Previously we shared the benefits of practicing permaculture principles for sustainability. Today we discuss organic regenerative agriculture. Can we actually utilize permauclture principles and organic regenerative agriculture to rebuild our lands and waters that have been damaged by farming, logging, topsoil loss and water pollution? Seeing the significant damage, deforestation and destruction that occurs with destructive farming methods growing mono crops causes us serious concerns and strong motivation for finding solutions. As a follow up to our Earth Day and International Permaculture Day posts it seems appropriate to write about Organic Regenerative Agriculture to inspire more people to adopt better farming practices that repair, replenish and reverse environmental damage. As a long term environmentalist and eager eco developer, designing an eco friendly and green community based on renewable resources and sustainability standards has become a big part of my permaculture passion project. It is important to investigate, research and understand various materials, methods and mindsets to determine those that will best serve our Belize Eco Village projects. We are committed to creating an aesthetically appealing, eco friendly, financially strong and sensibly sustainable Belize Eco Village on 149+ acres of land in Belize and organic regenerative agriculture and agroforesty will play a vital role in our success.

Organic Regenerative Agriculture

Development on Belize Eco Village.

Nikon optical surveyor. Photo by Michael Morningstar.

What is organic regenerative agriculture? “Organic Regenerative Agriculture” is a term that describes holistic and integrated agroforestry, farming and grazing practices that provide many interrelated benefits. Big benefits from doing this includes: building top soil, rebuilding organic matter, restoring biodiversity to degraded soil, retaining more water in soil, returning to holistic methods and reversing climate damage. These happens largely because of carbon sequestering, diversity enhancements and improving water cycles. As mentioned in previous blogs we are losing vast amounts of biodiversity, rainforest, topsoil and water resources at an alarming rate. This appears to be leading us to multiple crisis of catastrophic magnitude in our world. Valuable top soil, trees and water are being lost at an accelerating rate at a time when we desperately need to produce even more food and renewable resources for humans. Unfortunately most factory farms and overgrazed ranches and ranges are causing damage, degradation and destruction. These must be replaced by progressive permaculture principles and organic regenerative agriculture which will help many regions of the world stop losing the rainforests, topsoil, trees and water by replanting and replenishing these vital resources.

My research for the Belize Eco Village guides me to finding ideas, insights and inspiration to promote food independence while reversing damage and destruction of our ecosystems and environment. Finding resource and role model with helpful ideas and incentives to improve our community deserves full attention. The goal is to find ways to design, build and live using more efficient and ecologically sound  strategies and systems. Regenerative agriculture is a great method to role model and offers innovative approaches for agroforestry, animal husbandry, aquaponics, carbon sequestering, food production, healthy lifestyle, low or no till farming, pasture cropping, perennial crops, rotational grazing and soil building. It offers proven sustainable methods to protect our ecosystems and environment.

Permaculture principles and organic regenerative agriculture have impressed, influenced and inspired me to utilize these sustainable systems throughout the project. They will enhance our values and visions for creating a successful sustainable community. When we wisely invest our energy, money and time for habitat preservation and regeneration it will pay massive dividends for all community members and future generations to come. Implementing regenerative agriculture will benefit all of us with updated and upgraded ideas and insights to create diverse and healthy regenerative and sustainable systems.

Regenerative Agriculture Systems

Cutting and Clearing

As more eco minded and passionate people put their heads together it becomes self evident that one of the most environmentally friendly and financially feasible long term solutions to feed families is to use organic regenerative agriculture systems. Photo by Michael Morningstar.

As more eco minded and passionate people put their heads together it becomes self evident that one of the most environmentally friendly and financially feasible long term solutions to feed families is to use organic regenerative agriculture systems. One of the key foundations for regenerative agriculture is that it stops harming the land and starts improving it. Techniques and technologies are used that regenerate, renew and revitalize the environment, organisms and soil. Organic regenerative agriculture builds healthy soil which can produce high quality nutrient dense organic whole foods while also improving the land. This is achieved by creating a dynamic, healthy and holistic blend of biodynamic agriculture, organic farming and permaculture principles which will lead to more productive and profitable communities, economies and farms.

