Progress at the Jerash University Permaculture Project, Jordan

[@suziegibson4427]

When I get stressed about the state of the world, I just come listen to Geoff.

[@ghislainesalavaria8393]

Same

[@RichieRich845]

Same

[@ichifish]

So many people around the world have transformed their land and their lives thanks to you folks. Inspiring!

[@Dream-green-0274]

I agree with you

[@joshuaainsworth3909]

My thoughts exactly , prosperity richness balance , moving closer to being self sustainable

[@beakey3484]

I'm one of them in the American Southwest Desert!

[@iTeerRex]

This topic in general is one of the most important for everyone to learn. I say in general because the buildings can also be made to be “regenerative”.

[@michaelzorro2738]

As a Professor at the University this project on-going program is amazing work and useful skills and talents support 🙏🏻 Thank you for sharing

[@ottoflouer1750]

Great work

[@LLanfri]

There’s any place where we can receive updates from the project? A website or an instagram page?

[@Dharbourbc]

Another great project to follow! Please keep us updated over the years

[@hailus7714]

You are doing a great service to all of humanity. Using the knowledge that is obtained from your videos and from other folks doing your kind of permaculture, an alternative and best regenerative agriculture system is demonstrated. The old chemical based ways of doing agriculture is damaging the soil and has damaged the ecology. Permaculture is the best way to go.

[@anderssryanssons]

That looks a lot like my place, I’m just on the other side of the sea in Greece! Working on my online PDC with Geoff at the moment and also have started swaling and preparing some local monoculture land here to diversify. I understand your excitement! It’s great to create those much needed systems.

[@ninemoonplanet]

Like Geoff, it's planting for decades of food, not just today or tomorrow. So many countries went for a quick fix when trouble hit instead of planning for hundreds of tomorrows.

[@juliam3980]

I was in Athens in October and took one of those "3 island" boat tours. I thought that one of those close in islands would be a great place for a demonstration permaculture project. So much desertified land, so much potential. Harvest waste from the restaurants, get a black soldier fly colony going for food waste transformation, have a chicken compost system for utilizing the food waste with less infection risk like the offcuts from the kitchen (chickens can catch influenza and similar things from humans, pigs are even more susceptible, but BSF are immune to human viruses) and create something beautiful that visitors can see. It feels like it would be relatively easy to get WOOFers to provide the labor in such a beautiful location, and you can create something to show people with their own eyes what is possible.

[@climateteacherjohnj7763]

With so much madness erupting in the world, it's good to know that the solution ultimately lies in the garden.

[@carolewarner101]

What a fantastic project! Please, please, please do a series of follow up videos as this system progresses, including whatever breakdowns arrise. We're creating a polyculture of our own and can really use the inspiration!

[@sethl3702]

Awesome! I can't wait to see this in a couple of years. I can see it in my mind already! 😊

[@mattjpoolr]

ditto! hope we get a follow up video :)

[@rickthelian2215]

Makes great sence, will improve in time😊 Love the gardens and chickens in the poly tunnel😊

[@ameerh3115]

Thank you for sharing and teaching people about the wonders of permaculture.

[@FawziaTung]

I lived in Jordan in the 1970s and early ‘80s, and love it like my own country. I’ve been following your permaculture videos and implementing the principles here on my property in Arizona. I felt very moved seeing this new project in Jerash! I was part of the first Jerash Festival and I’m not surprised to see the countryside still as dry and barren as it used to be (despite the olive trees). I can’t wait for your follow-up videos and witness the transformation you are bringing! 💪😊😊😊

[@CoconutInformation]

Amazing. Love to hear more about the intricate rock work....

[@ameralanati2066]

You are giving us hope brother

[@MartinaSchoppe]

That project is awesome. Hopefully all the students will be inspired to start their own projects, that will inspire even more projects. THAT is a snowball system worth having. Also: Maybe convert that hard wood stuff into biochar instead of chipping it?

