In 2017 we have enjoyed the fruits of our work, we have sown many projects and learned from meetings and experiences and we have shared the growth of Villa Gaia that, as I told you in this post, has become Borgo4case. So I look at last year as a year of great steps, changes and satisfactions, which have started a new cycle. In addition to looking back, I want to project energy, dreams and satisfactions into plans that starts from today for tomorrow. Among the various good intentions of 2018 the most ambitious project we have already begun to weave, which I want to share with you, is the permaculture design of Borgo4case. Maybe you’re wondering, what is Permaculture? and what does permaculture have to do with hospitality in our village? I will try to answer your questions hoping to move your curiosity.
A DIVE IN THE COURSE OF PERMACULTURE 72 HOURS
In September 2017, Walter and I approached Permaculture by attending the 72-hour basic course of the Italian Permaculture Academy in Tertulia. Before signing up I did not know much about Permaculture; I had seen some videos of synergistic agriculture online with images of sinuous and bizarre gardens shapes and I knew that it was inherent to agriculture, but, as a designer, I was not sure it was the right path for me. What did I already understand? That is not an utopia for fanatics of self-sufficiency, but a method to approach the life that could enrich me. So Walter and I decided to sign up for this course.
WHAT IS PERMACULTURE?
The word Permaculture comes from Permanent Agriculture. During the course we learnt that Permaculture is a design method, it is not just a garden management technique, as it is often misinterpreted, and as I myself believed. On the contrary it is a method applicable to any area of life and project that you want to start, so that it is effective and gives good results, with the purpose of leaving the world a little better than we found it. Anyone who wants it, can approach Permaculture, just being passionate about life and willing to do well a positive change for themselves and for the community in which they live. So I assure you that, even if you are a perfect urban citizen, you can become an excellent supporter and designer in Permaculture.
The Permaculture is based on a few principles, three of which are fundamental, which constitute its ethical values: personal care, care of the land and sharing of resources. The other 12 project principles are based on these: Observe and interact, Catch and store energy, Obtain a yield, Apply self-regulation and accept feedback, Use and value renewable resources and services, Produce no waste, Design from from patterns to details, integrate rather than segregate, Use small and slow solutions, use and value diversity, uses edges and calue the marginal, creatively use & respons to change.
You might think, “Well, is it all here?”. Well yes, more or less this are the basis. Even at the beginning I did not believe that a few common sense rules were enough to design well. At the University they never dreamed of teaching us such simple principles that would have been much more useful than many hours spent listening to long and tedious lists of things to do because they have always been done this way.
I will not tell you much more, if you are curious to learn more there will be many opportunities to tell you the contents of these principles. Stay connected!
WHY THE PERMACULTURE AT BORGO4CASE?
As we have said, there are three ethical principles, which we have always espoused, and constitute the values on which our philosophy is based. Hosting is taking care of people, and we do it in a rural context that bases its roots on fertile soil, to be preserved and kept alive. What we do and we would like to do better is to share with you Borgo4case, hosting and telling you why it is a great resource as a stimulus, a starting point for reflection and experimentation, as well as a place of great relaxation and rapprochement with one’s deep self. So this place inspired our choice of life. If you want to come and visit us we will be here to transform your stay into an experience of deep contact with the silence and peace of nature, with the land, each with its own peculiarities.
We will share our little steps of knowledge and theoretical insight, experiments, successes and even mistakes in our active learning path. I will look forward to your feedback and advice to straighten up the shot and to rejoice and share with you some fruits gathered along the way.
Do you like our purpose for 2018? And what about you?