Sepp Holzer Permaculture

The Holzer Permaculture is a branch of permaculture developed independently from the mainstream permaculture in Austria by Sepp Holzer. It is particularly noteworthy because it grew out of practical application and was relatively detached from the scientific community.

Sepp Holzer is a well known permaculturalist whose work is well documented.[verification needed] He developed his style independently from mainstream permaculture, on his family's property in the Austrian Alps in the early 1960s. As with the permaculture pioneered by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren, he focused on observing and following ecological patterns. In his youth he began experimenting informally with native plants.

He refers to his methods and pratice as "Holzer Permaculture" (German: "Holzer'sche Permakultur") as opposed to "Permaculture" per se. This might be something to do with the tendency of people to say "you can't do that because that isn't permaculture." By saying that what he is doing is "Holzer Permaculture" then he can do what he thinks is best without having to address about the infinite interpretations of the books of others.[verification needed]

Characteristics

Aspects of "Holzer Permaculture" include:

  • a focus on the needs of gardening in a cold climate, raising temperatures and creating micro-climates with rocks, ponds and living wind barriers.
  • use of animal labor, e.g. using pigs to plow his fields for sowing.
  • An extreme use of intercropping method, mixing 30 or more different types of seeds in a bucket and scattering them.
  • The use of hugelkultur a form of extreme raised beds incorporating wood in the bottom.

Books by Sepp Holzer

See also

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