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  • From: kowens@teleport.com (jeff owens)
  • To: permaculture@listserv.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: (permaculture) Hello
  • Date: Thu, 10 Apr 1997 15:37:02 -0700

Linda wrote:
>There is a pond on property that we are about to purchase, so we
>look forward to incorporating that into our design.

We have a bog that I am converting into a pond gradually. The plan
is to use timber bamboo on one side, then rotate ducks and sheep
through the area. We are now growing Indian potatoes (arrow head
plant) and plan to try chufa nuts along the bank. This combination
looks sustainable if we are careful about how many ducks and sheep
are near the pond. Everything is planted except for the chufa
nuts and appears complimentary. I would be interested in hearing
if anyone has experience with chufa nuts along a pond bank.

> We recently expanded
>out forest garden area with the addition of elderberries, gooseberries,
>high-bush blue berries. We're also looking to do more with this area --
>we're expecting a shipment from Edible Landscaping in another week
>that'll have some bush cherries and a cold hardy plant that's supposed to
>be similar to a date (don't remember the name).

The date like plant might be a Jujube? We didn't have much luck
with them here (Oregon, foothills of Mt Hood). The blackberries
are rampant along the edge of clearings, so we use them extensively
as food, fences, and targets for abusive language. It would be
nice to integrate them in with other plants, but so far our domestic
thornless transplants have not been able to compete. When our trees
get larger we are planning to try the thornless blackberries between
them along with summer vine crops and cover crops. Last year
we grew clover between the trees and mounded it up to compost and grow
melons/squash. The mounds covered with IRT did quite well.

>We're experimenting with buckwheat as a cover crop this year.

We grew buckwheat last summer and expected it to reseed this spring.
Instead the clovers and other plants have moved in with a vengeance.
This tells me that the buckwheat prepares a good seedbed for spring
and our soil is now more fertile. My guess is that buckwheat is ideal
for preparing areas with poor soil and has to be harvested in the
fall, then planted somewhere else next summer.

>Our newest
>member brought 4 ducks and 2 goats with her, which we are also workingon
>incorporating. So far we've been using the animals to provide us with
>enriched straw for sheet mulching (old bedding) and the animals have been
>getting most of our kitchen scraps, which cuts down on rodents and dogs
>in the compost pile.

Ducks! I love ducks. Last year we could see that our ecology was
out of balance and needed something. After listing all the problems
(slugs, bugs, hauling compost, etc.) the answer we came up with was
ducks. Nature must have come to the same conclusion, because soon
after that a duck moved in and set up housekeeping. The impact on the
local ecology has been outstanding. The slugs are in full retreat and
the soil looks much improved where it spends time. Sometimes I wish
it wouldn't roost on the porch and watch us in the window, but that
is a minor problem.

>Mental attitudes -- we got 'em. Which kind are you interested in?

I suspect those in intentional communities have different perspective
on attitudes. For myself the biggest problem is society and its
constant programming. The message seems to be one of consume and
buy solutions. If you have a problem go find a specialists and pay
them to recommend a product. Thinking like this ties one to the
money economy and thwarts some aspects of Permaculture. I would
be interested in how others deal with this.

----------
Jeff Owens (kowens@teleport.com) Zone 6-7 Permaculture
Underground house, solar energy, reduced consumption, no TV




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