The herb spiral is something of a holy grail for beginner permaculturists. The first time you come across it in a book by Bill Mollison (co-founder of permaculture), you immediately think: this is what I need.At Ermitaj, back in 2021, a group of young people we hosted wanted one so badly that we ended up … Read more
The idea of torture often evokes images of immediate and brutal violence. Yet some of the most dreadful tortures ever devised rely on natural, soft, everyday elements. The drip-drip of water falling on the skull of a bound prisoner is one such example. Bamboo growing under another. These methods are based on slow repetition, on … Read more
Collective and Participatory Volunteering Event: Spring Camptier at Ermitaj 10–17 May 2025 Spring has shaken up our plans… and brought a fresh wave of energy! We warmly invite you to join us for an intense week of collective living, hands-on work, learning, and play, in the heart of nature. What is a camptier? A camptier … Read more
During the semi-annual gathering of the Belgian permaculture network Permanant, last March, we were offered a short training by Antoine Clin on slugs. A subject that fascinates Antoine so much that he devoted his PhD thesis to it. He talked to us about the role of slugs in nature, their life cycles, and strategies for … Read more
This article was inspired by a discussion at a bar I had years ago with a civil engineer. He saw no point in worrying about ecology because, according to him, everything eventually “disappears” anyway. He backed up his argument by explaining the concept of entropy. To which I replied: okay, everything falls apart, sure—but why … Read more