Hello Everyone,
I've been living in the Yucatan now for almost 8 months. I consider myself a novice permaculture enthusiast.
During my stay here, I've learned a little about the agricultural practices here known as Milpa. Some of the land is privately owned, but a good deal of the land is Ejido "Its basically Communal land" I'll let wikipedia explain further details. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ejido
The common practice on each Milpa is slash and burn. they cut down all the trees and plant matter at the end of the rainy season, than burn all the organic matter near the end of the dry season. They do this for a couple years and than move onto a new piece of land, leaving the previous land to fallow for 6 years or so before returing to continue the cycle.
The land here is primarily comprised of porous calcium lime stone, which seems to be mixed with varying amounts of red or black soil, sand and gravel.
I was amazed when i first arrived here to see hills of what seemed to be solid rock, planted with a crop of corn.
During the dry season I see extensive use of irrigation. they grow vegetables, fruit trees, coconuts and variouse grasses.
I've began thinking about ways they could posibly improve their land use, reduce costs and increase yields. Permaculture has been demonstrated around the world, to reduce water and fertilizer imputs while further ruducing labour and increasing yields. So maybe these idea's could be put in practice here aswell.
A great example of the power of permiculture was Geoff Lawtons Greening the Desert video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzTHjlueqFI
If results like this can be achieved in such an unlikely environment, than why not here aswell. The lack of soil may be the biggest problem with this area though. Water harvesting swales seem to be exclusively built on land with either soil, sand, silt or clay. So the question that needs to be answered is "Can this technique work in this porous rocky landscape?".
http://permaculture.org.au/2010/11/25/gabions-water-soaks-in-the-desert/
Gabions are an inspiration that makes me think this technique might work. Establishing swales on this type of land in the Yucatan may well work similarly to these Gabions. So combining the techniques of keyline, swales, gabions, pre filled with organic matter to hold moisture longer. Maybe we can eliminate or at least greatly reduce the need for irrigation.
I've been living in the Yucatan now for almost 8 months. I consider myself a novice permaculture enthusiast.
During my stay here, I've learned a little about the agricultural practices here known as Milpa. Some of the land is privately owned, but a good deal of the land is Ejido "Its basically Communal land" I'll let wikipedia explain further details. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ejido
The common practice on each Milpa is slash and burn. they cut down all the trees and plant matter at the end of the rainy season, than burn all the organic matter near the end of the dry season. They do this for a couple years and than move onto a new piece of land, leaving the previous land to fallow for 6 years or so before returing to continue the cycle.
The land here is primarily comprised of porous calcium lime stone, which seems to be mixed with varying amounts of red or black soil, sand and gravel.
I was amazed when i first arrived here to see hills of what seemed to be solid rock, planted with a crop of corn.
During the dry season I see extensive use of irrigation. they grow vegetables, fruit trees, coconuts and variouse grasses.
I've began thinking about ways they could posibly improve their land use, reduce costs and increase yields. Permaculture has been demonstrated around the world, to reduce water and fertilizer imputs while further ruducing labour and increasing yields. So maybe these idea's could be put in practice here aswell.
A great example of the power of permiculture was Geoff Lawtons Greening the Desert video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzTHjlueqFI
If results like this can be achieved in such an unlikely environment, than why not here aswell. The lack of soil may be the biggest problem with this area though. Water harvesting swales seem to be exclusively built on land with either soil, sand, silt or clay. So the question that needs to be answered is "Can this technique work in this porous rocky landscape?".
http://permaculture.org.au/2010/11/25/gabions-water-soaks-in-the-desert/
Gabions are an inspiration that makes me think this technique might work. Establishing swales on this type of land in the Yucatan may well work similarly to these Gabions. So combining the techniques of keyline, swales, gabions, pre filled with organic matter to hold moisture longer. Maybe we can eliminate or at least greatly reduce the need for irrigation.
Hey amigo are you still in Yucatan? i am building a project near chichen itza http://lemurianembassy.com come visit!
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