In the giant network of living beings that we are a part of, Huss is a small puzzle piece in rejuvenating the life-giving connections to nature that are all around us—especially in connection to the urban farm but beyond that as well. Permaculture is a design discipline that seeks to work with the patterns of nature as we steward land resources. We’ve found a lot of wisdom from folks around the world utilizing permaculture techniques, which is why we compost, mulch, weed, and harvest in ways that seek to partner with, instead of work against, the rhythms of nature.
Mimicking nature in how we cultivate food is what leads us to do projects like mulching the beds thick with leaves, a technique that is taking a lesson from the forest floor that encourages decomposition to build up soil health. Planting cover crops adds nutrients to the soil that have been depleted when growing vegetable crops while also covering bare soil to prevent prairie species (what we often call weeds) from growing.
Caring for the critters who call Huss home is also part of our permaculture vision, recognizing that all creatures have a role in a healthy ecosystem. A widely shared permaculture maxim is: “You don’t have a snail (or slug) problem, you have a duck deficiency!” This is why we’ve planted native grasses and flowers in the front beds of Huss and flower rows throughout the farm, both of which attract beneficial insects and pollinators. We’ve also planted a butterfly garden where we’ve watched dozens of Monarch caterpillars grow and take flight to pollinate the farm while sharing their orange beauty with the neighborhood.
The countless ways we can learn from nature always amazes us, and we hope that everyone who takes part in caring for the earth at Huss can see their interconnectedness with complex ecosystems a little more.
Please accept our invitation to join us in this work by becoming a Friend of Huss! With a monthly donation of $10 or more, our Friends are the foundation for a flourishing future for our creative, community-building efforts. Thank you for your partnership!
