Permaculture aims to create systems that are largely self-sustaining with minimal human intervention and that function indefinitely. In this way, humans can work with nature instead of against it, and be largely self-sustaining - with minimal resources, space, and time.
The holistic approach of permaculture is more about design principles than concrete methods. Long-term instead of short-term, diversity instead of monotony, optimize instead of maximize, cooperation instead of competition - all these guiding principles aim to ensure high yields with minimal labor and energy consumption, while also guaranteeing future generations the greatest possible creative freedom.
Ethical principles of permaculture design are "Earthcare", i.e. care for the earth and its creatures, "Peoplecare", i.e. care for people, and "Fairshades", i.e. the fair distribution of resources.
In designing the ZEGG gGmbH site, we are guided by the basic ideas of permaculture: closing cycles, recycling and using resources effectively, promoting biodiversity and diversity in the relationships between system elements, and allowing self-regulation.
Our specific projects:
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Water as a precious resource is supplied to us by our own well. It is purified in the constructed wetland and seeps back into the soil to replenish the reservoir.
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Designed as an edible landscape, the ZEGG site provides us and many wild animals with food in the form of herbs, berry bushes, fruit and nut trees. Only species that can withstand the regional drought are newly planted.
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The biochar produced from shrub trimmings, along with organic waste, becomes "terra preta" (link). We use the autumn leaves supplied to us by the municipality of Bad Belzig as valuable biomass with which we steadily increase the humus content in our sandy soil and improve soil fertility. By binding carbon in the soil, we are actively protecting the climate. We produce about 70% of our fruit and vegetables ourselves, including wild and non-market produce.
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The twelve principles are explained on information boards on the ZEGG premises.
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We are supported by many helping guests in the garden, grounds and kitchen. Together, through permaculture, we make an important contribution to biodiversity, to the further development of sustainable living and to climate protection.
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The cooperation is in a summer guest week between May and the end of August allows a taster of our work.