27 April 2011 - Turning things upside down

It's not a new idea and i have seen it working successfully with tomatoes, so it's time to try it out. Autumn and Spring are great times to try new stuff, so you can see the results measured against the changes of the season.

I have gone with tomatoes because they are my test batch - but only 2 because it's coming to winter and they're not really a winter crop. However, for us here in South Africa, especially in johannesburg, winter is a pretty sunny and sometimes warm natural event. So under the protection of shade netting under our house nursery getting warm morning to miday sun, we'll see how they manage. Check back for a progress report here.

See in the pic on the right, how the seedling tomatoes turned upwards within a day. the idea is that the tomatoes never touch and then rot by resting on the ground. The look lovely and the fruit is easy to pick.

Tomatoes started and then planted in the side of the hanging basket.

Upside down peas... looking forward to great results.

I also planted peas ...

Trellis arangements seem to baffle me, no matter how easy they apear to be or simple to rig, it's an ongoing learning curve. That said, I had a lot of pea seedlings waiting to be planted out and I chose to plant some of them upside down. I think they will do well and hanging right outside our kitchen, not minding cool weather, I expect we'll have ample, easily harvested peas for the eating.

17 April - Chicken Tractor Report

The Big hens (Rhode Island New Hampshires) are back in the coup and out of the chicken tractor and it seems as good a time as any to re-access the chicken tractor project and decide what could have been better.

I'll break it down for the new comers to this site:

1. We built 2 chicken tractors out of electrical conduit in a dome shape dressed with chicken mesh. Each had a 2meter diameter, with tarps over the tops and one side of each for shade and rain shelter and we provided a nesting and roosting box in each.

2. We designed the garden around moving these tractors around the 12 circles in the figure 8 with the expectation that the chickens would get free range benefits of food variety while scratching each area clear of weeds and redundant plant crops, while dropping rich deposits of fertiliser all over it. The tractors were planned to stay on each of the circles for a period of two weeks at a time and visiting each circle twice throughout the year.

3. It has been two full seasons since we had the course that instructed us on the trctors and garden layout, and following the principals of guidance we are in a position to measure their success.

The better of the 2 chicken tractors, including door and feed window, firmer strctural integriy and height.

The original design offered in the course manual. the door has a single open portion covered with shade net. Not so sturdy as the improved one.

Here is an ad lib report on the basic results. Please email me for more detailed queries on our experience if you are planning a chicken tractor or want anything clarified.

1. The electrical conduit was a success in terms of a good material to test the over all system. Being easily available combined with no real skill required to use it, rates highly and I would do it again. It was not cheap but could be if recycled materials were exchanged for the convenience of the materials being measured and in good condition, but it was value for money. It takes a lot of hands to put together though, not a 1 person, or 2 person job. In fact, if you remember our Sustainable Community Living course that we did when these were made, it took a full team – 8 or so people!! Want the plans we used to build them?mail me with Chicken Tractor plans and Mike (the draughtsman) will draw some up for you for a fair exchange.

2. Planning to keep the chickens on the spot for 2 weeks at a time was a good one, staying in one place for too long tended to make the area a dustball or mud bath and the ground becomes quite compact. However, it's a bit of a team job too, to move them. You need 3, preferably 4 people to move it and that's after you've removed the hens and roosting box. There's too little time on our working farm to do this every two weeks. No harm comes to the chickens if they stay. We provide eragrotis grass for mulch and that sorts the dust and mud worries out. The food is brought to them every morning too so they don't starve either. We always give them pulled black jack weeds, and kitchen waste for fresh sustenance.

3. Nearly a year on, the temperature is falling, and the hens are malting. I must learn my lessons because I still don't understand that well enough to not be surprised when there are just never any eggs any more. We got so used to plenty everyday that having none is a bummer. So we've moved them back into the fixed coup where we can be sure they are warm for the winter and have a more comfortable nesting arrangement.

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Let's talk Bantams.

The phrase “breed like rabbits” could easily be replaced with “breed like bantams”. This was true too when I had bantams free ranging all over, and this time we've kept them in enclosures. I was led to believe that bantams are safe insect browsers as opposed to plant eaters and I could free range them between the veggies, but it has proved not so. A few loose bantams in the veg garden can risk losing alot of your food in a day. And what they don't eat lies root up and dead anyway.

