Obtaining a yield is one of the most important components of Permaculture. Common agriculture consists of farmers utilizing their yield for single purpose uses such as human consumption or feeding livestock. However, permaculture focuses on utilizing as much of the yield across as many areas as possible by providing systemic enrichment for the ecosystem as well.
Let’s take the chicken for example. A chicken can produce eggs and meat for consumption. Why stop when there is so much more potential to be had? Chickens offer pest/weed control, great feces for composting, ground scratching/turning, and so much more. The potential to be had is limitless with permaculture design, so take it a step further! Observe the chicken coop, chicken wire, chicken bedding. How can we turn their habitat into another fully functional part of your permaculture journey? Well, grow a vine flower or fruit on the chicken wire for the bees, reuse their bedding as carbon in your compost pile, and go ahead and throw those eggshells in there too!
You can use this concept for absolutely anything in your garden. Get the most bang for your buck by asking yourself some of the questions: Can I compost this? What else can I plant here? Can I cultivate a more productive way to use this space/plant/waste? Like everything in permaculture, this principle can also be applied to the spirit. Utilize all of the best things about your being and it will positively impact the people you meet, the environment you create, and the manifestations you have in the work. Reap the benefits of the fruit from your soul, and happy gardening!
