Our Services
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOIL AND SOUL IS "U"
Consulting/Workshops
Permaculture
Permaculture, standing for "permanent agriculture," is a philosophy of growing food (and indeed, living) as closely aligned to the Earth's natural cycles as is possible. In so doing, it is possible for our food-production systems to actively benefit and steward the environment around them. While the term "permaculture" came out of Australia in the last half-century, its core concepts and tenants have been practiced by Indigenous cultures all over the world since time immemorial.
Fermentation
Bringing greater diversity to the ecosystem isn't only an external process. Allying yourself with the beneficial microbes that are everywhere around us and enriching your diet with properly fermented foods is a rewarding way of fostering diversity of our internal microbiomes. As a primary way of preserving the harvest in past times, fermentation allows us to connect to our ancestral traditions, create amazing and unexpected flavors, and preserve crops throughout the year.
Wildcrafting and plant walks
Do you already have an established restoration area, conservation easement, or neglected forest garden? Our state contains a wealth of ecological resources that can be used as foods, medicines, or as sources of natural building materials. Let us help you make use of resources already on your site and learn about safe foraging and wildcrafting practices!
Carbon Farming
Planting trees can help directly offset climate change! Plants are able to transform CO2 from the atmosphere into a stable form of carbon stored in the soil. With our abundant sunshine and warm climate, we can make an actual, tangible difference in our local carbon cycle by adopting carbon-smart planting practices. If only one out of every 7 average residential lots converted their lawns to native plants and food forestry, our neighborhoods would move much closer to carbon neutrality.
Healthy soil and water for all
Ecological issues are inherently wrapped up in, tied to, and part of the greater social context in which we live, and vice-versa. We are committed to listening to and learning from the wealth of thinker and activists involved in social justice movements. Already, communities are bearing the brunt of impacts from climate change and ecological disaster in very unequal ways, and without attention and direct action, this disparity will only grow.
Seashore & Riparian Restoration
In partnership with the Sarasota Baywatch Foundation, we are working on restoring some of Sarasota Bay's most vulnerable shoreline to its ideal state: covered in mangroves. We are passionate about the protection of Florida's coastline, and we have studied mangrove habitats and their conservation. Do you have some shoreline on your property that you'd like to see restored to its natural state? We'd be honored to help you harmonize these terrestrial and aquatic habitats.
Landscape design philosophies
Native Restoration
In the midst of rapid biodiversity loss all around the world, planting native species that provide food and shelter to native pollinators, birds, and other insects feature heavily into our designs– we are happy to consult on native ecosystem restoration as well.
Food Forestry
Growing our own food is one the most effective ways to connect with our local environment, and our state is uniquely blessed with a near-round growing climate. With careful design and a bit of patience, it's possible to eat fresh food from our gardens every month of the year. Perennial crops and fruiting trees provide long-term sources of nutrition and eventually can synergize into a nearly self-renewing system, just like "natural" forest.
Climate Gardening
Such practices include: incorporating lots of trees and other perennial, long-lived crops, never tilling and heavily mulching the soil, and actively managing the plants as they grow via regular pruning (or chop'n'drop, as we often call it). If you live in a shoreline area where mangroves might grow, restoring mangrove tree cover is another relevant practice in our area for their high rate of carbon sequestration.