Talks to Watch

Sepp Holzer's Mountain Permaculture Farm

192K views · Jan 11, 2015 · 33:45 · 0 HN recommenders · 3 mentions · discussed 2016–2020

Josef Holzer walks through his family's Krameterhof, one of Europe's oldest permaculture farms in the Austrian mountains, with fish ponds, terraces, fruit trees and grazing animals. It showcases water management and microclimates.

Why Hacker News points people here: HN cites it as a realistic example of productive mountain farming and of growing hardy crops in cold alpine conditions.

“I think a more realistic approach to mountain farming would be what Sepp Holzer does in the Austrian Alps.”HN comment, 2019

What Hacker News said 3

Cites iterikpukinskisApr 2016

“Someone pointed me at Sepp Holzer the other day who is doing it in Austria”

Sepp Holzer practicing sustainable subsistence farming in Austria.

Full comment

I agree. But I don't think it's "tribes" exactly that create the effect, it's sustainable subsistence living within a community. You will find a few people doing a variation of it in every bioregion on the planet. I just came across this[1] video about Satayama, a Japanese village. They're not eating whale blubber, They're eating gourmet food and living in designer homes in paradise basically. Someone pointed me at Sepp Holzer the other day who is doing it in Austria[2]. There's a good chance someone is living that way within 100 miles of you. What's interesting to me is that I believe we are less than a decade away from a time when AIs will be able to instruct you, step by step, how to live sustainably on just your own power, with maybe $1000 worth of financing and access to a tool lending network. At that point a lot of "rules" of economics start to break down. [1] link [2] this video

in “The Arctic Suicides: It's Not the Dark That Kills You” · view on HN
Cites itsquish78Aug 2019

“I think a more realistic approach to mountain farming would be what Sepp Holzer does in the Austrian Alps.”

Realistic approach to mountain farming in the Austrian Alps.

Full comment

How much are you willing to pay for a head of lettuce? I have no idea about the logistics or costs for building hydro-electric indoor multi-storied farms on mountainsides, but it sounds like many millions of dollars. I think a more realistic approach to mountain farming would be what Sepp Holzer does in the Austrian Alps. this video

in “The underground farm growing salad crops in a disused air raid shelter [video]” · view on HN
Cites itartificialLimbsApr 2020

“Sepp Holzer grows citrus in the freezing alps above ground.”

Citrus grown above ground in freezing alpine conditions.

Full comment

Super awesome! I imagine that most of the time, you don't even need to dig giant trenches, though. Sepp Holzer grows citrus in the freezing alps above ground. Their average temp is 5C. this video

in “Fruit Trenches: Cultivating Subtropical Plants in Freezing Temperatures” · view on HN