The aim for self-suffiency by locally growing organic food has many advantages:

A short introduction to three tried ways of gardening.

Biodynamic gardening

This implies the local growing of organic (no poison, chemicals, artificial fertilizers, genetic modificaton, monoculture or radiation) vegetables, fruits and herbs with a dynamic component. The relation man-cosmos is crucial. There is a conscious cooperation with the (invisible) energies (beings) in nature and cosmos. There is an ongoing interaction with deva's and spirits of nature. There is a responsible use of organic compost and homoeopathical soil preparations. This results in a durable healing of the contaminated earth and the disbalanced planet.
Sowing, growing, harvesting, ... happens according to the moon and planets. This system of gardening functions as an autonomous organism without external help (with internal watersources, beehyves, growing seeds, compost, nourishment for man and animals). The harvested crops are energetic very powerfull, very nutrient and very tastefull.


Permanent agriculture aims for a cooperation between man and the surrounding nature in a way both can survive in the long run. It consists of heaps of theoretical and practical knowledge to design a optimum functioning ecosystem. Man is seen as part of the ecosystem and not as something that is aside or above. These designs can be aimed at nourishment, purification of water, forestry etcetera. The strength of permaculture is the continual cooperation with nature (instead of the struggle against). This optimizes the efficiency, productivity and sustainability of an ecosystem. This is achieved by recognizing principles and laws within nature and to integrate this in the system. In this way a minimal input gives a maximum output and the creation and maintenance of such a system will need little labour and external sources.

The simularity between permaculture and biodynamic agriculture is that they both reject the use of chemicals (artificial manure, pesticides). But permaculture is mainly a designsystem that tries to build self-sustainable, functional ecosystems. Permaculture usually uses different layers of vegetation simultaniously and has a preference for e.g. fruittrees en bushes, long living plants and self sowing crops instead of crops that need to be sown in every year.
Permaculture is a kind of total design wherein certain methods as organic agriculture and waterpurification by reeds can be integrated.

Learn more about permaculture with this course.
The Permaculture Concept - video course on YouTube

Natural agriculture

The 'natural agriculture' method was developed by Masanobu Fukuoka and starts from a Boeddhistic attitude to evolve in a natural and synergetic relationship with earth and vegetation. It is also called the 'not acting method', a misleading name because it takes a lot of insight and work to let everything evolve in a natural manner without intervening and still 'cultivate' a abundant garden. There is no plowing, fertilizing, weeding nor use of pesticides. There goes a lot of attention towards developing a intuitive relationship with soil and vegetation. Getting to recognise the surroundings and understand how nature works in optimum conditions. All in all natural agriculture is also a spiritual path because who is able to read and understand the book of nature also knows oneself and the source of all life.

Learn more on natural agriculture with this course.

De Synergetische Tuin van Emilia Hazelip
Diverse natuurlijke tuinbouwmethodes

Living of your hectare

Is it possible to maintain yourself and your family of the produce of your personal hectare without spending all your time and energy on daily farming? Probably not at first or in the first few years but a combination of different things can result in self-suffiency in the long-term. Patience, insight and cooperation is necessary.


There are many reasons why one can decide to become vegetarian or vegan (health, ecological, economical, wellbeing of animals, ethical, spiritual...). Still it remains a free choice made by insight, wisdom, compassion and brotherhood.
Vegetarianism will be a next step in the nourishment of the future human and needs to be an aim at least. Non-violance on all levels is necessary when we want to create a harmonious world. To apply a way of living without cruelty proves that the individual and humanity are on the road to maturity.
Nowadays we find normal practise in the middle-ages quite barbaric and horrific (torture, slavery, public executions). Next generations will look with contempt at our time where animals are destroyed on a large scale for food or experiments. Torture and exterminate animals to poison our bodies implies lack of wisdom and are choices made out of fear and lack of knowledge instead of love and unity.
Non-violent vegetarian food is good for man, animals and planet.

For consideration a few reasons to choose an animal-friendly way of life:

Ethisch Vegetarisch Alternatief

Life is permanent choice
Those who do not notice darkness will never search the light.

Ecolonie herb and vegetable garden