However, bantams are by the same token good sitters. We put 3 of our big hens eggs in with the bantam mama and she hatched them as if they were her own. When she sits again close to the end of winter (I expect), we'll launch a breeding program for the big hens using the sitter.

In the mean time, the bantams have moved into the chicken tractor. Since they're hardier and I'm sure thrilled by the idea of some new ground to explore, I think it serves as an upgrade for them too.

There's lots to tell and valuable experience gained that we would love to share with you. Mail us if you want to know more.

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High Summer... 19 March 2011

We've harvested so much food it's a wonder anyone could be going hungry. Obviously that statement could convey a hint of ignorance, i don't mean it like that. We've shared, handed out to the people taking handouts at traffic lights, and tried to sell veggies (the hardest of all strangely enough). We still have so much. The tomatoes have come to an end though, the pumkins are harvested mostly and will last into winter, the onions are large and still in the ground waiting to be plucked, the green peppers are slowing down and the chillis are strung and drying out. Don't tell but we even had a bumper tabacco harvest. Now that's a saving worth taking note of. So without futher ado...some of our lates pics: (not even a fraction of our choice)

The most important thing about the following pics only becomes apparent when you scroll down to what it was when we started... But still the but. Preserve, pickle and freeze - and feed!! Anyone hungry?

Veggies in abundance...but...

So the last course WAS a huge success, and the result....we've been eating out the the garden daily. Not only that, the garden has been a common ground of interest between us and our new neighbours, and we have a valuable channel of communication and frendliness. Passers by have had veggies from us and gotten invite to come buy food food any time they want. Yesterday I harvested the last of the winter crop that needed harvestng including the cabbages, lots of swiss chard and leeks. I took them to the Vegan Fair, V-spot, hosted at the Powerhouse in Linden, and tried to sell them there.

This is where the 'but' comes in. I understand that the next step in the system is reaping the rewards, selling on, feasting on, maximising on enjoyment of the effort that have brought us to this abundance is critical BUT it's not the easiest, or straight forward thing to do. THIS NEEDS CAREFUL PLANNING AND CONSIDERATION!!!

I've encountered this problem before and still haven't figured it out. A small amount of effort in the garden reaps huge rewards, a lot of effort reaps A LOT of food but what to do with it once you have it is not what I expected. Donating it to the desperately hungry or not even desperate, is the way to go. Selling it brings to the surface all sorts of human conditioning that is more than my heart can deal with. If you want to be rich, grow food, if you want to be wealthy, you have to give it away.

I need council on this...if you have an opinion - mail me!

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Results!! Our Introduction to Permaculture was a HUGE success!!

Compare the two photos below. On the left, the photo I posted in the previous article, and on the right - the same area only after the Intro to Permaculture course. A once barren desert gets a blanket of cover and a winter wonderland emerges. If you want to know how to make your soil a fertile host for a great veggie garden, then look to the principals and ethics of a permaculture system, not discounting the many complimentary systems and avoiding labelling any as more or less than the others, and you will find a plan that will reward you with amazing results for a long and productive future!

We started with looking at the principals and ethics of permaculture and finding a definition that met with a personal expectation of what we collectively want out of our personal systems. Using these principals together with a sector map pin pointing the critical influencing factors, a personal site appropriate design can be made, and an action plan can follow. It's amazing what returning to basics can do for my selective memory.

The most exciting topic to me - for obvious reasons - was the soil improvement plan. It turned out I was really being hard on my soil and it wasn't actually too bad. It just needed some care given to it's ryzolayer - the top layer of the ground that holds the feeder roots and where a great amount to activity goes on between them and the bacterias and micro nutrients, all contributing to the absorbtion of the nutrient rich water that the plants should be drinking. The harsh sun and wind (not to mention the temperature) doesn't support a healthy rizo layer, so all I needed to do was cusion the top layer with a started laer of compost and a generous layer of Multch. Theoretically, this begins a cycle of layering to maintain the top layer (the life on the edge!) by adding compost and mulch appropriately, as opposed to digging and turning soil EVER AGAIN!!!

I can't help but love the permaculture principals, they just sit well with me. Mail me if you are interested in learning more or want to be invited to the next Course we host.

