The Nourisher - Editor’s Blog

A group of young, motivated permaculture enthusiasts in Melbourne are having an interesting time living off-grid. They have been building a lovely garden on the 1/4 acre block they rent which feeds them well and along comes the landlord….
Hello.

We are Cat, Adrian, and Dan, the three tenants of a small three-bedroom house on a quarter-acre block that we rent in Thomas Street, Clayton, South-East Melbourne. We are all passionate advocates of permaculture, an approach to designing sustainable human habitats that model natural ecosystems.

Part of permaculture is an emphasis on growing more of the food you eat where you live. Growing your own food is an alternative to dependence on an energy-intensive agricultural industry in which food is grown with the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides before being transported large distances.

Accordingly, we have developed an extensive edible garden with integrated poultry (chickens and ducks) and ponds. Each day each of us spends time in the garden, as much watching and enjoying it evolve as anything else. During the summer months when the garden was really pumping, we estimate that we were growing about 75% of our own food. Although that percentage has dropped with the colder and shorter days of Autumn, we are constantly getting better as we learn more. With the use of chickens, composts, mulching, and a wormfarm, both the quantity and fertility of our topsoil are always on the rise.

In developing the garden, we made what we consider an ethical decision to sacrifice a good deal of what was originally lawn. We have replaced that lawn with a diversity of productive food plants. We think it ecologically irresponsible to maintain large areas of purely cosmetic lawn while relying on supermarkets and hence environmentally destructive industrial agriculture to meet our food needs.

Over the two or so years we’ve been here, the garden has become well known in the local community. In addition to hosting various open days and skill-sharing workshops, we coordinate a regular series of permaculture makeovers in the houses of members of CODEMO, a local community group composed primarily of South American immigrants (see http://www.codemo.org.au/). It has been exciting to see seeds, plants, compost, and skills literally flowing out of our garden into the lives and gardens of others. So exciting, in fact, that we are developing a little business whereby we might draw an income from doing what we love (see http://www.permaculturesolutions.com.au/).

Now that’s all well and nice, you might be thinking, but why are you telling me? The reason stems from fact that three days ago, Monday April 24, we received and opened a letter. The letter announced itself as a “Breach of Duty Notice” from the agent representing our landlord. It was premised on the belief that we have breached our duty as tenants because we “have altered, renovated or added to the premises without the [landlord's] consent.” The notice continued as follows:

“The loss or damage caused is
The property was lawn from fence to fence with agapanthus along the front fence. The tenants have dug up a large percentage, approximately 70 percent of lawn and put it under intensive permaculture with associated ponds and mulch supply.”

The notice then stated the requirement that we restore the lawns to their original condition and remove the ponds and mulch supply within 14 days of receiving the notice or that we pay the landlords the sum of $2100. In addition to informing us that we must not commit a similar breach again, the notice closed by letting us know that if we did not comply with it, that “the landlord may apply to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal” for a compensation or compliance order; or, if S249 applies, may give notice to vacate” (We looked up S249 which refers to committing multiple breaches).

Despite our concern over the prospect of either raising the requested sum or being taken to court, we were at the same time impressed with the opportunity this situation represents. In permaculture, one common saying is “the problem is the solution.” The idea is that happenings which might initially seem to be a bad thing, such as too many snails, can be transformed into good things, such as free duck food. We are taking this approach to the notice, viewing it as an excellent opportunity to publicly highlight the issue of whether people renting should be able to grow some of their own food at the expense of pre-existing lawn. We understand the position of our landlord, who is naturally concerned that future tenants may be harder to find given the large garden which does of course require some ongoing maintenance. Then there is our position, which is that given the state of the planet and the emerging energy crisis, it is imperative for people to be growing more of their own food at home. Have we really caused a loss or damage? Or in improving the topsoil and the self-sufficiency of the property, is there a very real sense in which we have added value? Should we be punished or should we be praised? Whatever your position, we think it high time these issues were being publicly discussed.

If you too are passionate about the right of tenants to engage in urban and suburban permaculture, then we would love to hear from you. If you might be interested in participating in a campaign to raise the profile of this issue, please contact us with any ideas you have. To those of you that have visited our garden, a quotable statement would be fantastic. It would also be great to hear from those of you with links to different media outlets about any possible interest in running with this story. Finally, we are organising a public open day and fundraiser for the afternoon of Sunday May 7 - let us know if you would like to receive an invitation when we have one ready. It will be a fun day celebrating permaculture and the right of people to grow food where they live with garden tours, skill-sharing workshops, stalls, various talks, a strong multicultural community presence, live music, great food and an auction. Any other ideas or opinions are equally welcome.

You can email us back, leave a comment on our blog or phone Dan on 0422448933.
Best,
Dan, Adrian and Cat.

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“What permaculturists are doing is the most important activity that any group is doing on the planet.”
(David Suzuki)

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So many enthusiastic pioneers of the new frontier are being thwarted by their reluctance or inability (same dif) to own the land they live on. Unfortunately, there IS a grid, something we can’t ignore. These guys have decided to have a party to raise funds and awareness around the issue of suburban permaculture and community wealth. Perhaps they should keep going and raise enough to buy the property from the grid, for their community. As for awareness, now is the time to use the media grid, with everyone freaking about oil prices, my bet is $100 a barrel by the end of the year, the media will eat this kind of story up.

So, if you are in Melbourne get along and give them a hand. I hope they raise the $2100 and hand it over in front of the local newspapers. This is an issue that needs to be publicly discussed.

About the Author...

Joanne Hay, Editor of Nourished Magazine, Chief Nourisher and Mother of three is very grateful to live in Byron Bay and be able to share all she has learned about Nourishment. She has trained as an Acupuncturist (unfinished), Kinesiologist (finished) and parent (never finished). She serves the Weston A Price Foundation as a chapter leader. She loves sauerkraut, kangaroo tail stew, home made ice cream, her husband Wes and her kids Isaiah, Brynn and Ronin (in no particular order…well maybe ice cream first).