Permaculture, in its holistic vision, prioritizes the creation of food forests because they are the most stable agronomic systems and produce the highest yield with the minimum of external inputs.

It is a system that fully mimics the relationships and successional dynamics of natural forests. In addition to producing all the ecological benefits inherent to a forest, it can also provide us with food, medicines, timber, and other essential products.

In Permaculture, we design these types of forests by simultaneously incorporating species from all strata: herbaceous, shrub, and tree species of different heights, climbing, creeping, and epiphytic plants, perennials, multi-annual, and self-seeding, heliophilous, semi-shade, and shade species, all at once.

This approach closely relates to the teachings of Master Fukuoka, allowing us to obtain food year-round without tilling the land, without using chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides, simply by creating food forests and working towards the sustainability of Mother Earth, the created system, and humans as part of it.

THE STEPS IN THE "ALL AT ONCE" APPROACH

A - We choose a location, preferably natural land without degradation, with abundant organic matter, on a slope facing north to take advantage of sunlight and water and nutrient flows, with protection from cold winds from the SE to SW, ideally in a forest clearing or a sun trap.

B – We prepare the soil to retain moisture (zero irrigation) by marking contour lines, building infiltration trenches (swales), and adding abundant organic matter as cover.

C – We select species from all strata, appropriate and adaptable in Uruguay, multifunctional, soil-improving, nitrogen-fixing, with taproots to elevate nutrients, ground cover, species to stabilize the edges of the swales, honey plants...

D – Solve everything at once: - planting trees, shrubs, and herbaceous food plants and legumes for the soil on the edges of the swales to protect them, taking advantage of the accumulated moisture and nutrients from the natural flows of the land.

- scattering pellets and clay balls (nendo dango) throughout the area between the swales with a mix of seeds from all strata.

- interplanting herbaceous plants, vines, and asexual reproduction shrubs and trees (cuttings, stakes, herbaceous stems, root pieces, rhizomes, tubers, stolons…)

THE PREPARATION OF PELLETS OR NENDO DANGO

The clay formula for potters using water and seeds that has been used in the country (see natural agriculture video on this website) has not been successful or has been poor. Although the procedure is correct, the formula does not seem to be the most suitable for the country due to its unpredictable climate.

I lean more towards the initial formula that Fukuoka tested in his fields and not the one for greening deserts or burned fields. I prefer the “intensive small-scale work” of permaculture.

The process is as follows:

- Collect a wide variety of seeds for all strata.

- Mix: 1/3 of local clay soil without stones, to retain moisture 1/3 of mulch or forest humus, for the microorganisms

1/3 of sweet river sand to prevent the clay from expanding and contracting

- Add 1 teaspoon of seeds for each cup of the previous mixture, macerated nettles for 8 days (provides nitrogen), and a light paste (Fukuoka used rice water) as a binder.

- Mix in a bowl with your hand and gradually add water with a sprayer while continuously stirring to form the pellets, or alternatively, make balls.

- Dry in the shade in a ventilated place and store. - Sow when the rains are nearby, preferably early in spring (August).

For success in using these MASS CREATION WEAPONS, it is required:

- Prolonged and careful observation
- Knowledge of plant species or information
- Understanding agricultural techniques
- Humbly experimenting
- Accepting feedback

And above all, a change in consciousness that implies:

SHARING KNOWLEDGE AND SHARING THE LAND

Will we be able to??

Let us remember that cooperation increases our resilience, meaning our flexibility in the face of external changes.