Permaculture

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Permaculture – giving love to the earth

When searching for a system to develop the Jiwa Damai garden, quite a few years ago, an introduction to permaculture came to my attention. This book touched me deeply, and determined the direction and the system I would introduce here at Jiwa Damai.

As a result of this choice, for the past eight years, I immersed myself into this design concept, translating it bit by bit into the garden..

Looking back, meeting with various teachers, participating in various classes, acquainting myself with permaculture principles and methods, I introduced permaculture trainings as part of our educational offerings.

I came to respect its inherent healthy and wise approaches to regeneration and as a way to return to a healthy balance with the earth as a living being.

There was one area, however, which stimulated me to reflect for quite some time.

Permaculture provided a design to move deeply into our eco system and release its inherent potential. Its ethics seemed to remain on a theoretical level and I was unable to see the inherent potential of its values shining through and coming alive in its practicing. Yes, there were general values, called ethics, however they did not correspond to the depth of the guidance to working with the land and earth.

I am a transpersonal psychologist, having worked for many years in various international contexts with individuals and groups with empowerment and raising self –esteem. This work is based on an approach I developed and facilitated over the past 30 years: HeartSelf-Intelligence method, which allows to access and the inner voice of the heart and the unfolding of the infinite love within.

After several years of acquainting myself with PC approaches, it became more urgent to deepen the permaculture ethics and the question arose how to integrate the heart energy, the love for the earth and each living being into the intellectual design approach. One way is, of course , to have participants in classes working directly in the garden and while doing compost using this as a meditative approach. However , in the several classes I participated and witnessed, I saw participants refraining from getting their hands into the earth and connect with its living multitude of beings.

After much reflection I have developed a training which is called Permaculture through the heart, integrating Self awareness and personal growth with the rich PC content. Its purpose is, to let the ethics become alive and vibrant while touching and working with the earth.

Integrated with the learning of the PC curriculum is now how to love myself and to allow this love to flow into the earth while practicing the PC techniques and approach. To honor and respect ones Self and as a consequence to honor and love flora and fauna and the life-giving earth I am working with.

It is well researched, photographed and documented How plants react to sound, emotions, rejection anger and love by retracting their energy field or extending it to interact.

This means I need to become aware of the intricate energetic interaction of plant and environment, the powerful influence through my own state of mind and emotions , i.e.my vibrations exert on everything around me.

I can vibrate in a loving energy and thus amplify the PC approach taken in by the plants.

The frequency of my personal vibration influences all interaction and enhances plant growth (adding to the PC compost making as well).

Thus, by integrating the unfolding the HeartSelf-Intelligence method with the Ethics and applied PC a whole new level of awareness and care for myself, others and Earth is unfolding, leading to a rich, multidimensional interaction effecting flora and fauna directly.

Margret Rueffler is the founder of Jiwa Damai Agro-permaculture center and Lagu Damai foundation in Bali.

Vermicomposting

More about composting - Vermicomposting Introduction Vermicompost (also called worm compost vermicast, worm castings, worm humus or worm manure) is the base-product of the breakdown of natural material by earthworms. Vermicompost is a nutrient-rich, organic fertilizer, and soil conditioner. The process of making vermicompost is called vermicomposting.   Vermicompost contains not only worm castings, but also bedding materials and organic wastes at a mixture of stages of decomposition. It also contains worms at different stages of growth and other microorganisms associated with the process. Earthworms’ castings in the home garden usually contain 5 to 10 times more additional nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium than the adjacent soil. Secretions in the intestinal tracts of the worms, along with soil passing through the worms, make the nutrients needed by plants more concentrated and available for plant uptake.  

Vermicomposting can be performed all year-round, providing that environmental conditions are suitable. For improved efficiency, care should be taken to ensure that food given and environmental circumstances allow worms to reproduce productively and tolerate climatic changes. If conditions are appropriate, vermicomposting offers an easy solution to the management of compostable organic wastes.   Five Conditions needed for Successful Vermicomposting 1. Living Environment 2. Food Source 3. Moisture 4. Aeration 5. Protection from Temperature Extremes   1. Living Environment or Bedding is any material that provides the worms with a relatively stable habitat. This habitat must have the following characteristics:

