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In its commitment to environmental awareness, the Absa
Kirkwood Wildsfees will be hosting the inaugural Growing Green Expo: Ethical
and Sustainable Agriculture and Gardening. The expo will contain the latest
practices and products of the Permaculture and Biodynamic movements.
“We have invited knowledgeable
experts in these fields from the Western Cape to bring the Eastern Cape up
to speed in ways to lessen our impact on the environment,” says Jennifer
Honsbein, festival director.
Permaculture and Biodynamics are
global environmental movements which promote natural and sustainable methods
of farming and gardening. Permaculture (from
permanent agriculture) is sustainable land use design based on ecological
and biological principles, often using patterns that occur in nature to
maximise effect and minimise work.
“It’s a way of letting nature take care
of itself,” says Hazel Mugford of Wild Olive Farm near Stilbaai, which
offers courses in permaculture practices.
Biodynamic agriculture is a method of
organic farming that treats farms as unified and individual organisms,
balancing the holistic development and interrelationship of the soil, plants
and animals as a self-nourishing system without external inputs. As in other
forms of organic agriculture, artificial fertilizers and toxic pesticides
and herbicides are strictly avoided.
At the Wildsfees, the Growing Green
Expo will contain demos and displays of chicken domes, worm farms, a compost
heap which heats water, and a natural vegetable patch.
Also on display will be Flowforms,
inspirational sculptures which combine art and technology to bring out the
regenerative movements found in naturally flowing water.
These sculptures are appealing to
the eye, enhance the mood of a garden for relaxation and meditation, and
oxygenate the water which enhances the health of aquatic life, vegetables,
flowers and scrubs.
“So for the green fingers out there
who are looking to make their gardening practices even greener and
environmentally responsible, this expo will provide the answers and tools,”
says Honsbein. |
