Mapleton Organics does farm tours and I think my kids and I will be doing a trip there in the summer. Even though we are vegan, I let the kids eat some dairy ice cream in the summer. Mapleton Organics seems like it is one of the best dairy farms around in terms of commitment to ecological sustainability and treatment of animals. If my kids are going to consume ice cream out of cow's milk I would like to at least meet the cows and the farmers, and see the land where the cows graze. 

Tomorrow, I will be attending the conference again, this time attending some smaller workshops and the organic expo that happens as part of the conference. the morning will first begin though with a trip to the Guelph Framer's Market for breakfast and some shopping (and COFFEE!).

Nature hike

Tomorrow morning when it will be -8 degrees out, my kids and I will hop on a bus in full winter gear to go to a homeschooling nature hike. I am slightly dreading it since it will be cold and I don't like the cold. I know we will all be tired and so it will be hard to leave our nice wamr house. But the program is offered by a small private school that has a focus on teaching kids nature awareness nd it is fantastic. The homschooler's hike is lead by former homeschooling mamas and they do a great job. My kids always love the program once we actually get there. Waking up early and taking the bus is no fun but running around with other kids through the forest is tons of fun!

We are all a little worried about doing the hike in the winter, though. Afterall, we have to walk to the bus stop and the then from the bus stop to the hiking site and then repeat it all over again when the program is over. We will be outside for hours! But we will dress as warm as possible - many layers, snowpants, mitts, scarves, everything! - and hopefully we'll be pretty toasty. I did tell my kids that if it turns out they don't like it in the winter, we won't go again until the spring.

I hope it works out - I think there is so much value in kids experiencing nature in all seasons - and experiencing nature in intimate ways. Being able to explore what the earth is like - the trees, the animals, the ground, the sky, the wind, the sun - in the winter is pretty amazing. Of course, I am being a bit bad because while my children will be experiencing the natural beauty of the season I will be sitting in a coffee shop sipping a nice hot cup of coffee :p

Eco Resolutions

Here is my list of Eco Resolutions, one for every month of the year.

1. January
I will not use any disposable food or drink containers when outside the house (not counting grocery packaging). This includes any snacks, coffee, meals, etc. Bring food/drinks or my own containers.

2.  February
I will significantly reduce hydro - by at least 25% - from the same month last year

3. March
Beginning this month (and continuing until November) I will not use public transit or taxis except in emergencies.

4. April
I will not buy any new products (excluding necessary toiletries and food) this month. I will make what I need/want or buy it used.

5. May
Starting this month and continuing to November I will eat only local produce

6. June
This will be the month of closing waste loops. I will significantly reduce my garbage, including reducing the amount of wasted food (even if it goes into the composter - it's better to eat the food I buy/make/grow!!). I will try to reuse all that I can instead of even putting things in the recycling. I will recycle grey water into my house/balcony plants

7. July
This month one day every week, will be electricity-free (except for my fridge) - including battery operated gadgets (cell phones, MP3 players, DS, laptops, etc). Edited to add that this month I am also going to not use the dryer at all (I am in a building and will have to use my balcony which is what makes it a bit of a challenge) and this is the perfect month to eat all raw.

8. August
This month I will harvest and process my food from the garden and this will continue until November. My goal is to process and save as much as possible and to learn a wide range of processing/preserving skills

9. September
Beginning this month, I will save seeds from every plant that I grow.

10. October
This month I will knit the winter warm things needed for me and my kids - scarves, hats, socks, and mittens.

11. November
I will make all my food from scratch or use only what I previously processed - including salsa, spaghetti sauce, veggie stock, condiments, and the big one - breads. I will also grind my own flour and rolled oats.

12. December
I will aim to make 80% of the gifts/cards I give for Yule.

Skills I hope to learn on this journey: canning, dehydrating, bread baking, sewing, flour grinding, more intricate knitting, some modest building skills, more sophisticated seed saving etc

12 months of sustainability

I want to make a promise to myself to get as environmentally sustainable - beyond even! - as possible this coming year. So, in that spirit and for this blog, I am going to make 2011 the Year of (beyond)Sustainability. Every month I will have a new goal - 12 altogether. The goals will all accumulate, of course, so by the end of the year I will have made some wonderfully radical and permanent changes. Now I do have limitations: I live in a  building; a housing co-op and so I can't just do what I want to my living space, outdoors or indoors. And as a permaculturalist, the goal is not to make these changes by buying lots of "green" products, that is generally not in the spirit of permaculture when we as a society produce such an amazing amount of waste. Actually I might make every month a different permaculture principle. I have to work through this - stay tuned I will post a list of goals on January 1!  

permi reading

Recently, I decided to drop out of the Urban Agriculture program at the University of Guelph. It was online and really not inspiring to me. I need a break from academia, I need to get my hands dirty and splinters in my fingers. But I do lkove to read and learn and I want to increase my permiculture knowledge along with my skills.

So, I am compiling a reading list - kind of creating my own intensive permaculture course. I hope to get these books read by the spring. in the spring I will start gardening again and doing lots of workshops so winter is the time to fill my head! I have read parts of all these books but I intend to read them completely and on a deeper level.

Here is my list so far:

1. Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability by David Holmgren
2. Tools for Sustainable City Living by Scott Kellog
3. Earth Path by Starhawk
4. Edible Forest Gardens Volume 1 and 2 by dave Jacke
5. Myceleum Running by Paul Stamets

My goal is to have these books read deeply by Spring Equinox,

I'll post my thoughts on them while I am reading. Join along with me if you want!