[@dominicrichlevien]

Super inspiring, this is exactly how I have planned my olive finca in Spain! I have started with a tint patch that I can look after while still traveling a lot for work and will let it grow outwards as I can. Thank you Geoff for being such an inspiration and source of knowledge

[@bonniepoole1095]

Huge effort! The production will be ongoing and rewarding! Wonderful!

[@cis961]

idee al servizio della comunità. Bravo Geoff

[@Francisco-m5w]

I was hopping to see this one day, so proud of you and your team Jeff, this is how u green the desert congratulations 🎈🎉🍾

[@Reese-wg7jb]

Extremely excited to see this one progress

[@johnnygl3634]

Thanks for the video of this project. It looks great.

[@SereneWayfarer]

Asalam Alikum brother Geoff, MashaAllah the project is looking good!!! Best wishes!

[@davidwende2439]

Great! Loving it.

[@davidwende2439]

You pushing it to the next level. Impressiv.

[@rammalla]

Great man soli lover I ever seen in his heart and soul through word and work, great enthusiasm and art to enlighten people to go beyond their thinking!

[@90MELHEM90]

As a Jordanian, this will be the most important experiment in Jordan's agri history. I have a land much like this but 5 times bigger (and not too far from Jerash) and it only has olive trees. I cant wait to see what you do with this land . PLEASE post more videos about this project.

[@tonisee2]

This is very inspiring! I hope that this project turns out successful and other locals would learn from that, too!

[@gianni1827]

Looking forward to see the progress in a couple of years. This is the way to go to save our planet.

[@SettleinSpain]

This looks a lot like our place in Spain, I'm working on the list of plants for Geoff's online PDC right now. So exciting to see how different it can look and how much it can produce compared to all the land around. We saw so recently with the floods here what happens with runoff in heavy rains, when will more governments take notice?

[@OG-Everthing]

Never ..the governments are run by big companies that doesn't have any interest in humanity or nature...we have to work for our selves.. better days will come... peace from Algeria (same climate btw)

[@ninemoonplanet]

Governments are starting to pay attention. The drought throughout EVERY State in the US except Alaska has all levels of government looking for solutions. Obviously chemical companies claim they have the answers when the chemicals are part of the reason . Do what you know is a better way, people notice.

[@dominicrichlevien]

Where are you in Spain? Maybe we can cooperate. I have a place near Malaga

[@SettleinSpain]

@ we are in Almeria near Oria in the mountains

[@GFS05np]

having small hard catchments dot up hills along with the normal swales, above and below grazing areas. those in any flood plain stilt under animal sheds. or meander run off on a slower trip down hill.

[@papapetad]

The shaping of swales for conversion with intercrops looks beautiful. You can just tell regeneration is taking place and the land is happy being taken care of with respect and intelligence. Looking forward to seeing it flourish as the seasons get along.

[@futurecaredesign]

I loved seeing how closely you have everything planted together. Makes me confident I am doing good planting more densely than what is recommended here in Greece.

[@kellerhorton]

YES MAN !! You’ve done it again 👏. The production documentation will change the Ag. Dept. there for years to come. Finally, the “well educated”, the “authorities”, the “experts” will have year after year of superior evidence right there in front of them 🎉. Y’ALL ROCK 👍👋.

[@jeanniefletcher9937]

Its looking great !!!!

[@leonieshanahan6439]

You are such a blessing to the world Geoff thanks for sharing your gifts 👩🏻‍🌾

[@kerryshultz9766]

It looks great !! Keep it going 👍🌱💖. Blessings and Peace filled days and nights 🌱💖

[@WaterholeExchange]

Keep up the great work.

[@Florestinhadamontanha]

Sempre uma aula excepcional. Vídeo maravilhoso.

[@sheilaackers3854]

Thank you Geoff great project.

[@mojavebohemian814]

Thanks

[@terry5274]

Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!

[@richermorin]

thank you so much for sharing, I'm really excited too this is gonna be AMAZING great job to all of you

[@mg4mg281]

Dankeschön^^

[@mojavebohemian814]

Wonderful!

