Winter Newsletter 2023/24
Permaculture and Regenerative Agriculture
As a new resident of the snowy northern climate of Southwestern Montana, I’ve felt the urge to sleep, hibernate, and “get fat” more strongly than ever before. Now, as the weather begins to lean toward spring—and as I find myself slightly out of shape but more inspired than ever to connect with like-minded people—I reached out to a local agricultural nonprofit.
While speaking with the director of the organization, whose mission is to connect community and food systems, I was struck by something she shared. She expressed that she didn’t believe permaculture worked well in northern climates, particularly food forests, which she felt were better suited to tropical species. Instead, she explained that her focus had shifted toward regenerative agriculture. I found this perspective curious, and rooted in a common misunderstanding of what permaculture and regenerative agriculture actually are.
Permaculture is a philosophy and a set of principles used for design. At its core, permaculture seeks to mimic nature—because nature has repeatedly proven itself to be the most creative, diverse, resilient, and intelligent design system we know. This approach can be applied to any ecosystem or climate in the world. Permaculture informs the design of farms, homesteads, buildings, and even community or governance structures. It is, essentially, the study of nature applied to human settlement. I will undoubtedly continue to explore permaculture and how I use it in future newsletters.
Regenerative agriculture, on the other hand, is primarily about management. Because agriculture is central to its name, it focuses on farms, land-based enterprises, and agricultural businesses. Like permaculture, it is inspired by nature’s genius, but it emphasizes how we manage these systems. This includes decisions such as when and how to rotate grazing animals, what types of soil amendments or foliar sprays to apply, and how to steward both the land and the business itself.
The concept of regeneration—meaning to renew or restore what has been damaged or depleted—is at the heart of regenerative agriculture. Its aim is to heal and restore our currently extractive agricultural systems through management practices that mimic natural processes. In doing so, regenerative agriculture works to rebuild soil health, replenish nutrients (including trace minerals), restore water cycles, and ultimately produce healthier, more nutrient-dense foods while incurring a profitable business. Yes—this is possible.
Permaculture and regenerative agriculture share many principles and goals: observing and learning from nature, producing meaningful yields, responding to feedback through ongoing observation, valuing natural resources, and eliminating waste by turning it into a resource.
I personally draw from both permaculture and regenerative agriculture in the design and management of my own small homestead. My goal is to provide my family with a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods, while also growing, processing, and offering herbs, herbal products, education, and herbal and nutritional health clinic services to my community. I look forward to continuing to build inspiring connections with people of all kinds.
In service,
Erin