PERMIND is not just another organic farming course; it is a change of mentality. Permaculture is a way of life, a set of values that are applied in everyday life and in all facets of life (such as taking care of the Earth and its people, equitable resources distribution, responsible consumption, observation and learning). It means we become a constructive part of our ecosystem; we can change it, but respecting its millenary balance and never forgetting about its necessities. It means working in a responsible way where we care about the future not thinking about an instant solution, but a solution that will last in time. It is a process that requires time, just as every change we make, so we need to learn how to BELIEVE that what we’re making really works. We need to forget about our conventional way of working the land and trusting that permacultural techniques will really allow us to bear fruit.
As long as the steps explained in the PERMIND Training Guide are followed, you will see that these techniques work. They allow you to save water, to prevent adventitious plants to spread, to understand that wildlife is nothing but helpful to the productivity and that, eventually, your work in the edible garden becomes less stressful and more rewarding. It is more than necessary to BELIEVE in what we are about to do and let go off conventional farming techniques. One might make mistakes, undoubtedly, as it always happens when we learn something new. We might feel frustrated at times and feel the urge to go back to old techniques in order to feel safer, but we guarantee that Permaculture is worth it. We encourage you from the heart to let yourself fall in love with Permaculture, for the innovation of the natural.
Laura Martínez Domínguez (Fundación INTRAS)