PDA

View Full Version : Hello from Central Illinois, USA



WENewman
03-03-2010, 04:58 PM
Hi, my name is Wilson Newman, I'm fresh out of tertiary education and ready to do some real learning and work. I had a attraction to architecture from an early age, always drawing plans for buildings and gardens. I studied architecture at Philadelphia University, but finished my degree in historic preservation at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. Of course, during my studies in secondary schooling, I supplemented my formal education with an understanding of human affairs, World and American governmental policy, political theory and philosophy, and sustainable activities. During my last year in school, I needed to figure out what was most needed to support social change, which led to permaculture and sustainability.

This spring I'm planning to begin a small scale permaculture garden at my parent's home, and a larger garden at my grandmother's farm. My family have been agriculturists for generations, and while the tilled land will still be rented to local farmers, I hope to expand permaculture principles to as much of the area as possible. The site already has a well established pond for aquaculture, surrounded by unused land. I eventually want to purchase land and establish a permaculture learning center near a metropolitan area.

I hope to learn more from the forum and other places like it!

Michaelangelica
03-03-2010, 06:10 PM
Welcome WENewman,:)
What an interesting way of getting to here!
What does your family think of all this "permaculture stuff"? ;)
I give you ten years and you will be writing permaculture design manuals!

What the climate & soil like where you are?
http://media.maps.com/magellan/Images/illinoisusrah.gif
You seem to have two cities famous for very different reasons Springfield and Chicago.
Many Australians see --The hero of Springfield -as their alter-ego.
I didn't realise that Illinois is on the Great lakes. I somehow saw you in the middle bit.

WENewman
04-03-2010, 01:54 AM
I live about 12 miles east of the Illinois River, the soil is generally silt loam. Although I don't know the amount of degradation caused by monoculture and industrial agriculture practices, it's prime farmland. Average precipitation is about 35.85 inches a year with 3,700 average growing degree day* The 260-acre farm my grandfather used to run has been in the family since they settled here from England. I might eventually have access to 1/4 of that land.

I overheard my mom talking about food co-ops, so it must be rubbing off!


* A growing degree day is a unit of heat available for plant growth. It can be calculated by adding the
maximum and minimum daily temperatures, dividing the sum by 2, and subtracting the temperature which growth is minimal for the principal crops in the area (50 degrees F).