permaculture

[FranksFarm@aol.com]

Good Day,

Seems like I've stirred up some lively debate!
In a message dated 8/28/02 6:16:45 PM, jamie@tiscali.fr writes:

<< What I'm after is a
similarly coherent Pc strategy on the large scale (within the resources of
current large farm owners) to that many of us practice on a small scale. If
we could come up with such a coherent structure we could then keep these
farmers away from the 'machine and influence peddling...corporations.'>>

Bravo, Jamie...well spoken. That's exactly what I'm looking for.

But the real world difficulties,exhaustive labor,lack of organized markets 
...I could go on and on but my head is spinning:)

I'm trying to do many of the things we as a group seem to espouse.

I'm setting up rotational grazing system so cattle can better utilize forage 
resource.
I've set up a conservation buffer zone of over 6000' to preserve the waters 
of a crystal clear trout stream on my property.

I've built ponds to help keep water on the property. I'd liked to build some 
ponds at higher elevations at "key points" (a la Yeoman) but the magnitude of 
the effort,$$$, and expertise is a bit much for me.

And my interior pastures( not the bottoms where corn had been planted in 
past) have lots of little dips,swales, and berms which make bush hogging a 
bit of a rough go:)

There are also quite a number of volunteer trees( cedars, gums, water maple, 
dogwood,sycamore. a few pines) that had grown up on neglected acreage. I've 
kept all but those that drought etc. have killed.

Soils are quite thin with a heavy clay base. Low areas become bog like with 
lots of standing water after heavy rains.

And weeds like iron weed,joe-pye, wild rose,canadian thistle can really take 
over these pastures fast...unless I constantly bush hog. Lots of extra work. 
Extensions /locals recommend spraying...ugh!

Sure with hard grazing pressure, and bush hogging I'm adding valuable 
nutrients, and organic matter and since I'm trying to favor grasses there has 
been progress over the past two tears, but will I ever achieve the lush, 
meadow like self regenerating swards that are my goal? 

My neighbor who has farmed for over 50 years advises me to cut down all the 
trees, re grade, and re seed quite a few acres, put in drainage tiles etc. 
I'm reluctant...but when I'm bush hogging, dodging limbs, and trying to 
maneuver around trees, or getting stuck in a low spot I can see the merit of 
his advice in terms of field operations, management, and increased pasture:) 

Got to sign off. More later:)  Frank 

Sometimes the more I do the more confused I become. I seek biodiversity,and 
complexity. And believe that the most complex eco-systems seem to be the ones 
that often require the lowest inputs to maintain since it is the amazing 
balance, and interdependence of the system that make it work.

I am also very sympathetic to Fukokua sp?,Bromfield,Mollison etc.

Yet I also need to make a modest living:) I've opted to live simply...but of 
course many of the things I have spoken about cost quite a bit. 

The best solution imho is to have a community of like minded folks grounded 
in ecology,PC,sustainable ag develop the property yet preserve the 
diversity,the wild life, the beauty of the land.
I know there's a lot of interest but getting the right people, and getting 
folks to actually visit, and commit are the larger issues...given the long 
rides, and distance involved. Plus we are in a very rural area where many of 
locals have never even heard of Permaculture, and put down any form of 
non-chemical, machine oriented farming.

By the way when I lived in the city I used to believe that local practices 
probably evolved over long periods of time, and probably contained much 
wisdom that I should at least consider. But the thing that strikes me most is 
that everyone seems to do things differently. I often hear conflicting 
advice,which is another reason I turn to this list:)

But the worst is that often folks are not able to give reasons why they do as 
they do.
I like to follow models of those who are successful year in and year out. I 
enjoy reading Joel Salatin and have been deeply influenced by his ideas on 
marketing.

I'd love to be producing "Salad Bar BEEF", direct marketing to restaurants, 
local customers  ,selling pastured poultry at premium prices etc. 

But real world obstacles like transportation,distance, local processing 
facilities, market infrastructure,customer development all require far too 
much effort for the already pressed small scale farmer. My concept of scale 
is based upon volume of output rather than sheer size of the property.