In this book I wanted to counter the common opinion that organic farming and food is inherently interesting or has only come to prominence because of geopolitics, a decline in rationality in our society or an increasing self-interestedness by consumers or the greed of supermarkets. Organic food and farming are part of our societal discussions because an assembly of people have put it there through their own actions. By understanding the way in which the organic movement operates as a movement operates, the history of its ideas and the networks through it has developed it becomes clearer that the prominence of the organic movement is a considerable achievement. It also begs the questions as to why is has not been more successful, and how it might be so. In making this argument I present evidence that will be uncomfortable for some in the movement, particularly around the history of the early years. Yet for those opposed to the organic movement it also poses the question of having to explain why the organic movement persists. Many groups and people criticise the status quo, few have a working replacement waiting in the wings to be introduced. The organic movement may not have all the answers, but it is posing important questions and has an alternative to hand. In a time looking toward a crisis in the continuity and supply of food, that must command our attention. The research and thinking on which this book draws spans a decade so the thanks are wide ranging, but I would like to thank Peter Jowers, Harry Rothman, Dave Green and Alan Greer who were, or are still, at the University of West of England. At Exeter University Matt Lobley, Allan Butler and Mike Winter. For my brief but important time at the Open University special thanks are to due to Guy Cook for his encouragement and example. All of my colleagues at the Countryside and Community Research Institute have been, as they always are, an unfailingly supportive team, but particular thanks to Nigel Curry, James Kirwan and Paul Courtney. Thanks as well to Tim Hardwick and all the team at Earthscan for all their guidance, I’m still marvelling that I am an Earthscan author and many thanks to Carol Morris and the two anonymous referees for their constructive comments. I am blessed with a family who stand behind me without whom none of this would be possible and who have never shirked from encouraging me during the decade of research that stands behind this book. They inspired all that follows which is right all that errs belongs solely to me.

The urban landscape has swallowed vast swaths of prime farmland across North America. Imagine how much more self-reliant our communities would be if thirty million acres of lawns were made productive again. Permaculture is a practical way to apply ecological design principles to food, housing, and energy systems, making growing fruits, vegetables, and livestock easier and more sustainable. The Permaculture Handbook is a step-by-step, beautifully illustrated guide to creating resilient and prosperous households and neighborhoods, complemented by extensive case studies of three successful farmsteads and market gardens. This comprehensive manual casts garden farming as both an economic opportunity and a strategy for living well with less money. It shows how, by mimicking the intelligence of nature and applying appropriate technologies such as solar and environmental design, permaculture can: Create an abundance of fresh, nourishing local produce. Reduce dependence on expensive, polluting fossil fuels. Drought-proof our cities and countryside. Convert waste into wealth. Permaculture is about working with the earth and with each other to repair the damage of industrial overreach and to enrich the living world that sustains us. The Permaculture Handbook is the definitive practical North American guide to this revolutionary practice, and is a must-read for anyone concerned about creating food security, resilience, and a legacy of abundance rather than depletion. Peter Bane is a permaculture teacher and site designer who has published and edited Permaculture Activist magazine for over twenty years. He helped create Earthaven Ecovillage in North Carolina, and is now pioneering suburban farming in Bloomington, Indiana.