The growing season for traditional produce in Ottawa (between first and last frost) is May 24- Oct. 5. That's about 130 days.
The ground freezes here, down to about 1.8 meters in the winter. Any structures in the ground, particular ones built above this frost line, will be vulnerable to frost heave.
In the winter, the temperature may be below -30 degrees (celsius) for several days at a time. In the summer the temperature may be above 30 degrees (celsius) for several days at a time. In general, the temperature will be near or below freezing for six months of the year. (for more info on average monthly temperatures, rain and snow fall, etc. see Canadian Climate Normals )
None of this is to indicate that permaculture is impossible in cold climates. Rather, it is to indicate that a cold climate permaculture will not necessarily look like other types of permaculture, although the broad concepts may remain the same.
First Steps
I think the first steps towards having a cold weather permaculture are determining which indigenous plants and animals might be adaptable to permaculture here.
There's a fairly wide range of edible plants which are indigenous to North America (no great surprise there!). I've been compiling a list of these plants. As an entertaining side project, I've started working on a recipe translator that will take recipes and roughly (probably very roughly!) translate them into recipes that use plants that are local.
I've also been investigating which local animals might be promising for semi-domestication(2). These animals would have to be winter hardy, for sure. So far the wood grouse looks promising. There's also the obvious rabbit and deer. It's important to pick animals that can live outside in the winter- otherwise there would be a pretty significant energy cost required in order to sustain them during the cold part of the year.
In terms of non-indigenous options, there are some really neat 'old stock' sheep out there that are fairly winter hardy and self shedding. One type of these is the Soay sheep.
Next issues to be discussed...
Housing
Winter Storage of Food.
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(1)The one exception I have found to this is these guys:
Permaculture Denmark
but their site is still under development
(2) On the one hand it troubles me to think that we need to domesticate local plants and animals. On the other hand, I don't think it is feasible or even particularly desirable to go back to hunter gatherer conditions permanently, which is why permaculture appeals to me in the first place. Maybe some semi-domesticated compromise needs to be reached.
I'd love to have input from other people on this topic.
E-mail: *perma_*jen at gadzooks.orange*-carb*.org (remove *s, spaces and replace 'at' with at sign to get real address!)