permaculture

[Claude Genest <genest@together.net>]

Frank, have you ever considered taking the PC course ?

Along contour means dead level along the contour - you can figure this out
quite easily with an A frame.....

> From: FranksFarm@aol.com
> Reply-To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
> Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2002 07:43:45 EDT
> To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org, FranksFarm@aol.com
> Subject: Re: [permaculture] gabions
> 
> 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
> 
> 
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