Sepp Holzer is one of Europe’s leading permaculturists and his book, Sepp Holzer’s Permaculture, is a must for any aspiring maker-farmer.
Here are a few of his quotes:
Sepp on wind… “Before you start building a raised bed system, you should find out what direction the wind usually comes from and take note of it. The simplest way to do this is to tie a strip of material to a tree or pole and observe it regularly over a period of time. You should also check it at night. This way you can find out very quickly which direction the wind comes from and which areas are the windiest. If necessary, a windbreak can be put up around the system or the entire system of raised beds could be positioned against the wind and used as a windbreak itself. I find that raised beds planted with fruit bushes and tall-growing plants like sunflowers, Jerusalem artichokes, or hemp make the best windbreaks.” First published in Permaculture Magazine, no 68.
Sepp on making ponds waterproof by mimicking pigs wallowing in mud…