Category: Science & Technology

Two New workshops Just Added: The SECRETS OF EDEN TOUR - Austrian Rebel Farmer-Sepp Holzer Yelm, Deschutes Grange, 16345 Vail Rd, Yelm, WA - Thursday, March 5th and Tuesday, March 10th at 6:30 pm - Price: $20 at the door

I have already waxed poetic about huegelbeds: water management tool, water reservoir, compost pile, wind break and garden bed. While it can’t end world war it conceivable could end world hunger.

Take a look at the size of these huegelbeds. Holzer is taking a shot of this whip smart class atop a newly constructed huegelbed. It’s easily as tall as he is. Behind him the construction of the huegelbeds continues and much like an iceberg, the bulk of the bed is below grade. Next, take a look at the pile of tree debris in the jaws of this excavator. That will go into a ditch atop at least as much organic matter. Another matching load or two will go on top of that to build the pile to 5-6’ tall.
Then the pile will be covered with the old sod, (buried deep enough that it won’t grow out), dirt and finally the original topsoil of the spot and this living breathing bed will be sown with a mix of seeds. It will then be harvested all season long from the first sprouts to the last seeds.
It will need no water nor fertilizer nor pesticides.

How do they do it? All that organic matter inside the huegelbeds will commence to decompose. That will cause a constant movement in the HB with in turn guarantees that the soil will stay aerated. The steep side prevents anyone from walking upon the soil and compacting the earth.
The positioning of the beds is for maximum sunshine and the maximum mixed seed planting not only covers the earth to prevent dehydration but employs the powers of the plants. Creating the huegelbeds area to block the wind will create calm, warm microclimates that are beneficial to plant growth.
Deep rooting plants are mixed with shallow and medium rooting plants. The deep roots bring the moisture up and shallow roots enrich the surface when they decompose. They all leave their nutrients in the soil that they produce through photosynthesis and the beds just get better over time as the logs compost and the plant roots decay. Then intersperse fruit trees in the piles and get ready to rock.

Now, before you begin to lament the size of these beds, they can be made in any size that suits your situation. The height limit is what you can reach from ground level as you gather the harvest. If you build it too high you won’t be able to harvest it. The only caveat that I can see at this point is that you must constantly harvest them. This makes room for the other plants as they mature.

As for solving world hunger, Holzer has made these kinds of beds in every temperature and climate on the globe from his own “Siberia” on the steep and rocky Austrian Alps to arid parts of Spain and Africa. When the plants can look after themselves, the balance of nature is working. If they can’t You are doing something wrong.

More information on Sepp Holzer is available at www.krameterhof.at/

Workshop information and registration is available at www.perma-dise.com