Organic Regenerative Agriculture Code of Conduct

Ferns and Moss

Organic Regenerative agriculture includes a comprehensive blend of: agroforestry, animal husbandry, aquaponics, composting, conservation tillage, cover crops, crop diversification, crop rotation, low or no till farming, mobile animal shelters, organic standards, pasture cropping, rotation grazing, soil enhancement, top soil promotion and water conservation. Photo by Michael Morningstar.

Organic regenerative agriculture includes a comprehensive blend of: agroforestry, animal husbandry, aquaponics, composting, conservation tillage, cover crops, crop diversification, crop rotation, low or no till farming, mobile animal shelters, organic standards, pasture cropping, rotation grazing, soil enhancement, top soil promotion and water conservation. These will lead to increased farmers’ income because of better efficiency, diverse crop productivity, enhanced food production, improving topsoil, less destructive practices, less fossil fuel use and increased harvest and productivity over time.

These ideas, intentions and inspiration of organic regenerative agriculture will help with our guidelines and home owners manual for safety, self sufficiency and sustainability. We will avoid spraying toxic chemical compounds like fungicides, herbicides, insecticides and pesticides on our property. These synthetic chemical compounds are toxic to people, plants and planet.  It is obvious the long and short tern consequences are too risky to all babies, bats, bees, birds, butterflies and beautiful beings living in our community to allow the use of toxic products. We will maintain very high standards for living in a chemical and toxin free environment to protect the air, food, homes, soil and water. Our community Declaration of Protective and Restrictive Covenants and Design Standards will outline our best practices for organic permaculture principles and organic regenerative agriculture.

Healthy Habits & Habitats

In 2017 Morningstar NEWS will continue our focus 50% on Healthy Habits and 50% on Healthy Habitats and Sustainability Strategies. As we design our new Belize Eco Village master planned community we will research and role model concepts and projects like regenerative agriculture. Our vision is to attract a wide variety of eco-conscious and passionate people to help design, build and live in an eco friendly, healthy and sustainable community. Imagine regenerative agriculture guiding us so people will live, retire, visit and work while enjoying an even more happy, healthy and holistic lifestyle. We will focus on those ideas, insights and inspiration as we provide more progress pictures and vivid videos about regenerative agriculture. Stay tuned for progress posts with steps, strategies, suggestions and systems to develop the 149 acres of pristine Caribbean pine ridge and riparian forest into a master planned Belize Eco Village.

Where is Your Gap?

What behaviors, beliefs and decisions regarding your habits and habitats are harming your happiness, health and home? What will it take for you to protect your family, self and our world from the damage, degradation and destruction occurring right now? What destructive farming practice will you stop being part of the problem and start being part of the organic regenerative agriculture solution instead?

Mastery Action Plan (MAP)

It is well documented that our daily habits and habitats greatly impact our happiness and health. There is a wealth of wisdom regarding health habits to start and health hazards to stop. What are you willing to do differently to protect your self and Mother Nature with better choices? Creating a healthy habits and habitat code of conduct and mastery action plan will enhance our quality of life for all. Are you ready to embrace organic regenerative agriculture for positive progress? According to their website we can reverse the damage and degradation caused by deforestation and animals overgrazing. The earth cannot sustain continued destruction by more Big Agriculture and Commercial Animal Feedlot Operations (CAFO). To integrate our mindset into mastery action plan solutions please plant some flower, fruit or nut seeds and trees in honor of Earth Day and Remember Earth Day Every Day.

Call to Action

What comments, commitments or concerns come to mind regarding healthy habits and habitats to save rainforests? Are you ready to learn more and join our terrific team?

PS: Comment, like, plus and share this blog on the social media page links because family, fans, followers and friends will also benefit from the Morningstar NEWS website. Thanks for your helpful support.

Next Morningstar NEWS Blog

Amazing Aquaponics