permaculture

["Jeff Hall" <JRHALL@gwgate.lib.iastate.edu>]

Thanks for all your answers! Right now I have 23 5 month old pullets (one is 
a rooster in drag) on pasture, in arched cattle panel tracters. The place is 
off the grid, which is fine, with alternative power not feasable till next 
year.
I like the idea of using their weight to pull up a door. Perhaps when I have 
power, I'll hook a switch to the door and electrify a metal plank/tunnel! 

Another question--has anyone in a winter climate tried the "fruit tree 
directly north of a building" trick? What varieties does this help keep their 
blossoms past the last frost? Iowa is an apple and small fruit kind of place 
right now, due to its extreme climatic variability.

Lastly, I was just at a strawbale greenhouse workshop by Roald Gundersen of 
La Crosse, Wisc., and I'd recommend his work, its an important step towards 
economic popularization of permaculture-type agriculture in temperate 
climates--
http://www.mwt.net/~roald/index.html

Thanks again, Jeff