Energy Bulletin contributor Michael Lardelli writes:

Landline has a fantastic video segment [10-15 minutes] about Annemarie and Graham Brookman and their Food Forest, a permaculture-based food-growing and education site near Adelaide in South Australia that they have created over the past quarter century.

David Holmgren teaches in a Permaculture Design Certificate course there each year and has very high praise. He calls it the "best permaculture demonstration site in Australia."

Hear the Brookman's talk about their beginnings, their discoveries of the utility of native animals as part of their system, their struggles to obtain a (financial) yield, the effects of climate change and more (including their deep satisfaction with what they have achieved). (See an aerial view of the Food Forest property.)

For more information on the Food Forest and their education programs see:
www.foodforest.com.au/

Congratulations to the Brookmans!

P.S.

I would encourage everyone who can to do a Permaculture Design Certificate course - or, even better, to do the one at the Food Forest - it is well worth every cent!

Tasmanian Bettong (aka rat-kangeroo).

A related species of marsupial is encouraged on the Food Farm. The Brookmans say they are a scourge of rats and oxalis bulbs.

(Photo source: Wikipedia)

After seven days you will need to look in the Landline archive to find the video. For now see:
www.abc.net.au/landline/content/2006/s2208413.htm

Another ABC TV program, Gardening Australia, has also been filming with the Brookmans and will broadcast on May 10. The Gardening Australia website is:
www.abc.net.au/gardening/