Living With The Earth: Volume 1 – Permaculture, Ecoculture: Inspired by Nature

Living With The Earth is a three volume series bringing together years of hands-on organic growing experience and research from the world-renowned Bec Hellouin Farm in France.

In 2006, Perrine and Charles Hervé-Gruyer set out on a mission to discover a new form of agriculture that provides organic crops, creates healthy soil and brings meaningful employment to the local community. A combination of biointensive methods and permaculture design, which they have named ‘ecoculture’, and backed by scientific research, has resulted in a highly abundant market garden that sequesters carbon and frees up land for Nature.

This beautifully illustrated, comprehensive first volume shows you how natural systems work, and explains how a wide range of simple and effective techniques can create ecologically diverse gardens or highly productive farms. The in-depth chapters on weather patterns, soil types and ecosystem services, give the reader a sound understanding of the environment they are growing in.

The book covers everything you need to design a farm and implement a high-yielding food system from scratch, from understanding permaculture and its tools to the full design process, using the successful systems at Bec Hellouin as examples. Chapters on composting, mulching, fertilisers, green manures and working with beneficial microorganisms offer the reader a selection of tools for creating healthy soil within the farm ecosystem.

This is a unique, groundbreaking book for gardeners, homesteaders, farmers, agronomists and permaculture designers.

“Goodness, this book sings! Living With The Earth braids ecological farming, scientific rigor and ancient wisdom with all the practicalities of a manual that actually helps you do the work. The immense beauty of this book, with its lyrical writing, photos and illustrations, pulls you into the world of miracles … our world tended with loving hands in a simple, effective and regenerative way. This is ecological farming at its best.”

Erik Ohlsen, Author of The Regenerative Landscaper