The Bio-Integrated Farm

The Bio-Integrated Farm is a twenty-first-century manual for managing nature¿s resources. This groundbreaking book brings ¿system farming¿ and permaculture to a whole new level. Author Shawn Jadrnicek presents new insights into permaculture, moving beyond the philosophical foundation to practical advanced designs based on a functional analysis. Holding his designs to a higher standard, Jadrnicek¿s components serve at least seven functions (classical permaculture theory only seeks at least two functions). With every additional function a component performs, the design becomes more advanced and saves more energy.

A bio-integrated greenhouse, for example, doesn¿t just extend the season for growing vegetables; it also serves as a rainwater collector, a pond site, an aquaponics system, and a heat generator. Jadrnicek¿s prevalent theme is using water to do the work. Although applicable in many climates, his designs are particularly important for areas coping with wate