• High absorbency. Worms breathe through their skins and therefore must have a moist environment in which to live. If a worm’s skin dries out, it dies. The bedding must be able to absorb and retain water fairly well if the worms are to thrive.
• Good bulking capability. If the material is too dense to begin with, or packs too firmly, then the flow of air is reduced. Worms require oxygen to live, just as we do. Different materials affect the overall porosity of the bedding through a variety of factors, including the range of particle size and shape, the texture, and the strength and rigidity of its structure.
• Low protein and/or nitrogen content (high Carbon: Nitrogen ratio).Although the worms do consume their bedding as it breaks down, it is very important that this be a slow process. High protein/nitrogen levels can result in rapid disrepair and its associated heating, creating harsh, often fatal, conditions. Heating can transpire safely in the food layers of the vermiculture or vermicomposting system, but not in the bedding.

2. Worm Food: Compost worms are big eaters. Under model conditions, they are able to devour in excess of their body weight each day, although general rule is half of their body weight per day. They will eat almost everything organic (that is, of plant or animal origin), but they definitely prefer some foods more than others.   Do Feed Worms:

• Vegetable scraps: crop waste
• Tree and bush leaves, and grasses
• Fruit scraps and peels (mold/rot is fine)
• Moldy Bread and grains
• Used Tea leaves
• Non-greasy food leftovers
• Coffee grounds
• Crushed egg shells
• Most moist paper products
• Manures (must pre compost)

Don’t Feed

• Citrus peels
• Garlic, onion scraps
• Hot spices
• Meats, fish
• Greasy foods
• Dairy products
• Twigs and branches
• Dog/cat feces

3. Moisture Worms breathe through their skins; moisture content in the bedding of less than 50% is dangerous to the creatures. With the exception of extreme heat or cold, nothing will kill worms faster than a lack of adequate moisture. The bedding used must be able to hold sufficient moisture if the worms are to have a livable environment. The ideal moisture-content range for vermicomposting is 70-90%.   4. Aeration Worms are oxygen breathers and cannot live an-aerobically (defined as the absence of oxygen). When factors such as high levels of grease in the feedstock or excessive moisture combined with poor aeration cut off oxygen supplies, areas of the worm bed, or even the entire system, can become anaerobic. This will kill the worms very quickly. Not only are the worms deprived of oxygen, they are also killed by toxic substances (e.g., ammonia) created by different sets of microbes that multiply under these conditions. This is one of the main reasons for not including meat or other greasy wastes in worm feedstock unless they have been pre-composted to break down the oils and fats.   5. Temperature Control Controlling temperature to within the worms’ tolerance is crucial to both vermicomposting and vermiculture processes. This does not mean, however, that heated buildings or cooling systems are required. Compost worms can survive temperatures from between 10◦C and 35◦C but prefer a range in the 20s (◦C). Above 35◦C will cause the worms to leave the area. If they cannot leave, they will quickly die. In general, warmer temperatures (above 20◦C) stimulate reproduction. If you wish to breed the worms (vermiculture), the temperature must stay above 15◦C (minimum).   How to make a worm farm (pit method) Prepare pit 2mX1mX1m deep Broken bricks, pebbles and sand - 5cms 15cm layer of loamy soil Sprinkling of fresh cow manure Add 100 earthworms to this vermibed 5cm layer of straw, leaf litter, farm residues Cover with leaves, keeping moist for 1 month, may use chicken wire on the top to keep out mongoose Add 6cm layers of organic wastes every other day, watering until nearly full - turn wastes in After 30 days, heap can be harvested Heap pile in open place, allow worms to reach bottom, remove top layers, dry and sieve for application to crops   How to make a worm farm II (bin method) Need a bin of some kind with a drain in the bottom or an old bathtub or large sink.  You can also use a large flowerpot with a hole in the bottom Put 2/3 full with manure 1/3 green scraps (lettuce, green veg, cabbage, etc) laid on top (don't mix in) One kilo of worms (they will breed up to the max) -Keep high moisture in the worm bin Cover to keep it dark, cool, damp and no rain coming in, and protection from birds and mongoose.   To Harvest Vermicompost made in a bin: -put the food only on one side of the bin, -two days later 95% of worms will be there. -harvest the other side, and use! -add new manure to that side and put the food there (plenty moist) -two days later worms will move into that side. -harvest worm castings (worm poo) -add more manure and kitchen scraps   How to Use the Vermicompost and Benefits -use the castings like compost, best on annuals, because of high bacteria count -not so good on trees because low fungus -great for making compost tea (add a little to a bucket of water, add sugar or over ripe fruit and bubble using a fish tank pump and airstones for 48 hours. Strain and water as a fertilizer on plants during growing season. -improvement of soil fertility -improvement of saline (salty) and acidic soils -wasteland, degraded and weak soil development -healthy produce and yield and possible increase of yield from 40% to 100% within four years -saving of irrigation water due to increased water holding capacity of soil. -control of pathogens (disease causing organisms) and termites                         Worm Juice (Vermiwash): -We can also harvest the worm juice -Very rich material, used for orchids or as a powerful fertilizer -Liquid should be able to drip out of the bottom of the container into a bottle or container -Dilute before using 1:50 with water (200ml of vermiwash with 10 litres of water) before using -Use for watering plants, conditioning soil, add to compost

