by matt walker » Sat Jan 14, 2012 9:27 pm
Yes Guy, that's why I think it could work even in our saturated soils. It shouldn't increase the load on the soil, just minimize erosion and maximize moisture retention during the dry season. I'm getting more and more excited about that as I ponder it. If only I had that excavator!
CJ, I am really excited to share actually, so thanks for asking!
So, my place is just shy of 15 acres, on the north side of Washington's Olympic Peninsula. I'm about 17 miles from Victoria B.C., so a similar climate to there, but a bit less sun as I'm tucked up against the Olympics on the North slope of the foothills.
There's an old orchard, mostly small apples, a couple trees which produce larger, modern apples, and my pride and joy, a Mirabella plum tree that I would like to propagate all over the property.
I grow a fairly large garden, and put up a lot through dehydrating, canning, fermenting, and I attempt to cellar some food in my basement, although it's a little too mild here so I haven't had very good success there.
As for animals, I have two Dexter cows and a bull, currently about 28 Jacob sheep, 25 or so chickens, a Pyr and a farm terrier, a barn cat, and last season raised three Tamworths for slaughter.
With the animals, the garden, and some foraging, I'm able to provide almost all of my diet from my farm. I'd like to continue to refine this, although at this point I'm making more headway by learning how to do without some things, as I'm producing quite a bit of food with fairly low input.
I heat solely with wood, and am hoping to have a rocket mass heater in the house by next winter. I have cut all my wood for the last few years off of my property, but I'd like to greatly reduce my usage if for no other reason than I don't want to work so hard at staying warm. I've been cutting a LOT of wood each year, I'd love to reduce that.
I'd would love to cut my feed costs. I've been working on a rotational grazing scheme to maximize my pasture. The biggest hurdle here is cost of fencing and materials. I'm slowly picking away at the fencing. I have a very inexpensive technique I developed that works great for the cows, but the sheep require a more persuasive fencing scheme.
I'd love to incorporate more living fences to minimize fencing costs and maintenance. I have a lot of willow here, I just need to start doing it.
Hoping to also add hugelkultur and swales to upper pasture/hillside to increase forage for livestock and incorporate more edibles for me.
I've been brainstorming about incorporating Hugelkultur and south sloping beds into my garden area, as well as elsewhere. I have a lot of slash on the property as it was logged messily before I purchased it. Lots of material and ideas, now I just need time and labor.
Rocket Pizza oven! That's something I hope to get up and running for the summer, just for fun.
That's enough for now, I'll add more as I think of 'em.