Dear Netters, Last week, 3 of us from Saligao, visited what as far as we know, is Goa's only *Permaculture*<http://www.permaculturenews.org/about-permaculture-and-the-pri/#permaculture> farm.
We were hosted by what we *do* know is Goa's only trained expert, qualified consultant and natural teacher of Permaculture: *Clea Chandmal*<http://www.permacultureglobal.com/users/50-clea-chandmal> who owns the farm. Clea divides her time between her foster-home-by-the-sea in Candolim and her real home on this 10-acre,* Food Forest<http://www.permacultureglobal.com/posts/225> *called Foyt's Farm <http://wikimapia.org/5427964/Foyt-s-farm>, in Valpoi. The farm is 100% organic, which means since the time Clea<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqWyXpCjJ9c>bought the land 18 years ago, it has never known either chemical fertiliser or chemical pesticide/ weedicide/ herbicide (attachment). Being a Permaculture habitat, everything on the farm is as congruent as possible with the rhythms of nature. Life starts at dawn and begins to wind down as the sun sets. Dwellings are load bearing and built for the most part, from natural materials sourced as much as possible from around the farm. Building materials include mud, laterite, river stones, bamboo, wood and thatch. They are built using passive solar designs. Despite the speed of the electron, ;-) electricity reached there only a month ago . The total amount of electricity to light the place is just 25 watts...thanks to LEDs. 1 and 3 watts are the only light sources used in dwellings spaces. And they are more than adequate, says Clea. But there is a shift in lifestyle because of the intrusion of the electron! Switching over from coconut oil fuelled 'diye' to flick-of-a-switch LEDs has disrupted life, somewhat. Natural, circadian rhythms are slowly dying. They suffer at the hands of humans that now control dawn and dusk by 'switching' on the sun before it wakes up and after it has set to sleep. But Clea has kept the artificial lighting soft and 'diya-like', so as not to feel like an alien in her own habitat that sustained her for close to 2 decades. Apart from the lights, the electric fencing, water pump and more heavy duty farm needs will one day be powered by renewable energy hybrids, combining solar, wind and hydro systems. We heard that Clea sells organic produce such as coconut, coconut oil, turmeric and cashew nut, besides other fruit and veggie-based food, that we are still to find out about. We will do that in time, but till then she is available at <cleachand...@gmail.com>, if you want to find out her whole range of produce. Clea, if you are reading this on the farm, can you please give us a list of what organic produce you have for sale? So what does Clea do besides growing a huge variety of totally organic produce? She teaches Permaculture courses of varying lengths - as long as 3 weeks - on her farm as well as at her Candolim house. She is also a *consultant*<http://natuecocityfarming.blogspot.in/2012_03_01_archive.html>who takes on various long term assignments from creating only food forests of different sizes to designing total Permaculture habitats, replete with a homestead and other structures on the plot. Using Permaculture principles and along with architects and structural engineers she creates human abodes using local materials like mud, stone, wood, bamboo and thatch. Waste disposal systems are totally integrated with nature and the local topography of the plot. So are light and energy producing systems that harmonise sun, wind and water into ecologically sound hybrids that mimic natural energy combinations. Doing a Google search on Clea also showed that she is a Permaculture *resource person* <http://www.slideshare.net/urbanleaves/national-seminar-on-organic-urban-gardening-10th-11th-dec-mumbai-2011> at workshops and *seminars*<http://www.urbanleaves.org/2012/01/national-seminar-on-urban-gardening-few.html>around the country. >From what we experienced on her farm, through Permaculture, Clea offers an exciting return to living intimately and harmoniously with nature. For humankind, it is the call of the future. Warm regards and solidarity. M&M. -- *Our blog anOTHERgoa is now** active...* ................................................................ there *is* *anOTHERgoa* at <http://www.an*OTHER*goa.blogspot.in <http://www.anothergoa.blogspot.in>> & <http://www.youtube.com/anothergoa> ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' muriel & mario, c/o FULKAR, 6/22, sonarbhatt, saligao. bardez. goa. 403511. tel: 0832-2278276 / 2409999 <anothergoa AT gmail.com> ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''