[@JTRBeats]

Thank you for sharing

[@jakob497]

You could add a little coppice system around the windrow to protect the compost and to supplement your soft woodchip needs

[@colleeneggertson2117]

Very impressive. Inspiring.

[@NateLee-nc6tb]

Thanks Geoff!

[@noah786]

Looking forward to the updates!

[@artbravo]

can't smash like hard enough! more updates please

[@jimdotcom1972]

if your olive swales are not perfectly on contour does it need to be a continuous swale? can you not create divided ponds in the swale to hold the water better and prevent excess drainage and runoff? if you need vehicle access then a series of smoother earthen or rocky "speedbumps" in the swale could allow vehicles whilst trapping water uphill.

[@estebancorral5151]

He does not have them on a swales. They are on mulch covered terraces that are drip line irrigated. Geoffrey Lawton, has mentioned that these drip lines are a controversy in Jordan, but has neglected to give us the reasons why. Drip line irrigation is an Israeli invention.

[@JeremyThomas_Environmentarian]

Well done Geoff!

[@h.sinclair]

wonderful ❤

[@abeleli2651]

I can already see the transformation of the land and how it going to inspire the local farmers.It will be more greener and multifruit.

[@plastic9990]

Great work Geoff, Shahab from PDC2022 🇵🇰❤️🇵🇰

[@andrewk2338]

this is similar to my situation on a plot of land in Spain in Catalonia, but fortunately I have much more biomass from pine forest and other trees and shrubs, especially rosemary, there are a lot of old branches of rosemary. Precipitation this year was 550 mm, although the previous two years it was 380 - 400 mm. all this gives me confidence that I will be able to feel better economically, it remains to get chickens and grow sorghum.

[@estebancorral5151]

You should be managing your forest like Jean Pain did in France. Look up the videos about Jean Pain. Just in apiculture alone for pine forrest you have a gold mine without being as polluting. You harvesting calophony as Paolo Lugari did in Colombia in his project las Gaviotas.

[@BuildNewTowns]

Nice project!

[@sercem7314]

Perfect

[@SmithsdaleFarm]

Thanks for the video, great to see the plantings between the olives. We’re on the east coast of Spain with dry land olives, Can we substitute in other fruits like peaches for the apricots? Or any other suggestions? Loves the videos please keep them coming 🙏

[@marxagarden]

Why not use leguminosas? What properties are not good for composting?

[@ninemoonplanet]

The change with the trees shows much healthier growth. People would argue against these changes because of the traditions they're accustomed to seeing, using. The movement among areas comes from very harsh lessons when diseases were spread. If the compost is made properly, that shouldn't be as much of an issue. Sad to see how little food they grow then plow. That area of the world is frequently undernourished. Well done.

[@TheBarefootedGardener]

Very cool Geoff and crew! No date palms in this project?

[@donnaoz5502]

Very inspiring, thank you Geoff. May I ask the benefits of the Leucaena trees and are the same trees that are 'deemed' weeds in Australia?

[@carolewarner101]

They are rapidly growing nitrogen fixing trees in the legume family. Their leaves make excellent high protein forage for animals (chickens probably love it), and since they grow "like weeds," they can be heavily pruned (chop and drop) and the trimmings placed on the ground around the olives and fruit trees to break down, providing fertility by building soil & feeding soil microbes. Their trimmings will increase carbon levels and act as a mulch to hold more moisture in the soil, and of course they are nitrogen fixers into the soil as well. So in a nutshell, they are fertilizing the whole orchard, building soil and improving moisture levels in the soil and retarding water and soil runoff. And, they're hardy as hell! 😂

[@Max-vg8mg]

Great video! Just what I was thinking about lately, as I'm working on my final exam. Are there any fruit trees that don't go well with olives? Thank you

[@estebancorral5151]

Walnuts they exude juglone, a toxin for other plants.

[@GFS05np]

nice walk around of project. major rains all over those regions in this winter cycle of the sun. hope they have some bigger catchment up by those tents. could bio char be trenched in that path between the orchard rows. as a moisture sink. drip pond slug over the char. people must make use of rain. make it look like it did in the 2000bc times.

