Creatively Use and Respond to Change

In the meantime, the northern hemisphere is trapped in a heatwave, I bought 6 things from the supermarket and it cost me over $60 and it seems we are not any closer to the full reopening of Hormuz, so petrol prices remain high and we are expecting a “Godzilla” El Niño event here in Aotearoa this summer. 

All of these events have brought the permaculture principle of Creatively Use and Respond to Change to the top of mind. So let's explore it!

There is a proverb “vision is not seeing things as they are but as they will be”

Change is constant and this principle encourages us to vision the future and how it may be different from the present so we can creatively respond now and use the change for the better. 

Here are a three things I'm doing:

1. Adapting my garden to a warming climate. 

As we are experiencing consistently warmer temperatures in the Coromandel I am shifting the veggies and fruits I grow towards a more sub-tropical / tropical mixture of species. 

I am noticing that cooler climate species like apples, peaches, berries, garlic and some brassicas are now prone to disease and pests. But bananas, cherimoyas, chillies and citrus are thriving, and the season for tomatoes and summer herbs like basil is getting longer and longer. My sister has a capsicum ripening on her deck right now!

This summer I am planning to experiment with different types of leafy greens like wombok chinese cabbage and malabar spinach to replace the silverbeet, spinach and kale that bolt in the warmer weather. 

Are you noticing changes in your area too? And are you adapting what you grow to suit your changing climate? 

2. Bulk buying to reduce costs

I am very lucky that we have a local cooperatively owned shop who brings in organic bulk staples like rice, oats, flour, olive oil, nuts, seeds and dried fruit and sells them at a very reasonable price.

But I have also been talking about joining up with my nearest neighbours to buy other food stuffs in bulk to reduce the costs. 

This can be a really great way to connect with your neighbours and friends and is a creative way to respond to rising food prices and support local and organic producers.