Permaculture – fulfilling an organic gardening dream.
My name is Zvezdi Pathare. Many people know me as a lawyer, photographer, fashion stylist and decorator, and more recently as an avid novice gardener. However, if you have to define me in one word, it would be – “Happy”. What gives me this happiness? – Fulfilling my dream of Organic farming, being one with nature.
What Inspired me?
From the beginning of 2019 my family and I live in the village of Izgrev, 20 km from the city of Varna. Originally we had planned this as an escape from the noise and chaos of the city. Over a period this decision imperceptibly became the cornerstone of my search for a truly meaningful and joyful activity. Jeevan had also mentioned about our trip to the region of Leshten where on the way we saw countless farms and happy people leading a simple life close to nature.
The small garden behind the house has gradually turned from a grassy and unattended place into my zen space. Here I break away from the hectic daily life, enjoy my connection with the land and admire the will to live in each planted sapling.
Why now?
Some of my fondest childhood memories are of the summers I spent in the countryside. The aroma of a freshly picked tomato, the feeling of walking barefoot on the wet ground, the conversations and laughter while the whole family worked in the fields.
Our life now has become a rat race. We barely find time to stop and admire nature, forget about being one with it.
I want to return to this now – to the feeling of being so close to the earth that you can feel it breathing. Throw away the ego of being on the top of the food chain and remember that you are a little leaf in the endless forest. To feel like a child looking at the world around you with wide open eyes and a heart full of curiosity. To go back to being myself.
I invite you to embark on this journey with me, or go back on your path. Whatever you choose, I promise it will be muddy, sometimes tiring, other times discouraging, but always exciting. I will tell you what is happening in our garden. I will show you the experiments we do, and share our do-it-yourself gardening projects. We hope to inspire you with ideas for urban gardening, so that you can grow your own food. No matter what space you have, a garden, a balcony or a window sill.
What do we exactly mean by permaculture and sustainable living?
In our garden we try to apply the basic principles of permaculture and sustainable agriculture. The term Permaculture is a combination of English words – permanent agriculture.
Permaculture is a set of methods for sustainable land design copied from repetitive natural patterns. Or in simple words – start doing what nature has been doing for millennia. Many useful discoveries in human history are inspired by an animal or natural process. Like Sonar, a system designed in 1915 by French physicist Paul Langevin that uses sound waves and their echoes to find objects underwater. It actually does something that dolphins and bats have perfected for thousands of years.
This is also our goal – to gradually create a self-sustaining ecosystem that has no or very little need for human intervention.
My small team is complemented by my loyal assistants and co-gardeners – my daughter Beloslava and my husband Jeevan. Bella is the main guardian of our precious seeds and lord of home mushrooms and seedlings. While Jeevan is not only the family muscle that carries an endless number of sacks, but also the most patient listener when I talk about my new gardening ideas.
So, are you ready? Read all you need to know about soil here.
And don’t forget the ancient Chinese wisdom – He who creates a garden, cultivates happiness!