A visit with Sol

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Sol and Mom

Soul was the first baby born (in an underwater birth) in the Jiwa Damai health room  in the Spring of 2012. Margret recently had the opportunity to meet with Soul and his parents, Miquela and Terry,  in upstate New York to celebrate  Soul's second birthday.

Lilies in the pond

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The lily pond got a makeover recently. Volunteers and staff transplanted new lilies and gave the water a thorough cleaning, leaving us with a cleaner pond and lots of good organic matter for the gardens.

lily pads

Noce di Cocco

Our fearless Italian volunteer, Luca, tried his hand at opening the outer shell of our coconuts. The nuts need to be opened, the inner shell cracked, the meat extracted and then grated to produce our wonderful organically certified cold pressed coconut oil, which is an incredible health food.

There were about three hundred to be opened, and Luca managed to open over 50 nuts on the first day. We were in awe.

Luca coconuts

more coconuts

From Russia to Bali

Lilit, Svetlana, and Marina were three of our 30 women strong group, working for 5 days with dance and meditation at Jiwa Damai. All of the guests as well as the group leader came to us from Russia. They looked like butterflies in their beautiful and colorful dresses fluttering through our permaculture garden. We all had a great time together, team and guests. This is the second year they held their seminar here at Jiwa Damai.

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Fresh Paint

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fresh paint detail

The open-air yoga and meditation area got a fresh coat of paint last week just in time for a new group of guests.

Coconut Harvest

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These are our coconuts harvested in December. They were used for the production of our own  coconut oil which is also for sale in Jiwa Damai. The coconuts used  for oil must be left on the trees until they are dark and dry. The green coconuts are 'young coconuts' or 'kelapa muda' in Indonesian language and are used for drinking as a natural organic rehydration drink - perfect for refreshing us during the hot weather we are getting just now. Guests at Jiwa Damai are greeted with a cool coconut water from our garden on their arrival.

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Putu, our cooking assistant is grinding down the coconuts into what will become the basis for the organic cold pressed coconut oil.

Butu grinding coconut oil

Expanding Our Medicinal Garden

Medicinal Garden

Mine Nur Akarsu spent a full month at Jiwa Damai. Her project was to research and improve our medicinal plant area in the garden. She spent some time with our head gardener Ketut Badung, who is very knowledgeable with the Balinese healing plants. She brought many plant cuttings from his garden and started a directory with the local and English names including the information about the healing qualities and growing requirements of the plants.

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Mine and our experienced gardener Liz have been broadening the existing area, planting, and creating a healing and peaceful environment for our retreat center volunteers, workers, and guests. The written detail will be available for those who are interested in this research.

If you'd like to take a look around our new and improved Medicinal Garden, be sure to stop by as it is a part of garden tour which happens on Wednesday and Sunday mornings. These photos do not do Mother Earth's gifts any justice!

Liz

Producing Virgin Coconut Oil

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Here at Jiwa Damai, we produce our own virgin coconut oil with the organic coconuts grown on the property. Not only do we use the coconut oil in our kitchen for each meal, we also have various sized bottles available for sale in our small shop.

Coconut oil is considered one of the world's top superfoods with thousands of uses and more benefits than we can count! Here's a wonderful infographic explaining just a few of the benefits from this incredible food:

We use a very special process to extract the oil from each coconut, which is done by hand by our lovely Balinese staff. We would love for you to click the pictures below and read more about this process in our simple step by step guide.

Step 1

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Step 2

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Step 3

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Have you tried this method before? If not, what other methods have you used? We would love for you to comment below and share with us!