Paonia Permaculture Initiative

Project Type

Project Summary

The Paonia Permaculture Initiative was founded to assist in the transition from a competitive to a cooperative society. We see an urgent need for the localization of our food systems, for the redistribution of power into the hands of individuals, and for business models that encourage investment in our soils and in our neighbors. Permaculture ethics (Care of Earth, Care of People, Fair Share) are at the heart of what we do. We believe that true wealth lies in one's quality of life; that every person has the right to clean water, to chemical-free healthy food, and to a community that supports the trade and skill set of every individual.

Project Description

The Paonia Permaculture Initiative is a project that began with a deep calling to return to a more harmonious relationship with the planet, and with those who inhabit it.  A synchronous series of events led four unlikely people to purchase a piece of land on the western slope of Colorado in the summer of 2012, thus beginning the manifestation of a vision that has been many years in the making.           
        Permaculture is a type of ecological design that challenges modern day trends in agriculture.  Rather than razing forests to plant single varietal crops (monoculture) that require heavy doses of fossil fuels and pesticides to maintain, permaculture offers an approach to land stewardship that uses the innate intelligence of nature as the basis of design.  Ecosystems untouched by humans are naturally self-regulating and regenerative.  Careful observation of these systems reveal a synergy between the soil life, plants, trees, and animals.  Permaculture mimics this synergy by ensuring that every element (plant, fruit tree, pond, chicken coop) placed in a design serves a multitude of functions, and relates to the other elements in a way that requires minimal human input.  Emphasis shifts from directing all energy toward a singular yield, to strengthening the relationships between all the components in the system.  Thus, a permaculture design can create a system that is highly diversified, stable, and resilient.  
       Extraction cultures are unsustainable.  An economy that depletes the resources that sustain it for the monetary gain of a few is destined to fail.  We have been growing and consuming at such a rapacious pace that the natural cycles of regeneration have not had time to catch up.  In addition, our current economic model is one that marginalizes the poor and has its wealth intrinsically tied to a monetary system that can print money without value to back it.  This short-sighted, consumptive hubris is indicative of a cultural malaise that must shift if we as a species wish to continue inhabiting this earth.  
       The Paonia Permaculture Initiative was founded to assist in the transition from a competitive to a cooperative society.  We see an urgent need for the localization of our food systems, for the redistribution of power into the hands of individuals, and for business models that encourage investment in our soils and in our neighbors.  Permaculture ethics (Care of Earth, Care of People, Fair Share) are at the heart of what we do.  We believe that true wealth lies in one's quality of life; that every person has the right to clean water, to chemical-free healthy food, and to a community that supports the trade and skill set of every individual.  
        At the Initiative, we are grounded in contemplative practices.  Observation opens us to the non-judgmental acceptance of feedback; a skill set we know will allow us to parent the unfolding of this vision in an organic and co-creative way.  We believe that the ability to listen deeply is something we all must cultivate if we wish to see a non-violent and peaceful world.          
        The Initiative is our first step toward becoming an Institute.  We envision a center/farm/collective that will be a living example of alternative building methodologies, permaculture principles, water collection strategies, and innovative greenhouse, solar storage, and hydro power technologies.  The first order of business is the establishment of our infrastructure, and more specifically the raising of our barn.  The barn will be the heart of our farm; the Zone 1, from where all other design elements will emanate.  Its establishment will allow us to create a multitude of niche markets (food processing, permaculture workshops, weddings, farm to table dinners, meditation/yoga retreats) that will create a sustainable cash/trade flow that we hope will be something that is both marketable and imitable.  We invite you into our process, and humbly ask for your help as we transition our dream into conscious action.  Thank you kindly for your interest.  

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