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Winter solstice is approaching and it's time to get ready for spring....

I know you might think that sounds insane. I'm not exactly sure if others agree and perhaps I've ingnored orthadox teachings on this, but the greatest success I've had with hardier annuals, was to plant soon after the solstice. This has resulted in a first harvest happening in spring and allowing me an additional planting opportunity for a second harvest that takes advantage of the whole summer.

In preparation for the planting session, we've invested time into our soil condition since it became over run with Kikuyu Grass. I found myself breaking the rules as far as permaculture methods go, out of feeling a pressure from time constraints. I really didn't want to give it one more summer in that area.

Though not from the same angle, these are our circles as they look now. We've rid the area of Kikuyu but we're left with barren exposed soil that is not rich with organic matter. What you don't see here is that where the shade house is and the chicken tractor next to it, were where we had the compost heaps cooking. They are now out of view of the shot on the next circle system next to this one. We planted seedlings in it's wake and protect them with a shade net from the frost and dry winter air.

From the front of the shot you can see the disappointment of dead soil, though with the black frost and general season change it looks a little worse than it was. We did eat planty of spinach, basil, leaf mustard, tomoatoes, beans, chinese cabbage, fennel and more that I can't remember - so not so disappointing after all!!

Most importantly, though, these are the kinds of challenges that however common they may be, are challenges we have had and are still dealing with. It is hugely important not to be scared off when these challenges, or personal circumstances don't match the text books in their problem solving chapters.

That's why, I'd like to extend an invitation to you all to our introduction to Permaculture. We will be combining some newbie experience with the wealth of teaching that two valuable facilitators have, to address the principals and methods used in permaculture and apply them to this system. Information about the course is on the Status quo page, have a look....

Browse the site below and our pages to get a feel of our place and see what we manage on our prescious plot of heaven!

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Our working chicken tractors and egg layers...

Our chickens are amazing. There just isn't anything like the collecting of eggs to bring home a farm feeling of pure wholesomeness. From urban wanna-be's to farmer Brown just through introducing chickens. However they do constitute a seriously important part of our developping permaculture system and require quite a bit of input and patience to get them to a comfortable part of the growing chore list. Don't get me wrong, they're so cool, it's hardly a dreaded chore, but they need to be taken well care of for the rewards to meet the effort. This is our experience, having never really had chickens for anything other than ornamental free ranging bantams, without any egg collecting or serious feeding, maybe it'll help you decide if it is something you can introduce to your living system.

We started with building a dome shaped chicken tractor out of electrical conduit and chicken wire mesh. They are an effort to make and cost us about R1200 each, but they have made a notable difference to our garden's aesthetics - not just as features in the garden, but in forming the circles that are our rotating guilds. We have 12 circles in a figure of 8 that the chicken tractors travel through in the course of a year.

In this photo we have 3 small ornamental bantams that we are housing here for the winter. We have an urgent need to improve the soil quality in the garden due to an invasion of Kukuyo grass - a heavy feeder that has leached all the nutrients from the soil. As a result, for the winter we are rotating large compost heaps around the circles instead of the chickens. In spring we will reintroduce the big chickens to the tractors to maintain soil standards there after.

Our chicken tractor

Our big chickens - Rode Island New Hampshires (honestly that's what I remember they were, but I'm no fundi on chickens yet), are happily living in their winter quaters, while we take the Kukuyo grass on, so that we can give them a warm sheltered egg laying environment. This is working well and we are getting enough eggs to eat between the 7 of us as often as we want eggs. Not enough to sell though. They've only been laying for about 2 months and production has had a gradual increase. We recently took the advise of our local free range organic chicken farmer and started them on a protein enriched feed called Optilay 20, which we get from the Farm City. He also gave us some good tips for suplementing their diet with sprouted seeds and explained that letting the seeds sprout changed the omega 6 oils into omega 3's and made for far more nutritious eggs and chickens - a win win situation. I have not found seed in bulk for sale yet, but when I do I will definately take this advise. He simply leaves them wet in a bucket near the chicken lots, rinces them daily and throws handfuls at the chickens when they've sprouted. As well as this, the chickens are fed the harvested weeds that are growing locally, including amaranthus, chick weed, black jacks and any greens going past our own eating in the garden.

