Wholly Rooted is a permaculture based space, using regenerative practices to grow medicinal herbs and food.
Growing and making our own using permaculture and regenerative practices is critical in our sustainability journey in the aromatic and medicinal plant industry.
Permaculture is inherently regenerative. So many herbalists and herb farmers are using permaculture and regenerative practices these days. In discussing this, we also must show there can be disparate meanings in regenerative and permaculture as well. Permaculture is regenerative. But, what is titled Regenerative Agriculture in general does still rely on large row cropping types of growing in order to manage large volume and machinery. A regenerative farm might still look like a big field with rows of plants and tractor harvests. But, in their regenerative practices they might use no till, they might plant pollinator plants alongside their fields for improved pollination and habitat support. They may focus on topsoil regeneration, compost and manage their waste systems. They may use compost or other organic applications rather than pesticides. They may use berms or swales in large scale on the fields to retain soil and reduce erosion while providing habitat. They may focus on carbon sequestering or use non-fossil fuel based inputs or vehicles. They may have water reduction plans and plant wind barriers or use other methods to reduce evaporation and increase water efficiency. Smaller farms may use alleycropping or agroforestry within a permaculture system, or key line design. Animal farmers may incorporate foraging rotations (regenerative grazing) and allow fields to regrow before cattle can graze on that land again.
Permaculture does all of the above as well, within a system that is designed to mimic nature and natural processes in nature. So, while most of the time we see permaculture in guilds and polycultures within food forests and organically natural systems that do not include rows, that is not to say you cannot have a permaculture based system in a 10x10 foot square, or in raised beds, or using rows. Permaculture just might look different based on the land, scale, location, needs, and crops.
Permaculture is also not JUST about the land and growing. It is also about the whole ecosystem which includes not only plants and animals but humans and social systems as well. How we work with and treat each other, how we build equity and collaborative processes, how we treat our employees, how we manage our business, how we work with our family, how we work with our community - all can be a part of the grand picture in permaculture.
