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Paul Thompson, Louise Stoten, and Balint Matecsa
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aul Thompson and Louise Stoten have had their farmhouse in Ħal-Far for four years, but their ‘food forest’ is only about two years old. “Originally, when we bought the property, it was a vineyard that was pretty much dead and barren. We had to dig everything up, as the soil depth was really shallow. Although the site is still in its early stages, the food forests are growing much quicker now, and are showing improvements in diversity” Paul says. The couple grow countless different kinds of crops on their property, and have planted around 200 trees in all. “Most of the literature is about tropical, wet climates – here the challenge is water,” Louise says. “It’s tricky in this climate, and Malta has a shortage of natural water supply. You read a lot in the books and learn all the theory but trial and error is what it’s all about. It’s all a question of figuring out what works and what doesn’t, and not getting too hung up about it.”
One of the people tending to Paul and Louise’s food farm is Balint Matecsa, who creates ecologically-sound gardens. “I visit this farm every few months and continue the work. Being creative is a must. I mainly use materials found onsite like stone, wood, or reed. I make compost from weeds and kitchen waste with the help of worms. I love diversity, so I plant a lot of things all around, and I’m constantly looking for new plant species which can be integrated into the system. I try to create small scenes one can stumble upon if going for a walk in the garden.”
Balint says that while human interaction, unsustainable practices, and misuse of land have degraded the environment, permaculture can help turn back this process. “The term sustainability alone is not sufficient anymore – we need to be regenerative. We can give back some space to Mother Nature while enjoying the benefits at the same time. These benefits can vary, from healthy crops and happier animals, to lower costs and labour inputs. A permaculture system is more energy-efficient and resilient, but also provides diverse and colourful scenery, filled with wildlife like reptiles, birds, bees and butterflies.”