Sepp Holzer on rocks, sealing ponds and making money

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by paul wheaton, Mar 6, 2009.

  1. paul wheaton

    paul wheaton Junior Member

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    For about five years now, I've regarded Sepp Holzer as my ultimate authority on ag, gardening, animal husbandry and making money from a farm. The problem has been that he lives thousands of miles away and speaks only german.

    A week and a half ago he arrived in the US to do a workshop series - complete with an interpreter or two.

    I took this video on his first day and yesterday I got the green light to share it with the world. I broke it up into four chunks.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbhDTmKtbOo

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RuL8jm043o

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vHXa3y8B7M

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4LPTcP_EHU

    To give you an idea of what this guy is all about: He raises chickens, pigs and cattle and buys feed only in an emergency. He grows the feed and the animals harvest it themselves. He is in the alps of austria where it gets to be about 20 to 30 below zero in the winter. He gets about 25 inches of rain per year. His property is made entirely of very steep slopes.

    He does not irrigate or fertilize or use pesticides of any kind.

    He has built 70 ponds on his land - on super steep slopes. He never uses any kind of liner. He has built ponds all over the world on all kinds of soils.

    What he practices sounds completely crazy at first, but he is demonstrating that it really works. And each crazy thing ends up making sense when you understand the whole system.
     
  2. Alex M

    Alex M Junior Member

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    Re: Sepp Holzer on rocks, sealing ponds and making money

    They are terrific videos Paul, and I'm glad you were able to put them up for us.

    I have been discussing permaculture and organic farming for some time with people from conventional farming backgrounds, and even though they are going broke and watching the soil blow away, they insist Í'm crazy and that Permaculture is nonsense. So who's crazy?

    Sepp Hotzer is a genius who learned by himself at a very early age, to observe nature and follow its design.

    Paul, do you know much about Joel Salatin and his Polyface Farms in Virginia?

    https://www.polyfacefarms.com/story.aspx


    The key, I think, is to get right away from conventional wisdom - "a term used to describe ideas or explanations that are generally accepted as true by the public or by experts in a field. The term implies that the ideas or explanations, though widely held, are unexamined and, hence, may be reevaluated upon further examination or as events unfold." https://www.answers.com/conventional+wisdom&r=67
     
  3. paul wheaton

    paul wheaton Junior Member

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    Re: Sepp Holzer on rocks, sealing ponds and making money

    I even met Joel Salatin a year ago.

    He gave an awesome presentation. I asked "why not feed pig offal to chickens and chicken offal to pigs?" He said that he thinks that would be optimal - but that he also thinks it would completely freak out his customers.

    I've been trying to post some of sepp's more radical bits and bobs to the permies.com forums. I have now completed 8.5 days of Sepp workshops and have 3 days to go!
     
  4. Alex M

    Alex M Junior Member

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    Re: Sepp Holzer on rocks, sealing ponds and making money

    Press on Paul, and keep up the effort. I am convinced that the entire world is stark raving barking mad, and if they think we are lunatics, then it is time to take over the asylum! :axe: :lol:
     
  5. kimbo.parker

    kimbo.parker Junior Member

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    Re: Sepp Holzer on rocks, sealing ponds and making money

    I have seen a video of Sepps place and a design he did for a mate of his...

    I find it difficult to relate to - the man is a 'water god' just like 'Rob Mc.Kenna' was a 'rain god' (Douglas Adams - 'So long and thanks for all the fish') .

    I get along on 350 mm a year...I live in the dessert.
    I tell myself that if Sepp had my place he'd look a lot like I do....but I know I'm shitting myself...blasted water god and a bloody genius...

    I won't be showing the wife or kids Sepps work,(know what I mean?)....

    It is testimony to the benefit of 'slope'....if you were buying a bit of ground you'd look for slope,,,flat ground is limiting.
    Well done Paul.
    regards, Kimbo
     

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