permaculture

[Margaret L Wilson <booldawgs@cavenet.com>]

Hi,
I recently moved to a 53 acre former cattle ranch in the Illinois River 
Valley in very SW Oregon.  We were actually looking for a smaller place 
when we found this.  It has so much potential that it is overwhelming.  It 
is reasonably flat and level.  It has been used hard and neglected for many 
years.  It is just amazing that the former owners would let such a 
beautiful old homestead get so rundown.  At one time the back 20 acres was 
forested but it was cleared to make hay fields.  The feral blackberries are 
trying to reclaim it.  Several wetland areas were cleared and attempts were 
maid to make them pasture.  All of the irrigation ditches are getting 
covered in blackberries and some wild roses.  We have 4 small ponds that 
are virtually dry now, 2 manmade and 2 natural, I believe.  They are spring 
fed and/or filled with irrigation from the distant creek
We have numerous old fruit trees, apple and pear, and  I found 2 grapevines 
under the blackberry bushes.  We have gotten in a raised bed garden in the 
area that was fenced for one.  Unfortunately there are some trees that are 
keeping it from getting enough sun so we will need to move it.  We have an 
incredible old barn that is over 100 years old and one that is over 
50.  The huge timbers in the oldest barn are just amazing.  The old timers 
did a good job because the roof is almost non existent and it is still in 
salvageable shape, we think.
We are in our 50s and my husband is gone most of the time so it will take 
us some time to get this place back to a healthy self sustaining family farm.

We have 4 Dexter cows, 1 bull and 3 calves.  We have a mixed herd of about 
30 Shetland and Jacob sheep, horse, mule,donkey, chickens, ducks and 4 
pigs.  They are producing a lot of manure to help improve the badly 
neglected soil.  We have a pretty good population of earthworms so I assume 
the soil is not completely dead.  They pastured down to the ground for a 
lot of years I think.
I have been here since mid-May.  I am definitely feeling overwhelmed :-))))
Margaret