Permaculturists: cover this land that I can't see!

Permaculture enthusiasts are unanimous: covering the soil is probably the ABC of permaculture. Bare soil wears out, and more quickly prone to causing disease to the vegetables growing in it, and loses its minerals yet so precious for the development of future vegetables. So if I can give you some friendly advice: cover your soil... but with what?

• Straw bought from the local farmer (brown layer)
  Certainly, this is not the most environmentally friendly solution available, but I have no choice. When I moved in, my land was an old field that had to be levelled before a lawn could be planted. So while my shrubs are growing and I can shred their branches and leaves to make RCW, I go and get bales of straw from the local farmer. And don't go to a garden centre, because straw bales only cost €2.5 from this nice man, who, like you, is also a proponent of local produce!
• Enriched lawn clippings (green layer)
  I have a plot of land of about 10 ares, including 6 ares of lawn. This lawn, which is full of clover, is an incredibly valuable element for my vegetable garden. I place it in various places:
  • Directly on the vegetable garden in a thin layer of 1 to 2 cm, on top of the straw or shredded branches and leaves
  • In the chicken coop, which I leave to dry for a week and turn over regularly. Because this has time to dry and is enriched by the droppings of my dear chickens, which contribute so many things to my vegetable garden, particularly for winter cleaning, I'll come back to that!"
  • In the compost, placed in a lasagne with brown elements such as leaves or dark cardboard, which I'll use to make compost for my seedlings next year

Some vegetables require a lot of resources to grow, this is particularly true of courgettes and tomatoes. After placing the "brown" and "green" layers, I throw vegetable and fruit peelings or a bit of not quite decomposed compost directly onto the soil. Be careful, never put the feet of vegetables in contact with grass clippings or food waste, otherwise they may die!