A proud rooster and some hens

The circles in the garden are a huge part of managing the system both from the aesthetics as well as ease of use. The 2m diameter circle is about the biggest one can go, and having the space that we do, we've gone to the max. The chicken tractor covers all main circles and inbetween we have room for smaller beds for perrenials and fruiting shrubs that we don't want the chickens destroying.

I have allowed two regular bantams to free range on the principal that bantums are great insect eaters and will not go for the plants as much. In theory this works, however their scratching for insects has damaged my seedlings and I have made a decision to put them in a smaller more mobile tractor however cute it is that they're nesting right outside my window - egg and all.

There is so much to talk about when it comes to our chicken project and I would love to hear from anyone if you have questions or advise or even want to come and have a look at it in action. Contact us - you're invited.

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This is our first Earthworm farm. d'ya wanna look inside....?

We had heard of earthworm farms before we started ours. Mostly I heard that they were easy, kitchen waste disposals of the greenest kind and factories of black gold. I hope that this account may help you to work out what makes it these things.

Luckily we had the opportunity to host a course on Sustainable Community Living here on the property which has served as a perfect catalyst to getting all our collective, dormant knowledge out on the table and into action. Including the establishment of accommodation for our most productive guests - the earthworms. If you want to get your system going and are willing to host a sustainable workshop or facilitated course, please mail us and I will put you in touch with those that I know to get a project started.

Tyre worm farms, though not in use when I photographed them, it was easy to understand how they would work.

The Container is layered from the bottom up with first quatered (roughly) clay bricks, then river sand, regular ground and then good compost on top before introducing the worms. The lid is idealy one that blocks out sunlight but allows air through. Closing a plastic container completely will suffocate them. We just made big holes in the lids. The grass lid was a lucky find on the streets on garbage day.

We were advised to shred the kitchen waste as far as possible for the ease of processing by the worms but also to avoid rot. This is easy using a regular kitchen blender. Big chunks of food are too much for the worms to deal with quickly enough to avoid mould and smelly results. There are also certain foods to avoid in excess, like onions and citrus, but we haven't tested that extensively. Size of the bits here, count. So far our worms have thrived. It's very satisfying

The blended kitchen waste is fed to them with a fair amount of water - like a cold soup. If you are able to tap the collected water from the bottom out, and it comes out as a dark black/brown liquid - use it directly into soil for plant food, or dilute it for a foliage spray or frequent indoor plant soaks. I haven't noticed any harm done by too much or too strong. But our experience doesn't extend over a long time. When the liquid that came out just looked like dirt mixed with water, then we didn't take it for vermiliquid. I have yet to clarify why this happens. A friend found the same result - we both shrugged it off. If you know, mail me - I'll publish it here.

We kept excess vermiliquid in all the milk bottles we had collected for seedling pots and sold some at a local market and shared it amongst ourselves.

The worms have not only been plentiful, but have populated the area around it. We were finding earthworms everywhere around the worm bins when we had a very rainy summer. We eventually found they were climbing up the side to the lids and just throwing themselves over. All around that corner of the house comes up peppered with small mounds after a rain - A definate sign of Earthworm presence. Talk about spreading the love.

It's about time to make use of the black gold, or wom castings as fertiliser. A part of me wants to just keep things as they are, stay in this part of the process where it's comfortabley going right. But it looks perfect and ready. It's May now and we're fast approaching winter. I think it's fair to say we can save it til spring and use it for the seedling mix.

An Earthworm Farm in a bucket at a friend's house - no mess, no smell, simple and effective.

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This weekend past I saw how friends of mine who had also participated in the Sustainable Community Living Course last year, were doing there worm farm. They had a 20 liter bucket with a tap fixed to the bottom, and a felt mat for a lid. It was working exceptionally well and they commented on how quickly the worms worked through the blended food they fed them the night before - Rose even said they can hear them at work at night when everything has gone quiet.

Another neighbour shared his success in using tires with shade netting type ground sheets attached to the underneath. He stacked each tire full on top of one another and found the worms travelled between levels depending on their preffered conditions. He suggested keeping the stack in the sun in winter for some heat and in the shade in summer to keep cool. Check out his site here.