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El Zopilote is a permaculture farm.
But what is permaculture?
Bill Morrison, from Tasmania is the creator of permaculture (see Introduction to Permaculture 1 and 2 ). In the 1970s it was described as a beneficial grouping of plants and animals in relation to human needs, working toward an overall self-sufficiency of a home and community and perhaps as a "commercial attempt" with what could be grown with this system. The basic philosophy is to work with nature, not against it, in order to create a cultivated ecology which is designed to grow more produce than what is generally found in nature. |
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We started to use the principles of permaculture in 2003 after taking a "permaculture design" course in Finca Bonafide (2km from El Zopilote), and even though the farm is still young we have been very happy with the results we have seen so far.
And what do we grow ?
We have a bit of everything, including fruit trees, hardwood trees, bananas, bamboo, spices, local and imported vegetables and decorative plants.
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Chily |
Tabaco |
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Here are some pictures that show the various activities of the farm.
-Picture of the nursery and vegetable garden. The nursery is the engine of the farm. Everyday there is someone working here to produce the plants and seeds, making grafts and caring for new plants. In the same area we grow vegetables and aromatic herbs.
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Compost
Thanks to the compost toilet, we produce a lot of compost with waste from the bathrooms (excrement and rice casks), zacate or dry leaves, green leaves from vegetables (black wood), ash, earth and water. One month and a half is needed in order to finish the compost, depending on the number of times it is removed and the heat that it makes.
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Charquitos
These are small ponds filled with 1m of water and various water plants. It is used as a water reserve for animals such as toads and frogs so that they will have a place to live. The amphibians eat insects and help to reduce plagues.
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The Little Banana Islands
These are groupings of plants that help each other to grow. Each one has a purpose and they are all planted very closely together.
-Banana
-Gandul (Nitrogen provider)
-Flower
-Guanabana (Tree) |
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Climate
We have two seasons. Winter (rainy season) lasts from May until November. Summer (or dry season) lasts from November until May. The farm is very different during the two season, and the work changes depending on the season. Trees and grains are planted in the wet season, and they are watered through irrigation in the dry season.
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Rainy Season |
Dry Season |
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