[@kavabean]

The shape of the swales around the olive trees would make them more difficult to harvest. Please describe your harvest process for the olive trees. What machinery, how you lay out your nets on those those steep downslopes of the swale, etc. Thank you.

[@rickveleke6966]

I would also watch mock-ups of the various arid regions around the world. Especially, those in the Americas and the chad basin region.

[@diego1602]

So figs and pomegranate that close is not a problem even when they grow up? Maybe it's the pruning making the difference?

[@estebancorral5151]

I have fig, persimmon, pomegranate, apricot, prickly pear cactus, agaves, and a hornets nest. Do you think I am worried? I even had to turn down the offer of a free Carob tree.

[@diego1602]

@@estebancorral5151 no no I don't mean to have them generally in a polyculture that is great, I am just wondering if they are that close what happens when they grow up. Because I have an olive orchard and I need to make it a lush food forest as well :D

[@estebancorral5151]

@@diego1602 Then yes one does prune. Also, invest in a better shredder than the one Geoffrey Lawton shows. The only criteria used was cost. One requests the spec sheet from the manufacturer or dealer. The polyculture you have to concentrate on is the soil microbes. Inoculate your shredded prunings with mushrooms specifically Stropharia mycelia. They will act as a water and nutrient transport agent for your trees.

[@richermorin]

really cool

[@sunitadwarka347]

I have one request in between olive tree you make rough net structure at neck level, from one side keep free for walking to break olive. You do plantation of Parwal Indian vegetable. Vegetables tree will climb on net. It's doesn't request too much water, it like sand and hot atmosphere. Surf on net. We can stirr fry or use in curry. Very delicious sweet vegetable. Doesn't rot quickly. Jay bharat.

[@sunitadwarka347]

kzbin.info2krNvaHz6jY?si=1AnWe0Aimn6d18C5

[@AussiePharmer]

Thanks for the durian vid. Out of curiousity how do you feed your trees?

[@allonesame6467]

Wonderful demonstration! ---If only there was some way to use that brush pile, that valuable carbon...perhaps dig a pit on the windward side of a hill with trees planted on the upside to capture air-bourn soil particles, perhaps like the pits they dig in the sahel's "Great Green Wall"?

[@nageen]

Are there any swales at all? I see the terrace land

[@estebancorral5151]

I agree with you about cacti, but would also add agaves.

[@allseezen3336]

looks great. how would jujubes do there?

[@jenniferspring8741]

Geoff, what's the bird and insect life like at this altitude, and the demonstration site?

[@estebancorral5151]

It is going to increase. That is why Geoffrey should build a dovecote. I know for a fact that not too far away by the Dead Sea there is at the base of Masada there is a 2000 year old dovecote.

[@alpineflauge909]

very nice

[@marlan5470]

Sorry to ask, but why smash the plastic and leave that stuff laying around?

[@genejitsu3305]

He's illustrating how unsustainable and irresponsible it is to provide contrast

[@Illneedcoffee]

Congrats on a bigger project. Thats only possible when there are people that want it. In the middle east and Africa not all read English ill hope your wife makes some translation for them. Ill grow avocado and almond in a dessert town and all from seed in the meantime there are peppers growing arround the tree. Mulch is a great help to keep weeds down and for sure feed the soil. Indeed they have to learn that plastic should be removed for now they dont care. This all comes from education and mom and dad are not a good example as they drop whatever where ever.

[@annburge291]

Fantastic project. No Jujubes, prickly pear and date palms mixed in with the olive trees?

[@estebancorral5151]

You did not include agaves.

[@netraxer9729]

Quick question: what's with all that shredded plastic bags doing all over the field, isn't that harmful to the soil?

[@meganm1074]

That was the approach of the different Ag department, shown for comparison. Yes, it’s harmful.

[@mitchellbrown9713]

Would Date palms work in this climate?

