As far I can remember, I have always loved collections. I started collecting postal stamps, then wild mice that I caught in barns, and at one point, I even collected ‘important’ items from our planet to show other universes (should I ever be abducted by aliens). The box consisted of simple items like an AA battery, a cinema ticket, a photograph of Michael Jackson and so on. As I mentioned before, very important items!
Since discovering permaculture, I started collecting yields. I’m not a hoarder though. I just love collections! I guess I took the third principle (obtain a yield) very seriously. Here is an example of how my brain works and how I collect yields.
My neighbor (500m from our farm) runs a tiny ranch and being alone in this venture, she struggles keeping up with all the hard work. I have decided to volunteer my time and make her days more wonderful. Twice a week, I clear all her paddocks of the huge piles of horse manure.
Now here are the yields I am collecting:
- I believe in paying tribute to humanity with a physical tithe. My help is therefore my act of selfless devotion and I’m harvesting appreciation, love and empathy.
- Horses and ponies poop a lot and luckily, they tend to poop in the same spot every time. It becomes fairly easy to scoop the poop and fill my trailer with this amazing bi-product.
- The amount I collect is insane and I have started building huge compost piles, gorgeous hugelkultur-inspired mounds, and extensive worm farms.
- I harvest so much that I even deliver loads to other neighbors (redistributing the surplus!) who love me all the more for that.
- In return, I’m now collecting bottles of homemade liquors, jams, and other goodies to thank me for delivering poop!
- Working amidst horses and ponies feels darn great! It reminds me of my childhood and truly benefits my mental state. I have yet to meet one person who does not appreciate the smell of horse manure and the presence of horses.
- I blast reggae as I scoop poop, outdoors, happy as ever!
- I’m sure you’d agree with me when I say that doing something repeatedly, almost mechanically (doing the dishes, walking, scooping poop) brings peace of mind and allows me to enter deep meditation (I can’t sit still for more than 5 minutes!).
- Because it is hard work, I do not need to go to the gym to stay fit. I have actually developed a series of movements that work every inch of my body!
- I also collect healthy red wrigglers to add to my wormeries (should I start mentioning the yields from the worms?)
- I get to ride the horses for free whenever I want without having to pay for feed, a stall or a horse.
- I am always happy to contribute my thoughts to my favorite site on the internet! Yes, that’s the one you are reading now….
- When other neighbors heard about my work, they started offering me all their grass clippings, branches, and even unharvested fruit trees! I guess there is a universal law stating that the more you give, the more you receive — at least I firmly believe in it.
- The lady being so happy with my help, she also feels the need to give me extra love (free hay and other cool things).
As you can see, it becomes fun to expand your yields and see how blessed you are to be able to see life with a new angle. Permaculture has definitely helped me broaden my vision by pushing me to find uses for everything. There indeed is no such thing as waste!
I’m hoping to write more articles about my other yields and maybe hear more suggestions as to what yields I have not seen. Thanks for helping me feed my addiction to collection!
The providers
What a wonderful attitude to life, thanks for sharing
One of the most evocative, effective, from the heart articles I’ve ever read on here. Keep ’em coming Kaveen.
Hi Keveen,
naturally you’d also be re-distributing some of the compost back to the horses paddocks, lest they become impoverished.
Peter
Thank you all for your kind comments! Indeed, I’m also planning on helping the ranch gain more fertility and take care of my hoofed friends and their land. I also forgot another Yield: I mix horse manure with clay to build structures, ovens, and other cool stuff.
Hi Keveen. Well done you! With all that manure (I love bringing manure back here too, by the way) you can grow ample greens with which to share around – particularly back to those horses as they can then enjoy a diet with a huge diversity of plants. I wouldn’t worry too much about the horses paddocks being impoverished as if they are bringing feed onto their ranch, the owner is already fertilising those paddocks ;-)
Love your article… what a wondergul idea the ovens ;)