permaculture

[FranksFarm@aol.com]

Good day:)

In a message dated 7/31/02 11:53:25 AM, genest@together.net writes:

<< Where the water runs, make it walk  - you slow it down by "draining" it
along contour, nice and easy - where it spills, you have it do so in a thin
wide sheet, like water cascading out of an overfull bathtub - and remember,
even if you do any of this imperfectly, you're still miles ahead of where
you started from, which is an unmitigated disaster..... >>

I sure do agree with the above:) But need some details to fully understand 
your comments.

First, how do you suggest draining along a contour? Do you mean I should 
start piling up debris/brush , etc., in some sort of "S" curve down the face 
of the slope. In effect creating brush ridges. Won't the force of the water 
break some of these up creating more run off ditches, where the water rushes 
down the relatively steep slopes?

Also I'm talking about 100O's of feet on the ground. I can do a little each 
year...but it sure seems overwhelming since there are so many projects on the 
farm that need doing that are also worthwhile long term goals.

The one thing about the move from the city that I severely 
underestimated....is how much labor is involved in moving materials, soil, 
hay etc. etc.

About a month ago there were flash floods down here that swelled Goose Creek 
so quickly that it overflowed it's banks along my property. This destroyed 
over 1500' of newly constructed fence, and deposited tons of debris including 
down trees over 3' in diameter. Much of the fencing is covered with straw, 
twigs, branches etc.

I've already spent 4 full days just gathering, and burning some of it. Looks 
like I hardly did anything! And I haven't even started to move the big stuff, 
which will take a tractor, and heavy chain. If it were somehow miraculously 
spread over the field as a light mulch I'm sure it would be quite beneficial 
as much of the woody material is rotted, and decomposing. Even if I had a 
chipper , which I don't the time, and expense to run the machine, and spread 
the stuff would be substantial.

A dump truck would sure come in handy for moving stuff like this to fill in 
low spots etc.
But again I don't have one:) And being a newcomer, a "furiner" down here 
makes it even tougher to get someone with one to do the work on any sort of 
schedule.

I'm really into sustainable, organic farming using PC principles etc. to 
transform this farm into a viable, attractive model for same. The farm has 
lots of natural resources, much wildlife, over a mile of beautiful creek so 
pure it is state stocked with trout. Over 300 acres of mixed hardwood forest, 
cattle etc.. I have used no chemicals or pesticides since I purchased the 
farm 4 years ago.

But the time, and labor required for a farm of this size(450 acres), and the 
detailed expertise you need make such tasks formidable unless you have a lot 
of money to burn.

Say...if any of you are interested in REALLY doing PC, or helping design an 
ECO Village based upon PC please let me know. Great opportunity to help 
preserve such a place, and to heal a little piece of this good Earth. I've 
even got an 1800 square foot caretaker house as a base.

If interested please contact me off-line at gcreekfarm@aol.com. 

Sorry for drifting...but this is something I believe in, and am trying to 
find the right people to make it happen.

Thanks, again.  Frank