<div class="page plain article green CUST_font_112 pid_126232 page-126232"> <div class="background"> </div> <article> <header> <div class="container"> <h1> Catch and Store Energy </h1> <div class="summary"> <p><strong>"Beauty is in the mind of the beholder"</strong></p> </div> <p class="byline"></p> </div><!--container--> </header> <section> <div class="container"> <img src="/imageLibrary/pear-409396_1280.jpg" class="main_image"> <p><br></p><p isrender="true">This is the starting point for all permaculture design. In our hurried modern life we often find this principle neglected or very difficult to accomplish. Ideally, we should try to walk our design property for one year and really get to know it. This isn't always possible, but it is important to not take observation for granted-- it is a key tool. Find out what nature is already doing, think about what is working and what is not. Think about how we can enhance nature's efforts. The key difference between conventional agriculture and permculture is that we are not trying to best nature or overcome it, but rather collaborate with it. </p><p isrender="true">Observation has its impact on social permaculture as well. The members of St. Philips Episcopal Church observed that there was an adjoining vacant lot that had no real purpose. They also observed that there was a need to help others in their community obtain fresh produce. These observations were at the genesis of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ricestreetcommunitygarden/" target="_blank">Rice Street Community Garden</a></p> </div><!--container--> </section> </article> </div><!-- page-->