[Pil-pc-oceania] Israeli contacts wanted

[Pat]

Hello, all,

I follow another e-mail list about fruit.  One member, whom I have  
not met, seems to be trying to set up something that sounds like a  
'permaculture experiment.'  If anyone knows of permaculture workers  
currently in Israel, plus any useful web links, please let me know.   
It would be neat if I could give him some remote help.

This man, Ariel, aged 54, runs a 10 ha commercial farm, single- 
handed, south of Lod airport.  He has a Masters degree in  
horticulture, and has lived and traveled around the world studying  
fruit production, including a year in Australia.  He is also a lawyer  
- this is how he supports his farming activities.  From what he has  
written previously, it sounds like agriculture in Israel has gotten  
into a sad state - farming is pretty much unsustainable and  
uneconomic these days.  Farmers are going out of business, and no one  
is taking their place.

Here is a portion of his letter, with the English tidied up a bit:
================
Hi friends
I am trying to establish here similar associations and get town-city  
people get into special unique production.

I have selected 3 groups of people and sites with 10 families in each  
place, but this is not final, and these were defined as::

One group is made up with retired elderly group of well-established  
united society in an upper class place, that have nice 250 sq meter  
private gardens and are ready to try and produce various crops in  
their gardens.

The second group is of lower class, jobless, younger population that  
has a tendency to try something that may bring some income.

The third group is of newcomers from Ethiopia that do have  
affiliation and experience in growing. All are jobless and are living  
on government money. They hardly speak Hebrew and did not mix in the  
society here.

The idea is to develop simple technologies that will help these  
groups develop their crops in their houses, gardens and in near by  
public land.

This project is just in the very initial stages and so many  
variations may take place.

I was amazed with the interest of so many social active groups and  
associations to help and assist in this idea.

If you friends have any ideas or techniques to contribute for city  
farming, please do, photo and web sites are welcomed.

Ariel
The Future President of the Israeli Society of City Farmers
===============

If anyone would like to communicate with Ariel directly, here is his  
address:

ariel023 at zahav.net.il

TIA for any help and advice,

Pat Scott