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  • From: Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>
  • To: cayadopi AT yahoo.com, homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Preparation for WTSHTF questions
  • Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:38:00 -0700

GREENHOUSE
Any ideas to contruct an economical one so I can have a place to start the liners for srping planting?

Google hoop house. Choose the design that uses materials you can get cheapest. Don't scrimp on the plastic covering. Buy sunscreen for summer.

RAISED BEDS
Pros/cons. I could stack cement blocks, depending on how much $$$.

Fast but poor choice. Expensive and you must lean over an extra 7 5/8 inches to reach your plants. I have experimented with oak planks. They rot, but in the desert they will last longer. But you might not be able to get them at good price. Staked old metal roofing works. My current experiment are ferrocement. My best thought so far is ferrocement planks.

For the raised beds, would I be just adding the local soil (of which I have acres) plus manure/compost or what?

Improve local soil with as much humus as you can get economically. Save any material that has fertilizer value for the top and for compost. In beds it will leach down.

In the raised beds are you growing in rows? or in something called a X # of plants per square foot method.

All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew is the guide to get you started.

COMPOST PITS
Any suggestions on the most economical?
I'm in very dry conditions, and I know watering will be necessary.

Divert your gray water onto compost beds. Have any overflow go to adjacent growing beds.

RABBITS & OTHER MUNCHING CRITTERS
How deep to bury the fencing material in the sand?

Angle it down to a foot or horizontal just below surface. An advantage of serious raised beds, like twenty-four-inches tall, is rabbits become zero issue. In the beginning, fencing is cheaper.

Is there a way to make the fencing "moveable" for tilling times?

Confusing question. Do you want to fence beds or a garden area.

TOOLS
About how many years do they last, and would it be a worthwhile investment to buy extras (i.e. picks, shovels, hoes, machete, etc.) and/or extra handles.

Best tools last essentially forever. Rake, round-nose shovel, hoe will get you started. Avoid cutesy designs.

PLOW

I'm currently using a gas engined rotor tiller, which I know is not sustainable in worst case scenario, but it was a b-day gift from dad.

Sell the rototiller and buy the hand tools. Thank Dad for the hand tools.

Where does one even get an old fashioned plow and harness system these days?

Forget plowing. Get all the humus possible and build raised beds.

BTW the neighbor keeps a mule in with her 2 cows and sheep and chickens. I asked why, she said the mule protects the other animals from predators (I assume she means the coyote). True? and is anyone using a mule for plowing?

Irrelevant for you. Offer to clean up areas of animal manure. Top dress your beds after you learn the appropriate timing.

I'm thinking the biggest problem I would find would be obtaining enough water to grow enough alfalfa for larger animals, so that isn't a first choice. But any ideas on how to plow the gardens up without a gas powered engine would be VERY much appreciated.

Forget plowing. Forget animals for now except chickens and rabbits. Build raised beds for intensive planting. Heavy leaf coverage will diminish water needs.

POTATOES GROWN IN HAY?
Has anyone tried that?

Google Ruth Stout.

As for growing alfalfa, wheat, any large-scale crop, put those on the back burner. Take small bites before bigger bites.

Become alert for all cheap building materials. Junk is best. For instance, you can build raised beds with junk metal roofing or with junk fencing folded and faced on the inside with building paper or cardboard.




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