As a homesteader and manager of the Northwoods Community Garden and Permaculture Training Center, Mike Haasl has incorporated permaculture in a lot of different ways.
“Like in my homestead, I've got chickens, so my food scraps go to the chickens, the chicken outputs goes to the garden, which grows vegetables, and then that comes back to the house, so like a circular process like that is part of it,” said Haasl. “I'm growing hops plants on the sunny side of my house to shade it in the summer, and then they come down in the winter, so then I have the sun in the winter when I want a little more heat.”
Haasl describes permaculture as a way of designing your landscape to work with mother nature versus constantly trying to control her.
That landscape is broad definition: your yard, your home, your community.
“Using natural processes and our understanding of the natural world to work with us and help achieve good results for us and nature,” said Haasl.
There can be a lot of benefits to this including having a smaller environmental impact or even a net positive impact on the environment.
Haasl says it has helped save him money on things like less cooling costs and not having to buy fertilizer.
Wisconsin Permaculture Convergence
People interested in incorporating some permaculture practices into their lives or expanding on some of things they already doing are invited to attend this year’s Wisconsin Permaculture Convergence.
It’s being held at Holiday Acres Resort in Rhinelander this year.
Over the three days in September there will be speakers, workshops, and live music.
“Whole bunch of topics that will stretch your understanding in some ways that you hadn't thought of,” said Haasl. “It might be basic for you, but there'll be plenty of presentations going on that you can choose your own path.”
The topics range from hot to store your food and high density/high diversity planting to wildlife tracking and syntropic agriculture practices for cold climates. You can see all the sessions planned here.
The keynote speaker is Sam Thayer.
“Anyone who is into foraging, I think probably knows that name. He's written three books. He's a wonderful guy,” said Haasl.
The Wisconsin Permaculture Convergence is September 5th-7th.
Haasl is also helping organize some pre-convergence workshops in the week ahead of the main weekend, this includes lessons in harvesting and processing wild rice and visiting a local organic cranberry farm.
The Convergence has been going on for several years. Haasl attended last year’s in southern Wisconsin and is happy to help bring it to the Northwoods.
“Probably my favorite part was just meeting different people a little more like minded, maybe, and they're people that are already into this sort of thing,” said Haasl. “You get to see a wide variety of folks from other parts of the state, and sitting around the campfire at the end of the day was kind of fun.”
People are encouraged to register sooner than later, the registration fee increases July 25th. The fee includes on-site camping and six meals. There are also rooms and cabins available for booking.
