“You can’t work on an empty stomach”
Ensure that you are getting truly useful rewards as part of the work that you are doing.
The icon of this design principle, a vegetable with a bite out of it, shows us that there is an element of competition in obtaining a yield, whilst the proverb “You can’t work on an empty stomach” reminds us that we must get immediate rewards to sustain us.
A woodlands home
The woodlot that Ben Law manages provided the materials that he used to build his own home and workshop. The large straight trunks were milled up and used for flooring and cladding. Coppiced round poles were used for framing, fencing and furniture making. He uses off-cuts to cook and heat his home and sawdust is saved for his composting toilet. Ben has used the skills he developed here to set up an ecobuilding company, train apprentices, write books and run courses.
‘A woodlands home’ photo contributed by John Adams and featured in the 2013 Permaculture Calendar.
Design Principle 3: Obtain a yield
Saving up for a rainy day
‘Sitting in the garden on a warm sunny day, watching these amazing little worker bees ferry such loads tirelessly gives me great pleasure. During winter, with a mouth-full of bread and honey, I am reminded of their wonderfully successful efforts to both obtain a yield and store that yield for the rainy days ahead.’
Photo and accompanying text contributed by Oliver Holmgren.
Give so that we may receive
Bee houses in cold climates have a long tradition. Strongly constructed houses like this one keep the hives warmer in winter and protect them from heavy snow loads, strong winds, storm damage, stealing, boars, and bears (long ago). The artworks help orient the bees to their own entrance.
Photo contributed by Christoff Schneider.
Hoshigaki in rural Victoria
Yuta was caretaking and WWOOFing at Murrnong as the persimmon crop ripened. After phoning his grandmother in Japan for advice he was able to share some valuable skills and knowledge. These persimmons (kaki) were peeled while still hard and hung in strings to ripen and dry undercover, in full late autumn sunlight. Decorative treats, preserved for the winter. Persimmon trees are beautifully ornamental and highly productive.
Photographed at ‘Murrnong‘ by Yuta Kawaber.