[@estebancorral5151]

Of course, they already have. Cleopatra VII had Marc Antony give her the palm growing district in that part of the world. She wanted to control the palm wine industry. Today the real wealth from palms would not be from dates nor heart of palm but from the shredded palm fronds used as direct fodder or converted into silage. Right before Eid al Fitr on can sell all his animals: sheep, goats, chickens, and camels which been fed on palm fronds. With the windfall, you purchase the slaughtered viscera at a modest price. This you feed to compost worms which quickly turn it into vermicast to be sold at a 30times profit. To quote Rumí: Even the earth turns into gold in the hands of the wise.

[@bhavens9149]

have you considered putting a pistachio or hazelnut in that tree rotation? Just wondering. maybe they need too much water or something? anyway just a thought. wonderful little valley situation there. Always enjoy your desert projects as I live in the desert myself.

[@andrewk2338]

Unfortunately, I can have -4 on the site for a short time for a couple of hours, in general, the zone is between 9A and 9B USDA. What other nitrogen fixer can you recommend? Albizia is suitable for the cold-resistant type of albizia, it grows very slowly

[@justinarnold7725]

How do they cool those tunnels down must get hot in summer

[@erri1951]

What's a lukina?

[@LailandiAdventures]

Farmers truly are some of the most industrious but stubborn people. We could do with more of these polyculture farms in Spain.

[@Hunar1997]

Arent the new trees too close to each other?

[@duotronic6451]

"Can't transport manure on the ground in Jordan" Why? I Google searched Jordan manure but no answer.

[@tonisee2]

Possibly due to regulations not to spread diseases of animals...

[@geofflawton3198]

To stop flies breeding supposedly.

[@MegaSuperCousins]

The Jordan times link isn't working in the description.

[@MartinaSchoppe]

just delete the ) at the end of the link 🙂

[@davidlobaugh4490]

Perhaps biochar those harder woods that dont go through the chipper well. 🤠

[@estebancorral5151]

No, he should get a fluid dynamic attrition mill whose Jets are steam.

[@jameswestgate416]

Nice

[@SuerteDelMolinoFarm]

Life is simple

[@ManivaHouse]

💚

[@magapefarmshomestead6453]

Jeff, if what you, Elaine ingham and others like knf ( korean natural farminng) teach is that soil fertility is done through compost and that a major component of compost is fungal why do you not use yeast to help deter the loss of trees and other plants in your projects. It would be a very minor to nonexistent expense depending on how you implemented it.

[@stevensibbet5869]

Right at the very beginning I thought you had built a gigantic half moon water capturing earth work! - I believe the more arid and drier the area the bigger the water captuing structures will have to be and when you get out in the real desert you will have to build huge swales, berms and Demi lunes etc.! 100m 800m etc.

[@knoll9812]

Build more rather than larger

[@stevensibbet5869]

@@knoll9812 Jordan is the second most water scarce country in the world. Only 2.41% of the land arable, the bit you see in the films over-looking the Jordan Valley and in the north West and that is not particularly fertile, Everywhere else the huge majority of the country is desert. It's the same desert that they have in Saudi Arabia. That is where the projects would have to be huge, mile long swells on contour, channels directing the rain to one small area, 8 metre semi-moons, really big stuff. I remember watching a film by Bill Mollison and he showed a bem built in a dry part of S W USA by the army a huge berm a thing to stop the desert spreading or something to do with some building project and behind on on top of this burn a mini forested ground in the middle of the desert that got me thinking about building big massive swales and berms in the most arid areas I mean really dry areas real deserts. Could you turn desserts green by building massive berms and swales like the one bill mollison discovered.

[@anthonycoyer7186]

Turn that hardwood into charcoal, mix with the chicken manure, you should see a big increase in production.

[@Ramthian-q8v]

❤😊

[@BrunoBGarcia79]

that hoop house seems like 50m by 10m by 4m

[@aron8949]

Add loquat!!!

[@varghen0]

how will the olives trees be harvested now if the space around them is filled with trees? by hand? good luck with that lol

[@salamandiusbraveheart4183]

Doing God's work