Permaculture is an ecologically harmonious system of regenerative agriculture and sustainable living that focuses on the integrative management of land, resources, and people in a self-sufficient and productive way.
The farm at Madhukara was established with the ethics of permaculture as its foundation—Earth care, people care, and fair share. These principles align with Madhukara’s mission of serving others and providing resources to those in need.
As tenants on this planet, we must first recognize the need to treat it well, because when we do, it will continue to support us. Earth Care is a call to promote and practice natural processes, not just in how we manage a garden or a farm, but how we live our daily lives—in more harmony with nature. When we live contrary to this idea, by living out of balance with the environment, we cause irreparable damage to the soil, the water, the air—those fundamental resources we depend on for, literally, our lives. When we poison the Earth, we poison ourselves and others, which leads to the second ethical consideration posited by permaculture: People Care.
Just as the Earth, as a healthy, vibrant planet, is a critical resource for survival, we simply can not live without other people. Community is one of the greatest and most useful assets we can have. When we belong to a group or population of people with similar goals and values, much more is possible in our lives than going alone. As Madhukara holds as a fundamental belief, we can create miracles in each other’s lives by sticking together and taking care of our fellow humans.
After the first two ethical points mentioned above, the third only makes sense, and is rather straightforward: Fair Share. Simply stated, this means sharing in our abundance. The farm at Madhukara is meant for exactly that purpose, to help feed others with the abundance it produces, with eggs from our chickens and ducks, honey from our bees, fruit from our trees, and vegetables and herbs from our gardens.
Permaculture isn’t just about “permanent agriculture” as the term suggests. By its very principles, permaculture is about promoting the welfare of the earth and its inhabitants in the most sustainable, efficient, and charitable ways possible.
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