3 Key Permaculture Ethics for Beginners: Grow with Purpose
Permaculture starts with purpose. Discover the three foundational ethics—Earth Care, People Care, and Fair Share (aka Future Care)—and how they shape a regenerative lifestyle from garden beds to full-scale farms.
Start with the Roots
Permaculture might look like layered planting beds, guilds, or food forests—but at its heart, it’s about how we live. These three beginner-friendly ethics are the roots that support every thriving regenerative system. Whether you’ve got 31 acres or three patio pots, this is where to begin.
1. Earth Care
Love the land that loves you back.
This ethic reminds us to treat soil, water, and biodiversity as sacred. That means:
Building and protecting soil with compost and mulch
Conserving water and choosing native or resilient plants
Mimicking natural systems—because nature knows what she’s doing
At Clemson Tea Farm, our tea “rows” are mulched deeply, the chickens do pest control, and tillage is rare. We feed the soil that feeds us.
Scripture Reflection:
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” — Genesis 2:15
2. People Care
You matter in this system too.
A regenerative system supports humans—not just harvests.
Design gardens that nourish body, soul, and spirit
Make room for shade trees, tea breaks, and rest
Build community, not just fences
Around here, “people care” looks like WWOOFer lunch at the farm table, sharing meals with widows and widowers in the community, and a strong emphasis on not skipping Rest or Sabbath.
3. Fair Share (aka Future Care)
Abundance means sharing.
This ethic reminds us to redistribute excess and set limits:
Share surplus harvests and heirloom seeds
Compost your kitchen waste and return it to the earth
Leave habitat for wildlife and space for the unseen generations
We share blackberries with birds, save seed for our neighbors, and build systems that last longer than our names will.
Tip Box:
🍓 Share what you can, when you can—even small gestures compound into big change.
Simple. Grounded. Powerful.
Permaculture ethics aren’t just farming philosophy—they’re a whole-hearted way of showing up. Earth Care. People Care. Future Care. When you begin here, everything else (from guild design to compost tea) grows with more joy and meaning.
📎 Download Your Free Poster
Want a printable “3 Permaculture Ethics” mini-poster for your potting shed, homeschool corner, or office wall? We made one just for you—simple, pretty, and meaningful.
👉 Click here to download the PDF now.
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