permaculture

[Jennifer Peltier <peltier@isi.edu>]

I strongly second the use of Ducks.  I have 2 in my yard where I am
slowly establishing a sustainable environment.  I have found them to
integrate nicely.  They are like walking fertilizer makers.  The lawn
(which will be gone soon) is green, lush and free of pill bugs and
snails which were both a major problem when we moved in 5 years ago.
The fruit tress are greener than ever.  I do not fertilize anything
except the vegetables, occassionaly, and these are raised and out of
ducks' reach.  I do use compost throughout the yard but the greatest
and most noticable impovements in plant health started about a year
after the ducks moved in.  Their whole lives revolve around finding
bugs so they actually get bored in the summers when we have dry air
and no rain (Southern CA).  Hand in hand with bug hunts is areation of
the area they're searching.  They have a small wading pool in a back corner
and I use leaves or evergreen cuttings for bedding, I get lettuce
scraps from a local farmer's market (free) or they get garden/vegetable 
scraps.  The pool water gets drained about 1x a week in the summer and
this water (full of duck "fertilizer") is siphoned off into the gardens
or fruit trees.  They augment their diet with bugs and really enjoy
the work!  I have not seen a snail, not even in the separate vegetable
gardens in 2 years (not that they're not there, just not as
prevalent).  People ask me if they fly.  Since I raised them, they
imprinted on me and since I do not fly (at least not knowingly :) )
...neither do they.  

Take care, Jennifer

PS:  They are great pets, live amongst our dogs (ok, so maybe the dogs
are a little frustrated), and they are sheer entertainment as well as
wonderful gardeners.

> I have one word:
> 
> Ducks.
> 
> ------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
> Date:          Mon, 13 Jan 1997 17:41:59 +1000
> To:            permaculture-mg@amani.ces.ncsu.edu
> From:          Martha Hills <martha.hills@cis.csiro.au>
> Subject:       practical use for snails?
> 
> >Date: Mon, 13 Jan 1997 15:30:59 +1000
> >From: Adam Mark <p2119860@vmsuser.acsu.unsw.edu.au>
> >Reply-To: p2119860@vmsuser.acsu.unsw.edu.au
> >Organization: School of Anatomy, The University of New South Wales
> >To: permaculture-mg@amani.ces.ncsu.edu
> >Subject: practical use for snails?
> >
> >I've been doing the snail pail trail around the garden for years now and
> >have hand picked and discarded x number of hundreds? I don't even
> >particularly mind doing this.What I do mind is the bucket of dead and
> >SMELLY snails. Does anyone know anything that snails or snail shells
> >could be used for (other than food) I haven't been putting them on the
> >compost as I heard somewhere they are not suitable, but they must be
> >suitable for something other than a big hole in the ground.
> >
> I usually stomp on them at the time.  It's a quicker death for them,
> and I hope the ants haul away the leftovers.  After stepping on them,
> though, I can't imagine eating them.  One other tactic has been
> to clean up places where they hold their conventions; if fewer are born,
> there are fewer for me to deal with. Someone else can probably comment
> on animals that will eat snails.  That's my next step.
> 
> Onward, Martha
> 
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> 
> Martha R. Hills
> Coordinator, Authority work           The secret of all victory
> Corporate Information Management      lies in the organization
> CSIRO Australia                       of the non-obvious.
> 
> Email:  martha.hills@cis.csiro.au
> Telephone:  + (0)3 9518 5941
> Fax:        + (0)3 9518 5959
> Mail: Locked Bag 89, Clayton South VIC Australia 3169
> 
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> 
>